Shampoo on Dry Hair {Hair Care}

This is probably one of the really good tips of hair care. Basic chemistry states that oil and water do not mix together. So, this principle applies when wahing off hair as well. If you wet the oiled hair or even non-oiled hair (it has natural oils), the shampoo doesn't react well with it and the hair more or less remains dirty. 

Since commercial shampoos are filled with surfactants, they are strong enough to clean the hair but the SLS-free shampoos generally end up not cleaning the hair properly. So, how to use the shampoo on dry hair? Take a dollop or two of your shampoo in a small container and add just a fist ful of water to it. Dilute it nicely and shampoo your hair just as you would.

Always try to shampoo twice if your hair does get exposed to lot of sun and pollution. First wash only cleans the scalp partly and the second it to make the scalp squeaky clean. And, by squeaky clean, I don't really mean that it should squeak but a clean scalp and hair is very important for healthy hair. If you tend to stay inside more, one wash is generally enough and you can do it twice in once a week.

So, don't forget this tip next time you hop into the shower. It generally happens with me that I remember this when I pour water over my head so don't make that mistake ;)

Related Posts:  
Are you shampooing your hair the right way?
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Turn your regular shampoo into a homemade herbal shampoo
Upside down or normal - How to wash Hair?

How much shampoo should be used? {Reader's Query}

[Source: Bing Images]

To start with this, I use water to dilute my shampoo and have been advising it on my blog since the start of it. Well, diluting the shampoo doesn't make the shampoo less effective. In fact, it lathers easily and spread evenly on the scalp and over the hair instead of sitting at just one place. And, this practice is also said to reduce the harshness of the shampoo. Well, I don't know much about that so I wouldn't say anything but I would say that when you dilute your shampoo, the product obviously lasts longer. As much as my experience goes, you can turn a quarter of a shampoo into a full bottle by adding water to the product and it still lathers the same. That means, your shampoo lasts four times as much longer! And, I also like to make my shampoo more better by adding good herbs to it.

Anyways, I know many of the people don't like to dilute the shampoos. So, how much is enough for one use? Well, I have medium length hair which is fine and not so thick. So, whenever I am testing out new shampoos, I like to start with a dollop. I take just one dollop into my palm and spread it evenly by rubbing it in between both the palms and then, I apply it to the scalp. I like to shampoo my hair twice and nearly every time, my hair is oiled. So, first time, it is quite possible that there is no lather if the hair is greasy. But, don't worry about lather. Lather doesn't indicate the cleansing action of the shampoo. Then, second time, I take another dollop and spread it throughout the scalp and massage my scalp for 30 seconds - 1 minute. It lathers well the second time so I use the lather to wash my hair length instead of applying shampoo again to the length of my hair. This cleanses my hair well. 

So, how much shampoo should an average-haired person use for one time? I think four dollops are more than enough for people with thick medium-length hair. More than that would cause drying of the hair. For people with fine hair, you can make do with three dollops even if the hair is thick. The key is to use as less shampoo as possible to minimize the drying of the hair and anyways the concentration while washing the hair should be on the scalp mainly instead of the length of the hair. Also remember, the conditioners also contain cleansing agents so they add that final touch while conditioning your hair. Always remember that shampoo acts well only on wet hair so always wet your hair thoroughly before starting on with the shampoo otherwise you will end up using more and your hair might end up looking dry and straw-like.

Upside down or normal - How to wash Hair? {Reader's Query}

[Source: Google Images]

When I was not so grown up, my mm used to wash my hair and in the first, she used to wash my hair upside down. Then, one day an aunty came to the house and somehow they got into the discussion of hair washes and then, the aunty said that it is better to was hair normally as it prevents tangles. And, since then, I have started washing my hair normally without flipping my head. And, if I remember correctly, there have certainly less tangles.

The main reason is that hair is most delicate when it is wet and can break very easily so excess flipping of the hair can cause snags in the hair and cause it to break. Also, yes, it does prevent tangles. And, if I might add, it does create an unnecessary stress on your shoulders. And, there is yet another reason to wash hair normally - scalp is easily accessible when you upright than in the bent position. 

Also, when drying the hair, many people tend to flip the hair down. Even I do it but I think that should also be not done. Instead, gently squeezing the hair with the towel is a better way to remove excess water and stop dripping and then, you can leave it to air dry.

So, in case you wash your hair upside down, you might just want to see the difference for yourself. What do you think how should one wash the hair? Check out more tips on correct way to wash your hair.

Cold Water for Shiny Hair?

Are you aware of the theory that cold water can bring shine to your hair. Yes, I have read countless of the places that cold water is good for sealing the cuticles after washing and conditioning of the hair and thus, helps in bringing shine. I tried it and as usual with every new product you try, the results were fabulous up to a certain time. But, later on, it too became monotonous and not so amazing. That made me think what is the truth behind such a myth. And, recently, I read somewhere that this theory is actually a myth. Cold water does not help in sealing the cuticle or for that matter, even bringing shine to the hair or preventing frizzes. Cold water helps our hair temporarily until the hair dries be it air-dried or blow-dry. So, in case you are a fan of final cold water rinse, try replacing that with room-temperature hair rinses which will do a whole lot of good for your hair.And, if you are one who can not tolerate cold water on head, do not torture yourself just for the sake of beautiful hair as it would be of no use.

