Shampooing & Conditioning: The Ultimate Guide for Guys

Yes, here we are, talking about shampooing & conditioning done right. If you’ve ever wondered why your hair feels so weighed down, why your hair seems to never fall in line, and how to not feel like you’ve got MORE product than you started with once you’re done conditioning, this guide is for you. Welcome to ‘Shampooing & Conditioning: The Ultimate Guide for Guys’!

ALL ABOUT SHAMPOOING

What you need to know first is that a shampoo is like a cleanser for your hair. A shampoo’s main purpose is to remove excess oil, dirt and other nasties from your hair & scalp. This is also why a lot of shampoo bottles recommend massaging the product on your scalp and rinsing thoroughly (without which you’re at a risk of leaving the product in and inviting an itchy and oily scalp).

SHAMPOO 101s:

How to use a shampoo

1. Make sure you’re shampooing wet hair. Putting the product on dry hair will not activate the ingredients and will just stick onto your hair.
2. Lather your shampoo in your palms first. This ensures that you don’t end up putting too much in one place and also helps in building up the lather well.
3. REMEMBER: You don’t need to shampoo the tips of your hair! The ends of your hair are the oldest, making them brittle and more susceptible to breakage and dryness.
4. Rinse thoroughly. Once the cleansing part is done, there’s no reason for your shampoo to stay on your hair! Rinse long, rinse right.

Some other things to consider

1. Make sure you choose a shampoo that is right for you. Spend some time with your hair and understand how it reacts to ingredients and other factors.
2. Your hair isn’t meant to stay the same all year! Weather changes, stress, and more can change your hair.
3. Wet your hair with warm water, and rinse off with cold water. This helps close the hair follicles and avoid unnecessary breakage!
4. Avoid using products that have parabens and sulphates. These artificial ingredients may extend the shelf life and improve lather, but the cost of this can be hair damage.

ALL ABOUT CONDITIONING

Surely, a lot of us believe that conditioners are for longer hair, right? Oops, wrong!

Conditioners are agents that soften, moisturize and...well...condition your hair to make it super shiny and smooth. While conditioners are often used to tame unruly hair and make them more manageable, they are also important to lock in moisture and balance the hair’s texture from all that cleansing. And it doesn’t end there! The job of a conditioner extends way beyond your shower. Dry, unconditioned hair can often break easily and be susceptible to damage by external factors. Conditioners make sure that doesn’t happen by smoothing out the strands. Magic, right?

CONDITIONER 101s:

How to use a conditioner

1. First things first. Never use a conditioner alone! You must have cleansed and shampooed hair before starting with the conditioner
2. REMEMBER: Do not apply conditioner to your scalp! This is because your scalp secretes natural oils which, with the conditioner, build up to an oily scalp
3. Apply the conditioner evenly throughout your hair strands, focusing on the tips of your hair (Remember we said they’re the oldest part of your hair? Show ‘em some love!)
4. Now, for the most important thing to remember. No matter the length of your hair, you MUST leave the conditioner in your hair for at least 5 minutes! Sing a song, do a little dance, or read the back of your product (it’s fun, we promise), and 5 minutes will be done in no time!
5. Rinse thoroughly. ‘Nuff said! While leave-in conditioners are available, most conditioners are still meant to be rinsed out of your hair once they’ve done their job.

Some other things to consider

1. The amount of conditioner you use may depend on your hair type. Fine hair usually needs a slightly less amount than thicker hair.
2. Coloured hair needs more conditioning. If you’ve recently coloured your hair, you may need to invest in conditioners more often, since colour dries out the hair.
3. The reason your hair feels oily or weighed down may be because you haven’t rinsed them out enough.
4. When using a conditioner, make sure you’re running your fingers through your hair strands the way you would a comb. This ensures maximum distribution and avoids clumping of the product!