Shampooing seems like a simple enough exercise.
You jump into the shower, wet your hairs, squirt some goop onto the palm of your hand and get to work.
same
But it ain’t so simple.
If you’re a beauty aficionado, you’ve no doubt read countless articles for and against shampooing methods. One will tell you lathering up three times a week is too much; another will say once a week is far too little.
In reality, everyone’s hair is different, and calls for a different approach. What works for your mate Renee might have très tragic result on Christie, and vice versa.
Let’s start with the basics.
How do you actually wash your hair to get the best results?
1. Give your hair a brush. If you wet your hair when it’s knotty, you’ll have a disaster in your suddy hands. Before your step into the shower, run a wide-toothed brush through the ends to make sure you’ve got no whopping snags.2. Wet your hair, and squeeze out a 20 cent piece of shampoo onto your palm.3. Rub your hands together and get to work in the roots of your hair. You might find the first wash doesn’t result in a hefty lather – that’s cause the first wash’s purpose is to strip the hair of dirt, grime and built-up product.4. Rinse, and repeat. The second shampoo is when the hair gets a real good cleanse – the hair will grip the shampoo better and you should be able to build up a fair bit of foam. This twice-shampooing method is particularly important in getting the scalp and roots as clean as possible. Why is a clean scalp important? Just like other area of skin on your body, the scalp has pores which can get clogged.5. Rinse, and now reach for the conditioner. How much your use and what section of the hair you apply it to varies according to length and hair type. If you’ve got long hair, you want to stick to the ends; but if you’ve got long course hair, you might want to reach a little higher to untangle any knots.6. Rinse like your life depends on it. Ever started blow-drying your hair only to find it’s still greasy when you’re half-way finished? The worst. Avoid this by rinsing your hair thoroughly.7. Finish off with a final rinse in cold water. While experts are divided about how helpful this really is (some say that since your hair follicles are essentially dead strands, the temp of the water washing ’em doesn’t matter), cold water helps close the cuticles in your scalp.8. If your hair is prone to being straw-like (hello me), use a serum sparingly on the ends before styling. This will give it a nice shine, and if you use a light one, it won’t bog down your strands.
How often should you wash your hair to keep it as healthy as possible?
Every hair type requires a different plan of attack. Your daily activity will dictate what’s best, too – if you do F45 every second day, you’ll need to wash that sweaty scalp more often than the more sedentary among us.
Fine hair tends to get greasier quicker, leading to a flat, wet look. Us fine haired individuals know the struggle well – you wash more frequently to avoid the grease, only to find the grease comes back with a vengeance. This is because too-frequent-washing strips hair of its natural oils, and your scalp compensates. Try washing two or three times a week, and if the grease is unbearable, use a dry shampoo in the roots, sparingly.
If you’ve got course, curly or coily hair, it’s most likely more prone to dryness as the sebum (natural oil) can struggle to travel down the follicle. Therefore you can go longer within washes… ensuring you use a shampoo and conditioner that’s super hydrating.
And finally, what are some sneaky hair traps to avoid?
– While dry shampoo is a brilliant invention to keep your hair looking tight between washes, use it with caution. Overusing it (say, using it for 7 days in a row) can cause the pores in your scalp to clog. There’s only so much oil the product can soak up – if you use too much product, it might create a weird paste like gloop on your head. Been there. It’s nasty.
– If you’re a fidgeter, stick to tapping your toes instead of playing with your hair. The more often your hands touch your hair, the more greasy and dirty it’ll get.
– If you’re using a leave-in serum after washing, test and trial a tonne of ’em before picking what’s right for you. If you’ve got thin hair, you’ll want something light, whereas if your hair is thicker, you might be able to go with a weightier serum.
Follow those steps, and nek minnit:
Photo: Easy A.
