A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving Long-Lasting, Heavenly-Scented Locks

Written by: 100% PURE ®
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If you tangle with your tresses most days, then a great hair day can be a breath of fresh hair. We’re staunchly aware of hairy annoyances like split ends, dry strands, zero volume, and frizz being red flags that your locks are ready to rumble with you. But how about smelly stands to top the crown off? That’s right – hair may not be breathing all fresh after all.

Living your best hair day most days in an instant confidence boost. So, if your fave hair scent unknowingly wears off due to evaporating rapidly or you miss the fresh-out-of-the-shower scent of a thorough sudsing, your hair’s natural sebum doesn’t always smell stellar. Don’t fret – we’re here to help!

Longer-lasting hair scent is just a natural shampoo and conditioner away – plus this post! It’s time to get to the root of how to choose the right scented hair products. We’ll also share the best tips and tricks for long-lasting fragrance, so every day is fresh air for your hair!


Understanding Hair Porosity

Freshly scented, heavenly perfumed locks have been literally around the ol’ haircare block going back to the limestone block-building of Egyptian pyramids. Cleopatra, the number one trendsetter of ancient Egypt, used hair scents to add to her allure while seducing would-be conquerors. A total power move. Those were the days when bathing was a luxury when only the rich and powerful had access to scented soaps and oils.

As opposed to chemical-laden beauty products like nowadays, Cleopatra’s sudsing luxuries were natural, like olive and coconut oils and honey ingredients, which aided in her long-lasting, divine-smelling hair. Hair styles were free-flowing or buns with pins of bone, and no heat or color treatments. This au natural hair approach awarded the queen with heavenly hair porosity.

Like hair thickness and texture, hair porosity is a key characteristic that plays a huge role in the locks of your dreams. Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. Hair porosity is determined by how open or closed the hair cuticles are, like tiny doors that open and close. Porosity can be broken down into three categories: low, normal, and high.

Low porosity hair has cuticles that are bound very close together, normal porosity hair has cuticles that are slightly less bound, and high porosity hair has cuticles that are more widely spread out. With low porosity or fewer doors, the cuticles are shut so tightly that the moisture cannot be absorbed; high porosity strands have more space or doors, allowing for moisture to flow in and right back out, resulting in dry strands. Normal, as you may have guessed, is ideal porosity.


Women with healthy hair
How to Self-Measure Hair Porosity and Maximize Fragrance Retention


Getting to know your hair's porosity (aka its ability to absorb and retain moisture) can tell you if your hair is damaged, in need of moisture, or perfectly healthy. Once you determine this critical characteristic of your tresses, you’ll be able to uncover the secrets to maximum fragrance retention among the ‘Sphinx’ of strands. Psst, it’s not some mysterious marvel, but a quick self-test you can do at home.

You just need two things: a glass of water (use a clear glass) and a strand of hair. It’s recommended that you try this after washing any product and build-up from your hair with a natural shampoo to get the most accurate reading. Start by combing your hair to release strands that are shedding, and then take those stands and drop them into your glass of room temperature water.

After 15 minutes, if the strand floats, your hair may have low porosity. If the strand sinks just beneath the surface or in the middle, you may have medium porosity hair. If the strand is way to the bottom you may have high porosity hair.

You can also do the spray bottle test. room-temperature water and mist it over your head. If the droplets sit on top of your hair, you most likely have low-porosity hair. If the droplets easily absorb into your strands you are most likely a high porosity head. If the droplets sat on your hair and after a few minutes absorbed into your hair you are more than likely medium porosity.

So, how do you treat your specific hair porosity to maximize fragrance retention? Contrary to popular myth, having low porosity hair doesn’t mean your locks are unhealthy; it just means you're not moisturizing it properly, so it becomes dry and tangled. Your tresses crave to retain water, so it’s best to first a hair-penetrating oil before you shampoo. If you're lucky enough to have normal porosity hair, use a natural shampoo and conditioner, plus a deep conditioning mask to maintain your hair health.

For high (maintenance) porosity hair, you’re probably rumbling with excessive dryness, frizz, and breakage, resulting from hair that has a raised and porous cuticle. Your hair can’t retain water either, because of protein loss or damage to the cuticle. It’s best to avoid excessive hair coloring and time in the sun, as well as frequently using hot tools. Your strands will need deep conditioning, a protein serum, and a hair mask for ideal tresses.

Choosing the Right Scented Hair Products

Have you ever caught wind of someone’s lovely locks blowing in a gentle breeze and it sent you into stalking them for their hair scent? You’re not weird. The hair’s movement and the head’s heat create superlative conditions for scent diffusion – and the perfect occasion to live in pleasure town with your head in an irresistible cloud.

Why live vicariously through their head of hair? Understanding your hair's porosity can help you choose the most suitable scented hair products.

