As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started putting a lot of focus on the health of my hair. Whether it’s trying out essential oils for hair growth, taking supplements, or testing out products that promise to cure all my hair woes, I’m always looking for new ways to improve the look and feel of my hair.
I recently stumbled across a video created by a beauty influencer I follow, Kelsey Griffin, where she talks about “hair cycling,” and my interest was immediately piqued. In the video, Griffin talks about how she recently began skin cycling, which led her to the realization that she had been hair cycling for quite some time.
“Every time I wash my hair, I do a different type of shampoo and conditioner routine,” Griffin says. She then goes on to comment that she typically starts with a reset routine that includes a detox shampoo, and that her next wash will use a reparative shampoo or a product that focuses on bond building.
I have multiple hair concerns, so I’m also someone who alternates between different products each time I wash my hair because I’ve found that no one product can do it all. Curious to learn whether or not hair cycling was actually beneficial for hair and scalp health, I tapped Rita Hazan, celebrity colorist and founder of Rita Hazan, and Helen Reavey, founder of Act+Acre, board-certified trichologist, and celebrity hairstylist, to answer all of my burning questions.
Keep reading to find out what hair cycling is, whether or not it actually works, and what a typical hair-cycling routine might look like.
What Is Hair Cycling?
“Hair cycling is essentially alternating products in your hair-care routine in order to achieve the healthiest, most optimal results for your hair,” Hazan tells POPSUGAR. Reavey agrees, saying, “Similar to skin cycling, hair cycling is a hair-care routine that incorporates ‘rest days’ during the week, so that your hair can repair itself after using specific products.”