We all know how to wash our hair right? Well… maybe not…
Washing hair is something most of us do on autopilot – here are some things you’re probably doing wrong, and how to fix them.
1. You’re using too much shampoo. The mountains of foam you see in shampoo adverts give a great visual effect, but they add absolutely no benefit to your hair washing. If your hair is of average length and thickness, you don’t need more than a R5 coin-sized dollop of shampoo.
SEE ALSO: Itchy scalp? We’ve got the solution
2. You’re not using the right shampoo. Choosing the right shampoo will do wonders for your hair. The ideal shampoo is pH balanced to prevent itching and flaking, suited to your hair type (dry or oily) and texture (fine, curly or frizzy) and offers specific additional benefits (colour correction for blondes, colour protection or enhancement for brunettes and redheads or protection for treated hair).
3. You’re only shampooing once. Your hair is a dirt magnet – everything in the air (including pollution and whatever particles are blown around by the wind) as well as your styling products and natural oils need to be thoroughly removed from your hair on wash day.
If you’re not a daily shampooer, consider washing your hair twice – this means wash, rinse and repeat. The first wash gets rid of everything on the surface of your hair, and the second wash tackles your scalp. Your first wash should be fairly vigorous, and your second wash can be soothing and gentle – you can use much less shampoo in your second wash.
4. You’re focusing on foam. To add to points one and two – foam does not equal clean. The ingredients that cause mountains of foam are often drying, so it’s worth getting used to low-foaming shampoos. If you’re shampooing twice, the second wash will foam more than the first.
5. You’re not cleansing your scalp. Your scalp is skin, which means it sweats and produces oil. When you wash your hair you should divide your scalp into sections, and massage your scalp with the pads of your fingers to ensure you’re giving it a thorough cleansing.
6. You’re spending too much time on the lengths. You do not need to do much washing on the lengths and ends of your hair – they generally need much less cleansing than the roots. In fact, you don’t need to pay much attention to them at all – the shampoo that runs down your hair when you rinse will do the trick.
If you spend a lot of time and effort shampooing your ends, you’ll end up causing unnecessary dryness, damage and possibly breakage.
SEE ALSO: 4 ways to maintain your natural hair
7. You’re conditioning your roots. If your hair is very fine, conditioning close to your scalp could lead to flat hair and oily roots. Try applying conditioner to the ends and mid-lengths only and see what effects this has on how your hair looks.
The post 6 Mistakes you probably make when washing your hair appeared first on All4Women.