But first, the hair necessities for strands with lasting scent are to start with natural shampoos and conditioners with quality ingredients from a reputable brand (hint, Hint). Remember, a healthy scalp is to luscious locks, so you’ll want to steer clear of chemical-laden hair products that can dry out and damage your scalp and strands. These conventional products also use synthetic fragrances and alcohols that can irritate your scalp or create brittle hair. On this note, please refrain from spraying your fave fragrance into your tresses, as it probably contains alcohol.

There are many botanical, hair-loving ingredients in quality natural shampoos and conditioners that you can use to improve the health and smell of your hair. Nourish them with healing, delicious-smelling butters, such as coconut or mango butters, as well as oils for lasting hydration and divine aroma, like rosemary, lavender, and orange scents. Using natural leave-in serums and conditioners usually contain tantalizing smells that will hug your hair all day. Let’s check out the best products with natural fragrances that endure for hours on end.


Kelp and Mint Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner:

Experience a gentle purifying and invigorating hair wash with our specially formulated Sea Kelp and Mint Shampoo and Conditioner. Expertly crafted with powerful ingredients that promote bounce, body, and luster, our sulfate-free formulas revive and strengthen hair with the goodness of sea kelp, French sea salt, seaweed collagen, aloe, and rose hydrosol.

Delicately cleansed with saponified coconut oil, this cleansing duo is gentle enough for color-treated hair and ensures unparalleled shine, texture, and moisture replenishment. The hair-nourishing plant infusions and wholesome floral and nut oils create results you can see and feel, while the light rose water and mint infusion create a long-lasting aroma you and others can smell to the stars.

Key Functions: Volume & shine

Recommended for: All hair types

Featured Ingredients: Sea kelp, French sea salt, seaweed collagen

Honey and Virgin Coconut Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner:
Rejuvenate your hair from the inside out with our deeply moisturizing honey and coconut combo. Our hydrating formulas include gentle cleansing coconut oil to hydrate and hydrate some more. Yes, that’s been overstated because hydration is essential for a rich and creamy lather that won’t strip or stress your tresses. In this formula, we use saponified coconut oil, which is a fancy term that means we turn coconut oil into moisturizing soap. It acts and feels like a sulfate with the nutrition and results of softening, and smoothing coconut oil.

Lather up your hair with this gem of the jungle for healthier, stronger, and glossier locks. Our naturally restorative formula will intensely nourish you while transporting you to a tropical paradise. Your dry, damaged hair doesn’t stand a chance against the healing properties of coconut oil in a shampoo and conditioner. Plus, our sulfate-free formulas are safe and gentle enough for color-treated hair. Now that’s a win-win!

Key Functions: Hydrating, clarifying

Recommended for: Damaged, dry hair

Featured Ingredients: Aloe, coconut oil, honey

Yuzu and Pomelo Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner:
Bring your hair back to life with our hydrating and revitalizing yuzu and pomelo combo! Our shampoo and conditioner formulas effectively remove excess oil and buildup that may dull your hair, leaving it with a brilliant shine, bounce, and vibrancy. Infused with the degreasing power of yuzu and pomelo citrus and gentle coconut foam, this revitalizing pair is perfect for all hair types.

This dynamic duo also features aloe and rose hydrosol to hydrate and nourish your strands, plus provitamin B5 and sea kelp to enhance volume and promote healthy growth. You can enjoy these benefits without worrying about damaging your color-treated hair since these formulas are sulfate-free, safe, and gentle!

Key Functions: Hydration & Nourishment

Recommended for: All hair types

Featured Ingredients: Yuzu & citrus extract, sea kelp, rose hydrosol

Locking in Scent Post-Wash

Knowing your hair porosity and type are the right steps to finding the perfect natural hair products for your hair goals and a long-lasting hair scent. When it comes to unleashing the power of natural shampoo and conditioner, establishing a well-rounded hair care routine is essential. That involves incorporating hair products that can lock in the divine aroma of your hair care pair.

#1. Rosemary Grow Serum
It’s no secret that different hair types require different hair treatments, but all scalps benefit from some stimulation. And our favorite ingredient for promoting hair growth is rosemary oil. This essential oil is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help stimulate hair growth by improving blood circulation in the scalp, promoting nutrient delivery to hair follicles, and strengthening hair strands.

#2. Multi-Vitamin Healthy Hair De-Frizz Serum
It’s no secret that different hair types require different hair treatments, but all scalps benefit from some stimulation. And our favorite ingredient for promoting hair growth is rosemary oil. This essential oil is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help stimulate hair growth by improving blood circulation in the scalp, promoting nutrient delivery to hair follicles, and strengthening hair strands.

#3. Argan Oil
Derived from the kernels of the Moroccan argan tree, argan oil is a versatile ingredient that has been used for centuries in hair care rituals. Argan oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids that moisturize, nourish, and protect the hair. It also acts as a natural heat protectant, shielding the hair from damage caused by styling tools. Argan oil also tames hair frizziness, fights breakage, and strengthens healthier hair growth for longer, voluminous locks.

