Top Hair-Washing Hacks!

How often have you just slapped shampoo on your head, scrubbed, rinsed, and toweled off? You may think you’re a pro, but that’s not how you score an enviably clean mane. Over time, not washing your hair properly will result in a dull film that leads to lackluster locks and an overall flat appearance. Not a good look.

But you don’t need a master’s degree to master your shower routine. These clever hair-washing hacks will make a genuine difference in your hair’s health, as well as its bounce, gloss, and silky luster.

• Hair should be thoroughly wet before adding shampoo. Warm water will open the cuticle, which is good for removing any dirt or product trapped in the hair.
• Condition first… sometimes: If you have long hair, condition it first. If your hair falls beneath your shoulders, protect its fragile ends from drying out and incurring more damage by running a small amount of conditioner like Volumizing Revitalize Conditioner through them and lightly rinsing before applying any shampoo. This will keep ends healthy and fill any breaks in the cuticle with moisture, making hair smooth and lustrous.

• Avoid using too much shampoo in the first place. Look at how much you’re using. Then cut that in half, to about the size of a quarter. That’s all you need! A shampoo like Renew Shampoo removes all the dirt and oil from your hair while holding onto the essential oils and lipids you need to prevent dryness and breakage.
• Don’t scrub too hard. Vigorously massaging shampoo roughs up the cuticle, causing frizz, flyaways, and miniscule tangles. Ouch! Also, don’t use circular motions, which can tangle your hair.
• Lather from roots to ends. The hair closest to the scalp is the youngest and will be the oiliest, while the end of the hair is the oldest and usually driest, most fragile part of the hair follicle. First, rub shampoo between your hands with a little water to emulsify it. Then, gently massage your roots with your fingertips and run the lather that’s left through the length of your hair. This is the first wash, known as external cleansing.

• There’s a reason to shampoo your hair twice. The first wash removes excess dirt and grime. The second gets your hair squeaky clean. The second wash is also when you get shampoo into the roots and create a proper lather. The suds will run down the rest of your hair, getting the mid-length to ends clean.
• Get the shampoo completely out of your hair. That way your conditioner can work its magic. A full two minutes of rinsing is what’s recommended. Once that’s done, gently squeeze the excess water out of your hair. Now you’re “conditioner ready!”
• How often you wash your hair depends on your hair type. If you have oily or fine hair, you may need to shampoo daily. Normal hair can probably be washed three times a week, and dry to very dry hair can go 4–5 days and even up to a week without washing.

A word of warning: Skip the sulfates! Sulfates are detergents that give shampoo its foamy lather. But they strip skin of oil and dry out your hair. Sulfates can also strip hair of color. Shampoos without sulfates keep the cuticle tighter, which prevents color fading. Ignore them all together and use a shampoo without any harsh ingredients like Renew Shampoo.

Try these hair-washing hacks, so you can be on your way to a fabulously healthy head of hair.