How to ACTUALLY Wash Your Hair
That is the question—I get asked this question A LOT!
Is hair washing day a chore or a ritual? Selecting the right product for your scalp to care for your hair can be a confusing process;
Colour care or Scalp care?
Dry hair? Oily Hair?
Sensitive scalp? Strengthening?
The list goes on…
Hair grows from the scalp. Healthy scalp, means healthy hair.
So it's really important to address any scalp concerns first. For example: dryness, oiliness etc. Your professional hairdresser can help you diagnose this.
Do you wash your hair everyday? If you do, then DON'T.
Shampooing your hair daily will add extra stress to your hair, not to mention the excessive heat styling that comes with it. This will contribute to stripping the scalp of its natural oil's which I call Nature's treatment. Scalp Oil is good! Don't be scared of it.
I personally recommend washing your hair every 3 to 4 days at most. My Vivid hair clients wash their hair only ONCE a week. (Wow! I know right!!) They are amazing! But their colour lasts for up to 14 weeks!! Pretty incredible right?!
So, ‘once a week’ you say? Yep! Once a week!
The ritual is the same if you do it every 3-4 days.
Let me step you through it:
For starters, remember I asked you at the start of this blog, is hair wash day a Chore? or a Ritual? Your mindset is really important. I know life can get in the way at times, like being a mum who never get's peace and quiet in the shower (Let's be real here), work life, gym life, social life, whatever your life may be. Life is fast paced these days, but prep is key! If the foundation is right, your hair will last the distance.
Applying shampoo to your scalp 2-3 times each wash.
( Shampoo - Rinse - Repeat!) This will cleanse and treat the scalp addressing concerns and hair issues that the shampoo is designed to do.
Application of the first and second shampoo dissolves oils and product build up, especially dry shampoo. We all love that stuff right!? (Sometimes it may take up to 3 washes to get a good lather going.) Especially sulphate free shampoo.
Using the balls of your fingers, massage the scalp using circular movements to cleanse. Take your time, enjoy the moment and don't RUSH!
Please, no fingernails and scratching the surface of your scalp, this can lead to irritations and open sores and wounds. We all love a good scratch, but be gentle with your precious scalps.
Now the best part. Hair Masks, Treatment's, Conditioner's:
All of these words sound luxurious and relaxing to me. That's exactly how you should treat them.
Which product do you choose? Well that depends on your hair type. Again, your hairdresser can help you with this.
Conditioner's and Instant treatment's can be used as often as you shampoo. Masks on the other hand will need up to 20-30mins post shampoo for optimum results. Something that can be done at least every 2 weeks
The trick with conditioner or instant treatments is to apply it to your ends and work up the lengths of the hair. Don't apply treatment directly on to the scalp. This can contribute to heavy hair and oily scalp.
Next trick ? All of the above products need TIME.
Time to activate and close down the hair cuticle so your hair feels super smooth, strengthened and shiny. Every professional hair product has a purpose. Let the product do it's job. You are literally pouring your product down the drain if you cannot leave it on your hair for at least 3 mins or per instruction of product.
Next thing, who loves a hot shower to soothe those aching muscles?
Your muscles love it! But your hair wont. Don't wash in scolding hot water.
A common problem I find in the winter months are clients coming in saying their head is itchy. I call it the "Winter Itch". Hot water has stripped your scalp of Nature's Treatment. Your scalp oil is precious. Excessively oily scalps can be addressed with the correct shampoo and not washing as frequently.
Once your hair is beautiful, silky and dripping wet, how do you dry it? Be GENTLE. That's the key! Never vigorously rub your hair with a towel. Hair is at it's most delicate and fragile state when wet.
Squeeze it gently with your towel.
Try and avoid wrapping, rubbing and twisting your hair up. This will cause breakage.
A hair turban is best.
Use a Wide tooth comb to comb out the tangles. There are a lot of Wet Brushes on the market at the moment. I believe, wide tooth combs are best! Ariel was on the money with her Dinglehopper!
Gently separating the hair will make it easier to work through.
Start combing from the bottom and work your way up to the top. But GENTLE is key to caring for wet hair.
Next topic: Hair Brushing. How often do you brush?
I find the older we get the less we brush our hair. It's not uncommon to hear of people only brushing their hair a couple of times a week.
Can you imagine only brushing your teeth that often? Brushing your hair regularly is important to stimulate blood flow and to distribute the natural oils (Nature's Treatment) to make your hair bounce with body and shine. Curly hair is an exemption, but can be combed out and massaged on wash day.
Take the time in your day to enjoy the ritual of brushing your hair if only for a few minutes a day. Or better still, sit back and get someone to do it for you. Your hair will love you for it.
It's totally normal for a healthy head of hair to lose up to 100-150 hairs a day. Other variable amounts of hair loss are dependant on stress/ lifestyle/ nutrition/ medication and environmental stresses.
So, there you have it…Steps to wash your hair.
Give it a try!
Are you a daily washer ? Try and skip a day. It may just surprise you.
Happy Hair Washing Day!
