8 Tips on How to Get Soft, Silky Hair
Regardless of your hair type or concern, we’re all striving to figure out how to get silky hair that’s soft to the touch. The good news is that soft, shiny hair is entirely achievable – even outside of the salon chair. With a few lifestyle adjustments and a hair care overhaul, you can reclaim silky and soft hair and leave lacklustre locks behind. Below, we’ve gathered expert advice for how to make your hair soft and silky using 8 hair care tips.
How to get soft and silky hair
Experiencing dull, dry hair is a hair concern for many. If you’re lacking hair softness, this can point to a deficiency in hair hydration and natural oils. Dryness can be caused by a wealth of factors like colouring, overuse of heat tools, over-washing and changes in weather conditions.
Whatever the reason for your dry hair, attaining silky, soft hair requires a holistic approach to your hair care routine. This involves finding hair care products that provide nourishment and align with your hair type and concerns, identifying (and minimising) lifestyle habits that might lead to dryness or breakage, and refining your trimming and washing practices. Below, we’ve outlined tips for how to get soft hair that you can easily integrate into your lifestyle.
1. Know your hair type
Before you can begin your nourishing hair care journey to achieve silky, soft hair, it’s important to recognise what type of hair you have – i.e. fine, straight, thick, wavy, curly or coily. Different hair types experience different hair concerns. For example, curly hair is often prone to dryness, whereas fine hair types tend to experience excess oil production. Knowing your hair type will allow you to find products that are suited to your individual needs while also making your hair soft. Take the Kérastase Hair Quiz so that you can start building your specific hair regime.
2. Always use a heat protectant
Excessive heat styling can be the enemy of soft hair, so using heat protecting products can help reduce damage to your strands. For those with particularly dry hair, we recommend Nutritive Nectar Thermique Blow-Dry Cream for Dry Hair for increased shine and hydration. This product can be applied to towel-dried hair for protection against blow-drying and heat styling, while keeping hair soft and manageable.
3. Use nourishing hair products
Armed with heat protecting products and the knowledge of your hair type and concerns, you can start building a hair care regime that’s designed to make your hair soft and silky. The Kérastase Nutritive hair care range focuses on hair nutrition and has been developed to restore moisture in dry and very dry hair.
• Shampoo: Nutritive Bain Satin for Dry Hair (normal to slightly dry hair) nourishes, strengthens and moisturisers the hair from root to tip for increased softness. The Nutritive Bain Satin Riche for Very Dry Hair is targeted towards very dry hair and contains anti-dryness polymers that provide intense nutrition and strength without weighing down your tresses.
• Conditioner: Nutritive Lait Vital Conditioner is an ultra-light detangling conditioner suited for fine to medium hair that accompanies either shampoo in the Nutritive range. This product penetrates hair fibres for deep hydration and seals hair cuticles so they retain moisture for longer.
4. Don’t over-wash hair
While it feels undeniably luxurious to start the day with freshly washed, soft hair, excessively washing your hair can be counterintuitive to achieving the silky hair of your dreams. Over-washing can remove the hair’s natural oils and create unwanted dryness and brittleness. Try extending the time between hair washes so you’re only washing your hair 2-3 times per week. Opt for the Fresh Affair Dry Shampoo to tide your locks over between wash days.
5. Use hair mask treatments
When simple conditioning isn’t enough to inject life back into your dull tresses, hair masks can be a boosting source of nourishment to get hair soft and silky. Your ends tender to experience the most dryness since they are the oldest part of your hair and the furthest away from the source of your natural oils (the scalp). Hair masks can help give your ends the hydration they need to improve hair softness.
• For fine to medium hair: Nutritive Masquintense for Dry Hair This lightweight, creamy hair mask is packed with essential hair proteins (fatty acids, omega and vitamins), nourishing lipids and niacinamide to hydrate your ends without overloading your hair with product.
• For medium to thick hair: Nutritive Masquintense Riche for Very Dry Hair Formulated with the same nourishing ingredients, this rich, ultra-concentrated hair mask brings moisture, suppleness, shine and a satin touch to very dry hair.
Both products can be applied to shampooed and towel-dried hair, along the lengths and ends.
6. Seek regular trims
Extended periods between haircuts or trims can leave the hair looking weighed down and lacklustre. Split ends are often the first sign of dehydrated or lifeless hair. Depending on the frequency of your haircuts, split ends can potentially lead to more breakage further up the hair shaft. Regular trims are important to the health and appearance of your hair, so hair care experts recommend 6-8 weeks between trims to keep the hair soft and silky.
7. Use a silk or satin pillowcase
Silk or satin pillowcases can be quite beneficial in your quest for how to get soft hair – they’re also a low-maintenance and hassle-free addition to your nourishing hair care routine.
- Rather than absorbing moisture like standard cotton, silk or satin pillowcases preserve the hair’s natural oils, thus keeping scalp and hair hydration in check.
- The gentle fabric reduces friction against the hair which not only reduces hair breakage, but it also minimises frizz and keeps your locks looking smooth.
8. Adopt leave-in treatments
Another way to enhance moisture and make your hair soft and supple is by utilising hair serums and leave-in hair oil treatments.
The Nutritive Fibre Food Hair Serum for Dry Ends is an anti-dryness serum that locks in nutrients and hydration to improve the softness of your hair. Apply 5 drops to the ends of your freshly shampooed and conditioned hair.
If you’re seeking additional hair nourishment at bedtime, consider introducing the Nutritive Magic 8H Night Serum to your hair care regime. Suitable for all types of dry hair, this serum is infused with iris root extract, niacinamide and a blend of 5 vitamins to help restore balance to hair hydration levels over an 8-hour period. Apply 2-4 pumps at night depending on hair density.
If you loved these hacks for how to get silky hair, you might enjoy our deep dive into the benefits of niacinamide for hair.
Explore More Expert Advice
Your Personal Care
The Right Products for You
wishes.
Fusi-Dose In Salon
in under 5 minutes.
Find Your Nearest Salon
Far more than the place to get your root touch-up or an occasional trim, book an appointment at your nearest Kérastase salon for a complimentary personalized hair diagnosis.
