What No One Tells You About Washing Your Hair

12/11/2016

photo credit: via instagram @johnnyramirez1

We all try to cram so many things into our daily routines that our minds put certain tasks on autopilot to prevent mental overload. So it's not really surprising that you probably don't think much about washing your hair - you just do it. But washing your hair the wrong way, too much or not enough can have some ugly consequences. So, I'm going to tell you what no one tells you about washing your hair.

Wash your hair the right way

First things first. Believe it or not there's actually a right way when it comes to lathering up those strands. Shampoo is made to remove dirt, debris from your scalp, so there is no need to pull it through the rest of your hair. By doing so, you actually can cause your hair to become really dry (dry hair = split ends which means breakage, fuzzy frizz, and basically the hair that no woman wants).By the same token, the hair that is closer to your head doesn't need the conditioner since it gets your natural oils.

If your hair is naturally on the drier side (I'm talking to you curly girls) then you should use conditioner first. I'm guessing you had to re-read that because that's not what any of us were ever taught! But using conditioner first helps protects your drier ends from being stripped of moisture because of the shampoo. I also recommend finishing with a deep moisturizing treatment just on the ends.

The correct way to wash your hair recap: only use shampoo to scrub (not scratch) your scalp, conditioner only goes on your ends, and if you have drier hair reverse the process plus add a deep treatment.

Disclosure: The featured products are affiliated links. However, as mentioned previously I only recommend things that I would use or have used.

Products

Of course the products you use can make or break the way your hair looks and feels. Here's some great professional products that I recommend for most of my clients:

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Condition Set, 8.5 oz. Each

Alterna Caviar Moisture Replenishing Moisture Masque- 5.7 ounces

How often do you wash your hair?

If your answer is every day then you're most likely not doing your hair any favors. You're probably experiencing dry hair that also gets really greasy. Washing every day strips your hair of the natural oils that it needs. It also makes your scalp drier, making it overproduce oil to compensate for what you are washing away.

Aside from that dry-hair-but-greasy cycle, washing every day can also:

Make your color fade faster
Make your hair more prone to damage and breakage
Dull your hair's natural shine
Create more frizz

On the flip side, if you're not washing your hair enough your scalp suffers. You might experience:

Dry itchy scalp
Dandruff
Flaky skin

Wash your hair the right amount

I know how hard it can be to get away from every day washing - and let me tell you, it's a process. You will have to train your hair to need less washing. Everyone's hair is different so the time frame can vary, but typically you can train your hair in four weeks.

Straight and/or fine hair will have a harder time allowing a longer period of time between washes. Whereas curly girls can go much longer. I've found that the sweet spot is 3-5 days. Less than that results in drier hair, and more than that results in flaky scalp.

Get creative with your hairstyling

When you first start to train your hair you will think there is no way you can do it, but if you can hold off you will be amazed at how much better your hair becomes. Trust me, everyone thinks that in the begining. I understand that fine hair goes limp quickly and that's why you're tempted to wash daily, but try to use styling products instead, and at the very least get to every-other-day washes.

Dry shampoo is now your best friend. Everyone remember that.

You will have to get creative with what you do with your hair. So, try sleek hairstyles, braids, half up, ponytail, buns, texturizing products, and styles that can get you through another day.

This is how my hair schedule usually goes for my wavy, medium-to-thin hair:
Day 1 - Wash, air dry, wear down
Day 2 - Texture spray, wear down
Day 3 - Half up or Half up bun, dry shampoo at roots if needed
Day 4 - Ponytail or braid, dry shampoo at roots if needed
Day 5 - Wash, repeat

My favorite dry shampoo:

Pillow Proof by Redken Blow Dry Two Day Extender 153ml by Redken

Have you attempted a 3-5 day wash yet? Let me know how you're doing! And if anyone else has hair styling ideas for the in-between days leave a comment below. I'm sure we'd all love to hear what you do!

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