Now, let me make you aware of the reason why the starting results of using cold water rinse were fabulous for me. I was used to using medium to hot water on my hair to wash it and changing that to cold, obviously, gave my hair a boost. But, then, I got used to reduced water temperatures and started using almost lukewarm water and the results stopped showing. The motive in telling you this all was that do not burn your hair using really hot water to wash hair. Use lukewarm water or water at room temperature to wash your hair. Bot excess hot and excess cold are bad for your hair and cause dryness so instead of preventing frizzes, that practice would increase them.

A note to my readers: Due to other commitments, I am unable to post regularly and you must have noticed the irregularity in my posts. Thus, I have decided to write posts once a week instead of everyday. Hope you all will keep with me and enjoy reading my posts. Thanks a lot to you all.

Are you shampooing your hair the right way?

Our hair is our pride and it needs an extremely tender care. Cleaning is the first step for it. We all think we are shampooing our hair in the right way but are we? How to know how to shampoo the hair in the right manner? Well, let us look through a few key points which should never be missed or ignored under any circumstances:

• Comb your hair before you shampoo your hair. Tangles in the hair do not let the shampoo work properly and evenly on your hair.
• Do not shampoo your hair more than twice a week for dry hair and more than thrice a week for oily hair in whatever conditions. This habit leads to dryness in hair which might pose severe problems. You can avoid washing your hair even 2 or 3 times a week if you know that it has not gathered any dust. You may even choose to cowash your hair instead of shampoo.
• Use a very mild shampoo, a herbal one if possible. Choose your shampoo wisely or you may use the age old ways to clean your hair. Much of the chemicals do not do any good to your hair.
• While pouring out the shampoo, make sure you are using a right amount. Too less will not clean your hair properly and too much will dry your hair. 
• Always dilute your shampoo no matter what is says or which brand is it. This rule even applies for herbal shampoos. Pour a small dollop of shampoo in a bowl and put a handful of water in the bowl and mix it well. This reduces the harshness of the chemicals in your shampoo.
• Wet your hair well under a shower. Do not forget to wet it in layers. Partition your hair if it is long and stand under the shower till your are sure your hair is saturated with water. Wet hair is essential for the shampoo to lather though more lather does not mean the shampoo is good. It only means the shampoo is harsh. That is why it is important to dilute it in the first place. 
• Do not flip your head over while washing your hair. You will create more tangles.
• Once your hair is wet, take a little shampoo (which is in liquid condition) in hand and start applying on scalp. It will lather well. Cover all your scalp and start massaging it. Do not use your nails or palms. Just use your finger balls. Use the lather produced to wash the body of the hair. Do not worry about its adequacy. The hair will get cleaned with that amount of shampoo. 
• Massage your scalp in only four directions: back and forth and sideways (left and right). Any other way would end up tangling your hair. And, do not pile up the hair on your head. Shampooing does not mean your let the hair get tangled. You are supposed to keep your hair untangled in whatever condition. 
• If your hair is coming out while you are washing it, pull the strand out. Do not panic if more are coming. Just remove them and throw them. It is better to remove the strands which are dead otherwise they will hinder in the new hair growth.
• Wash your hair properly and follow up with another round of shampoo. Always go for two rounds of shampoo - first one is to remove all the dirt and second one is to ensure squeaky clean hair. Only remember to use even lesser shampoo in the second round as the hair is really wet and will lather quite well with a very little shampoo. Keep it on your head for 2-3 minutes and wash off.
• Once you finish shampooing your hair, take a strand in two fingers and run them through it. The strand should make a squeaking noise. If it does, you hair is clean and if it does not you can proceed with one more round of shampoo but always be careful about how much shampoo are you putting on your hair. You can perform this test even after first round of shampoo. Second round is generally recommended but if you shampoo your hair too frequently, you can forgo it.
• You may apply conditioner on your hair. This will control your frizzes and dryness caused by the shampoo. Apply the conditioner gingerly as your hair is wet and in the weakest condition. Do not apply conditioner to the roots. You will end up clogging the hair follicles and effecting your hair health as a consequence. Apply it only to the body and pay special attention to the ends. Wait for 5-10 minutes and then, wash off. 
• Remember to shampoo your hair with lukewarm water and condition your hair with cold water. Stand under cold water to end your shampooing routine. Make the water as cold as you can tolerate. Do not go to the extremes.You may even follow your hair wash with hibiscus shampoo or using baking soda. 
• You can follow with a leave-in conditioner or better, use natural aloevera gel straight from the plant or apply glycerin while your hair is still damp.It will keep your hair moisturized.