If you pile all your hair on top of your head or aggressively towel dry it after a shower, you're washing your hair wrong. Here's how you should wash your hair to help avoid damage and leave it clean and looking fabulous.
Never pile your hair up You're shampooing, but piling all your hair on top of your head can create tangles that you'll never get out.
This is something known as 'bird's nest' and does permanent damage to your hair.
Instead, scrub from the roots to the ends, in the same direction as the cuticles. That way, you're detangling your hair rather than creating knots.
Focus on the scalp It's tempting to lather up all your hair, but it's best to focus on the scalp.
This is where a lot of the oil and dirt builds up, so you want to keep that clean.
If you only focus on the hair, you'll rinse the shampoo out without it having reached the scalp. Focus on the scalp and gravity will do the work when you rinse it out, spreading the shampoo through your hair and cleaning it.
Keep the water at body temperature If you’ve ever tried washing a greasy pan with cold water, you’ll know that it doesn’t work very well!
If you’ve ever tried washing a greasy pan with cold water, you’ll know that it doesn’t work very well.
But don't turn the heat up too much – too hot water can make the problem of a sensitive scalp worse.
Keep it around 100°F, that should be hot enough to get a good clean, and at the same time warm enough not to worsen your scalp problem.
Be careful when towel-drying... or blow-drying! Many people towel dry their hair, but rubbing vigorously is a terrible idea. All that motion can tangle hair and even damage it.
So you're probably thinking about using the hairdryer instead. Just be careful, as too much heat can also damage hair and scalp.
The best way is to gently pat it dry or wrap it in a towel to soak up excess water, and then, if you can, let it air dry. If you want to blow-dry it, avoid using the maximum heat setting to minimize damage.
Find out how often you should wash your hair
More tips and tricks on how to wash and style your hair
