10 Steps to Washing your Hair the Right Way

Updated from April 2010. A few days back when I was discussing something about best hair products, we came to discussing what is a preferable method to wash the hair.  My friend said she washes her hair upside down and she has done so forever. The best part is that her hair does not get entangled. That go me thinking as to whether you are washing your hair the right way.

In fact, it has been since we were young school going kids that me and my friends used to wash their hair upside down as well. Now, I prefer to do it standing up under the shower as it does not tangle the hair and prevents breakage. Thus, I thought it would do us good to revisit the old post on whether you are washing your hair correctly!

Our hair needs a lot of tender care and cleaning is the first step in it. We all think we are shampooing our hair in the right way but are we? Is there a correct way to wash hair? Is it just like brushing our teeth? Well, let us look through a few key points which should never be missed or ignored under any circumstances.

1. Detangle. Comb your hair before washing your hair. Tangles in the hair do not let the shampoo work properly and evenly on your hair and can lead to breakage. They can cause the hair to get entangled even more.
2. Wet Hair. Wet your hair thoroughly before washing your hair. Partition your hair if it is long and stand under the shower till your are sure your hair is saturated with water. Wet hair is essential for the shampoo to lather and any cleansing products works better on wet hair.
3. Dilute your Shampoo. I know this is a step which perplexes everyone I talk to. But, this actually works so well. Take a bit of shampoo in a container and add 2-3 table spoons of water to dilute it. Use this mix to wash your hair instead of using the shampoo directly. This helps shampoo to foam properly and spread nicely on the scalp as well as saves a lot of product. For those who are thinking that doing this will not let the product work properly or cleanse the hair thoroughly, I use this trick even with SLS-free shampoos on oiled hair and this works like a charm. I am diluting even the Moroccan oil shampoo that I am using currently and have not faced any issue till now.
4. Wash your Hair Straight Up. Do not flip your head over while washing your hair. Do not pile your hair on top of your head.
5. Do Not Use Nails. Cover your scalp with shampoo and start massaging it. Do not use your nails or palms. Just use your finger balls. Use the lather produced to wash the hair length. Do not use extra shampoo. Repeat, if required.
6. Massage your scalp. While massaging the shampoo, do it only in four directions – back and forth and sideways (left and right). Massage for 3-4 minutes allowing the shampoo to work into the scalp.
7. Repeat, if required. It is advised to wash your hair twice. First one is to remove all the dirt and second one is to ensure clean hair. You can do it only once if you are sure the scalp and hair is not really dirty. Only remember to use even lesser shampoo in the second round as the hair is really wet and will lather quite well with a very little shampoo. Keep it on your head for 2-3 minutes and wash off.
8. Condition. Follow up with conditioner after washing your hair. Apply conditioner on the hair length from ears down and leave it on for a few minutes. You could also use a hair mask or a deep conditioner once a month which you must keep on your hair for 20-30 minutes.
9. Frequency of Washing your Hair. Do not shampoo your hair more than twice a week for dry hair and more than thrice a week for oily hair. Excessive washing leads to dryness. In fact if your scalp is clean enough, you can just condition your hair instead of shampooing.
10. Use lukewarm water. Are you washing your hair using lukewarm water or really hot water? Extremely hot water dries up the hair and scalp. Always remember to use lukewarm water for washing your hair and cold water, if tolerable, to wash off the conditioner.