Build Your Hair Routine Like a Yo Chi

Base. Layer. Style. Sprinkles. A no-BS guide to building a hair routine that actually works for your hair — from Jen at August Hair Co.

Hey, it's Jen 👋

I'm going to be straight with you. There is so much confusing information out there about hair products. Every second video on your feed is telling you to buy something different, layer it in a specific order, and panic if you're not doing the "right" thing.

Honestly? Most of it is noise.

Here's how I think about it instead — and how I explain it to clients every single day in the salon. It's like ordering a Yo Chi (yep, the frozen yoghurt place).

Here's the thing about Yo Chi…

Some of my friends go in and get one flavour. Same thing every time. It works for them, and they're sweet.

Others (me included) need two or three different yoghurts mixed as the base. Then a few toppings. Maybe some sauce. We're building.

Neither one is wrong. They just have different needs.

Your hair is the same. Some of you will thrive on one good all-rounder shampoo. Others genuinely need three on rotation. The trick isn't following someone else's order — it's understanding which kind of Yo Chi-girl your hair is.

There is no hard and fast rule. Just layers.

The 4 Layers of a Good Hair Routine

Whether you're a minimalist or a maximalist, every routine moves through the same four layers. How much you do at each layer depends on your hair and your goals — but the order doesn't change.

01 · BASE — Your shampoo and conditioner. The foundation.

02 · LAYER — The prep products. Multitaskers if possible.

03 · STYLE — What gives your hair its shape and grit.

04 · SPRINKLES — The finishing touches. The fun bit.

Let's go through each one.

LAYER 01 — Base

Your shampoo and conditioner. The foundation of everything.

This is the bit most people underestimate. Your shampoo touches your scalp and saturates every strand on your head, every wash. If your base is wrong, nothing you do after it can fully fix it.

Now — here's where people get confused.

Some people genuinely need two or three shampoos on rotation. Maybe a detoxifying one, a hydrating or repairing one, and a toning one. That's not crazy — it's just laying a proper foundation when your hair has a few things going on at once.

But not everyone needs that. If you've got a great all-rounder that works for your hair and your goals, just stick with it. There is no prize for owning more bottles.

Stop copying someone else's routine. Build your own.

Which kind of Base-girl are you?

The All-Rounder — One shampoo + conditioner does the job. Your hair is in good shape, no major drama, and your shampoo leaves it feeling clean and balanced.

At August Hair Co we love something like Teknia Organic Balance for someone who just needs that classic good shampoo doing its job well.

The Layered Base — You need 2 or 3 different shampoos in rotation. Your hair has more than one thing going on — maybe product buildup and dryness, or colour fade and brassiness. You alternate based on what your hair needs that week.

Layered-base girls often rotate something like a Christophe Robin salt scrub for a deeper clean, then a hydrating or repairing wash, and a toning wash when needed.

The truth is: the day-to-day choice of shampoo matters more than any expensive mask you'll ever buy. Lay this foundation first.

And then there's conditioner…

Conditioner is the carrier. It's what physically gets hydration into your hair after your shampoo has done its cleansing job. Without it, you're leaving the door half-closed on everything that follows.

But here's where there's no one right answer:

Some people need a light conditioner — fine hair, oily roots, or just hair that gets weighed down easily. Others prefer to use a richer treatment mask as their everyday conditioner, especially if their hair is dry, coloured, or coarse. Both are valid. Pick whatever gets your hair feeling the way you want it to feel.

The only rule: if your hair is fine, keep conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends — never the roots.

LAYER 02 — Layer

Your prep. Leave-ins, primers, treatment sprays, oils.

This is the layer that sits between your base and your styling. It's doing the real work — protecting your hair, hydrating it, priming it for whatever comes next.

And here's my biggest tip: look for products that multitask.

You don't need ten products if a couple can do five jobs each. I'd always rather you have one good multitasker than four single-purpose products you can't be bothered using.

Multitaskers we love:

• A hair oil that's also a heat protector — conditioning + protection in one step. Saves time, saves shelf space.

• A leave-in that doubles as a style primer — detangles, hydrates, and sets you up for styling, all in one mist.

• An anti-frizz with heat protection built in — if you're heat styling and battling humidity, this is the unicorn.

• A treatment spray you can use before AND after styling — hydration on demand. We love a Moroccanoil Treatment-style spray for this.

If you can't find a multitasker, that's fine — this is where your serums, oils, and leave-ins do their thing individually. Just don't stack five of them when two would do.

We love the ELEVEN Miracle Hair Treatment for this exact reason — it does about ten different jobs in one bottle. That's the energy we're after.

LAYER 03 — Style

What gives your hair its shape and grit.

Now we get into the bit where you decide what your hair is actually doing today. This is where you build the texture, the volume, the movement — whatever you're going for.

