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:
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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?