Aptly titled, reverse hair washing is simply the technique of conditioning your hair first and shampooing second. It's the inverse of what you're used to doing in the shower—and may feel a bit strange at first—but comes with all sorts of potential benefits.
Angelone recommends reverse washing once every other week or even once a month—it's not something you should do every wash. “If you do it every time it's hair wash day, the conditioner can build up on the dirty hair and actually counteract the entire process,” she says.
Reverse hair washing is exactly what it sounds like. The process involves inverting the order of the haircare products you use in the shower, conditioning first and shampooing right after.
Reverse hair washing is also beneficial for anyone who's prone to dry, damaged ends, says Fabian Lliguin, hairstylist and co-founder of Rahua Beauty. "Regular shampooing of hair may unintentionally dry hair further, by stripping hair from oils and nutrients and in some cases even creating split ends," says Lliguin.
If you want to remove all of that build up and achieve squeaky clean strands, one lather might not be enough. That's where double shampooing comes in. The first round essentially rids build up and residue from the hair, while the second will actually cleanse and nourish your strands.
“It keeps dry, brittle hair soft so that while you're shampooing, you don't tangle and knot,” explains David. According to Kunin, reverse washing is gentler on fine and thin hair than traditional washing “and helps remove conditioner residue from scalp.”
This is simply because oil and dirt suppress the amount of foam your shampoo creates, so the first time you wash there will be less foam since your hair has more dirt and oil on it. The second time you wash there is less oil in your hair (since it's already clean!), which also means more foam.
Conditioner is obviously thicker than shampoo. And though it moisturizes the strands, it can also weigh them down. This is especially true for those with fine tresses. So using shampoo after conditioner will help wash out any excess product buildup that can leave your strands looking lifeless.
"Conditioning before you shampoo is great for adding nourishment to fine hair without weighing it down," says Nina Dimachki, artistic director for Kérastase. "It also promotes a longer-lasting blow-dry and primes the hair before cleansing, allowing shampoo to distribute easier and more evenly."
If you find that your hair feels weighed down, flat, or greasy after conditioning, you may benefit from using conditioner before shampoo. This method is known as reverse hair washing or pre-wash conditioning. If you think that either method may work for you, there doesn't seem to be any harm to giving it a try.
Reverse washing can be beneficial for those with dry, fine, and/or flat hair. If you have incredibly curly or coarse hair, however, shampooing away the conditioner may take away too much of the necessary moisture that conditioner can impart.
Benefits of Reverse Washing Natural Hair
Using a conditioner or deep conditioner in the first step of my natural hair routine (as I would a 'pre-shampoo treatment') allows me to detangle my 4c hair thoroughly - so less tangles during washing!
Depending on your hair type, you can wait three to five days between washes, and we've got the scoop on how to survive the process while you're waiting for sebum production to slow down. We'll admit, the first two weeks are the most difficult, but after about week four, you should see a significant difference.
For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. “There is no blanket recommendation. If hair is visibly oily, scalp is itching, or there's flaking due to dirt,” those are signs it's time to shampoo, Goh says.
hair, there is a "correct" way to clean your locks. A hairdresser has revealed the correct way to wash your hair, and it involves shampooing your hair twice.
Shampoo as we know it today has only existed for about 100 years. Prior to 1903, the act of hair washing ranged from a head massage with fragrant oils to boiling pieces of “shaved soap” bars in water. There are a range of early methods, however let's focus on the past hundred years or so.
“Shampooing your hair twice is beneficial because it allows for proper cleansing, giving you longer periods of time with a clean scalp and keeping away the oily hair problem,” he says. “It also keeps you away from over-shampooing your hair, which is a mistake that most women make.”
So applying conditioner first can act in the same way, protecting the hair against chemicals in shampoos, making it harder for shampoos to penetrate. This can help persevere moisture, natural oils and even hair color. This makes the technique particularly beneficial for someone with frizzy hair.
Simply put, co-washing is using conditioner instead of shampoo. The result of co-washing hair falls somewhere between squeaky-clean and second-day hair—that is, you'll be dealing with smoother, softer, and easier-to-manage locks, especially if you've got a head of curls or waves.
Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.
That's our wrap-up to debunk the myth that “if you keep using the same it will become less effective overtime”. The truth is that your shampoo will remain effective as long as you are using the right one, for the right frequency, with the right wingman.
Applying your Shampoo and Lathering
Do not pour shampoo directly onto your hair. Instead, pour it onto the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and then smooth the shampoo over your hair.
Overwashing, especially with harsh shampoos, can damage hair and lead to hair loss, especially when combined with chemical treatments or hair styles like tight braids that tug at the roots.