Hair washing seems to be one of the most ordinary and mundane hair care routines in the world. We know so much about it that we don’t even think twice before doing it! Well, it turns out there are dozens of hair washing myths and most of the women are doing things absolutely wrong. If you’re one of those people who thinks you need to wash your hair with cold water and uses a handful of shampoo on a daily basis, this article is for you. Here are 8 hair washing myths every woman should know about.
Water temperature
It’s a very popular myth that you need to wash your hair with cold water for it to stay healthy and shiny. That’s simply not true! While cold water might have some benefits in a long run, washing hair with lukewarm water is the best. Warm water opens up your hair cuticle and helps release the dirt, unlike cold water that simply doesn’t do that.
Frequency
How often should you wash your hair? Many people believe you should wash your hair every day, but that’s just a myth. If you wash your hair daily and suffer from excessive oiliness – it’s because you’re shampooing too much! Hair becomes dry, so scalp starts producing more oil to compensate for that. Washing your hair once in about three-five days should be the norm for most people, but it really depends on each person individually. First, stop shampooing your hair too often and let it get to its normal oil production, then see what your new hair washing routine will be like. You might end up washing your hair once a week!
Suds
If you’re into natural hair care or like using high-grade salon shampoos, you know that having suds doesn’t equal cleanliness. In fact, suds appear due to a number of damaging sulfates like Ammonium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate that come with all mass market shampoos and conditioners. They may give an illusion of silky smooth hair, but these shampoos only create a coating layer instead of hydrating your hair. Some of them make your hair lose its natural oils, causing breakage. Natural and organic shampoos aren’t sudsy at all – that’s why they seem less cleansing, but that’s not true. They cleanse and hydrate hair just as good (or even better) than mass market shampoos.
Hair scrubbing
Most of us think that scrubbing hair and scalp really hard is the best way to get them cleansed, but that is yet another myth you should know about. Scrubbing and scraping your scalp might feel good, but it has a very damaging effect on your hair. If you wash your hair harshly, you will end up tangling it and roughing up the hair cuticle, which can lead to hair loss. What you need to do is rub your hair gently with side-to-side motions for just a few minutes to avoid damage.
Hair ends
Most people use an excessive amount of shampoo because they shampoo everything – scalp, ends, and maybe another round of scalp and ends. In fact, you just need to wash your scalp as it is the place that produces all the oils that make our hair look dirty. When you wash out the shampoo it automatically cleanses your hair ends as well. And if you wash your scalp twice there is simply no need to additionally shampoo your hair ends!
Shampoo quantity
How much shampoo should you be using on your hair? The answer is pretty much the same for all people, considering you don’t need to shampoo your whole length of hair, focusing on scalp mostly. What you really need is two dime-sized amounts of shampoo (for back and front of your head). That’s it! Many people think they need to be using more shampoo for longer hair, but that’s a hair myth we’ve already debunked. This means you can invest in a more high-grade salon shampoo that will be more expensive, but will last you longer due to careful usage. It’s a win-win!
Conditioner
There’s a popular hair washing myth that states the longer you leave your conditioner on, the more benefits you reap. While this may be right for hair masks, a hair conditioner is a product that is meant to be used quickly – usually there is an instruction that states the amount of time you should keep it on your hair. As a rule, it’s a 10-minute procedure, not more. This means you don’t need to be stuck in your shower for half an hour to go through your hair washing routine.
Hair drying
Drying your hair with a towel is actually among the worst things you can do to your hair. If you put your hair up in a turban, it will strain the hairs on your temples, which often leads to hair loss in that area, and you really don’t want that to happen. Another thing you should never do is scrape your wet hair with a towel to get it dry. Wet hair is extremely gentle, so rubbing it with a harsh towel can damage it greatly. If you still want to use a towel, better tap your hair gently with it, skipping all the twisting motions.