You might skip over this post on how to wash your hair, thinking this is too basic for you and that you are far more advanced with your hair care, but you may be making some simple mistakes.
Like riding a bike (something I only learnt last year!) I found most of my friends couldn’t explain how to start and stop. It’s easy to forget the correct way to do something when you are so used to it and have developed bad habits.
Everybody’s hair is different, but here are a few easy-to-follow tips to take better care of our tresses.
How to wash your hair – 10 tips for great hair
1. Don’t over-wash your hair. Most people don’t need to wash their hair every day. If you do, it could be because you are using the wrong products for your hair and scalp type.
2. Only apply shampoo to your scalp and massage gently. Don’t pile your hair on top and scrub it, as this will only create knots. Work the shampoo gently down to the ends of your hair and rinse thoroughly.
3. Forget about lather, rinse and repeat. It’s just a brilliant marketing idea to make you use more shampoo. You only need to shampoo once.
4. But you really like that “clean” feeling when you wash your hair twice, right? If you use a lot of silicone or wax products, try washing with a clarifying shampoo once or twice a month instead of your normal shampoo.
5. Curly-haired girls, you may want to consider skipping the shampoo entirely. Sounds strange I know but curly hair is often very dry, and washing with conditioner alone will freshen your hair without drying it out. I cut out shampoo for 4 months and it definitely works. Unfortunately I colour my hair, use too much product and swim in the sea too often to maintain the cycle.
6. Ever have an itchy scalp after washing your hair? Stop applying conditioner to your roots. Start from the mid-lengths and really condition the ends of your hair. Gently comb through and allow it to work for at least a minute, the longer the better.
7. Rinse your hair in cold water. Make sure you remove all your conditioner and finish with cold water. This is a bitch in winter, so don’t go freezing yourself in icewater, but a cool rinse of water will close the cuticle and seal in the moisture to each strand. It’s ok to shampoo your hair in hot water but finish it with a cold rinse.
8. Never brush your hair when it’s wet. Instead use a wide comb to gently smooth your hair.
9. Ease off with the towel drying. Don’t rub your hair with a towel, you’ll only cause damage and make your hair look dull. Instead gently squeeze out the excess moisture and allow to air dry. In saying that, I only do this on the rare occasion I wash my hair on a weekday night or have nothing to do on a Sunday. Parlux is my best friend and dries my hair in no time at all.
10. Treatments – hair masks are essential if you use heat stylers or colour your hair. Even if you don’t you will still appreciate the moisture a mask brings. Normally this is applied between shampoo and conditioner, so I either get out of the shower, have a cup of tea and catch up on blogs while I let it work, or get some chores done.
Once your have great hair, you’ll want to have more fun with your hair! Start with some of my hairstyle tutorials or my 30 Hairstyles in 30 Days ebook.
Do you use hair treatments? What type of hair do you have and what’s your favourite shampoo and conditioner?
My hair has recently went really curly in some places and straight to wavy in others. I believe this is due to hormones and stress. I don’t know what to do with all of this mixed hair and frizz!
You talk about using Parlux and I think that’s referring to a diffusor and also a name brand of a hair dryer. But you also mentioned an Anthony Nader hair dryer. Can you explain this a little more? Also, there are so many different kinds of hair dryers! Ionic, Ceramic, etc. What do you recommend?
Hi Denise, it’s normal to have a mix of curl types and it’s really frustrating. I’m currently using a Dyson hairdryer and I LOVE it but it’s $$$ and if you’re not going to be blowdrying your hair very often, then you can get a cheaper one. It depends on your budget and how much you will use it. I’d go for an ionic dryer and a large diffuser is easier to use. The Anthony Nader dryer is excellent and is a great starter 🙂
What are the types of bath cream for falling hair
Hello!
My hair is naturally really curly and thick at the roots. As of recent my hair has been turning into a more wavy look towards the middle and ends. Which I assumed would happen since I also straighten my hair from time to time.
What products do you suggest I use to style/get my curls back?
I currently started using Carol’s Daughter Black Milk 4 in 1 combing creme to style and their Moisture and shine sulfate free shampoo and hydrating conditioner. I’ve decided to completely stop coloring (I always dye it black) and straightening my hair for now so I can get my natural curls back.
Any advice? Ive always used leave in conditioners to style. but my hair just stays half curly half wavy/straight lately and its so frustrating. I miss my afro!
Any advice would be appreciated. 🙂
Hey, I have a curly hair and I’m not too sure which method will help me to get rid of curly and frizzy hair
I have the exact same length of hair as you and I was wondering what the fastest way to grow it out would be?
I cut it short because over the summer I did a lot of swimming and it got very damaged. So, I would really like a good way to grow it out. I love it long like, down to my waist, but I don’t want it to take 5 years. Here is a recipe for a 15 min weekly hair mask I heard of and was wondering if you think it a good thing to try???
~Milk
~Orange Juice
~Flour
~Peanut Butter
~Egg whites
Someone posted it and said the daughter hair grew like from her shoulders to waist in a month? True?
Thanks for your time,
Zuzu
Hi Zuzu Lake, here are some tips for making your hair grow – https://www.hairromance.com/2014/04/10-things-you-should-be-eating-to-make-your-hair-grow-faster.html. I would say that mask sounds really messy and you’d have to wash your hair about 20 times afterwards. It’s a good idea to do a weekly mask but I can’t see how that mix would work. Hair grows 1-2cm per month so it will take 3-5 years to grow your hair to waist length if it’s short. Be patient, or you could buy some clip-in hair extensions 😉
Hi,
I am loosing my hair and its thinning day by day.
