HOW TO WASH YOUR HAIR: THE 6 MOST COMMON MISTAKES

WASHING YOUR HAIR WELL MAY NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS. HERE ARE THE 6 MISTAKES YOU MAY HAVE BEEN MAKING WHEN WASHING YOUR HAIR

Having shiny, soft, and above all healthy hair is everyone's dream. It is important to always take care of it and pay attention to its changes, since it is the first to be affected by stress and any change in our state of health.

Although taking care of our hair is a daily, routine, and almost banal activity, are you sure you know exactly how to do it? There are, in fact, many unconscious mistakes that we make every day in caring for our hair.

So here are the 6 mistakes to avoid for washing your hair well:

1. Washing your hair every day, especially when it seems like your hair is always greasy

Different hair types require different care, including washing frequency. Washing your hair every day can be a mistake if you have dry, curly, or damaged hair, but it can be useful in exceptional cases, such as if you suffer from serious dandruff problems. How often you wash your hair therefore depends on the hair type to be treated.

So how often should you wash your hair? In general, twice a week should be enough. You can go up to three times if you have particularly oily hair, but be careful! With this type of hair, you must never overdo it; in fact, washing it too often could alter the hydrolipidic balance of the scalp, leading to even greater sebum production. In other words, you would run into the opposite effect!

2. Not using natural products like conditioner and shampoo without silicones, petrolatum, and parabens

Silicones, petrolatum, and parabens are substances used in all conventional cosmetics such as makeup, body and face creams, and also in hair products. These substances are extremely harmful as they cover the hair shaft with a waterproof film that ends up "suffocating" the hair, making it dry and brittle. By suffocating the hair fiber, they cause it to get dirty more easily, making the hair greasy a day after washing.

To avoid all this, buy conditioners, masks, and shampoos without silicones and other harmful substances, which are easily identifiable by checking the INCI, i.e., the list of ingredients on the product label. These products might be a bit more expensive than those at the supermarket, but they will reward you by making your hair wonderful.

3. Not applying conditioner

For many, conditioner is a must among hair care products. For others, however, it still seems to be shrouded in a veil of mystery or, worse, it is believed that it makes the hair too greasy.

Instead, conditioner should always be part of your normal washing routine if you want to wash your hair well. By not applying conditioner, you would excessively dry out your hair and lose the opportunity to give it the nourishment needed to make your hair soft and shiny.

4. Applying conditioner to the scalp

The hesitation many have about applying conditioner often stems from its incorrect use. Many of those who do not use it, for fear of getting greasy and weighed-down hair, do so because in the past they applied conditioner from the roots, on the scalp. Instead, the correct way to apply this product is starting from the ends. Once you have shampooed, wring out the hair to remove excess water and apply the conditioner only to the ends, up to three-quarters of the length, with circular massages that slightly warm the product, making it even more effective and allowing it to penetrate deeply. In this way, you will not have greasy hair after a day, but nourished, shiny, and soft hair.

5. Using 2-in-1 products so I can do without conditioner

Many rely on "miraculous" 2-in-1 products that promise to save time and money since you can apply and use only one product instead of two. However, as often happens, all that glitters is not gold.

There are two reasons why these products should be avoided; on one hand, you don't respect the different areas where these products should be applied (from the scalp to the ends for shampoo and only on the ends for conditioner), and on the other hand, these products often contain silicones, petrolatum, and parabens, which are very harmful to the hair.

6. Rubbing wet hair

Hair is very fragile when wet. For this reason, avoid stressing it as much as possible before drying.

It is absolutely forbidden to use rough towels and rub your hair against itself and with the towel. To blot excess water, use a soft towel made of natural fibers that respects the hair and does not cause electrostatic charge.

Once blotted, comb it gently, starting from the ends and moving slowly up toward the scalp. If you encounter particularly stubborn knots, hold the lock of hair steady with one hand to avoid stressing and pulling the root too much.