Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase

Silky hair starts with beauty sleep—literally. Dr. Rubin explains that hair doesn’t feel soft when the scales on the outer layer of the hair (the cuticle) don’t lie flat. “This is what causes the hair to look frizzy and dull and feel frizzy and brittle,” she says.

If you want to prevent disruption to the hair cuticle while you sleep, consider investing in a silk pillowcase. “Sleeping on a silk pillowcase can help reduce the friction that can cause frizz and breakage while you toss and turn throughout the night,” explains Dr. Rubin.

Filter Your Water

From your shower head to the shampoo you use, you have many opportunities to add softness to your hair in the shower. That’s thanks to the most important hydrating ingredient of them all: water.

“Hair can lose its soft, supple feeling for a variety of reasons. This can be anything from water quality to UV and heat damage—even humidity in the air,” says Federico. Installing a filtered shower head, especially if you have “hard water,” which can affect your hair’s health and texture could substantially soften your strands as a result.

Reassess Your Wash Day

“Ultimately, the feeling [of rough strands] comes from a ruffled cuticle,” explains Federico. He suggests smoothing and sealing the cuticle while you’re still in the shower because a lifted or expanded cuticle may be difficult to treat later in the styling process. Federico likes using shampoos and conditioners formulated with hydrating ingredients. Ingredients like glycerin, seed oils, and rich butters can all provide a moisture surge, but the right choice for your specific hair type should benefit your texture and hair porosity.

Skip a Shampoo

A clean scalp is a healthy scalp, and a prerequisite for silky strands. There is, however, such a thing as too clean of a scalp. Washing your hair too frequently can strip the skin of its natural oils contributing to scalp dryness and dull, dehydrated hair. If you’re washing daily, it may be worth taking a step back and seeing if that helps in allowing your natural oils to shine, literally.

Avoid Drying Ingredients and Products

Certain products or ingredients can exacerbate hair dryness depending on your hair type. “Sticking to gentle haircare products and avoiding products with potentially drying ingredients, like sulfates and ‘bad’ alcohols, can help the hair retain moisture, [leaving] it smoother and softer,” says Dr. Rubin.

Federico adds that certain styling products, such as hairspray, can dehydrate strands, leading to second-day frizz and roughness if you do not add more moisture.

Include a Deep Conditioning Treatment

For smooth, soft hair, Grenia says it’s all about controlling frizz. He explains that since frizzy hair types tend to be dryer, it’s important to hydrate without weighing down the strands. “Look for products that [will] lock in moisture and control frizz over time,” he suggests.

One way to quickly maximize moisture? Deep conditioning treatments. Grenia says that when it comes to softening hair at home, consistent moisturizing, deep conditioning treatments, and hair oiling can be very effective. Dr. Rubin agrees, adding that you can treat your hair with a restorative deep-conditioning treatment weekly for softer, smoother hair.

Incorporate a Cool Rinse

The bliss of a steamy hot shower can be super soothing against long days, but it actively works against achieving silky-smooth hair. Opt for cooler rinses to avoid stripping your hair of its natural oils. The biggest benefit of a cold shower is closing pores and cuticles in the scalp. This locks in moisture, boosting shine.

Use a Microfiber Towel

The conditioner you use in the shower works to smooth your hair, but you could be working against it with how you dry it afterward. Many people quickly (and potentially roughly) dry their hair with a traditional cotton towel, but Dr. Rubin warns that this can disrupt the hair cuticle. Instead, she recommends gently blotting excess moisture. Consider a microfiber towel that will absorb water without contributing to frizz or breakage.

Avoid Excessive Heat Styling

As we’ve learned from our experts, silky-soft hair is hydrated hair with a healthy cuticle. Heat styling tools dry out hair while disrupting the cuticle, leaving it feeling rough and brittle. For these reasons, all three experts agree: Cutting back on heat styling whenever possible is beneficial to improving the look and feel of your hair.

It’s important to note that all three of our experts say to reduce heat styling, not eliminate it. They all share the same belief that heat styling can be done without serious damage to the hair if you prepare properly and use heat protection products. Federico even says heat styling can be beneficial for sealing the cuticle, but only when done correctly.

Use a Heat Protectant

When you have to heat style your hair, all three of our experts say heat protectant is a must. Federico says there’s a misconception that air drying means that your hair will automatically be less frizzy when in fact, it’s heat drying that will close and smooth the cuticle—as long as it’s done with heat protection. When blow drying or heat styling, use a product that will help smooth your strands while offering heat protection, says Dr. Rubin; she recommends the SEEN Blow-Out Creme.

Apply a Leave-in Product

While a significant amount of moisture is added when you wash and condition your hair in the shower, leave-in products can extend that hydration beyond wash days. There are many kinds of leave-in conditioners; each designed to provide moisture for different hair types and textures.

All of our experts recommend using hair serums to lock in hydration and maximize smoothness and shine. Dr. Rubin suggests applying the SEEN Magic Serum at the end of a blow dry to boost shine and tame flyaways, then again between washes to restore softness, smoothness, and shine. Similarly, Federico uses the R+Co Bleu F-Layer Deep Conditioning Serum to prep hair for styling, telling us it can help to hydrate and repair.

Work Hair Oil Into Your Routine

You don’t want to overdo it, but, if you have room in your routine for another product consider making hair oil that plus-one. When used correctly, hair oil can seal in moisture and improve both hair and scalp health, promoting sought-after shine.

Now, hair oil isn’t one-size-fits-all. You’ll need to find the oil and the application strategy that is your ideal match. Once you’ve locked down the best hair oil for your needs, you’ll impress yourself with the transformation from dull to silky-smooth.

Try a Hair Gloss

Once solely designated as an in-salon treatment, hair glosses have entered the real world and become widely accessible for at-home use. Depending on the type of gloss you choose, the treatment can boost the vibrancy of a faded dye job or apply a clear sheen to your natural strands. Either option will seal the cuticle for supernatural smoothness and shine. Overtone hair masks are a stylist favorite for at-home glazing, though many pros recommend splurging for an in-salon gloss that may offer greater staying power and can be tailored to your hair’s unique needs.

Consider a Salon Treatment

There are many solutions for achieving smooth hair at home, but some people may benefit from an in-salon treatment (particularly if their hair is especially rough or damaged). Salon treatments are also beneficial if you’re looking to achieve silky-smooth hair quickly, as some at-home treatments require consistent use to see full results. For in-salon smoothing, Grenia recommends keratin or hair Botox treatments.