Washing your hair is so routine that it is easy to stop thinking about it. Yet dull, greasy or tangled hair can trace back to technique rather than product. Salon advice from Trevor Sorbie once boiled it down to two ideas: shampoo the roots, condition the ends.
Dermatologists and stylists quoted this year say much the same. Here is the method step by step.
The method, step by step
- Wet thoroughly. Letting hair get fully wet with lukewarm water helps open the cuticles, which makes it easier to absorb conditioner later. Hot water can dry out both hair and scalp.
- Measure the shampoo. A quarter-sized amount is usually enough to wash the scalp and roots, according to a dermatologist quoted by TIME. Mixing it with a little water in your palm first reduces its direct impact on the scalp.
- Work on the scalp. Apply shampoo to the roots, massage gently and let the lather cleanse the lengths as it rinses. The Trevor Sorbie advice was to apply shampoo in the direction the hair grows, to keep the cuticles smooth, and to avoid rough handling that could irritate the scalp and make it greasier.
- Rinse well. Healthline suggests spending one to two minutes rinsing, as leftover shampoo is a common mistake and leads to scalp buildup.
- Condition the ends. Conditioner is not needed on the scalp, where it can make things oily. Apply it from the mid-shaft down. The Sorbie advice was the same: skip the roots.
- Leave it on, then rinse. Some conditioners need two to three minutes, while others need five to seven. The Sorbie advice was to leave it on for between two and ten minutes depending on damage. Running your fingers or a wide-tooth comb through the ends works the product in.
Tips for different hair
The old advice to shampoo twice still has support. One dermatology-led guide suggests shampooing the scalp, rinsing, then working a smaller amount through the length and rinsing again. Treat that as optional for lightly soiled hair.
Massage direction is where advice differs. Healthline’s expert recommends avoiding circular or harsh back-and-forth movements. A stylist speaking to Coveteur about coily hair preferred circular motions, because that matches the way that hair type grows. The shared principle is to be gentle and avoid scrubbing so the strands do not tangle.
Conditioner coverage also depends on texture. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends applying conditioner only to the ends if hair is fine or straight, and to the whole length if it is curly or dry.
Choosing the right product
Matching the formula to your scalp matters as much as technique. Clarifying shampoos are recommended for oily hair and scalps, while gentle, hydrating formulas with ingredients such as glycerin or ceramides suit a dry scalp. Sulfate-free shampoos tend to be gentler and work well for curlier or drier hair. People prone to dandruff can look for ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione or selenium sulfide.
Anyone with colour-treated hair has a further reason to be selective. A shampoo designed for colour-treated hair is recommended. One New York colourist notes that frequent shampooing can change colour, and suggests washing only when necessary.
How often to wash
There is no universal schedule. How often you wash should reflect how much oil your scalp produces, and an oily scalp may need washing daily. Another dermatologist advises letting the scalp guide you and washing when it feels greasy, so natural oils are not stripped out.
Conditioner remains worthwhile. Most people benefit from using it after shampooing, because it helps restore some of the oils stripped away in washing.
Common mistakes
- Using too much shampoo, which tends to be the most common error.
- Scrubbing hard: over-scrubbing can irritate the scalp and worsen conditions like eczema or dandruff.
- Putting conditioner on the roots, which can leave hair looking greasy.
- Cutting the conditioning time short. One stylist quoted by Coveteur says anything under three minutes is not really conditioning.