So, one of the perks of quarantine has been researching and just learning from others...usually through online forums. This has lead me down a rabbit hole of things that seem very obvious and commonplace to others but apparently no one knew or shared with me as I was growing up. Hence, the first in what I hope will be a series.."why didn't anyone tell me?"
As a child of the 90s, Bath-and-Body Works and Herbal Essence were a staple of my shower routines but beyond that, everything else was learned through the pages of glossy teen publications and hearsay from friends. I remember being surprised that my friend brushed her hair in the shower and thinking..."wait, is this something everyone should be doing??" Now, I've come up with some things I found new and surprisingly but has made a big improvement in my shower routine.
Pre-shampoo
My curly girls sisters may already know about this but apparently your shower strips moisture and natural oils from your hair so a pre-shampoo is a crucial first step in protecting its natural shine. It uses the same concept of rinsing your hair before getting in the pool to reduce chlorine damage. Currently, I am using the Living Proof Pre-shampoo but Olaplex No. 0 is a higher-end version that I am eyeing next.
How to shampoo your hair
I mean...you just lather and pile it up...right? Like the scene from Easy A where Emma Stone has "pocketful of sunshine"! Nope, apparently this can cause tangles and the friction can damage your hair. Plus, you really don't need to lather the ends of your hair. When you rinse your hair, the shampoo will wash the length of your hair on its way down. Of course, if you have a hair mask or dirtier hair that needs shampooing, definitely take care of it but most hair does better with conditioner on the ends.
Condition THEN Shampoo
Depending on what world crisis I am solving or how good my shower playlist is, the duration of my showers can vary but I try to make sure that I condition as soon as my hair is saturated. I used to squeeze out excess water (blame the back of some shampoo bottle I read in middle school that made me think wet hair would just drip out all the conditioner) but don't do that. Make sure your hair is wet and then wait some more to really make sure its wet before you put on conditioner. Then, tuck your hair out of the way so you can wash up the rest of you while the conditioner sinks in. If you have low porosity hair, the heat from the shower will help open up the cuticles and let the conditioner sink in. Plus, if you shampoo second, you can wash out the conditioner and any that may be left on your skin. Residual conditioner can be the cause for bacne or breakouts, especially near your hairline.
Don't brush your hair when its wet
Apologies, Priya (my middle school BFF who first shared this tidbit) but this is a no-go. Yes, your hair is easier to brush when its wet but that is because it is weak and any tangles it encounters are breaking your hair, not detangling it. Curly hair sisters may finger comb or use wide tooth combs but for the rest of us, wet hair being brushed will be damaged. I do use a scalp brush to massage my scalp and shampoo which then I brush down the length of my hair but this is far gentler than taking a paddle brush to your hair.
Condition before shampoo? Have I been wrong my whole life!?
ReplyDeleteWe've all been shampooing first and then conditioner. That's what it says on the conditioner bottle
ReplyDeleteYes! That is why I did it as well! But that extra time and making sure the conditioner is washed out properly makes such as big difference in keeping your hair hydrated and skin clear!
DeleteGood to know this
ReplyDeleteVery interesting - I will try conditioning before shampoo and not brush my hair when wet and see how it all works out!
ReplyDeleteI love it! Let me know how it goes!! Remember, hair grows slow and you can't make damaged hair go backwards but not brushing it when its wet can help prevent future damage.
DeleteYou mentioned low porosity hair. How do I know if I have low porosity hair?
ReplyDelete