Over the next few weeks, I will be talking about the importance of using the correct products on your hair and the ones I recommend for your hair type.
No matter if you’re planning on styling your hair for a night out or it is simply your average hair wash day; the products you use are SO important.
First of all, we need to talk hair routine. If you wash your hair daily – STOP! This will only damage your hair by stripping its natural oils, which are essential to create moisture and prevent breakage. Your body then over produces the oils in hope to strengthen the hair, causing the hair to look and feel greasy, meaning you want to wash it again and the viscous cycle repeats! Therefore, the less
you wash your hair the better! I try to wash mine once a week, but sometimes with exercise routines not fitting in with social events I may wash my hair more frequently.
We all want our hair to look, feel and smell fresh right? Ultimately this is why we wash our hair, but shampooing hair can cause damage with the chemical used to cleanse and create a lather; sulfate. Companies across the globe have created sulfate free alternative shampoos to try and combat this, but there is little evidence on the substitute being any less harsh. This is why I personally choose to wash my hair less often with shampoos containing sulfate, as I prefer to get that fresh feeling with a thick lather but that’s not to say that using sulfate free shampoo isn’t an option!
I have heard many people say they don’t need to use conditioner after a shampoo, because their hair goes greasy, they have short hair, or because it weighs down their hair. EVERYONE should use conditioner, and if you believe it has an adverse effect on your hair it is because you are not applying it correctly and/or you are not using the correct one for your hair type. Conditioning your hair smooths the cuticle, adds body, prevents breakage, reduces frizz, improves elasticity and detangles, meaning it is vital if you want healthy, shiny hair.
So now we are washing our hair less and will be using conditioner, we need to make sure we are following the correct hair wash regime:
· Before shampooing your hair, you need to make sure it is fully saturated with water.
· Apply a small amount of shampoo evenly throughout the scalp, rubbing your hands together to re-lather what is left on your hands and massage this through the ends.
· Rinse the shampoo out of your hair thoroughly before repeating this step again.
· You should ALWAYS shampoo your hair twice when washing your hair to remove products, oil, dirt, debris and fully cleanse the hair, meaning your wash will last longer.
· After all of the shampoo is rinsed from the hair, blot the hair before applying conditioner (water will dilute the strength of your conditioner and the hair will not absorb the conditioner properly if the hair is too wet).
· Apply the conditioner evenly through the mid lengths and ends, avoiding the root (this will cause the hair to go limp and may even feel greasy).
· To help get an even application, use a wide tooth comb or a detangling brush suitable for wet hair (my favourite being the wet detangler by tangle teezer as it has a handle for ease of use and glide through the knots easily without breaking the hair)
· Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the length of time to leave the shampoo and conditioner on for to allow the hair to soak up the product and reap the benefits.
The next step in your routine is your styling and finishing products, which I will go into more detail in a couple of weeks time. The products you use to style your hair should aid the process so you need to make sure you are using the right products for you and apply them correctly. No matter what hair type you have, you should ALWAYS be using a heat protector when using heated styling tools. Finishing products are there to enhance and prolong your style, again needing to be applied correctly.