Hair washing basics
Washing your hair should be a painless, easy process. For this reason, it's important to brush your hair well before washing. This enables shampoo to distribute evenly and helps you avoid unnecessary tangles and painful tugging when combing your hair afterwards.
Whether washing your hair is an enjoyable experience or not comes down to selecting the right shampoo. Not sure whether you need shampoo for greasy or dry hair? Do a little test to find out: Don't wash your hair for three days – after this point, it’s usually clear whether your hair is more stringy and greasy, or dry. It's also important to take aspects such as color treatments, bleaching and the structure of your hair into consideration when selecting the perfect shampoo.
Insider tip: Are you looking for the perfect shampoo for your hair? We’ve got you covered! Take the Yours Truly online questionnaire to receive salon-quality hair care tailored to your personal hair goals and your hair's individual needs at home!
Depending on the length of your hair, you may require a lot or a little bit of shampoo. Short to medium length hair only requires a quarter-sized amount of shampoo. Feel free to use more shampoo to wash longer hair. There’s never any need to completely fill the palms of your hand. It's better to instead wash your hair twice with a small amount.
Don’t forget to rub your hands together to emulsify the product. People often make the error of first doing this when the shampoo is already applied to their scalp. This prevents even distribution of the product and stops the ingredients from working their magic. Apply light pressure with both hands to apply the shampoo to your entire head, down to the roots. Only then should you start massaging your scalp. Take your time to enjoy the massage. The pressure exerted by your fingertips boosts the scalp's circulation and fortifies roots with washing alone. You can also lightly spread the suds into the lengths and ends after massaging your scalp if you have long hair. This helps to avoid knots and improves the hair's structure.
You probably don’t spend much time contemplating whether you are properly rinsing your shampoo. For starters, most people aren’t thorough enough. This isn’t good for your hair or scalp. Give your hair the attention it deserves and take the time to gently rinse the shampoo.
It’s important that you wash your hair with conditioner. This helps to seal the cuticle layer and give your hair a healthy glow. Using conditioner also makes your hair easier to brush.
Apply a similar amount of conditioner – generally a quarter-sized amount. Like the shampoo, rub the conditioner in your hands and apply to the ends of your hair starting in the lengths. There's no need to apply conditioner to your roots. Leave the conditioner to work its magic 1-3 minutes, then carefully rinse out. At the end, your hair should feel clean, not soft and creamy.
Drying your hair is also a key element of washing your hair correctly. Avoid rubbing hair dry with a towel as this can cause major damage to your wet, sensitive strands. Instead, wrap your hair in a towel after washing and gently press the water out.
Wet hair is naturally more elastic than dry hair. That's why it's all the more important to use the right tools for detangling. Don’t reach for a fine-tooth comb! Unless you have really short hair, it’s best to use a brush with gentle, round bristles to detangle your hair. Start by brushing the ends and gradually work upwards towards your roots. This prevents unnecessary tugging and quickly and easily removes knots from your hair.
Insider tip: Products such as hair oils offer great hair care after washing your hair. Yours Truly Hair & Body Oil doesn’t just nourish your hair after washing: it also moisturizes your skin. Give your hair a spritz of Hair perfume after washing for a lasting luxurious fragrance.
Washing your hair with conditioner
Conditioner-only washing is also referred to as co-washing. Here’s how to wash your hair with only conditioner:
Wet your hair with water. Apply a large amount of conditioner to your hair and scalp. As conditioners also contain active washing substances, they can also lightly wash your hair. Increase the amount of time you leave the conditioner in to 10 minutes – co-washing is not the quickest process. Then rinse out the conditioner and dry your hair.
Are you wondering what’s the point in washing your hair with conditioner if it doesn’t save any time? In most cases, the benefits outweigh the time invested: Co-washing offers a great solution for severely damaged or frizzy hair as it cleans the hair very gently while offering deep nourishment.
However, don’t neglect your shampoo routine in favor of co-washing as your only form of hair washing. If you only use conditioner to wash your hair, you’ll find that a large amount of conditioner residues will build up in your scalp and hair. The desired care effect can go in the other direction, resulting in a lack of volume and an irritated scalp. Only using conditioner to wash your hair should only be used as a method from time to time and not replace washing your hair with shampoo.
Another current trend is using conditioner before washing hair. This is said to help prevent damage from care products. There may be more myth than truth to this anecdote: while specially developed pre-treatments for hair do exist, “normal” conditioners aren’t one of them. Washing your hair with shampoo removes the product from your hair, meaning the conditioner is unable to impact your hair’s structure.
We always recommend the standard order when it comes to washing your hair properly and getting the most out of your care products: first shampoo, then conditioner.
Natural hair washing – care without damaging ingredients
Washing your hair is great. But washing your hair without damaging ingredients is even better! Curious to learn how to wash your hair naturally?
The no-poo method involves using zero shampoo or conditioner. Hair is only washed with water. Completely avoiding active washing substances helps maintain your scalp's natural moisture levels. However, this method isn't without its flaws. It can leave your roots looking greasy and cause your lengths and ends to look increasingly stringy over time.
Nature provides us with a number of ways to naturally wash our hair. Bentonite clay, rye flour and rhassoul clay are great options. All you need to do is mix them with water and apply to damp hair and your scalp. Then the mixture needs to be left to work its magic for a while, to swell and absorb any dirt and sebum residues.
