Your beauty and fitness regime requires your minute attention; even the small things. This might come as a surprise to you, but even something as simple as shampooing and conditioning your hair has a right technique behind it.
It is not sufficient to simply lather up the way you always do. To get the full benefits of your hair care products, you have to utilise them in the right way. So, the next time you get ready for a bath, with all your hair care products ready, do keep in mind these useful tips and tricks to achieve a cleaner and healthier scalp, and yes, a happier you!
The Basics
It is best to start with some basics before doing anything new. Let us introduce you to those first.
1. You do not have to wash your hair daily
You do not necessarily have to wash your hair daily, or even every other day, as long as you are not trying to get rid of dandruff. It is sufficient to wash your hair twice or thrice a week. If you have dry or damaged hair, you may want to wash it less frequently, maybe once in every four days.
Read Also: 4 Useful Ways To Get Rid Of Facial Hair At Home
2. Use lukewarm water
Do not expose your hair to water that is too hot or cold. Instead, stick to warm or tepid water, depending upon the condition and quality of your hair. Also, if you notice that there is not much lather during the first wash, then it is an indication that your hair is dirty. So you should wash it again, after rinsing off the lather the first time.
3. Always brush your hair before you wash them
Surprised? We are sure you are. But yes, you need to brush your hair before you step into the shower. This will decrease the chances of tangles while you are shampooing, thus preventing hair breakage. This is especially important, if you have brittle hair or the problem of hair fall.
The correct shampooing and conditioning technique
Now, let us tell you what is the absolutely correct way to wash and condition your hair. Read and follow these carefully to get best results.
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1. Right amount of shampoo
When it comes to shampoo, more does not necessarily mean better. It is best to avoid using too much shampoo since it strips away the natural oils that help in protecting your locks against dust, pollution and damage.
- For the first wash, try to squeeze a dollop of shampoo, approximately the size of a two rupee coin.
- If necessary, for the second wash, you won’t need as much. Shampoo amounting to a 25-paisa coin would be more than enough.
2. The correct technique
Now that we have dealt with the correct amount of shampoo to be used, let us move on to the right technique:
- Always wet your hair well. Stand under the shower for at least 2-3 minutes before applying the shampoo.
- Now take a small amount of shampoo in your palm, and mix it with a little water.
- While applying shampoo, begin with your scalp/roots and then move your way down to the ends. Ensure that you massage the shampoo in gently.
- Always use your fingertips to massage your scalp gently, in circular motion for a few seconds.
- Do not pile the hair on the top of your head, as it can entangle them, and make it difficult to get rid of the tangles later.
- Once you are done, rinse off the lather slowly, to keep your hair from tangling. Make sure the water stream is not too strong.
- To avoid hair loss, don’t run your fingers through your hair while washing. Even healthy strands of hair are weakened by water, and are easily susceptible to breakage.
- 3. The key to conditioning well
- Conditioner helps to hydrate the damaged hair ends, and makes your hair easier to manage.
- Try and keep the conditioner as away from the scalp as possible.
- Avoid putting conditioner on your scalp since it weakens the roots of hair.
- Rinse it off with cold water to seal the cuticles off.
- Important: There is a trend called "reverse hair washing", which has got quite popular in the recent past. For those who don't know what it means, it is simply the procedure of conditioning your hair before shampooing. And surprisingly, this technique makes the hair look all the more lustrous and bouncier as compared to the regular method. All you have to do is wet your hair and apply the conditioner. Leave it for about five minutes, and then rinse your hair with lukewarm water. Now, you can follow the regular procedure of shampooing your hair. Read Also: 7 Foods That Can Make Your Hair Grow Faster
- After wash care
- Drain your hair of all the excess water.
- After that, wrap your hair in a towel and dry them softly.
- Do not rub the towel harshly as it will lead to hair breakage.
