We've been washing our hair our whole lives, but have we been doing it correctly? Taking the time to learn how to shampoo properly will have huge benefits to the health of your hair.
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
The great debate on how often you should wash your hair only has one answer... as many times a week that's right for your hair.
But how can you work out how many times for your hair? Your hair type will have a massive impact on the amount you'll need to wash it.
- If you have fine hair you're likely to find that you'll need to wash your hair every other day
- If you have medium textured strands, you should generally wash your hair every 2-3 days
- If you have thick hair you may find you can go up to 4 days without washing your hair
You may find that you can go up to a week between washes, but most people need to 'train' their hair to get to this point. While we never encourage over-washing, it's also important not to let products or build-up sit on your scalp for too long, as this is likely to cause scalp issues or dandruff.
How to Shampoo - Correct Steps
- Brush dry hair through before getting in the shower or bath, ideally using a wide tooth comb
- Wet hair and apply a small amount of a gentle shampoo (about the size of a 10p piece for medium-length hair)
- Lather into your roots only, ensuring you work into your whole scalp
- Rinse out without working into your ends
- Reapply your shampoo, again to your roots only
- Work into your scalp with a scalp massager, using it in circular motions across your whole scalp
- Rinse your shampoo out, allowing the shampoo to flow down your ends
- Follow with your favourite conditioner
Shampooing Top Tips
Detangle Before Shampooing
To avoid unnecessary knotting and breakage while shampooing, ensure you comb your hair before getting it wet. Start at the ends and work your way up to the roots when brushing.
Wash Hair In Warm Water and Rinse It In Cool
Hot water is harsh to strands and dries them out. Ideally you should be washing your hair in warm water which allows the follicles to open up without adding extra heat. When rinsing hair, however, you'll want to switch to a cooler temperature which closes the cuticles and seals strands.
Why Should You Shampoo Twice
Hairdressers shampoo our hair twice, so why don't we? While it can feel wasteful, shampooing twice can actually lead to you needing to use less product. This is because it ensures a proper scalp cleanse. Many people aren't getting their scalp properly clean when shampooing which can cause sebum and oil build up, which leads to scalp issues such as dandruff or greasy roots. Shampooing your hair twice may allow you to go longer between washes. Marvellous.
