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Are You Washing Your Hair Right?

Neecey

You stand in the shower. You wet your hair. You shampoo and rinse. You might add conditioner before rinsing again. Sounds simple right? Isn’t that how to wash your hair? Not necessarily! How you wash your hair contributes to its health and how good it looks. Here’s how to wash your hair the correct way:

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1. A Rinse to Start

The first step to take when considering how to do your hair right is to begin the process with a hot rinse. Exposing your hair to hot water at the beginning of your shower will help to open up the cuticle which is necessary for removing and getting rid of any trapped dirt and hair product that may be present. Also, going through a hot rinse helps to loosen the oils in the scalp, which opens up the cuticle further in order for the oil in your conditioner to be better absorbed.

2. Long Hair? Condition First

If your hair is longer than shoulder length, it is actually recommended that before you start to shampoo, you apply a small amount of conditioner from the roots to the ends and lightly rinse. This helps to keep the ends as healthy as possible and will work to fill in any microscopic holes in the cuticles with much needed moisture. This will make your overall wash much smoother and shinier.

Frequently asked questions

3. Lather up

When it comes to the main event of applying shampoo, you really only need to lather up the product at the scalp. It is universally known that the hair at the roots and the top of your head is the hair that gets greasiest over time, so concentrating on this area whilst allowing the inevitable fall of the lather to the older, drier, more fragile ends of your hair is the best way to do it to get maximum results all around. Remember, only a quarter sized amount of shampoo is enough to do the job.

4. Be Gentle

It is really important that you exercise caution and be gentle with your hair when you are rubbing shampoo or conditioner in to your scalp. Too much friction in this process can lead to permanent damage to the vital cuticles, which can then lead to a number of hair problems such as breakage and unwanted frizz. You should wash your hair like you wash your delicate laundry; with much care and attention!

5. Do NOT Rinse and Repeat

Even though the majority of brand’s instructions advise you to shampoo your hair twice during each washing session, experts have generally agreed that there is actually no need to do this at all. Unless your hair is extremely greasy or dirty due to a long camping trip or workout, you should only shampoo once to avoid stripping the hair and making it dry. If the first handful of shampoo creates a good lather, there is no need to try again.

6. Condition from Mid-Length to Tip

Because you have given such attention to the roots of your hair with the shampoo, it is really only necessary to apply conditioner from the mid-length to the tips. These are the areas of your hair that are older, drier and more fragile, therefore really needed the moisturizing properties of the conditioner. Putting conditioner on your roots will only make them doubly greasy given the natural oils in that area.

7. Finish with a Cold Rinse

One of the best tips for washing your hair and so often ignored is to finish with a cold rinse. The cold water will encourage the cuticle to shut tight, which in turn seals the outer layer and make your hair as shiny as possible.

Phew! Who knew washing your hair was so complicated. Does this match up to your routine or are there changes to be made?

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

I never listen to the "only condition the bottom of your hair" rule. I feel conditioning the top majorly helps with frizz.

Never heard of conditioning first....gonna try that.....as for not conditioning the roots i heard that it will actually make your hair very flat when dried thus taking away the volume .....but im someone thst wears a lot of headbands amd hats so i feel that it makes your hair itchy and dry at the roots if you dont add conditioner....

Thanks Neecey!!! Good to know!! Never knew point 1 😐

When you condition you really want to moisturize all of your hair so I think massaging your roots and putting some on down to the ends is the best way. My hair lives on conditioner lol I can't shampoo too often. Great article though! :)

@rockitty99 I would recommend that at the end of your wash you rinse with the coldest water you can get it too! Even if it's a bit on the lukewarm side that's okay. Just don't rinse with hot water. Hope this helped!

I had no idea to have a cold rinse. Everything else I've kept in mind.

But if you condition the roots of your hair it can get very greasy Thelma62913

This is probably my new favorite article! You have opened my eyes to everything that I could be doing! @Neecy Beresford

Helpful . thanks.

You should shampoo twice, so yes you should rinse and repeat.