How To Wash Your Hair In 5 Simple Steps

Having natural hair is as beautiful as it is frustrating don’t you agree? The endless hours spent just cleaning it alone is an indication that it’s not for the faint-hearted. But, it can be so fulfilling if your have a wash day routine that works!

Here are all the steps you should never skip in order to make wash day as successful as possible.

Step #1: pre-poo…

A pre-poo is meant prepare your hair in readiness for the shampoo. Although it is much overlooked, this step will save you a lot of time detangling and sectioning, and protecting your hair from the harsh effects of shampoos. Read more about the benefits of pre-poos in our previous blog post and start incorporating it in your wash days.

Step #2: Make proper use of water.

It’s not very wise to apply shampoo on very dry hair. You end up using too much product and not enough slip or suds to support clean hair and scalp. For this reason, we recommend you make good use of water.

For at least a few minutes, let warm water flow through your hair soaking it entirely. You can use your fingertips at this point to massage your scalp to help lift some of the dirt from the scalp. This will help you not use too much product.

Ensure that your hair is completely soaked before proceeding.

Step #3: Shampoo.

With your hair still in sections, apply the shampoo directly on the scalp and massage softly with your fingertips. After cleansing for a while, let the excess suds from the shampoo work its way down the lengths of your hair.

You do need to be careful with the product you use as some shampoos can strip all the moisture, oils and nutrients from your hair, making it too clean and compromising the reliability of your conditioner. Full Bloom Beauty's Cleanse is a gentle moisturising natural sulphate-free shampoo that will deep clean your scalp and hair without stripping it of its natural oils.

There are also alternative way to cleanse hair for the people who have extremely dry hair but are not willing to use a shampoo.

Co-wash

Short for conditioner- wash, a co-wash is a great option should you feel like a shampoo is not the route you want to take. It is the use of conditioners or conditioner-based cleansers to clean the hair and scalp instead of a clarifying shampoo.

As much as these shampoos get the job done, they also leave hair dry and stripped of their natural oils, whereas co-washing cleanses but leaves all the nutrients in the hair making it more manageable and moisturized.

Pros and cons of co-washing.

Pros;

• A more defined curl pattern is a given since moisture is retained in the hair.
• There is less frizz and tangles from all the moisture so less breakage hence length retention.
• Detangling is a walk in the park since conditioners have great slip.

Cons;

• Build-up. Think about it, there is bound to be a lot of product build up since hair is clean but not too clean.
• Too much moisture. Since conditioners don’t strip, they just add more moisture because too much can cause moisture overload, so remember to include a good cleansing shampoo to curb said problem.
• Finally, there is the issue of always feeling the need to wash your hair since you are not using a shampoo cleanse as you should.

How to co-wash.

• Saturate your hair with water. (Warm water is great if you have lowly porous hair) This helps in soaking all the dirt and debris in the hair while readying it for a cleanser so it can be distributed evenly throughout.
• Get a substantially generous amount of conditioner on your hands. This is because you will need to fully cover the hair from roots to ends to get the desired results. Keep in mind that this is not for conditioning alone but for cleansing as well.
• Massage the conditioner into the scalp and work it down to the roots. Now the cleansing part begins. Remember to be extra gentle on your scalp by using your fingertips (NO NAILS ALLOWED). The use of fingertips helps in breaking down the excess oils and styling products in the hair allowing for a cleaner
• Rinse. Rinse. Make sure that you rinse off all the conditioner until the water turns clear as it gets rid of all the conditioner and dirt from your hair.
• Alternate with your clarifying shampoo every 2 to 4 weeks. By now, build-up is very common from all the dirt, sweat and even styling products. Besides, a co-wash can only do so much when it comes to thoroughly cleansing your hair. Heavy products like petroleum tend to be denser and are not easily washed out so please include a clarifying shampoo to do what a co-wash cannot. Alternatively, have a great clay or charcoal mask to completely lift all the dirt from your hair.

Step #4: Condition.

After washing you need to condition your hair. This is where you treat your hair by replenishing all the lost moisture during washing. A normal conditioner is administered focussing only on the hair (especially on the ends).

Let it sit in your hair for at least 2-5 minutes then rinse it out.

After a conditioner, now it’s time to deep condition. A good deep conditioner is the ultimate moisture god for any natural. This is where all that goodness that your hair needs are imparted in your hair. Just like a conditioner, concentrate on your hair not scalp.

This is because the scalp is clean now and the last thing you want is to clog your pores. Sit under a hooded dryer/deep conditioning cap for at least 20-40 minutes. Rinse it all out with some warm/ cold water and you are all set.

Please remember not to keep your deep conditioner on for hours or overnight so as to avoid moisture overload. As much as you think that having it in for longer will boost its effectiveness, it simply won’t.

Full Bloom Beauty's Restore is a natural silicone-free conditioner that is perfectly PH balanced to retain your hair’s hydration, decrease frizz and leave your hair feeling smooth.

Step #5: Dry your hair.

Now that all this cleansing is done, it’s time to dry your hair. Normal cotton towels may be good because of how absorbent they are, but they really can cause a lot of frizz and tangles. This is why you need to use a microfiber towel or a clean cotton t-shirt.

Some people opt to have their hair completely dry but there is no harm in styling it if it’s still damp. From here, start with your moisturizer, then cream and oil or vice versa and just like that wash day is done.

Conclusion.

Having natural hair means coming up with a routine that works for you. This means that you need a day designated to cleansing your hair so you don’t rush through it causing more damage.  Full Bloom Beauty creates specially formulated natural vegan friendly wash day products that will help leave you with clean, nourished and moisturised hair.

Finally, keep in mind that a good wash day is not just what you need. Make sure that your whole regimen from diet to how well you use protective styles are also incorporated for easier manageability.