How to Wash Your Hair — the Right Way
You might do it nearly every day, but here’s something surprising: you might not really know how to wash your hair the right way. Using the correct techniques can make a world of difference in your hair’s health, bounce and shine—but if you’re making some common mistakes, you could be damaging your lovely locks without even realizing it. We asked two of New York’s foremost hair pros, hair stylist Nunzio Saviano of Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York and Kyle White, lead colorist at Oscar Blandi Salon, to share their best tips for lathering up—and doing it the right way.
1. Start with a rinse.
Just like your laundry needs a rinse cycle before you add detergent, hair should be thoroughly wet before you add your shampoo. “Hot water will open the cuticle, which is good for removing any dirt or product trapped in the hair,” says White. Another bonus: “When your hair is rinsed in warm water, it loosens the oils through the scalp and opens the cuticle so it is able to absorb the oil” in your conditioner, says Saviano.
Just like your laundry needs a rinse cycle before you add detergent, hair should be thoroughly wet before you add your shampoo. “Hot water will open the cuticle, which is good for removing any dirt or product trapped in the hair,” says White. Another bonus: “When your hair is rinsed in warm water, it loosens the oils through the scalp and opens the cuticle so it is able to absorb the oil” in your conditioner, says Saviano.
2. If you have long hair, condition first.
Yes, really! “If you have hair beneath the shoulders, protect fragile ends from drying out and further damage by running a small amount of conditioner through them and lightly rinsing, before any shampooing. This will not only keep ends healthy, it will fill any holes in the cuticle with moisture, making it smoother and boosting shine,” says White.
Yes, really! “If you have hair beneath the shoulders, protect fragile ends from drying out and further damage by running a small amount of conditioner through them and lightly rinsing, before any shampooing. This will not only keep ends healthy, it will fill any holes in the cuticle with moisture, making it smoother and boosting shine,” says White.
3. Lather up — but only at the scalp.
“You only need to shampoo the hair at the scalp, particularly at the nape,” Saviano says.
White agrees. “The best way to lather up is from roots to ends. The hair closest to the scalp is the 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.”
“You only need to shampoo the hair at the scalp, particularly at the nape,” Saviano says.
White agrees. “The best way to lather up is from roots to ends. The hair closest to the scalp is the 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.”
Don’t use more shampoo than you need; both Saviano and White say that a quarter-sized amount of shampoo is enough. If your hair is particularly long or thick, go ahead and double that.
4. Be gentle!
Friction can permanently damage your hair’s cuticle, leading to breakage and frizz. Think about washing your hair like you hand wash your delicates — very carefully.
Friction can permanently damage your hair’s cuticle, leading to breakage and frizz. Think about washing your hair like you hand wash your delicates — very carefully.
“Start your lather at the roots,” says White. “Increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair growth by using vertical strokes with medium pressure.” Don’t use circular motions, which can tangle your hair.
Next, “Smooth the lather over the ends in a straight stroking motion,” White advises. “Do not scrub the fragile ends or use a back and forth motion like you’re washing a rag on a washboard.”
5. Don’t rinse and repeat.
Despite what the instructions on the back of your shampoo bottle may say, there’s no need to wash your hair twice. “Avoid stripping the hair by doing one shampoo only, which is usually sufficient,” says White. “Unless the hair is extremely dirty and the first shampoo didn’t produce a lather,” in which case, go ahead and lather up one more time.
Despite what the instructions on the back of your shampoo bottle may say, there’s no need to wash your hair twice. “Avoid stripping the hair by doing one shampoo only, which is usually sufficient,” says White. “Unless the hair is extremely dirty and the first shampoo didn’t produce a lather,” in which case, go ahead and lather up one more time.
6. Add conditioner from the mid-lengths to the tips.
After you’ve rinsed out your shampoo, “squeeze some of the water out of the hair before you put in the conditioner,” says Saviano. “Then clip your hair up and finish showering, leaving the conditioner rinse out for the final step of your shower.” The longer the conditioner stays on your hair, the better it absorbs. Don’t put conditioner at the roots of your hair; the natural oil from your scalp is more concentrated there.
After you’ve rinsed out your shampoo, “squeeze some of the water out of the hair before you put in the conditioner,” says Saviano. “Then clip your hair up and finish showering, leaving the conditioner rinse out for the final step of your shower.” The longer the conditioner stays on your hair, the better it absorbs. Don’t put conditioner at the roots of your hair; the natural oil from your scalp is more concentrated there.
7. Finish with a cold water rinse.
“Cold water will shut the cuticle tight, sealing the shingle-like outer layer, which will cause it to reflect the most light and give off the most shine,” says White.
“Cold water will shut the cuticle tight, sealing the shingle-like outer layer, which will cause it to reflect the most light and give off the most shine,” says White.
More Hair Washing Tips…
Use a shampoo and conditioner that’s made for your hair type. If your hair is dry, choose moisturizing products. If you color your hair, opt for color-safe formulas. “Volumizing” shampoos tend to leave hair drier, so they’re best for fine hair types that would be weighed down by more moisturizing products.
How often you wash your hair depends on your hair type, too. If you have oily or fine hair, you may need to shampoo daily. Normal or dry hair can lather up closer to three times a week.
