Many things constitute happy hair. That includes a good trip underwater. The pros at the salon know it. This is probably why it feels good when someone at the salon does it for you. Hair washing does not only have to do with shampooing and conditioning and a few scratches here and there. It includes having good hair wash tips ready at your side with your products.
Hair washing is an important activity in any hair care routine. You have to wash your hair if you don’t want to repel people away from you. Plus, it would be a lot of headache if you don’t wash your hair properly.
And we have to face the fact, black women’s hair, whether relaxed or natural, needs a lot of attention and yet not too much when it comes to keeping it clean. Our hair is that unique. And when you are in the type 4 hair area or with low porosity hair, washing your hair becomes an important process in your hair routine.
This is why you need hair wash tips to help guide you when you wash your hair cleanly and perfectly. Not to experience thinning hair or damaged hair, you need these tips to ace your hair wash day.
Hair Wash Tips
You might think you don’t need them, that you got this. But the truth is you do unless you have enviable hair that needs little care (thank you, genes!). Even with that, you still need to pay attention to your hair washing routine. These hair wash tips will serve as a guide to washing both relaxed and natural hair.
1. Detangle first
Before getting under your shower, you have to detangle and prepare your strands. Yes, you will get to detangle your hair after you wash it. However, a good detangling starts from your preparatory stage. This is especially true for natural hair. Finger detangling your hair first, then use a wide-tooth comb like Wide Tooth Comb for Curly Hair by Doting would help set the stage for the big wash.
This is an important tip if you are coming out of a protective style where your hair has been sitting guarded for a while. Also, this helps to get the shed hair out before getting under the shower, where they become a colossal block at the drain.
2. Use lukewarm water
I know hot water is good for releasing tension in the scalp, but lukewarm water is best when you want to shampoo your hair. This is one of the hair wash tips some people like to ignore because they can’t think of going without a hot shower. Exposing your hair to steaming water or high temperatures could make it lose its oils and texture, coming out dry and stringy.
Furthermore, hot water could strip the dye or colors off your hair easily. This is why lukewarm water is the safest bet. If you are using temperature water, it has to be warm. Then before you leave the shower, finish with a rinse of cold water to seal your cuticles.
3. Gently massage
Healthy hair should be handled with care. This includes getting dirt, grimes, and product residues out. Be extra-gentle with your strands when you work the shampoo, conditioner, or any other product into it. The minimal pressure you use, the more soothed your scalp becomes. Also, massaging will help improve blood circulation in the scalp.
The shampoo will get the grime off. All you have to do is gently work the shampoo into every corner of your scalp. Also, you shouldn’t rush the process. Devote more than two minutes to getting the product in. Furthermore, aggressively scrubbing the strands would cause friction. Your hands aren’t fighting with your hair, it’s there to help it. So it should do so.
4. Use the right shampoo
Not only should you stay away from shampoos with sulfate, but they should also be absent of silicones. Sulfate helps to make the lather, but it also rips the natural oil from your hair. An alternative is sulfate-free shampoos. They don’t rip the oils from the hair, like sulfate shampoos.
Also, use shampoos that would benefit your hair type. For instance, dry hair needs a hydrating shampoo to keep the moisture of the hair. On the other hand, oily hair needs purifying shampoos to remove residue and excess oil from your hair. And if your hair is normal, you need gentle formula shampoos. They would preserve your hair’s natural oil.
Also, color-treated hair should use shampoos like Purezero Clean Color Care Hydrating Shampoo Conditioner that to protect the dye in the hair.
5. Leave in your conditioner
A conditioner is a must if you want to have silky hair that slips. And one of the ways you can achieve this is by optimizing your conditioner. So, you have to practice the art of patience. Leave the conditioner in for a long time. You can use that to detangle your strands and massage the product deeply into your shaft.
After detangling, you shouldn’t rush off to rinse the conditioner. Let it set in for a few minutes. You can wrap a towel, wear a shower cap, or wrap to let the heat work with the conditioner. A conditioner is one of the most soothing products that hydrate, moisturize, and treat your hair.
If the conditioner needs to be rinsed out, you can do that. And if it’s a leave-in, you can carry on with the next step of drying your hair.
