Washing Curly Hair - Wet or Dry ?

There has been a massive debate in my home on how best and how frequently you should wash your hair - it would be interesting to see what you think.

There are so many different ways to shampoo your hair properly, depending on the your curls/lack of curls, what you have been doing that day, when last you shampooed your hair.

So.. do you apply the shampoo on dry or wet hair ?

Well - here are my thoughts

When to apply the shampoo

Generally, most of us can get away with applying the shampoo after wetting our hair.. but there is something to be said about using the shampoo on dry hair - especially for oily hair. I would always encourage you to try the shampoo on dry hair if you have oily hair or have used products with oils for styling.

TIPS  

1. Apply shampoo directly on the oily areas while the hair is still dry. 
2. Add just enough warm water to massage the shampoo into the hair.
3. Rinse thoroughly and apply enough shampoo to get a second lather.

P.S

You will need this when your toddler starts to eat and figures out that food in their hair is a fab game. Apply shampoo directly to the oily/dirty area on dry hair. Then add water and wash off the shampoo.

Wetting hair with water - Hot vs Cool vs Cold Water

Hot water swells the hair more than warm water which is not great for the curls.

Tip: 

As much as possible, try using warm or cool water, rather than hot.

For your final rinse, a quick burst of cold water will work with our CurlyEllie Shampoo to help bring out the shine and keep tangles at bay.

Shampooing - watch the lather form

Lather will not form until your hair is clean. Wash, rinse and wash again until you see the lather beginning to form.  If you was regularly, you will not need a lot of shampoo on your hair.

How often - 

This generally depends on the type and condition of the hair and how often it’s shampooed.

For thicker hair, once a week is perfect. Thinner hair that is prone to oiliness cn wash more regularly.

In general, hair that was just shampooed the day before, is still relatively clean and should be treated differently than resistant, oily hair that hasn’t been shampooed in a few days or longer.

 Read more on Why Regular Washing and Conditioning is so important.