Important: not every routine needs a Style layer. If you blow-dry straight and that's your vibe, skip it. But if you want grip, lift, or hold, this is where it happens.

What goes where:

• Volume and lift at the roots → Volumising spray or a sea salt spray — something gritty that gives your hair grip to hold its shape.

• Texture and movement → Sea salt or texturising spray applied through mid-lengths before drying.

• Curl definition and bounce → A curl cream, curl-defining mousse, or a gel applied to damp hair, scrunched in. Gel gives the strongest hold and definition; cream is softer.

• Smooth, sleek finish → Skip the texturisers. You've already done your prep — go straight to blow-drying and finishing.

• Hold for an updo or set style → A light mousse for grip, or a styling cream depending on hair texture.

Apply Style products before you blow-dry or set your hair, not after.

LAYER 04 — Sprinkles

The finishing touches. The little extras that make it yours.

This is the fun bit. Sprinkles are everything you reach for after your hair is styled — the bits that set it, refresh it, or add a final touch of polish.

Just like at Yo Chi: you don't need every topping. Pick the ones that actually add to your bowl.

The sprinkles menu:

• Texture spray — Adds grit and movement to finished hair. Refreshes day-2 styles.

• Hairspray — Sets your style. Flexible hold for soft styles, firm for updos.

• Dry shampoo — Refreshes roots between washes. Adds grip and lift at the same time.

• Shine spray — A light mist for polish and gloss. Less is more.

• Styling paste — For piecey texture, separation, or a worked-through finish on shorter styles.

• Hair perfume — Pure joy. Not essential, but feels nice.

Some people just need one sprinkle. A bit of dry shampoo and they're out the door. Others want the full topping station. Both are valid — it depends what you're after.

The Real Truth About Hair Products

Before we get to the decision flow, I want to tell you the thing I say to clients more than anything else:

Buying a $90 mask but not taking care of the day-to-day is like going to the gym once and expecting to be slim, but not doing anything for six weeks.

It's the small, consistent stuff that makes the most difference. Not the splashy one-off purchase.

Masks and treatments are great — but they don't make up for using a shampoo that doesn't suit your hair, or skipping heat protection, or applying everything in the wrong order.

Sort your daily basics first. Then add the extras. Not the other way around.

Three things to remember:

01 · There's no universal routine. Some people thrive on one shampoo. Others need three. Both are normal. Don't copy someone else's order — figure out yours.

02 · Multitaskers beat stacking. Two well-chosen products that do five jobs each will always beat ten single-purpose products you can't be bothered using consistently.

03 · Foundation > flashy. A $30 shampoo that suits your hair will do more for you than a $90 mask you use once a fortnight. Spend where it counts.

How to Figure Out YOUR Yo Chi

Work through these questions to figure out what your routine actually needs. Skip what doesn't apply.

Q1. Is your hair feeling weighed down, dull, or like products aren't "working" anymore?

• If yes → You probably have buildup. Add a clarifying or detoxifying shampoo to your base — use it once a week or fortnight. Christophe Robin Purifying Sea Salt Scrub is one we love for this.

• If no → Skip the detox. Your base just needs to suit your hair type.

Q2. Is your hair coloured, blonde, or chemically treated?

• If yes → Your base needs to protect that investment. Look for a colour-safe wash, and add a toning wash to rotation if you're battling brass.

• If no → You've got more freedom in your base choice — pick based on whether your hair leans dry, oily, fine, or frizzy.

Q3. Are you heat styling more than once a week?

• If yes → Heat protection is non-negotiable. Look for a multitasking heat protector in your Layer — bonus points if it's also a leave-in or oil.

• If no → You can be lighter on the Layer step, but a leave-in or treatment spray is still worth using to keep hair hydrated.

Q4. Do you want extra volume, texture, or grit in your style?

• If yes → Add a Style layer — volumiser, sea salt spray, or mousse before drying. This is what gives your hair the ability to hold a shape.

• If no → Skip Style. Go straight from Layer to Sprinkles.

Q5. Do you go more than 2 days between washes?

• If yes → A good dry shampoo is your best friend in the Sprinkles step. Texture spray helps refresh day-2 and 3 styles too.

• If no → You probably don't need a full Sprinkles arsenal — a finishing spray is plenty.

You've done step one.

Reading this guide. That's already more thought than most people put into their routine.

Want step two? Come and see us.

The fastest way to actually nail your routine is to chat to someone who's seen your hair. We can help you figure out your base, your multitaskers, and what to skip — in 15 minutes or less.

Three ways to go from here:

→ Book a service or product consult at augusthairco.com

→ DM us with a hair pic at @augusthairco — we'll point you in the right direction

→ Shop the products we love — Teknia, ELEVEN, Moroccanoil, Christophe Robin and more at augusthairco.com

Now go build your Yo Chi. Make it yours.

— Jen and the August Hair Co team