Wash Your Hair the Right Way

Many people don't realize that there is a right way and a wrong way to wash hair. There definitely is. In fact, improperly washing your hair can cause nasty tangles and breakage. This is especially true if you have a longer hair length. Washing your tresses properly is a crucial factor in maintaining visibly healthy hair.

Since hair is most vulnerable while it is wet, it is important to learn to be gentle while washing. The most common way that people describe their hair washing routine is, "to pile it all on top of the head and scrub". This is an absolute no no! You should never pile your hair onto the top of your head while it is wet! It can be extremely damaging and can cause tangles and stretching which can lead to breakage.

The first step to properly washing your hair is to comb out all of your tangles before you wet your hair. Run a brush, a comb, or your fingers through your dry hair just before you step into the shower.

Allow the water to run through your hair for about 90 seconds to achieve full saturation before applying your shampoo of choice. Despite the length of your hair, you only need approximately a nickel-sized drop of shampoo to wash your hair. Place the nickel-sized drop of shampoo into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together to create a rich lather.

Remember, do not be inclined to pile your hair! Just let it hang naturally.

With the lather in your hands, use your fingers to gently massage the shampoo into the hair around your scalp. Concentrate all of the lather in your hands on the roots of your hair. This is where most of the dirt and oils are found.

After you have created a small lather at your roots, slowly squeeze the suds down the remaining length of your hair. Don't twist or wring your hair! Gently squeeze the water and lather down to your tips. Don't worry if you don't see a large amount of suds towards the ends of your hair. Too much shampoo at your ends can cause drying and splitting. Besides, the oil and dirt is concentrated near the scalp, not the ends.

Following your shampoo, rinse your hair with warm or cool water as usual. Tilt your head back slightly and use the squeezing motion throughout the length of your hair. The lather from the top layer of your hair will pass through the rest of your length during rinsing. There is no need to vigorously scrub the hair while rinsing. If you only used a nickel-sized amount of shampoo, it should wash out very quickly. About 90 seconds of rinsing is sufficient.

A cream rinse or condition can be applied afterward. Gently squeeze the excess water from your hair. This will ensure the full absorption of the conditioner into your hair. Start at the tips when applying the conditioner. Slowly work your way up the length of your hair. Apply only a thin layer of conditioner to the hair near your roots. The tips need the most conditioning. If you have oily hair, avoid conditioning near the roots. It is recommended to leave the conditioner on the hair for approximately 3 to 5 minutes for best results. Rinse with warm or cool water.

A Few Extra Tips

* Rinse hair with cold water for added luminosity.
* Wash hair upside down with a removable shower head for extra volume and lift near the roots.
* For a deep clean, soft feel, and build up removal, use an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse once every week or two weeks. Mix 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar with 3 cups of water and use to rinse hair after shampooing. Leave in for 3 to 5 minutes and rinse with cool water. Use a small dab of conditioner after rinsing if the smell of vinegar is still present.