Yes, There Really is a Right Way to Wash Your Hair

The Right Way to Wash Your Hair

There’s a lot of debate around shampooing your hair these days. Should you wash every day? Should you only use sulfate-free products? Should you rely on dry shampoo in between washings? You’ll find people in every camp, and it can get confusing out there. The fact is, cleansing your hair is so much more than wash, rinse, repeat. Here, advice from Gina Rivera, celebrity stylist and owner of Phenix Salon Suites on the delicate art of washing so your hair reaps the most out of every last lather.

To wash or not to wash on the regular

Washing your hair daily is actually ok “especially if you work out or do anything that makes you sweat,” Rivera says. “Sweat and dirt caused by natural environments can create buildup on the scalp and, over time, can cause damage to your hair follicle; a healthy scalp makes for healthy hair,” she says. But, for most people, you only really need to wash it about three times a week to remove any type of product build-up on the scalp and in the hair. Another key is using the right products. Shampooing with harsh cleansers daily can strip it of natural oils and disrupt your scalp’s natural environment. “While dry shampoo is fine to use, relying on it every day can lead to buildup on the scalp and hair,” Rivera says. The moral is: It’s a good product to have on hand but use it sparingly.

Product know-how

This brings us to what you should be washing with. Stick with sulfate-free formulas. “These are very important since they do not contain the harsh detergents that some products have,” Rivera says. “Harsh detergents can strip the hair of its own natural oils, make your color fade more quickly, and can cause dryness,” she says. Sulfate-free formulas are gentler and will help keep the hair hydrated and healthy. Try Cuvée Shampoo and Conditioner, which combine nutrients, skincare-grade ingredients, and Champagne extracts to fortify strands, boost body, and enhance shine leaving your scalp healthy and your hair conditioned, strengthened, and smooth. Clinical studies show that after using the Cuvée Shampoo and Conditioning system, hair is 2x stronger, 4x smoother, and has 50-percent less breakage.

Application makes perfect

There actually is a right way to apply product to your hair. While combing it through distributes it from root to tip, you want to be mindful of the size of the teeth on the comb, Rivera says. “For example, if it’s a wide-tooth comb, your product may not distribute evenly through the hair; if the teeth are too close together, product may clump in areas,” she says. “My recommendation to ensure even distribution is to put a small amount of product in the palm of your hand, emulsify it, and then run it through; this will allow more control for even distribution.” Rivera also notes wet hair is more fragile, “so it is of importance not to rip through the hair with a comb or brush, which could cause the hair to break off.” Be gentle and comb from bottom to top so knots don’t pool at the ends.

Leave-in like you mean it

Amid our busy lives, we don’t often have the time or patience to linger—and especially in the shower. But to really get the most out of your conditioner, you need to leave it in the hair from three to five minutes to get the full detangling and hydrating benefits, Rivera says. To maximize your time, shave, lather and scrub (basically do everything you need to do) after applying conditioner. That’s at least three-to-five minutes’ worth of work!

Rinse and rinse again

“Rinsing thoroughly helps remove all product and ensures you’re really cleaning the scalp,” Rivera says. If you’re finding that even in spite of a thorough wash your hair still feels heavy and greasy, Rivera recommends using a baking soda treatment to get rid of product build up. Just use equal parts baking soda and water, comb through the hair after shampooing, let sit for three to five minutes, rinse, then condition.

A little self-care goes a long way

Massaging the scalp every day helps stimulates blood circulation, keeps the scalp conditioned, spreads natural oils, and strengthens the roots. “Infrared is also known to stimulate blood flow,” Rivera says. Try a product like By Gina Excel Styler Infrared Styling Brush, which uses infrared technology to infuse micro-moisture particles to revive dry, brittle hair and smooth strands. It can be used daily to stimulate the scalp just by brushing your hair.