Do you really know how to wash your hair?

It seems like a pretty simple process right? Well I get asked a lot of questions around how I clean and care for my hair, and to my surprise, a lot of people are not actually washing their hair correctly.

Male or female, if you suffer from a dry and/or itchy scalp, then this post could certainly help you. It should also help your hair remain cleaner for longer, meaning less time spent in the shower, more time chasing random people down the street to stroke their pooch.

Step 1. 

Firstly, soak your hair through in the shower with water only.

Now, I try to wash my hair as little as possible, so I usually smell like wet dog when I first apply water. However, washing less frequently helps maintain a good condition and means I am not scrubbing away its natural oils on a daily basis. Overtime, it also meant I could get away with washing my hair less and less. I now wash my hair once, maximum twice a week, and that is it.

Step 2. 

Shampoo your hair.

Massage the shampoo directly into your scalp. If you like a good Indian head massage then you’ll love this. Do not be afraid to give a firm rub and lightly scratch your scalp, obviously do not hurt yourself, only apply pressure that you feel comfortable with. Ensure you do this all over, top, front, back and do not forget behind your ears.

You should never vigorously rub the ends of your hair together in-between your hands. This will severely damage your hair and cause breakage. As you massage the shampoo into your scalp, the product will naturally fall through the remainder of your hair, as it will again when you rinse out. You can gently run your foamy hands through the ends of your hair in a downwards motion, but no rubbing together.

Step 3. 

Shampoo your hair. AGAIN!

Yes again! This is the most important stage and unfortunately the step that most people are unaware of. You should always, always shampoo your hair twice!

The first shampoo will simply remove dirt and pollution, you will notice during the first wash that the shampoo consistency is quite flat and lifeless. However the second shampoo will actually clean your hair. The shampoo will become much more frothy and foamy than during the first wash. Ensure you follow the exact same process as step 2 when re-applying the shampoo.

Step 4.

Condition.

Finally, when conditioning, you should apply primarily to the ends of your hair. Again, no rubbing vigorously together, instead gently smooth the conditioner from top to bottom, very lightly massaging any tangles away. I apply a lesser amount of conditioner to the top of my head, again smoothing through gently, rather than the deep massage we did during steps 2 and 3.

When rinsing, I then firmly massage my scalp to remove any excess conditioner.

Conditioner will soften and, well, condition your hair. Although this is great for keeping your hair slick and soft, any excess left in the scalp can overtime, cause dandruff, so be careful not to leave too much/any behind. You can however, use leave-in conditioning treatments if you need intense nourishment for damaged hair.

Following these steps regularly will maintain the cleanliness of your hair, as well as improving the general condition of your scalp.

For a long time I suffered with a dry and itchy scalp, this was all down to how I washed my hair. I now follow these steps during every wash and have never experienced an issue since.

I hope this helps, please do let me know if this works for you!

Penny x