Shampoo + Conditioner

Are you getting the most out of your wash day routine? Understanding the basics will set you up to have a great hair day everyday!

The purpose

Shampoo and conditioner both have a very specific job to do and we need both for healthy hair.

First, comes the shampoo. When you “wash your hair”, you’re actually washing your scalp. Our scalps collect all sorts of dirt and grime and its not just from hair products. We collect build up from products, dry skin, excess oil, pollutants in the air, and anything the wind might blow your way. In order to keep those follicles working properly, we need to make sure they don’t suffocate under all that gunk.

Now for the conditioner. When you rinse the shampoo out of your hair it takes away moisture with it. Without moisture our hair can tangle, frizz and break. Moisture is what gives us smooth, shiny, healthy hair!

I know, I know. Right now, some of you are recoiling at the thought of adding moisture to your hair. You have an oily scalp or your hair is fine. But trust me, you need the conditioner too! It isn’t something to be afraid of I promise, keep reading and I’ll explain all the reasons why you’ve probably had bad experiences in the past and how to avoid them now.

The Double shampoo

The double shampoo changed my life! I have very fine hair that just loves to hold on to build up. When I was younger my hair was so stringy and had no life to it, it just hung there. My lovely hair lady saved me by introducing the “wash and repeat”, turns out it wasn’t just a gimmick to get us to buy more shampoo!

Since our hair can collect so much build up, a lot of the time one shampoo just doesn’t cut it. The first shampoo kinda gets all the oils and dirt moving around, then the second round can come in and get it all gone. A good sign that you could use another go round is a lack of suds. And if you’re struggling to get that shampoo to move around your scalp, its probably not clean enough quite yet.

When the conditioner is just too much, or not enough

Now onto the conditioning! After you rinse all the shampoo out really well, ring out all that extra water. Water dilutes so we want to get most of the excess out to get the needed moisture back in. Now, you’re only going to put the conditioner on your ends and the middle section of your hair. The root area doesn’t need any because your scalp produces oils that moisturize that section. The longer your hair is the older it is, and the more it needs to be conditioned. I like to start at the ends and work my way up and then detangle with my fingers or a Wet Brush that is made to use in the shower.

If your hair feels heavy and flat, you could be using a conditioner that is a bit too heavy for you or you could be using too much. Try using less and concentrate most of it to your ends. If that doesn’t fix the problem, then look into changing your conditioner to something lighter.

If your hair feels dry and tangled after you rinse your conditioner, you might need something more. You could try letting your conditioner sit on your hair for longer, adding in a deep conditioner to your routine, or incorporating a leave in conditioner. Some hair textures and hair that has been lightened usually do need heavier and more moisturizing products.

How often should you shampoo your hair?

This is probably the most common question I get from clients, and the answer varies from person to person. Everyday is hardly ever recommended, unless you swim daily or work in a highly polluted environment I wouldn’t suggest it. If you do feel the need to wash often, do not skimp on the conditioner!

Usually I see finer hair textures that need to be shampooed more often than corse hair textures. For my fine haired guest I recommend a wash day every 3-4 days, sometimes every 2 days is needed though. For more corse hair textures, once or twice a week is usually a good balance.

Everyone has a different mix of hair type, scalp, and life style. All of these things factor into how often you should wash your hair, so there isn’t really a straight forward answer to the question, but you can find what works for you! If you have visible build up, your scalp is itching, or your scalp is hurting, its time to wash!

finding the right products

There are so many options out there for shampoo and conditioner. I always look for paraben and sulfate free products, steer clear of the cheapest thing on the shelf, and never buy a “professional” brand from stores like TJ Maxx or Ross.

Brands sold in salons are your best bet! Buying from a stylist is a great way to get a personal recommendation and you always know its going to be a good product. We wouldn’t stock the shelves with something we didn’t believe in! While I would love everyone to buy from their local salon, if you do choose to order your products online please check that you are ordering from a reputable seller. No one wants to waste money on fake or old products.

I hope this cleared up any of your questions about shampoo and conditioner! If I missed anything or you have another topic you’d like to know more about, leave a comment or email me at: morgan@themanemorgan.com 🖤