You probably wash your hair several times a week. I used to wash mine daily, but as I've gotten older and my hair has gone from oil field to desert, I only wash it two to three times a week now. But considering that I've been washing my hair by myself since I was about 8-years-old (maybe younger?), I thought I knew exactly what I was doing. Turns out, I didn't. Yes, there is a right way to wash your hair. And a wrong way. If you're washing your hair wrong, don't worry. You can bring it back to live in just a few washings when you learn how to wash your hair the right way.

How to Wash Your Hair

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Brush First

Before you can wash your hair, brush it thoroughly. This helps get rid of loose hair so it doesn't clog your drain. It also massages your scalp and reduces breakage.

Rinse Your Hair

Before you can wash your hair, you need to rinse it well with warm water. Warm water will open the cuticle, so you'll get more dirt and product out of your hair. An open cuticle makes your hair better able to absorb the oils from your conditioner as well. The warmth also helps loosen oils from your scalp for a cleaner scalp.

Condition First

Yes, you read that right. If your hair is longer than shoulder length or if your hair looks dull and lifeless, use conditioner first. When you reverse your routine and condition first, the conditioner moisturizes hair, and the shampoo removes and lingering residue from the conditioner.

Lather Up

Regardless of whether you shampoo first or second, only lather your shampoo at your roots. This is the oiliest part of your hair, and your ends tend to be drier. Massaging the scalp will also help boost blood circulation and stimulate hair growth.

Be Gentle

You wouldn't toss a silk shirt in your washer, would you? Treat your hair like you treat your delicate laundry. Being rough can open the cuticle, which means frizzy hair. Don't scrub the ends. Be gentle with your hair.

Don't Repeat

Chances are, your shampoo bottle said to lather, rinse, and repeat. You don't need to repeat unless you are really dirty. I only wash twice if I've spent the day outside in the garden and I know I have a lot of dirt in my hair.

If your shampoo doesn't lather, you may have hard water. Since I got my water softener, my hair has felt so much better! I know it's a big investment, but it is so worth it for better hair and skin. If a whole house system is out of your budget, try a filtered shower head to reduce minerals and chlorine.

Condition

Gently squeeze the excess water out of your hair before you condition. Whether you condition first or second, only apply it to the ends. If your hair is dry, apply it higher as needed. The roots of your hair usually don't need to be conditioned because they have the natural oils from your scalp to protect them.

Let your conditioner sit as long as possible so the oils have time to soak in to your hair.

Rinse in Cool Water

The warm water opened the hair cuticle, so now it's time to close it with a cool water rinse. Closing the cuticle can help reduce frizz and tangles and make your hair shinier.

Now you know how to wash your hair. Were you doing it wrong?