YOUR DAILY HAIRCARE ROUTINE- PART 2
The second post in the daily haircare routine series is about washing. Not sure how often you should wash your hair, or what with? Want to know the ingredients you should be looking out for on your shampoo bottle- for good and for bad? We’ve got it covered below.
First of all, let’s talk about how often you should wash your hair. Annoyingly, there is no set hair-washing routine that every person should stick to- we’re all completely different when it comes to hair type, which means some people’s hair might only need a once-a-week wash, whereas others will need to wash it every day. Typically, if your hair is fine and oily, you’ll probably find that your hair needs to be washed every one to two days to keep it looking sleek and shiny. Dry and coarse hair, on the other hand, requires washing every second or third day. Consider your hair to be none of these types? That probably means it’s normal- give it a wash every other day, and see how it responds.
A lot of the time, figuring out how often you should wash your hair just takes some experimentation on your part. For a few days straight, avoid washing your hair, and the day you wake up to find it greasy, you know it’s had its time and needs some extra attention. Once you’ve got your routine, stick to it- you’re only going to confuse your hair by washing it every day for three days straight, then not washing it again for a week.
Speaking of sticking to a routine… we all have our favourite shampoo and conditioners that we use routinely on our hair. Don’t lie, we’ve all been guilty of buying (and loving) a shampoo or conditioner solely because it smells amazing- but what actually makes a good product? We recommend looking for shampoos and conditioners that contain argan oil or marula oil, which have been proven to make hair softer, silkier and shinier. They are also great moisturizing agents, which help eliminate dandruff and dry scalp issues, tame frizz, and repair split ends.
What about the ingredients that aren’t so good for hair? Try to avoid shampoos and conditioners that contain sulfates, which are harsh on the hair and scalp, so they can strip away that natural moisture that keeps your hair shiny and soft. We would also suggest avoiding anything containing parabens and the mysterious ingredient “fragrance”-which could literally be anything-, as they will wreak havoc on your hair over time.
Finally, let’s talk about how to wash your hair. No, we’re not being patronising; there really is a fail-safe technique when it comes to hair washing. Start with a rinse, then lather up from roots to ends. Remember that the hair closest to your scalp is youngest and will inevitably be the oiliest, while the end of the hair is the oldest and usually driest, most fragile part of the hair. Make sure you’re gentle, and don’t use more shampoo than you need- it’s best to put too little in, and gradually add more until your hair is all covered. Finally, add conditioner from the mid-lengths to the tips. There’s no need to condition your roots, as there are plenty of natural oils there to keep them good. Finish with a cold water rinse… if you can muster up the courage to do it!
Picture credit: Allure