How to Wash Your Hair
Our hair gets dirty due to the dust and dirt in the environment. Hair also becomes greasy due to the natural oil secretions of the scalp. You need to wash your hair regularly to keep it clean and healthy. Washing hair the correct way makes it less prone to frizzing and drying. How to wash hair properly also determines whether your hair remains oily and flat or soft and wavy. Do you know how you should actually wash your hair? We tell you how in this article.
How to Wash Hair
To properly wash your hair, you'll need a shampoo, conditioner and of course water. Keep a towel handy to dry your hair after you are done with washing hair.
- Wet your hair with water generously, so that the shampoo can make enough lather. Try to use warm water when washing your hair.
- Now take some amount of shampoo that is about the size of a quarter in your palm. You can use more shampoo depending upon the type of hair you have. Start working the shampoo from the roots, making your way to the ends. Gently massage your scalp using the pads of your fingertips. This relaxing method will help you wash away the excess oils and any other hair care products used in your hair.
- Once you have shampooed your hair thoroughly, use warm water to rinse out the shampoo. Make sure you remove all the shampoo from your hair or else it may leave your hair flat and sticky.
- After rinsing out the shampoo, apply conditioner to your hair. Keep in mind that the conditioner should not be applied to the roots. You should start applying the conditioner about an inch down the hair shaft. You can apply a little more conditioner than the shampoo. Do not worry if it does not form lather as much as shampoo. Leave the conditioner in your hair for about two to five minutes.
- Rinse the conditioner from your hair and get all the soap out of your hair. Comb your fingers in downward motion after rinsing the hair off conditioner. This will help in removing tangles and knots.
- Now wash your hair with cold water. This will help close the hair follicles and make your hair shine after drying.
- Use a towel to dry your hair before using a hair dryer. Wrap the towel around the hair and dab it. Do not use vigorous movements to dry hair. This may cause tangling and breakage of hair. You can let your hair air dry or use a blow dryer to style it. Use a heat protective lotion or spray when using a hair dryer to prevent frizz.
Baking soda is an excellent scalp and hair cleaner. If you do not want to use harmful chemicals in your hair for washing, then you can try using baking soda.
- Take 1/2 cup baking soda and add it to 4 gallons of cool or moderately warm water. Mix the soda with water using a wooden spoon until dissolved. Or you can take a small bowl and add 1/2 cup soda. Pour cool water to the bowl, making a paste out of baking soda. It should be as thick as peanut butter. This paste can be just like a shampoo.
- Once you have prepared your bucket of water with baking soda or paste of baking soda, wet your hair with warm plain water. Once your hair is soaking wet, wash your hair with the baking soda water. Massage your scalp using the water and with the pads of your fingertips. Wash your hair till your scalp is clean.
- If you are using baking soda paste, then apply the paste on your hair and massage it with your fingertips. Massage for a few minutes.
- Rinse your hair with plain water to remove the baking soda. Thus, washing your hair will make your hair healthier and shinier.
Shampoos contain chemicals that are extremely damaging to your hair. You can wash your hair without using shampoo with conditioner only.
- Your hair may take time to adjust to the no-shampoo routine. You need to wet your hair and apply conditioner to the scalp. Massage using your fingers. This will help remove the dirt, dandruff and excess oil. Rinse hair thoroughly.
- Now apply a moisturizing conditioner throughout the hair and leave it on for 2-5 minutes.
- Rinse your hair off the moisturizing conditioner and then wash your hair with cold water to make it shiny and less frizzy when dry.
- You can wash your hair using apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or baking soda. These are natural options for squeaky clean and healthy hair.
Professionally done hair weaves look just like natural hair. Hair weaves should be treated just as natural hair. You should wash them properly using a shampoo.
- Wet your hair and make sure you do not pull or tug at your hair weaves when wetting. Avoid vigorous finger movements that will cause tangling.
- Take some shampoo and start working from the ends towards the scalp. Gently run your fingers in your hair and avoid tangling the hair above the weave.
- Rinse your hair thoroughly by running your fingers through the hair. Do not pull at the knots, if any.
- Apply conditioner and work from the hair ends towards the hair shaft. Avoid tangling the hair. Rinse hair after leaving the conditioner on for 2-5 minutes.
- Squeeze the hair gently and remove excess of water. Use a towel to pat dry your hair. Spray the hair with a detangler and using a wide toothed comb, remove the tangles and knots. Make sure you do not sleep with wet hair.
You may end up with a hair dye color that is not what you expected it to be. You may be thinking how to wash the hair dye off. This method will help you wash off hair dye.
- Wet your hair with warm water and wash your hair with shampoo. Or you may try washing your hair with a dish soap. This is an old trick that will remove the hair color and clean your hair.
- Rinse out the soap from your hair and apply a lot of conditioner to prevent excessive drying.
- Another method is using peroxide cap. A 30 volume peroxide should be used. Mix peroxide per part to the shampoo you use. Leave it in your hair for 5-10 minutes. Rinse the shampoo properly and apply conditioner to prevent hair from drying.
- You can seek professional help to rinse hair dye off your hair.
There are two types of hair extensions - synthetic and natural human hair. Both types of extensions need to be washed but they have different methods of doing so.
- Human hair can be washed using methods similar to your natural hair. Use a moisturizing shampoo to wash the hair. Rinse the hair thoroughly and apply a deep conditioner.
- Natural hair extensions need to be kept hydrated and moisturized just like human hair. You can blow dry, curl or straighten the natural hair extensions after a wash.
- Do not apply any chemicals or heat to synthetic hair in order to prevent damage. Use a no rinse shampoo to wash synthetic hair extensions. Apply the no rinse shampoo to dry hair and massage it on the hair. Towel dry the hair.
- You should use a leave-in conditioner about 1" from the root. This will prevent disturbing the glue. In case of hair weave, apply the conditioner up to the root.
- You can apply a very mild shampoo to your synthetic hair extension and then use a deep moisturizer. Remember, do not blow dry your hair after a wash.
