Usually, one gets used to a particular way of washing one’s hair and continues to do so, particularly women when they have to wash their kids’ hair. They might be wrong but are habituated to it, though of course there is nothing inherently wrong with the routine way of washing one’s hair. The problem arises when it damages one’s hair. The problem begins when it actually starts damaging one’s hair. One feels one has split ends and experiences hair fall. It is also possible that there may be something wrong with the products one is using to wash one’s hair. One needs to check it out.
Table of Contents
1. Tips for Shampooing
Steam one’s hair before shampooing it:
The pores on one’s scalp are usually clogged with oil as well as dirt. The best way to cleanse them away is by steaming one’s hair. To do so, soak a towel in some hot water and then wring out the excess water. Wrap this towel around one’s head and leave it on for 20 minutes before jumping into the shower.
Massage steamed hair before shampoo:
after steaming one’s hair, gently massage one’s scalp with one’s fingers for a few minutes. This can also help loosen up the dirt and buildup and also root out the weak hair strands from one’s scalp.
Use cool or lukewarm water:
It is well realized that using heat styling tools on one’s hair too frequently can damage the hair. Well, the same holds true for hot water. The heat from hot water can strip off natural oils and leave one’s hair cuticles open, thus allowing all the moisture to escape from it. On the other hand, washing it with cool or lukewarm water can also help close the cuticle as well as lock in the moisture, thus giving one shinier as well as smoother locks. It can also help reduce the frizz.
Use paraben and SLS free shampoo:
One is also familiar with shampoos that are free of sulfates (SLS) and parabens. Parabens are often added as a preservative, and SLS does help in forming the lather. Both these chemicals have long been known to cause skin irritation as well as allergic reactions. But recent studies have also indicated that they can be carcinogenic and also cause severe eye damage among children. It is advisable to use organic shampoos that are SLS- and paraben-free.
Apply shampoo only on scalp:
The purpose of shampoo is to clean the hair and remove the dirt, dead skin cells, as well as product buildup from one’s scalp. By shampooing on the lengths of one’s hair it is possible one may tend to strip it of its natural oils and also leave it looking dry, dull as well as lifeless. It is advisable to make a quarter-sized amount of shampoo as well as massage it into one’s roots and scalp until it lathers up.
Gently massage while shampooing:
When lathering the shampoo, gently massage one’s scalp with one’s fingers, moving in a circular motion. Not only one can easily cleanse away the dirt from one’s scalp, the message will also help in improving the blood circulation to the hair follicles and also boost hair growth.
Avoid washing one’s hair daily:
Most shampoos do contain chemicals that can make one’s hair extremely dry as well as brittle if used daily. So, it is better to wash one’s hair no more than twice or thrice a week to maintain its health as well as optimum moisture level.
Do not stretch shampooing time:
Hair is fragile when wet. One should shampoo as well as condition one’s hair within 15 minutes of wetting it to keep the damage as well as breakage at the minimum.
2. Tips for Conditioning
Condition one’s hair with oil before shower: One needs to condition as well as moisturize one’s hair and the best way is to massage it with hair oil. Massage a little bit of coconut, almond, or olive oil onto one’s hair and then scalp an hour before one washes it. This oil will indeed penetrate one’s hair shaft and also nourish it from within in order to give one softer, shinier as well as frizz-free hair.
Towel dry before conditioning:
This step may sound a bit tedious to oneself but one wants frizz-free hair. Once shampooing is over hair, and then wrap a towel around one’s head to soak up all the excess water and then apply conditioner. The conditioner will indeed get absorbed into one’s towel-dried hair much more easily and it also prevents it from frizzing up.
Do not make use of too much conditioner:
Applying too much conditioner will indeed weigh one’s hair down and also make it look super greasy.
Do not apply conditioner on scalp:
One must not apply conditioner to one’s scalp, as it will form a build upon one’s scalp and clog one’s pores, leading to reduced hair growth as well as increased hair fall.
Do not leave the conditioner in for too long:
If one thinks to leave the conditioner on one’s hair for extra time and that it would moisturize one’s hair better, then this view is wrong. Conditioners do have their effect on wet hair as cuticles become swollen as well as open up. The conditioner can also percolate further than it has already done when initially applied. In fact, leaving the conditioner on for too long can actually make one’s hair greasy.
Deep condition every two weeks: One needs to deep condition one’s hair at least every 2 weeks, in case it is curly or kinky hair as these hair types do tend to dry up rather quickly.
3. Tips for Drying
Microfiber towel/Cotton t-shirt:
One indeed may not realize terrycloth towels do soak out the moisture from one’s hair and remove excess water, thus leaving the hair dry. Besides, the texture of these towels can also frizz up one’s hair and also cause breakage. A better option would be to make use of either a microfiber towel or a cotton t-shirt that are gentler on one’s hair and do not strip all the moisture out of it.
Do not aggressively rub one’s hair while drying it:
A majority of women do either rub their hair vigorously with a towel or coil it up in a towel that in order to dry it. Both methods of drying hair are bad as they cause knotting, frizzing, as well as breakage of one’s hair. The proper method is to use a cotton t-shirt or a microfiber towel in order to gently pat dry one’s hair to remove all the excess water and then allow it to air dry.
Avoid using a blow dryer:
The heat from a blow dryer can also damage one’s hair and also cause split ends the same way that other heat styling tools do. It is better to avoid it as far as possible. Go in for cool setting if one essentially needs to use a blower.
4. Tips for Detangling
Detangle when there’s conditioner in your hair:
To avoid losing too much hair one can detangle one’s hair in the shower after one has applied the conditioner. Then use a wide-toothed comb through the lower half of one’s hair to remove all the knots and tangles rather easily.
Detangle one’s hair when it’s semi-dry:
If one loses huge clumps of hair while brushing it is on account of doing it immediately after showering. Hair is delicate at that point of time and most prone to breakage when it is actually wet. The hair must be at least 70% dry before one detangles it with a boar bristle brush or even a wide-toothed comb.
5. Some More Things to Keep In Mind
Apply a leave-in conditioner after drying one’s hair:
One wants to get rid of frizzy hair after one has a shower. Simply apply a bit of leave-in conditioner or smoothening serum after one’s hair has dried partially. If one has particularly dry hair, one can make sure to use a product that is alcohol-free as alcohol does dry out one’s hair.
Limit using hair care products:
Avoid applying too many hair styling products such as hair sprays, mousses, gels, etc on one’s hair as they do tend to build upon one’s hair as well as scalp, clog the pores, and thus cause hair fall.
Keep showers short:
Try to get finishing showering quickly. Wetting the hair too much can make it fragile and breakable.