Filter your water. White recommends using a shower filter, such as the T3 Source Showerhead, since it “removes rust and minerals from water that can dull color, and deposit on blondes making them dark and muddy.” (We’ve tried it, and it also made our hair super soft.)
Your Ultimate Guide to Home Hair Color
With the Pinterest diligently fanning the flames of DIY culture, it’s becoming more and more common to tend to your beauty routines at home. Mani/pedis, tanning, and even waxing have all become acceptable to do in the comfort of one’s own home, and with the rise of high quality box dyes, home hair color is no exception.
Unless you plan on taking black hair to platinum blonde, there’s no reason why you can’t touch up your own hair color at home (and save some money in the process). Of course, if you don’t know what you’re doing you could end up making a very costly mistake. To help you avoid that, we’ve put together this list of handy things to know when dyeing your hair at home.
1. Check the box.
Obviously the first step in dying your hair at home is to choose the right box of hair dye. Try to choose one that has the least amount of harmful ingredients such as ammonia, peroxide, and alcohol to avoid excessive dryness and breakage. Semi and demi-permanent hair dyes will deposit color but won’t lift, making them far less hard on your hair than permanent dyes are.
Another thing to look for when choosing a box of hair dye is, naturally, the right shade for you. Don’t just rely on the picture of the model on the box; it can be misleading. Instead, focus on the words used to describe the shade and the numbers that designate the relative darkness.
Colors described as Ash will have more green tones in them and are good for people looking to combat brassiness. Golden will incorporate more yellow tones and are great for people looking to conceal grey hair. Anything with the word Violet in it will have purple tones. Neutral can mean several different things, but usually implies a blue base to the shade.
The number tells you how dark the dye will be. Hair dye is described on a scale from 1 (black) to 12 (platinum blonde), so the lower the number, the deeper the shade. So if you see a model with light blonde hair on a box labeled 4A (Ash Blonde), you’ll know better than to believe it; on a scale of one to twelve, a 4 is quite dark! Use the shade guide on the side of the box as a guide to how the color will work on your hair; it’s far more reliable than the illustration on the front.
2. Dirty hair is best.
It’s always best to dye hair that hasn’t been washed recently; the hair’s natural oils help to protect strands as they process. This is just one more reason why doing your hair at home can be great: nobody really enjoys showing up at the salon with dirty hair, even if it is recommended.
3. Always follow safety precautions.
Before you even think about starting to dye your hair, carefully read all of the instructions on the box. There are important safety steps that you should never skip. That part about the patch test? Essential, especially if you’re using a new brand. Certain ingredients (in dark dyes especially) can cause peculiar skin reactions, so it’s best to be very sure that won’t happen to you.
You should also always wear gloves to protect your nails and skin. Box dye usually contains one pair, but you should always have a second pair onhand to wear when you wash the color out of your hair (trust us, you don’t want to stain your manicure while you scrub). Finally, make sure you dye your hair in a well-ventilated area. Nobody wants to get woozy with a head full of color!
4. Vaseline and olive oil are your best friends.
Always have a tub of Vaseline on hand when you’re dying your hair, especially if you’re going with a dark color. A generous dab of Vaseline (or really any thick, petroleum-based moisturizer) along your temples, hairline, neck, and ears will keep the hair dye from staining your skin.
It’s a cheap and effective solution, and you’ll be wishing you took the time to do it when you wind up with blotchy dye stains on your skin. But if you do, you can remove them by soaking a cotton ball in olive oil and rubbing over the affected areas. It truly is a miracle.
5. Have reasonable expectations.
A little science to lay on you: the developer in box dye (which causes the color to change) is usually 20 volume. The higher the volume, the more color it can lift. 20 volume will shift your hair up to two shades (depending on your hair’s natural color), but no further. Bigger changes require multiple processings or a higher volume developer—which you should NOT use yourself!
This is why you’re always being told that it’s a bad idea to try to go more than two shades lighter (or darker) than your natural hair color using a box dye. That 20 volume developer can only do so much! Consider box dye a tool to maintain or make subtle changes to your color, not something to transform your entire head.
If you absolutely must change your hair color as drastically as possible, then it’s best to have a professional do it at a salon.
6. Beware of dyeing already-colored hair.
If your hair already has one (or more) shades of hair dye in it, proceed with caution. It’s a much more complicated process to get an even, undamaged result with pre-dyed hair, and it’s better to have a professional do it: the risks of patchy or stripy color, hot roots and overprocessing-related chemical haircuts are just too great!
So if you’ve dyed your hair recently, think twice about attempting to dye over it (even with the same color).
7. Don’t forget the upkeep.
So now you’ve managed to dye your hair the color that you want without any major mishaps. Congrats! You look gorgeous! But don’t stop there, unless you want to spoil all of your hard work. Just as important as the dyeing process itself is the necessary upkeep that follows.
You want your new color to last, and the best way to do that is by making sure not to wash it too frequently (dry shampoo will be your lifesaver), use color-protecting products, protect your hair from the sun with hats and spray-on sunscreen, limit heat-styling, and condition it well (especially if any sort of bleach was involved!).
Now you can dye your hair at home safely and with confidence!
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