We’ve all heard it, we’ve all tried it, we’ve all questioned it. The trend of the century; go as long as you possibly can without washing your hair. While I do support going longer between washes, there is a way to do it right and a way to do it wrong. I am here to guide you on how to get the most out of those days between washes and to keep your hair as healthy as possible in the process.
One of the most common misconceptions with shampoo is that it is to clean your hair, when in reality it is made to clean your scalp. Yep, thats right, your scalp. That is where your hair is born; pores, follicles, sebum, dandruff, dirt, dry shampoo & hairspray build up… the scalp is where all of that lives. When shampooing your hair, your main goal shoud be to break that all up and get rid of it. For every pore on your head, there should be at least 3 hairs growing out of it. Studies show that the majority of women usually only have 0-1 hairs actually growing from each pore due to different things; scalp too oily, cheap shampoo build up, product buildup, lack of proper scalp cleansing in shower, ect. Changing the way you shampoo your hair/scalp in the shower can fix this problem.
I know, It never feels quite the same as when you get your hair done- but try to give yourself a quick but thorough scalp massage using your fingertips, knuckles and gently with fingernails. Really focus on areas of build up- underneath, on the crown (where pony tails and buns sit) and anywhere you particularly spray volumizing spray, dry shampoo, ect. Not only will break up & remove any build up, but it will also stimulate your hair follicles, support blood flow on your scalp & have you feeling squeaky clean. Sometimes I will let my shampoo sit on for a minute or two or lather, rinse & repeat if it as particularly dirty hair day. After that, all you really need to do is gently squeeze the remaining shampoo suds down the midshafts and ends of your hair. That is plenty enough to rinse away any excess dirt and oil from the remainder of your hair. It is absoluely unnecessary to rigurously rub your mids and ends between your hands like you are trying to start a stick fire. This will only dry out your ends, create tangles & break off any fine sensitive hairs.
Now for the conditioner, its the opposite. Your objective with shampoo is to cleanse the hair, conditioner is there to replenish any of the moisture and oil you have just stripped from the hair itself. Your scalp is naturally producing oil to nourish your roots at all times, so there is no need to condition the scalp (unless you are doing a deep conditioning treatment or treating breakage). I like to try to ring my hair out as much as I can with my hands in the shower, flip my head over so my hair is hanging upside down, and gently comb the conditioner through my mids and ends evenly with my fingers. I will then twist it up into a top knot, clip it and let it sit while I wash my body, shave, sing a little & finally rinse it out at the very last minute before I get out. This makes it more of a mini treatment in the shower every time you wash your hair & also makes sure your ends are healing and getting all of the moisture they need to stay strong.
Since I found the shampoo that works best for me, learned how to properly wash & care for my hair, I am able to go 3-5 days between shampoos and still love the way it looks. This has also allowed my hair to really grow in the healthiest way possible. I have noticed much more ‘baby hair’ growing in at my scalp and much less hair breaking off on the ends.
On that note, lets not forget that product matters (SO MUCH). Ask your stylist what he/she woud reccomend for your specific hair type & purchase accordingly. Dont be intimidated by the thought of outrageous price tags, there are so many high quality brands out there that won’t break your bank- you just have to ask. We (Studio 417) specifically carry lines for every budget & always have a montly product sale to give people the opportunity to get luxury products at an affordable price. Getting in this specific washing routine will also end up saving you product in the long run.
I know that was a lot to read to simply breakdown something you may already have heard before, but it is good to reiterate WHY and HOW we wash our hair and how to get the most from it. So in conclusion, I broke it down into two simple steps to remember:
-Clean your SCALP, not your hair
-Condition your HAIR, not your scalp
If you have any questions about anything I covered in this article, please feel free to contact me personally and I would be happy to make any recommendations or answer questions:
IG: heath01234
EMAIL: heather@studio417salon.com