This is your complete, minimal hair care essentials guide to every hair product you actually need, from your in-shower basics to your post-shower must-haves, plus the few extras that actually matter.
Let’s be real, we all just want soft, shiny, healthy hair that grows… not a 12-step routine that feels like a second job.
And that’s exactly where I was.
And that’s why I curated the PERFECT list of minimal hair care essentials to help you build the BEST healthy hair routine.
I am a hair girlie through and through so creating the perfect routine felt like the ultimate beauty must-have that made my hair journey and hair care feel refined, elevated, and simplified.
It was about understanding the types of products that actually made a difference, rather than using it all.
Because over consumption is so easy in this day and age and rarely does any good.
And what if I told you, all it takes is 6 products (curated for your hair needs) and you will have a 5-star hair routine.
Yep.
In this post, I compiled all the products I believe you NEED to keep your hair healthy, soft, shine, and growing strong. From shampoo and conditioner all the way down hair brushes.
Honestly, what prompted this was that I was so sick of looking through all my bathroom drawers and bins and seeing product just sitting there that I have used maybe once or twice.
I hate clutter and didn’t want to see it.
Especially when it came to my beauty products.
So if you in the middle of spring cleaning or just in desperate need of a declutter, this list can help narrow down your products into things you actually need.
Minimal Hair Care Essentials
The first 4 contain what I like to call “the all-time essentials”.
These are 6 products that I believe will benefit everyone regardless of hair types, health, goals, etc.
And then I’ve also include a few extra bonus products that I like to include for styling and maintaining bright color (specifically for my fellow blondies).
1. Shampoo & Conditioner
Starting off strong with our first 2 products…we have shampoo and conditioner.
Yeah, I know. You’re probably thinking this is stupid to include because of course you have shampoo and conditioner.
This is like the most basic hair products you could possibly have…with the exception of 2-in-1 which we won’t talk about.
However, creating the perfect haircare routine isn’t about just using it. It’s about finding the formula that works for you.
It’s the first step in creating your own minimal hair care essentials routine.
To do this, it’s important to understand your hair type and hair needs. If you don’t already know your hair type, I recommend taking online hair quizzes or asking your hair stylist next time you go into the salon.
Once you know your hair type, you need to decide what you are looking for in a shampoo and conditioner.
For me, I classify my hair as long healthy, wavy and thick that gets tangled really easy, the ends get dry and the roots gets oily.
So ideally, I like my shampoo to include hair proteins for strength to avoid breakage sense my hair is longer. But for conditioner, I like a high-slip and hydration to detangle and create softness and shine. And I love when my hair smells good, so that is also an important quality for me.
However, everyone is different and has different hair needs. If your hair gets greasy, you may not want a super high-moisturizing conditioner.
Finding a shampoo and conditioner is a process and takes some trial and error.
Some of favorites are:
- L’Oreal Paris Elvive (Dream Lengths) – Great low-cost option, smells really good, supports my hair needs. I do think that the entire line is great so I highly recommend.
- Redkin (Extreme Length Shampoo with the All Soft Conditioner)
- Kerastase Gloss Absolu – Expensive but probably my all-time favorite smell and makes me hair insanely shine and soft.
2. Clarifying Shampoo and Hair Mask
Next, I believe that everyone should have a good clarifying shampoo and hair mask in their minimal hair care essentials list.
Over time, dirt, sweat and product build up on your scalp and leave your hair feeling heavier.
Using a clarifying shampoo has been a GAME CHANGER. It gives you an instance hair glow up.
If you ever feel like your hair just isn’t clean, takes forever to dry, or just isn’t giving what it needs to give, it’s probably because there is a lot of product build up and oils on it.
Clarifying shampoo creates the same bounciness and lightness that you feel when you get a fresh hair cut or leave the salon.
I’m telling you, this is THE trick.
However, because clarifying shampoo strips away natural oils as well as the product build up, you need to follow it with a good hydrating hair mask to replenish moisture, seal the hair cuticle, and prevent dryness.
When purchasing and using a clarifying shampoo, be careful if you have color-dyed hair. Make sure you choose a color-safe option, free of sulfates.
