Flip through the pages of a magazine and you’ll find a perfectly posed beauty beside a step-by-step tutorial on how to achieve her style. Unfortunately, the look doesn’t come with perfect hair. You have to create that for yourself.

While it’s common knowledge that many ads use hair extensions and other tools to enhance what’s naturally there, a gorgeous head of hair is not that far out of reach for the average customer. All we have to do is take some time to prime our hair and scalps for better hair days to come. Here are 5 steps that you can take to whip your hair into shape:

Step 1 : Target your scalp when washing your hair.

Step 2 : Cheat with a scalp-friendly hair mask.   

Using a clay mask in between or in place of washes is a great way to clean your hair without stripping it. Give your hair the spa treatment with a Bentonite clay wash. It will help with hard water build up and improve manageability.

Step 3 : Banish itchiness and dandruff with a serum.

Oil based serums are fine, but a water based serum keep your scalp itch free until your next wash day. If you don’t own a serum, try using a small amount of your favorite leave in conditioner to moisturize your scalp and delay itchiness for days.

Step 4 : Don’t forget to refresh.

Mid-week moisture benefits all hair types. Whether you have straight, curly, or coily hair, a lightweight refresher spray or plain water can be good on your hair and scalp in between wash days. Just lightly mist and refresh your style.

Step 5 : Indulge in good food.

It sounds like a broken record, but a healthy body produces healthy hair. Increase your veggie intake and reach out for healthy snacks. A nutritious diet sets you up for a healthy scalp from the inside out.

This post is sponsored by Aromase.