Seriously, what is the right way of shampooing your hair? It feels like we’re taught new methods and advised on different ways to achieve salon-fresh hair on a weekly basis. So much so, that it can be hard to know what exactly is the optimal way to wash your hair. However, according to a new viral TikTok, there’s only one routine we should all be following.
A woman named Amy, known on TikTok as @amy.does.some.hair, has raked up over 1.5 million likes on a video she made, demonstrating how best to wash your hair. In the clip, she explains that you should shampoo your hair twice whenever washing it, contrary to advice we often hear about too much shampoo washing out the natural oils in our hair.
Walking us through the hair washing process she recommends step-by-step, Amy explains: “The first wash will remove the dirt and oil from your scalp. The second shampoo will cleanse and nourish.”
“Some people will argue not to shampoo twice as it removes the natural oils. By focusing on the scalp, you’re cleaning away the sebum created by the skin on your scalp. This in turn will lead to a healthier scalp and ultimately, healthier hair.” she adds.
So, is it true? According to Anabel Kingsley, trichologist at Philip Kingsley, it depends on how often you wash your hair. “If you’re a daily washer then there’s no need to double cleanse (AKA shampoo twice),” says Anabel. “I only say shampoo twice after using Elasticizer or lots of hair products, and only if you have fine hair or only wash your hair less than every other day, in which case you should shampoo twice too.”
This is because it is all down to the amount of product, sebum and environmental pollution you have accumulated in you hair, says Anabel. Think of it like this, if you’ve worn a full face of make-up, you’d likely wash your face twice to make sure you’ve rinsed it all off your skin, the same applies for your hair.
“I wish the term ‘hair washing’ was changed to ‘scalp cleansing.’ It’s not so much your hair you should be focusing on when you shampoo, it’s your scalp – which is a living, sweating, oil and skin-cell producing tissue,” she says.
So, what is the correct way of washing your hair? Here is Anabel’s step-by-step guide on how to shampoo your locks, to ensure you’re keeping your hair as clean and healthy as possible.
- When you shampoo, thoroughly wet your hair and smooth a small amount of shampoo over your root area, and also into the underside of your scalp, near the nape of your neck.
- Then, gently yet firmly massage your scalp for approximately 1 minute.
- Gently squishing the suds through the lengths of your strands a few times as you go is enough to cleanse them. There’s no need to scrub your hair, as this can damage it.
- Rinse well until the water runs clear and then apply a conditioner suitable for your hair texture to your mid-lengths and ends. Also, don’t pile your hair on top of your head when you shampoo. This can tangle your strands and cause breakage. Instead, let your hair fall behind you.
How much shampoo should you be using?
It can be hard to know how much product to squeeze out of the bottle each time you wash your hair and Anabel explains that this varies depending on which shampoo you’re using. “It depends on the formula and how concentrated it is,” she says. “Our formulas [at Philip Kingsley] are concentrated, so you only need around a 10p sized amount. However, when you’re using products that aren’t very well formulated and diluted you will need to use more.”
You also have to consider the length and thickness of your hair. “If you have fine, short hair you will need less shampoo than someone with coarse, long hair,” she adds.
In what order should you be washing your hair?
Shampoo first and then condition is the traditional and correct way unless you use a deep pre-shampoo conditioning treatment. Why? Because these particular conditioners have been formulated to use before you shampooing. “Apply a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment approximately one hour before you wash. Then shampoo twice and condition as usual,” Anabel advises.
How often should you wash your hair?
This very much depends on your hair texture and therefore varies from person to person.
“There is no ‘normal’ when it comes to hair. My normal is different from your normal,” she explains. “Also, the labels of ‘dry’ and ‘oily’ don’t mean very much. You can have fine dry hair, and your friend may have course dry hair – the products required being totally different. Having ‘oily hair’ isn’t a hair condition or type – it’s a scalp condition.”
She adds: “Whenever in doubt about what’s right for your scalp, draw a correlation between it and the skin on your face. If you had an oily face – you’d wash it. Apply the same logic to your hair care. As a rule of thumb, base your shampoo on your hair texture (i.e. fine, medium, coarse, curly/coiled) and the conditioner you use both on your hair’s texture and condition.”
Those who have fine hair should aim to wash their hair on a daily basis. This is because you’ll have more oily glands on your scalp which means your hair is more likely to get greasy quickly whilst also being weighed down at the roots. Meanwhile, afro hair textures and those with curls or coils won’t have to wash it as frequently.