Shampoo vs conditioner – let’s find out what goes first shampoo or conditioner
On 26 April 2022 by adminlbWe’re all dreaming of amazing, long, shiny hair. The hair care products manufacturers have us believe, that a single shampooing will add volume to our hair, transform dry and brittle hair into soft and healthy marvel, or at least get us rid of split ends and dandruff. And then they leave us disappointed, as we can’t reach what we were promised.
Let us though get our expectations in line, so that we can benefit from what the products can actually do.
Hair shampoo – what does it do?
The main purpose of a shampoo is simply washing hair. Shampoos, applied to wet hair, produce lather. They are a special mixture of water and soap, typically expected to cleanse hair and scalp from dead skin cells, dandruff, dirt, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles, and restore pH balance.
They are not meant though to make our hair soft, they’re not supposed to condition hair, they’re not restoring deficient materials – these functions are covered by conditioners.
Different scalps – different shampoos
Depending on your scalp and hair type, you should choose different kinds of shampoos:
- Everyday shampoo – if you have an oily scalp that makes you wash your hair daily, this is a product for you. Containing mild surfactants, it does not remove too much oil from your hair follicles and won’t dry out your scalp.
- Sulfate free shampoo; Sulfates, powerful chemicals used in certain shampoos, strip your skin from natural oil, making it dry and causing scalp irritation. Sulfate free shampoo is an option for those with a dry, sensitive scalp.
- Purpose shampoos – are directed specifically to address a certain audience or a certain problem – shampoo for men, shampoo limiting hair fall, dandruff, split ends, damaged hair etc.
- Dry shampoo – a product that comes in handy when you don’t have enough time to wash your hair. Dry shampoo will refresh your hair and scalp in a matter of seconds. It will not cleanse your hair though, it will just make your hair look better until the next wash.
Conditioning products – how to deal with dry and brittle hair
Typically used second after shampooing in a hair care routine. Conditioners are used to alter the appearance and texture of the hair. In another words, hair conditioner makes your hair soft, nourished and moisturised. Applied after washing hair, conditioners mainly help restoring the moisture lost in the wash.
Types of conditioning products
Currently on the market you can find five types of conditioners. Those types are moisturizing conditioners, deep conditioners, acidifying conditioners, colour protecting conditioners, thermal protection products. What do they do?
- moisturizing conditioner – helps retain moisture in your hair,
- deep conditioner – with high amount of amino acids and proteins improves the elasticity of hair strands, as well as makes your hair smooth and soft,
- acidifying conditioner – with pH range lower than other conditioners’ types, helps restore pH balance of the hair,
- colour protecting conditioner with gentle chemicals ensures that dyed hair does not get damaged. Usually contains moisturising agents ensuring the hair retains its shine,
- thermal protection – products help prevent heat damage dealt by sun or hairstyling.
What can be found in a hair conditioner?
Conditioners contain emollients. Those are substances that either attract water to the skin, restore deficient materials or create a film on the skin to prevent water loss and preserve the missing natural oils. In hair conditioners you can find a wide variety of substances, helping to prevent damage, restore shine, lock moisture within the hair, prevent split ends, limit hair fall… etc.
Some of the conditioning agents commonly found in conditioners are: hydrating and moisturizing agents, seed oils, reconstructors containing hydrolyzed protein.
How to use shampoo vs conditioner in your hair routine?
It seems that the process of washing hair is relatively straightforward: wet hair – apply shampoo – rinse with water – apply conditioner – rinse with water – dry your hair. Let’s go through the process step by step though:
Shampooing:
- washing your hair typically starts with wetting it with lukewarm water. You should never use hot water in the process,
- take a sufficient amount of shampoo on the palm of your hand and apply it on your scalp,
- massage your scalp gently using your fingertips. Do not use your fingernails, as they can damage the skin on your scalp,
- the massaging motions produce lather. Use the lather to cleanse the hair strands at their length. Do not rub your hair strands against each other. Wet hair is extremely vulnerable to damage,
- rinse your hair using lukewarm water. Again, avoid using hot water!
- if necessary, repeat the above.
Conditioning:
- squeeze some water out of hair strands – excess water will dilute the hair conditioner and weaken it’s effects,
- take a sufficient amount of hair conditioner and apply it to your hair. Depending on the instruction on the conditioner packaging, do or do not apply the conditioner to your scalp,
- follow the instuction on the packaging and do or do not rinse off the conditioner,
- once you’ve finished washing and conditioning your hair, squeeze out the excess water into a soft cloth. Avoid rubbing a towel against your hair, as it damages the hair strands.
Reverse hair washing
Reverse hair washing means basically that the steps of shampooing and conditionning are reversed. In another words, you start with conditioning your hair first, and only then applying the shampoo. What are the benefits of this method?
- by applying conditioner first, you secure the hair ends for the time of shampooing. That helps prevent split ends and hair damage during the wash,
- any conditioner residue left on the scalp is easily washed off with a shampoo.
Co-washing
Co-washing (or conditioner-only washing) is recommended for those with dry, damaged hair. The method means washing hair only with hair conditioner, skipping the shampooing altogether.
Shampoo vs conditioner – what goes first?
The answer, seemingly straightforward, isn’t really clear. Understanding what your shampoo and conditioner can do, what were they made for, and how do they work together with your hair, will allow you to determine your unique hair care routine.
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Thanks to this amazing article I feel like I know everything that is needed to know about hair care and hair products. It is amazing job done here! I know now that I have been doing it all wrong. Thanks good I know how to fix it thanks to this article!