6. Dry with care
No matter the texture of your hair, you should dry with care. . A microfiber towel is best to dry your hair with. Also, you can opt for a cotton t-shirt to lightly dab your hair. And avoid using heating tools to dry your hair. It’s also best to style your hair and put product and treatment when it is wet.
If you must use a dryer or any other hot tool, use a heat protectant to cushion your hair for the heat tool. And never dry a damp hair. The hair needs to be almost dry before using heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my hair be washed every day?
No, you mustn’t. You can’t wash your hair every day, no matter the texture of your hair.
As our hair texture is different, even when relaxed. This is why it is best to wash your hair once every week or two weeks. The wash days’ interval should be a range of 7 to 10 days. Washing your hair every day or every other day, especially for natural hair, could lead to dry or brittle hair. The natural oil or products could be stripped from your hair, causing it to break.
Also, just because you can get away with not washing your hair for a while doesn’t mean you should be generous with your intervals. Products could build up in your hair. Plus, the smell oozing from your hair will not be pleasant.
An alternative routine you should learn to practice in between wash days is co-washing your hair. This is essential if you have dry or damaged hair that needs moisture and attention. Co-washing will help to keep the hair nourished and moisturized.
Does hair type determine how I wash my hair?
Yes, it does. People with smooth straight relaxed hair and naturally curly hair should have different washing routines.
The hair wash tips apply to both types of hair. However, the routine should be different. For instance, the thinner and lighter your hair (relaxed), the more frequently it needs washing.
Meanwhile, naturally curly hair with thicker strands can go longer without washing or cleansing with shampoo. As I said, co-washing is a great alternative.
Thin hair gets dirt and oily quickly than natural hair. And those with type 4 hair can hold out the longest for about two weeks because it is dense and spongy.
How do you wash colored hair?
Colored or treated hair has different hair with a slightly different washing routine. Or rather products will be different. You can keep your wash intervals the same, but when it’s time to hair wash, use color-friendly products.
Dry shampoo is another option. There are color-tinted dry shampoos that would help you cleanse your hair without having to wash it. I like Batiste’s dry shampoo because it is friendly to the hair and doesn’t leave too much residue.
Also, use a color-treated conditioner or mix the dye with your conditioner. It would give it a slightly new re-dye look to make the color pop more.
And hot water should be avoided. As mentioned in my hair wash tips, warm water or cool water is best for washing your hair. Hot water strips not only the oils from your hair but also the color too.
Do I bleach my hair before or after washing?
You are washing after bleaching or coloring your hair. Before coloring your hair, you will have to avoid washing it days before, as specified by your stylist.
You need to keep your hair out of water. Natural oil is what will protect your hair during the coloring process. The oil will make irritation less and also keep the protein damage at a minimum.
After coloring your hair, you should wait at least 72 hours before shampooing with a color-treated shampoo and conditioner to keep the color intact. And with colored hair, you will have to stay away from the shower more often to keep your hair color shiny.
Does washing my hair makes it grow faster?
No, it won’t. Washing your hair is to make sure your hair stays healthy.
Although healthy hair is a growing hair, washing it does not automatically make it grow. There is texture and hair type to think about. Also, how well your hair absorbs products and treatments is a big determinant. Then there is the factor of your diet and hormonal balance.
Many factors influence hair growth, but washing your hair is not one of them. However, not washing your hair at regular intervals could lead to damage. Only clean and healthy cuticles can produce new hair. This is why you must keep your scalp clean. As I said, healthy hair is growing hair.
Conclusion
Black hair is unique and needs special treatments to keep it healthy and growing. This is why you have to have handy hair wash tips to seal your washing routine day. There is a lot to unpack with washing black hair, whether relaxed, treated, or natural.
You have to detangle and use the right tools and products. Also, treating your hair with care as you wash will reduce the friction.
Then there is co-washing, which is a fantastic option for in-between days of washing. You can get your hair nourished and moisturized. However, if you just color-treated your hair, stay away from shampoo for at least three days for the color to set into your cuticles. And then you can wash your hair, not because you want it to grow but because you want to keep it healthy.
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