There’s nothing quite like catching a hint of your freshly washed curls, with the gorgeous scent of fragrant notes tantalizing your senses. It almost makes wash day seem bearable, right? And that’s because good-smelling hair makes you feel confident, well put together, and well, hygienic. Healthy hair goals should surely mean hair that looks good, feels good, and smells good, too.
But oftentimes it’s easier said than done. Our hair is exposed to everything from environmental stressors, food smells, and a general build-up of product and grime. And not to mention, everyday activities can affect how our hair smells, such as cooking, and the sweat accumulated from going to the gym. All things considered, it’s no wonder that our hair smells less than gorgeous from time to time. If you find yourself becoming self-conscious about the scent of your curls, don’t beat yourself up - it happens to the best of us. But if you are keen to learn how to make your hair smell good, then read the following guide for our top tips as well as the best products to add to your hair routine.
Table of Contents:
- How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
- 7 Tips to Keep Your Hair Smelling Good All Day
- How to Avoid Bad Hair Odour
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
Washing your curls on a frequent basis is one of the cheat codes to sweet-smelling hair. Not only does it rid curls of grime and build-up, but it also infuses strands with a concoction of fragranced ingredients, which you can select based on your preference.
If you are feeling self-conscious about the scent of your hair, you may be tempted to go on a hair-washing spree to improve it. But this isn’t necessarily the best course of action. How often you wash your hair should be determined by your curl type, since washing it more often than necessary may cause issues. For instance, if your hair is highly porous and prone to dryness, frequent washing will likely rob your curls of their natural luster. Instead, you’d be best advised to wash your curls less frequently and opt for a gentler shampoo or one that contains nourishing humectants to keep curls soft and moisturized.
Curlsmith has some of the most notable good-smelling products on the market, and shampoos to make your hair smell good. Products feature a wide array of ingredients replete with notes of natural scents that are both functional and pleasantly scented, whether your signature scent is fresh and fruity like a serving of zesty fruits (lemon and orange) or fresh and floral like a bouquet of your favourite flowers (think hibiscus and rose).
7 Tips to Keep Your Hair Smelling Good All Day
The pursuit of fresh-smelling hair can be a challenge, especially when we consider lifestyle factors like cooking, going to the gym, and everyday pollutants. Nonetheless, there are a number of ways you can ensure your curls stay so fresh and so clean. Read on for our top tips.
1. Clean your Hairbrush Regularly
Did you know that one of the biggest culprits when it comes to our curls accumulating grime, and build-up is hairbrushes? Yes, that’s right. The ridges and bristles found in brushes tend to harbour loose strands, product residue, and dead cells from the scalp, which contribute to hair odour. To eliminate this issue, wash your brushes regularly. To clean your brushes, soak them in soapy water or use a drop of your favourite Curlsmith shampoo and an old toothbrush to scrub clean.
2. Wash Pillowcases Often
Another major culprit when it comes to hair odour is dirty pillowcases. When we rest our hair on our pillows at night, all the dirt and build-up that your curls have accumulated throughout the day is transferred to that pillow. Before you know it, it’s become a harbour of residue that causes your curls to smell unclean. Washing your pillowcases on a frequent basis will prevent the transfer of oils, sweat, and build-up to your pillow. Furthermore, sleeping on a satin pillowcase instead of a cotton one will keep your curls softer and cleaner, as cotton is more absorbent and will extract grime and build-up. So, if you haven’t done so already, trade your cotton pillowcases for satin ones.
3. Establish the Most Effective Hair Wash Routine
There are a few more subtle hair habits that can cause hair odour that may not be so apparent as the aforementioned examples. For instance, did you know that your curly hair wash routine can affect the way your hair smells? Not rinsing your hair well, air-drying, and even neglecting to wash behind your ears can lead to bacterial build-up. Once these elements collide with sweat and build-up, you may experience unpleasant, musty, sour smells. One way to ensure that your curls are squeaky clean and receive a good reset is by using a clarifying shampoo every 4-5 washes.
4. Exfoliate your Scalp Regularly
Caring for your scalp is a sure fire way to avoid the grime and build-up that contribute to hair unpleasant smelling hair. To keep build-up at bay, get into the habit of maintaining a healthy scalp by exfoliating it on washday. This will help to remove dead skin cells, debris, and product build-up that accumulate during the week. Knowing how to exfoliate scalp build-up is one of the best things you can learn to keep the hair and scalp clean and sweet-scented.
5. Use a Leave-In Conditioner
Once hair is cleansed and the scalp is squeaky clean, applying a leave-in-conditioner to your hair will help to improve its strength, hydration levels, and the scent of your hair. So, understanding how to use leave-in-conditioner properly can make all the difference.
6. Apply Hair Masks
As part of your curly hair wash routine, adding a hair mask can strengthen and nourish your hair. Moreover, as well as helping to strengthen and hydrate to maintain protein moisture balance, hair masks offer a variety of gorgeous fragrances, ensuring your curls remain pleasantly scented.
7. Refresh Hair with a Hair with a Reviving Mist
Refreshing your curls in between washes will help to keep your hair smelling good. For daily maintenance, use a light mist that will ensure your curls don’t get weighed down with excess product. Curlsmith CurlFit Reviving Mist is a featherweight alternative to shampoo. Powered by micellar water technology and peppermint oil, it gently cleanses and refreshes the hair and scalp while reducing excess oil and neutralising odour. It’s perfect for a curl and scalp reset after a session at the gym.
How to Avoid Bad Hair Odour
Now that you are empowered with tips to make your hair smell good, there are also a few things you can do to prevent your hair from smelling bad. They include the following:
Use scented heat protectants before diffusing
We are all too familiar with that intense, burning smell that can occur when blow-drying hair. Avoid this issue by applying scented heat protectants before you start the process of blow drying.
Avoid harsh scents, like smoke, BBQ, cooking and sweat to maintain a fresh hair scent
Similarly, unpleasant-smelling hair can occur from everyday habits like BBQ-ing, cooking, and passive smoke. Try to avoid any environments that are not conducive to your health and well-being. Or at the very least, keep your curls wrapped up and protected when exposed to smokey conditions.
Reduce heavy styling products
Heavy and greasy styling products can lead to the hair and scalp becoming grimy and plagued with build-up. Swap for lighter product formulations instead, especially during the warmer months.
Avoid environmental pollution (where possible)
The impact of environmental pollution on the hair includes smoke and dust particles that can build up on the hair and scalp and cause the hair to become odorous.
While it’s a challenge to avoid your hair smelling unpleasant from time-to-time due to lifestyle habits and environmental factors, there are several healthy hair practices you can implement to minimize bad hair smells. Curlsmith has a number of carefully crafted products to keep your curls healthy and vibrant and gorgeously scented.
