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How to Use Shampoos and Conditioners – Basic but Essential Hair Care

Shampoos and conditioners are products you’ve probably been using for a long time. They are part of basic hair care that you just can’t avoid!

You’ve probably also tried a myriad of different hair products hoping that one of them will work hair magic for you!

Its so important to know how to use these products effectively! Choosing can pose a real challenge too! There are so many hair products on the market today, which makes it very confusing! It can cause a hair headache just trying to decide which brands to trust and which brands suck!

shampooing hair image

Trial and error can help you decide which products work for your hair and which ones don’t. However, one thing they all have in common is that none of them will make your hair happy if you’re not using them properly!

Shampoos and Conditioners 101

How to Shampoo Hair

Shampoos and conditioners should be treated as two separate products. Shorter hairstyles may only need a conditioning/moisturizing shampoo. Longer hairstyles always need both shampoos and conditioners.

The type of shampoo you choose depends on what you want it to do and/or the health of your hair. If your hair is dry for example, you should choose shampoos that include conditioners or conditioning shampoos. If you have curly hair and want straight hair, you might choose straightening shampoos. The choice is completely up to you and the options are endless!

Shampooing your hair is very simple, yet takes a little effort. In order to clean your hair properly, your hair needs to be fully saturated and completely wet before you apply shampoo. This also helps to rinse the dirt from your scalp and creates a better environment for shampoo to do its job.

Most regular shampoos contain sodium lauryl sulfate, alcohol, DEA, and some other bad ingredients that can cause hair damage over time. Organic hair products are the only products you can trust to be chemical free, which is better for your hair and for you!

Most people use regular shampoos, which is fine if they're not damaging your hair. When you use regular shampoos, you’ll need to apply enough shampoo to get good coverage. Longer hair needs more shampoo, shorter hair needs less.

Once you have some shampoo in the palm of your hand, apply to the top of your hair and start massaging it into your scalp. You'll want to work up a good lather to get your hair clean. Steadily work your way down to the ends of your hair. This is also where most women make a hair mistake. When you massage the shampoo into your scalp, don't use your fingernails. Fingernails can scratch your scalp and that can lead to infection. Use the pads on your fingertips instead!

Once you’ve distributed the shampoo into your hair and scalp, you are ready to rinse your hair thoroughly. This too, is very important. You don’t want to leave traces of shampoo on your hair!

Most manufacturer instructions suggest that you shampoo twice. This is a total waste of shampoo and is a marketing ploy to get you to use more of their product. Most of the time, you’ll only need one good shampooing!

Using shampoos and conditioners shouldn’t be rushed either. When you're taking care of your hair, take your time, relax, and enjoy the process.

rinsing hair image

How to Condition Hair

Conditioners were developed to lock in moisture and protect it from the environment. They also help make your hair more manageable.

There are many different types of conditioners to choose from. Paying more for one won’t guarantee that you’ll get good results however. You’ll need to decide on the brands and types of conditioner that would benefit your hair the most. There are leave in conditioners, deep conditioning hair treatments, protein treatments with moisture, straightening conditioners, moisturizing conditioners, organic conditioners, and so many other different selections!

Just like shampoos, many conditioners contain bad hair ingredients that are chemicals. If you don’t like the idea of putting chemicals on your hair, or if you’re having the same problems and issues with regular hair products, try organic hair products, which don’t contain potentially damaging ingredients.

After shampooing your hair, step out of the shower and gently squeeze the excess water out of your hair, then apply a small amount of conditioner into the palm of your hand. The amount you use depends on your hair length. The longer and thicker your hair, the more conditioner you’ll need. Read the manufacturer instructions for the best results.

Apply your conditioner to the ends of your hair and work your way up to the mid hair shaft. You can apply conditioner to your roots but just be sure to keep it off of your scalp. You already have oils on your scalp and applying conditioner to it can make your hair look greasy. Work your conditioner around in your hair for at least 3 minutes. (Turn the shower off to conserve water if you’re ecology conscious!)

After your hair is fully saturated, step back into the shower and rinse. You do NOT want to rinse all the conditioner out of your hair so make sure your hair still feels slick when you’re finished. Slowly counting to ten is sufficient time to rinse out conditioner.

Your hair should be easy to comb through, either in the shower or once you get out of the shower. If it isn’t, you rinsed out too much conditioner. After using shampoos and conditioners, always, always use a wide toothed comb on wet hair and a brush on dry hair.

Tips for Using Shampoos and Conditioners

Opt for shampoos and conditioners that have a pump. When you have to squeeze a product out of the bottle, you’re more likely to waste it. Some of it always ends up in the shower stall!

Fragrance is a big draw for many shampoos and conditioners however, how a product smells isn’t a good way to judge how it will work.

Read reviews of products before you buy shampoos and conditioners. The newest products on the market aren’t always the best.

Using more product doesn’t give you better results. For the best results, read manufacturer instructions for application. (How many times have you done that?)

For dry hair, try this method. After shampooing and conditioning, apply a good amount of a moisturizing conditioner to your hair but don’t rinse it out. Wrap your hair in a towel for at least an hour and then rinse. It’s a quick way to deep condition your hair in a small amount of time.

Stick with brands you trust. If your friends tell you about a great product but it doesn’t work well for your hair, its only because your hair needs are different from other people’s. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another.

If you’re planning to cut your hair, be sure it’s completely saturated before you cut it. Wet hair is much easier to cut than half wet hair. Wetting your hair down with a spray bottle doesn’t work well to fully saturate roots. This is especially true for curly hair! If you like to save money and cut your own hair, be sure to check out hair cutting videos!

Shampooing and conditioning aren’t necessary everyday. The longer your hair, the longer you can wait.

Choose shampoos and conditioners that are suited well for your hair type. You can also choose to buy products that help enhance your hair. For example, if you want more hair volume, use volumizing hair products.

If your hair products don’t improve your hair, switch brands or types.

Don’t expect miracles. If you’re using hot irons regularly and/or applying harsh chemicals too often, you’re damaging your hair. No hair product can mend severely damaged hair.

Ever buy shampoos and conditioners that weren't right for your hair? Instead of dumping them down the drain, use them to shave your legs instead. Just replace whatever you're using now (like shaving creams or body washes) with the products you don't like to use in your hair. They work great and leave your skin so smooth and soft!

Shampooing and conditioning your hair is something that most people take for granted. If you’ve ever been a long period of time without being able to wash and moisturize your hair, you know how much you miss it! (Survivor participants surely know the scoop!)

Be grateful for the hair products you have to keep your hair healthy. Shampoos and conditioners may be basic, but they are a wonderful asset that would be hard to live without!

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