Back to the Basics | Shampooing
As a stylist behind the chair, I think the number one problem my clients have is shampooing their hair, the runner up being, "I just don't know how to style it like you do!" So, I have wanted to write this blog post for a long time to include the things I'm always telling my clients!
We live in the dry shampoo generation and I am all about some dry shampoo, but with that being said comes my worst nightmare, product buildup. The problem with dry shampoo is that we use it on day two hair (and again on day three...and four...) to mask the oils. But let's understand that it is just that. It's masking and soaking up some of the oil, but it's not actually cleansing our hair or scalp so therefore should not be replacing your shampoo. If you have gone 3 days without shampooing your hair and then you hop in the shower, shampoo once, barely getting a lather, throw some conditioner on the ends, well guess what giiiiiirl... It is not clean! And then by the end of day one hair the next day, you're needing to whip out that dry shampoo again. What a vicious cycle!
I tell my clients to think about a pan with a film of grease on it, (because Mmm, Bacon!) and when you put the pan under water, the grease repels it. You add dish soap and rinse again to find it's not clean after one scrub so you need to add a little more soap to break up the grease, scrub some more and alas! a clean pan! It's like that with the oil on our scalps. Three days of dry shampoo is NOT going to shampoo out with one wash. As soon as the water hits that oil and powdery residue from the dry shampoo it almost forms a paste and you need to get in there and scrub that junk out!
So this leads me to my tip #1 | ALWAYS Shampoo Twice. I always shampoo twice. First, use a very small amount of shampoo concentrating it just at the scalp, specifically in the crown area and the temples. Usually you do not get a good lather but this helps to break up the oils. Rinse and then use a quarter size amount to shampoo the second time. Get in there and SCRUB in circular motions with your finger tips. Just rubbing the shampoo around with the palms of your hands isn't going to get the job done!
And if it's REALLY oily, go for a third wash. Yep, game changer. Your hair will be so much cleaner and will style even better! If you are trying to train your scalp to not get as oily after just one day, that's fine, but when you do wash it, get it clean!
Tip #2 | Clarify once a week. If dry shampoo is your best friend, invest in Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo and clarify your hair once a week. This is also a great shampoo for teens battling super oily hair.
Tip #3 | Use a scalp massager. I love this one! A scalp massager helps to promote hair growth and aids in removing buildup. Taking care of your scalp is so important. Healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp!
Tip #4 | Use a masque once a week. Our ends get depleted of moisture faster when we use a lot of heat from the blow dryer + our hot tools. Give them some extra love and quench them with moisture once a week! This one from Virtue is great! It has Alpha Keratin 60ku actively repairs the hair without weighing it down.
Tip #5 | Condition the scalp. In my opinion, I think it is best to treat your scalp with conditioner when you shampoo. You don't skip the moisturizer on your face just because it is oily. If anything you are replenishing the oils that your skin is trying to make and in return your skin becomes less oily. I believe the same goes for your scalp. Most clients will tell me they do not condition their scalp because their hair feels oily and weighed down. The key to conditioning the scalp is making sure you rinse it out really well. The conditioner application and rinse. is just as important as shampooing. I like to tilt my head and scrub at the root as if I'm shampooing to be sure I rinse it all out.
Tip #6 | Switch up your shampoo. You are treating your hair with your shampoo + conditioner and typically it changes daily. I recommend having 1-3 different shampoos in your shower, rotating them each wash based on the needs of your hair.