How to Wash Your Hair

Hairdressers swear that shampooing the correct way does make a difference.

Step 1: Comb your hair
Untangle your hair with a wide-toothed comb before you shower -- or you'll have a hopeless tangled mess when you're done.

Step 2: Massage your scalp
Next, loosen dirt and dead skin by massaging your scalp for a minute. Use the pads of your fingers, not the nails.

Step 3: Wet your head with warm water
Thoroughly wet your hair with warm — not hot — water. Very hot water damages hair shafts, causing fly-away hair.

Tip
Don’t wash your hair every day; all you’ll get for your trouble are oily roots and brittle ends.

Step 4: Apply shampoo
Pour a quarter-sized amount of shampoo into your hand, rub it between your palms, and then spread it evenly over your scalp. Using more shampoo than that will strip your hair’s natural oils, leading to the frizzies.

Step 5: Work up a lather
Work up a lather for at least a minute.

Step 6: Rinse thoroughly
Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Tip
Contrary to what you’ve probably heard, do not rinse hair until it 'squeaks,' or you’ll be rinsing away the hair’s natural oils.

Step 7: Condition your hair
Gently squeeze out excess water with a clean towel, then wrap the towel around your head and let it absorb some more water. Hair is at its weakest and most prone to breakage when it's soaking wet.

Tip
If you have damaged hair, use a deep conditioner every few weeks, according to directions.

Step 8: Rinse again
Rinse the conditioner with warm water, adding a final blast of cold water to seal the cuticles, which makes hair really shine.

Step 9: Towel dry your hair
Gently squeeze out excess water with a clean towel, then wrap the towel around your head and let it absorb some more water before combing your hair. Hair is at its weakest and most prone to breakage when it’s soaking wet.

Step 10: Use a detangler
Spray on a little detangler or leave-in conditioner before combing your hair.

Did You Know?
On average, hair grows about half an inch each month.