My favorite is the Kristen Ess Deep Clean clarifying shampoo. The OUAI Detox Shampoo is slightly more expensive but also really great.
If you want to check out a few others, check out this post on the best clarifying shampoos.
A few hair masks I recommend are:
- RawSugar healing power mask
- It’s a 10 miracle hair mask
- OUAI Thick Hair treatment masque
- Amika Soulfood Nourishing mask.
3. Leave-in Conditioner
Next up, is leave-in conditioner to keep hair soft, hydrated, and manageable throughout the day while reducing frizz, and protecting against breakage and heat/styling tools.
I’ve been putting leave-in conditioner in my hair after most showers for years and years that it would feel wrong to not at this point.
Not to mention all the actual benefits like deep, lasting hydration, easier detangling, frizz control, and heat/UV protection, and just overall to make your hair more manageable and lock in moisture.
I’ve also been using the exact, same leave-in conditioner for so many years I can’t remember a time I didn’t use it.
My HOLY GRAIL hair product…the one product that has never changed and it’s the It’s a 10 Miracle leave-in conditioner.
I was a competitive swimmer my entire childhood through college, putting my hair through chlorine everyday and yet it was still really healthy and I contribute like 80% of that to applying this leave-in conditioner (and getting regular hair cuts).
And that is it.
If I could recommend only one product for your entire hair care routine, it would be a leave-in conditioner/treatment.
4. Hair Oil
And finally, to round out my ultimate 6 minimal hair care essentials, we have none other than hair oil.
I have semi oily hair (especially at the roots) and thought I would never want to put more oil on my hair, but once I tried, it was so good.
And now, it is one of hair care essentials.
Hair oil seals in moisture, adds shine, and protects your hair by creating a barrier.
So while your leave-in conditioner hydrates, detangles, and smooths with water-based formulas, prepping hair for styling, hair oil acts so the final stop to creating a shield, locking it all in, and making it shine.
My two favorite hair oils (which I can’t pick between) is the Kerastase Gloss Absolu Graze Drops and the Bumble and Bumble Invisible Hair Oil. Both so amazing!
You can also opt for fully natural hair oil like jojoba oil. I highly recommend if you are on the fence because you have oily hair. There are so many amazing benefits of jojoba oil for skin and hair.
And there you have it.
6 minimal hair care essentials for a simple but so effective hair routine.
From here, you can add-on based on your hair needs and desires.
Bonus Hair Essentials
Specialties
Not everyone needs these, but if you do… it may already be a key part of your routine.
This is really about understanding your hair and finding a product or two that can support your hair and lifestyle.
For my blondes:
A purple shampoo is a non-negotiable to keep brassiness away and your color looking fresh.
For my wavy or curly haired girls:
A good curl cream is everything for natural hair days. It helps define your waves, adds moisture, and keeps frizz under control without making your hair crunchy.
I have wave hair and the Bumble and Bumble Light Curl Defining Cream is my go-to for this.
For my heat lovers:
If you are constantly curling or straightening your hair multiple times a week, you may want a stronger heat protectant or blow out cream.
There are so many different hair needs.
Find the one that’s right for you.
Scalp Care
Healthy hair starts at the scalp, always.
And a healthy scalp is maintained mostly through carrying out a hair care routine similar to the we just went through…washing your hair regularly (with sulfate-free products), exfoliating to remove buildup (with your clarifying shampoo) and a few products to protect your hair from heat/sun and keep it hydrated (like the leave-in conditioner and oil).
You also want to make sure you’re brushing your air to distribute your naturals oil all the way through your hair and messaging your scalp for circulation.
On top of that, using a target treatment for specific issues and scalp rejuvenation can also be key.
For that extra boost of scalp care, I really like the It’s a 10 Scalp Restore Miracle Serum.
And there you have it.
Your complete guide to a minimal hair care essentials that actually work.
From your in-shower essentials like shampoo, conditioner, and masks, to post-shower must-haves like leave-in conditioner and hair oil, these are the products that make a real difference without overcomplicating your life.
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