How To Wash Your Hair

One of my clients had dry hair, but she was using great products. I told her to leave her conditioner in a little longer and *boom* her hair felt great. It dawned on me that some people may not know the simple tricks that seem so obvious since I've been doing this so long. So I'll share some of my secrets!How OftenNot everyone needs to wash their hair every day. Most don't. There are oils that your scalp produces called sebum that are incredible good for your hair. But what if you sweat? Good! Once the sebum mixes with your sweat it creates a waxy oil that coats your hair and makes it shiny and soft. If you wash your hair too much, then your sebaceous glands begin to produce more oil to make up for stripping the hair. This is when your hair becomes too oily.  So on and on the vicious cycle goes. If you currently have oily hair, you'll have to manage until your glands balance out. Dry shampoo will be great for this.So how often should you wash your hair? If your hair is really fine and thin,  every other day. If your hair is fine but you have a lot of it, 2-3 days is good, maybe 4. If you have thick hair you can probably get away with 3-4 days or even once a week, depending on how active you are. The trick is, when you do wash it, wash it twice! The first shampoo will only get the surface dirt off and the second will get your hair nice and clean!How HotIf you get out of the shower and your body is pink, your water is too hot. Only our steak should be slightly pink!If you find that your hair is pretty dry and your color fades, you water could be too hot. The cooler the water the better it is for your skin and hair. Make your shower as cold as you can stand it.How To Wash Your HairOnce your in the shower, with cooler water, wet your hair completely. Fully saturated!To figure out how much shampoo to use, I always tell people to look at their thumbnail and use that much. You're probably realizing right now that you are using way too much. You are, and if you're using shampoo from the grocery store, you likely would be since their first ingredient is water. It's diluted and we feel we need more. This is why professional products are more expensive because their ingredients are more concentrated and you will need less.Once you have your shampoo in your hands, rub them together a little and try to build a lather before you put it in your hair, so it distributes more easily. Then flip your head upside down so the length of your hair is not in your way. This will prevent you from using too much product.Rub your head using the pads of your fingers, focusing on the hairline, the crown and the nape (back of your head). Rinse thoroughly. If it didn't lather very well, your hair is still dirty! Do it again. Wash it twice! Especially if you are waiting 3-4 or more days to wash it. Rinse thoroughly.Now it's time for conditioner. This is my favorite part because I love feeling my hair get silky. Using that same thumbnail size amount, a little more if your hair is long or very thick, distribute the conditioner evenly. I use a wide tooth comb in my shower to comb it through. Now, clip up your hair and wash your body. Shave your legs. Do a little dance. Let the conditioner sit until the end of your shower. Leaving it in while you wash your body will make a big difference. If you heat style your hair a lot and you're not going anywhere, leave the conditioner in over night. It's a great way to give your locks a little love!What To UseThere are so many products on the market that are wonderful. You may need to spend more than $10-$15 a bottle though. I'm sorry but good isn't cheap and cheap isn't good. I have walked through the aisles of the store reading ingredients and there's not one thing I would recommend to my clients.My favorite professional products for chemically treated hair Pravana Cleanse, Nourish and Treat or Olaplex for very damaged or highlighted hair. If you heat style your hair a lot I love Pureology Hydrate or Super Smooth.  This is an excellent package deal and has everything you need to get started.If you're reading this and you spend money getting your hair done, please spend money also taking care of your hair at home. I only touch your hair once a month or less. You do it every day. The products you use matter. Check this blog on how to take care of your haircolor. If you're not sure feel free to ask me if you find yourself in my chair or email me at hello@tallybeautygirl.comDid you learn something? Drop a comment and let me know!