Washing your hair in a natural way can be a great alternative to conventional shampoos and help reduce irritation and dryness if you have highly sensitive scalp. However, if this method sounds a little complex and time-consuming to you, it may be worth trying a mild, nourishing shampoo instead.
If you’re looking for hair care products tailored to the individual needs of your hair and scalp, we've got you covered at Yours Truly. Products containing up to 100%* natural origin ingredients allow you to gently wash your hair and scalp. We tailor our hair care products to your individual needs and create a formula as unique as your DNA especially for you! Benefit from natural hair washing without the need to adapt to a new routine. Give your hair the nourishment it deserves without silicones, mineral oil, microplastics or other controversial ingredients.
Whether you just want your hair to feel clean, or your hairstyle isn’t doing it for you: There’s nothing inherently wrong with washing your hair every day. You’re free to wash your hair as often as you'd like. Modern shampoos contain very mild surfactants, which means they don't break down the scalp’s natural acid mantle. Even if they did: The acid mantle is capable of regenerating within a day. If you work out on a daily basis, you’ll be happy to learn that there’s nothing wrong with washing your hair after breaking a sweat. Washing your hair on a daily basis isn’t something for everyone, and it’s not mandatory: If you're happy washing your hair once a week and this doesn’t damage your hair, that’s more than ok.
If you wash your hair on a daily basis to stop grease from forming quickly, be aware that greasy hair can often be attributed to the use of unsuitable hair care products. Yours Truly offers shampoos and conditioners specially formulated for your hair and scalp to provide optimal care and stop your scalp from becoming greasy quickly after washing. That being said, our shampoos and conditioners are also suitable for daily washing.
Is it best to wash hair with cold water?
If you've found yourself wondering whether it's best to wash hair with cold or warm water, you’re not alone. There’s a rumor going around that washing hair with cold water helps to seal the hair's cuticle layer and makes hair glossier. However, this assumption is a myth, just like the notion that hot water causes dry hair: In general, the water temperature doesn’t influence your hair's condition after washing. Whether hot and steamy, or ice cold, wash your hair at the temperature you find best.
Washing colored hair – things to keep in mind
When it comes to tips for washing colored hair, it depends on whether you're washing before or after coloring.
Washing your hair the day before coloring is often recommended. If a particular hair coloring agent requires freshly washed hair, this step will be carried out at the salon. Don’t turn up to your coloring appointment with greasy hair: This is both highly inconvenient for your hairdresser and can prevent your hair from adequately absorbing the color.
The following applies to washing hair after coloring: Freshly applied color pigments need time to settle in your hair. That’s why it's best to wait at least 24-48 hours until you wash your hair after a coloring or dying procedure. Using the correct hair care products is essential for colored hair. Shampoos and conditioners for colored hair keep your new color looking radiant for longer.
Do you experience dandruff, flyaways or greasy hair after washing? It's time to combat these issues.
Does your hair or scalp leave something to be desired after washing? Irritated by dandruff, flyaways or persistently greasy roots after washing? Follow our tips to bid farewell to your hair problems!
If you see white flakes starting to build up after washing your hair, you’re most likely using the wrong shampoo. People often reach for an anti-dandruff shampoo as a solution. However, the strong cleansing and drying effect usually only makes matters worse. Give your scalp the chance to regenerate by using an anti-dandruff shampoo with a personalized formula.
Dandruff may also occur after washing if you don’t properly rinse shampoo out of your hair. Make sure to thoroughly rinse your hair after shampooing , to remove all suds residues from your scalp.
Frizzy flyaways after washing are rarely a welcome sight. It's usually pretty easy to figure out the reason behind them: Your hair is in need of care. Brushing, coloring or styling your hair with heat can change its electrical charge. This causes individual strands to repel others like magnets with the same poles, resulting in frizz and flyaways. Using the right conditioner can help you quickly tame post-wash flyaways.
There are a number of reasons behind scalp irritation and greasy hair after washing. We’ve compiled the three most common:
Reason 1: You didn’t evenly distribute the shampoo on your scalp, preventing it from absorbing all sebum residues and dirt. Always make sure to rub shampoo in your hands before evenly applying it to your scalp. Start by lightly massaging it into your scalp with your fingers to distribute the shampoo and product suds. If you don’t wash your hair too often, you may need to shampoo your hair twice. It’s better to use a small amount of shampoo twice than too much in one go.
Reason 2: You’ve applied conditioner to your roots and not properly rinsed it out. Good to know: Your roots don’t require conditioner. Instead, only apply it to your lengths and ends. Leave it to work its magic, then thoroughly rinse with water until you no longer feel any residues in your hair.
Reason 3: You’re using the wrong shampoo. It’s as simple as it sounds: If your shampoo and conditioner are too nourishing, this will quickly result in greasy hair after washing. Combat this with personalized hair care products for greasy hair tailored to the precise needs of your hair.
*Depending on the product and final formula.
Stay in the loop! Sign up to receive our newsletter for all the latest in hair care.
*You will receive 5,00 € discount from a purchase value of 50,00 €. One time offer, not combinable with other promotions and not eligible for cash payment.