12 Things You Should Know About Washing Your Hair
If you don’t give your shampoo a second thought, it might be time to think again. The right product can bring you the rich, shiny, healthy hair of your dreams.
1. Shampoo is for your scalp and conditioner is for your hair.
The cleansing agents in a shampoo are there to remove the oil from your scalp. As they lather through your hair they will pick up product residue and day to day dirt. Conditioner is for the mid-length and ends of your hair, to repair, smooth and detangle but it is not designed to be applied at the scalp or root area.
2. How often should I wash my hair?
There’s no harm in washing your hair every day as long as you are using the correct product for your hair and scalp. But the entire wetting, drying, and styling process takes moisture out of your hair, so here’s a rule of thumb:
If you have Oily Hair: Wash every day if you have oily hair, live in a polluted city or humid environment, or work out daily.
If you have Normal or Combination (with dry ends and oily roots) Wash every other day
If your hair is on the dry side, wash every few days (this includes curly or colour treated hair) or if you live in a rural environment or dry climate.
3. Is it possible to use too much shampoo?
As long as you rinse it all out, you really can’t use too much, however if you are using too much you are just wasting money. For most people about the size of a 10 to 20 cent piece should be more than sufficient, but hair length is also a factor.
4. What is the ideal water temperature?
Warm water helps work the shampoo through your hair and aids with rinsing out any residue. Avoid really hot water, which can actually make your hair limp. For the final rinse, cooler water is best — it will lock helpful ingredients into each strand and make hair look shinier.
5. It takes me a while to use up a bottle of shampoo — does it expire?
Most shampoos have a shelf life of 12 months. A product that’s older won’t harm your hair, but it won’t be as effective. How to tell if your product is past its prime? If the product has begun to separate and/or has changed in colour or smell it’s definitely time for a new bottle.
6. I need a shampoo that will protect my colour. Does that mean I can’t also get shine and volume?
Absolutely not. All Schwarzkopf, O&M and Redken shampoos preserve your colour and include “bonus” ingredients to promote volume and shine (and to make curls look better). All our ranges are prescriptive and there is a shampoo to solve any issue you might have.
7. How often should I use a deep-cleansing or clarifying shampoo?
If you use a lot of styling products, live in an area with mineral-rich water, or swim a lot, you should deep-cleanse or clarify twice a month. O&M Detox is the perfect gentle solution to create clear and pure hair and scalp. Oily types: It’s a good idea to use an oily hair shampoo like BC Deep Cleanse every time you wash. For the rest of us: Use a clarifying, purifying, or chelating formula (which removes mineral residue) if your hair looks dull or has become resistant to your regular products.
8. Are salon shampoos better than supermarket kinds?
Shampoo is definitely one of those “you get what you pay for” products. Salon only shampoos are gentler, more effective and contain a much higher concentration of high-quality ingredients (e.g., a conditioner that penetrates deeper into each strand). The technology in salon shampoos is always newer and the quality of the active ingredients more refined
9. When is it time to switch shampoos?
Sometimes the same bottle that’s always made your hair bouncy and shiny can leave it lackluster without warning. It’s a popular perception that shampoo suddenly stops working, but it’s not the shampoo that has changed; it’s the surface of your hair that’s different. If buildup is causing the problem, first clarify, then bring back your beloved bottle. No improvement? It may be time to switch for good. A simple self-test: Look at your nails. If they are ridged, peeling, or seem to break more easily, you’re experiencing the most common of all changes — ageing, which leads to water loss in our cells and tissues. So while you’re still using your trusty oily-hair formula, your hair may be drier than it’s ever been. Buy a moisturising version, or ask your stylist for a more in depth personalised diagnosis.
10. Do I really need conditioner?
Conditioner is essential. It finishes what shampoo starts, in terms of making hair manageable and repairing problems like split ends. You may go through many conditioners before you find the right one, but you’ll know when you’ve met your match.
11. What is the difference between conditioner and a treatment?
In your regular conditioner you will find a certain amount of strengthening, moisturising or smoothing ingredients in a detangling base. An intensive treatment offers a much greater quantity of repairing or restoring proteins or humectants (moisturisers) of a smaller molecular size to enable deeper penetration. A conditioner is for everyday use while a treatment is for once a week or once a month.
12. Is is ok to brush wet hair?
If you have a tangle teeze, paddle or similar brush it is fine to use these on wet hair, as long as you comb out knots from the ends first. Use a leave-in treatment spray on long or damaged hair for added protection and detangling