Our Argan oil is naturally rich in vitamin E, phenols, carotenes, squalane, and essential fatty acids to deeply moisturize, nourish, and soften strands. Argan oil benefits all hair types. Despite the misconception that oil should be avoided by those with oily hair types, argan oil is lightweight and non-greasy, making it suitable for all hair types and textures.

Are you looking for helpful tips to lock in scents post-wash? We have your back – and head!

#1. Cool-water rinse

After conditioning your strands or using a hair mask, rinse your hair with cool water to help seal the cuticles and enhance shine.

#2. Towel-dry strands

Gently towel dry your wet locks. This will reduce hair breakage and allow for some moisture to retain and absorb naturally into your locks. This is the prime time to apply post-wash scents, which will be more readily absorbed by your hair.

#3. Blow-dry hair

If you decide to blow dry your tresses, limit how often you do it and avoid high heat. Try to use warm or cool-air blow-dry settings on strands that are barely damp to cut down on heat damage. This is also an ideal time to use post-wash scents, like serums and leave-in conditioners, which will leave your tresses smelling divine.

#4. Add post-wash products

Adding one of the amazing leave-in conditioners or oils after towel or blow-drying your hair will maximize the fragrance retention of your shampoo and conditioner, leaving you with lasting scent, and luscious locks.

#5. Layer the hair goodies

For those wanting to build on their signature scent, or add a luxe finishing touch to their hair routine, you can layer on the post-scent products, like adding a growth serum and argan oil, to promote healthier shinier locks. Layering products can extend the fragrance throughout the day.


100 PURE Rosemary Serum for Hair Growth
Lifestyle Tips for Scented Hair

If healthy strands come from happy roots (aka the scalp), then happy hair can also come from a healthy diet – and that includes the essence of life - water. It is incredibly important that we eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay well-hydrated. Like soil needing proper nutrients for plants and flowers to flourish, our bodies need the feel-good vitamins and nutrients from healthy foods, as well as adequate hydration.

Seeing as our diets affect our skin, can you imagine how incorporating healthy and hydrating foods (and water) can do even greater hair wonders?! They sure can! Whether you were blessed with normal porosity or you experience dry locks and frizz on the regular, the quest for how to get healthier hair with a long-lasting, divine scent revolves around healthy food and adequate hydration – both inside and out.

You’ll also want to look for and nix hair-rowing habits, like smoking, excessive intake of alcohol, inactive lifestyle, and poor sleeping habits, as these factors can affect your health and the vitality of your skin and strands. When it comes to a whole better you, it all comes down to a well-rounded approach: use a skincare regimen that works for you, get plenty of sleep, manage stress through both active and creative outlets, and of course, eat and drink, and be merry! You’ll not only see benefits beyond the mirror, these hair-happy habits will promote a lasting fragrance.

FAQs About Mastering the Art of Lasting, Heavenly-Scented Hair

How can I prevent my hair from picking up unwanted odors?
You can try to refrain from being in smoke-filled environments or where smoking is permitted. You may also want to avoid small areas that may not be well-ventilated, such as smoky restaurants that use fire pits for barbeque or a lot of oil for cooking burgers and fries. These smells can attach to your strands.

If your hair is also not properly moisturized with the proper hair care products, your hair cuticles will be more open and absorbing these odors.

Are there any natural remedies to make my hair smell better?
Absolutely! The best natural remedies to make your hair smell better are using proper natural hair care products. They are void of chemicals harsh alcohols and fragrances that can strip your scalp and strands of essential moisture. Without adequate hydration, your strands are more prone to dryness and breakage, which can lead to a host of hair problems, like unhealthy-smelling natural scalp sebum.

Can essential oils be used in hair for fragrance? If so, which ones are best?
Yes! If you're looking for a scent boost, try oiling your scalp, your hair... or even both. Essential oils can make your hair smell lovely. Rosemary, coconut, lavender, and citrus oils are some of the most divine oils to get your best-smelling hair.

How often should I wash my hair to keep it smelling fresh?
There are many factors and circumstances as to how often should you wash your strands. If your priority is making your hair smell extra good every day, more frequent often is better.

What should I do if my scalp odor is persistent?
We would suggest checking your hair care products. If you’re using conventional products, you should switch to natural formulas. Make sure you wash your hair promptly. Look for a balance between keeping your hair clean and removing excess oils. You may also want to track your diet. See if cutting out certain foods causes your scalp odor to be less persistent.

Conclusion

Whether you’re trying to balance back-and-forth on that hair see-saw for healthy, hydrated locks, the science behind prized hair and mastering heavenly-scented locks lies in a natural shampoo and conditioner routine, as well as natural hair care products for maintaining long-lasting scents.

Longer-lasting hair scent is just a natural shampoo and conditioner away – plus this post! It’s time to get to the root of how to choose the right scented hair products. We hope you enjoyed the best tips and tricks for long-lasting fragrance, so every day is a breath of fresh air for your hair!

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We carefully hand-select products based on strict purity standards, and only recommend products we feel meet this criteria. 100% PURE™ may earn a small commission for products purchased through affiliate links.

The information in this article is for educational use, and not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be used as such.

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