My hair has become dry & looks dull.
Recently i tried Giovanni smooth and Silk shampoo & conditioner but my hair loss increased and even it became frizzy not only during wash but even after a day or two it remains detangled & unmanageable to comb.
I tried wella shampoo as well it did suit my hair but next day it gives dry look.
Kindly suggest which shampoo to use and how do i get to know my hair type.
I’m just starting to realize I may have been co washing improperly for months. I co-wash my curly, thick hair every 3-4 days. The other day however (after two days) I noticed I had really bad, itchy buildup on my scalp, and that it might be a result of scrubbing my head with conditioner each time I cleanse. I’m going to attempt water rinses, but the hair at my crown is very dry and frizzy, leaving me to look like I have a lion’s mane. Is there any product I can apply afterwards to hair closest to my head to tame and help seal moisture?
hmm i always thought the “rinse and repeat” was nonsense too however recently my hairdresser suggested it and explained to me why it works. (especially since i have oily roots and dry ends)
she said you only need a small amount, and you should work it into your roots for a few minutes. it will barely lather (if you have a good quality shampoo) because it’s soaking into and lifting up all the dirt and oil etc.
rinse, (your hair will feel knotty and dry), and then repeat. The second time, even with the same small amount of shampoo, you will defintely see the lather happen. Then rinse again, which washes all the gross away.
(your hair shouldn’t really lather when you first wash it, especially if you use a lot of products like hair spray. you need to loosen up the crud first. this is why most shampoos are filled with sulfates, which create lather)
anyway after trying this for a few weeks, (i shampoo every 3 days at best), my hair is less oily for longer, and it seems to have more volume at the roots after washing. Also, i had an itchy red scalp which went away…
that makes sense, Sarah. Glad to hear it’s working and having great results for you. I notice with sulphate free shampoos it takes two shampoos to get a lather.
My head has many empty spaces. and my hair are also thin even though im just a teenager. any suggestion how to have thicker and fuller scalp. desperately need good hair
Hi Mary, it’s not always about good hair, it’s about loving the hair you have. Just as there is really thick hair, it’s normal to have fine hair too. If you notice you have bald spots or are losing a lot of hair, talk to your parents and your doctor to make sure there isn’t a medical cause. Reduce stress as this can really affect your hair and give yourself a gentle head massage every day. Good luck xx
Hi, ive tryed a lot of things with my hair but its always frizzy. Its really damaged and dry. I hardly ever use heat and when i do i use a protecting spray. What should i do to make it less frizzy and dry?
Hi Ella, use a conditioning treatment or hydrating hair masque once a week. It will help moisturise your hair and make it less prone to frizz x
Hiiiiii.
I found this on pinterest. I have curly hair and this works wonders. But my hair is getting thinner from brushing it out. I also get split ends super fast?? Any help?? I want my thick healthy hair back!!!!!!
Hi Chloe, it sounds like you may be brushing too much or need a different type of brush. Be careful when brushing wet hair as this is when you can cause the most damage. Give yourself a head massage to encourage blood flow to your hair follicles and do a hydrating treatment on the ends of your hair x
I have exema on my scalp. You say only use conditioner but can I wash my hair once a week with shampoo and still get the same sort of effect?
Hi Cheyenne, choose a product that is gentle and doesn’t exacerbate your eczema. Definitely use shampoo if you have one that works for you.
Hi!! I’m so so happy to find your blog!!! My hair is like yours,I have the same tipe of wave! I use the curl enhancer from Aveda to define my curls too and be sure I`m going to try the style prep after read your post “how to style curly hair”.
I would like to know which it’s your favorite shampoo, (maybe from Aveda too?) I need more definition and less flyaways… Thank you very much for your blog, it’s very helpfull!!
Ohh… I forget, I’m spanish so please forgive the possible mistakes!!
Thanks Laura! I like the Aveda Be curly and Dry Remedy shampoos. I also love Original & Mineral Hydrate & Conquer. At the moment I’m using Kerastase Discipline which is excellent. I try lots of shampoos and I prefer a sulphate free shampoo. Also be gentle with how you style your hair. Don’t rub your hair with a towel and you will immediately have less flyaways. Thanks for reading Hair Romance! Christina x
Hi! I am indian. I hav very long hair but it is very fine and rather thin. It has always been so and i kno it cant get any thicker. I am a busy person and hav to go out a lot. I comb my hair around two times a day. On normal days when i dont shampoo, sometimes i loose around 10 – 12 hairs total…sometimes it s 4 to 7 as well. But the days i shampoo i loose a total of about 35 to 40 hairs. I dont get to shampoo very often as i dont get the time…but on an average i shampoo ones a week. Howevr sometimes to get rid of the oily parts in front i only shampoo the front portion of my scalp. My question is if doing so is good. Also i would like to know if the amount of hair i am loosing evry day and after shampooing is normal or excess. When i ask most girls around me about their daily shed they say its about 4 or 5 and that makes me worried. But again my hair is very long much longer than almost all girls i know. So can you please tell me if my hair loss is normal or is it too high. I keep reading about loosing 100 hairs a day being normal…but somehow i find that measure to be a bit dubious. Btw…loved your post. 🙂
Hi Barnini, it’s true that it’s normal to lose around 100 hairs a day. I definitely lose that much, as I find hair on my clothes and furniture haha. When I wash my hair is when I lose the most hair too. It sounds like your hair is very healthy 🙂