We know, it might sound silly, but it seems that even elder people may not know the proper way to wash their hair.
Applying the appropriate technique during the washing of your hair may actually provide major changes in its quality. If you wash it in a wrong way, it may experience damage and it will be dry and lifeless.
Namely, two of the most popular hair pros in New York’s foremost hair pros, Kyle White, lead colorist at Oscar Blandi Salon, and Nunzio Saviano, hair stylist of Nunzio Saviano Salon actually explained how we should wash the hair in order to get the best of it.
- Rinse
Your hair needs to be entirely wet before you apply shampoo, just like the laundry needs a rinse cycle at the beginning. White says: “Hot water will open the cuticle, which is good for removing any dirt or product trapped in the hair.”
On the other hand, Saviano adds: “When your hair is rinsed with warm water, it loosens the oils through the scalp and opens the cuticle so that it can absorb the oil in your conditioner.”
2.In the case of long hair, apply the conditioner first
White suggests: “If you have hair beneath the shoulders, protect fragile ends from drying out and further damage by running a small amount of conditioner through them and lightly rinsing, before any shampooing. This will not only keep ends healthy; it will fill any holes in the cuticle with moisture, making it smoother and boosting shine.”
- Lather up at the scalp only
Saviano claims that “You only need to shampoo the hair at the scalp, particularly at the nape.” White additionally says that“The best way to lather up is from roots to ends. The hair closest to the scalp is the youngest and will inevitably be the oiliest, while the end of the hair is the oldest and usually driest, most fragile part of the hair.”
Moreover, you need to be aware that you need not use a lot of shampoo. According to these experts, it is enough to use a quarter-sized amount of shampoo. Also, you can double this amount if your hair is thick and long.
- You need to be gentle
Your hair’s cuticles may suffer significant damage, frizz, and breakage, due to friction. You need to be extremely gentle and careful when you wash your hair.
White advises that you “Start your lather at the roots. Increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair growth by using vertical strokes with medium pressure. Don’t use circular motions, which can tangle your hair. Smooth the lather over the ends in a straight stroking motion. Do not scrub the fragile ends or use a back and forth motion like you’re washing a rag on a washboard.”
- There is no need to repeat this once more
Even though you may read that you need to wash your hair twice with the shampoo, you might want to avoid it, in order to prevent further damage. According to White: “Avoid stripping the hair by doing one shampoo only, which is usually sufficient, unless the hair is extremely dirty and the first shampoo didn’t produce a lather.”
- Apply the conditioner from the mid-lengths to the hair ends
Next, Saviano suggests that you “squeeze some of the water out of the hair before you put in the conditioner. Then clip your hair up and finish showering, leaving the conditioner to rinse out for the final step of your shower.” Leave the conditioner as much as possible, as its effects will be better thus. Moreover, you should never apply it to your scalp and roots as the scalp is already nurtured by its natural oils.
- Rinse with cold water
“Cold water will shut the cuticle tight, sealing the shingle-like outer layer, which will cause it to reflect the most light and give off the most shine,” adds White.
Apart from their remarkable suggestions, we will offer you some additional tips:
You should always choose shampoo or a conditioner suitable for the type of your hair. For instance, if your hair is colored, use color-safe formulas. In case you have dry hair or split ends, you should opt for some more potent, moisturizing product.
If you have a fine hair type, you should use a “volumizing” shampoo or conditioner.
You should also filter the water you use, using some shower filter, like the T3 Source Showerhead, as, according to White, it “removes rust and minerals from water that can dull color and deposit on blondes making them dark and muddy.”
Moreover, you should determine the best frequency for washing the hair. For instance, in the case of dry or normal hair, you can lather it up for around three times weekly. In the case of fine or oily hair type, wash it every day.
