Hair: the whole truth about reverse washing and more

It may seem like a simple gesture, but it’s not. Wash your hair it is anything but a trivial action. You have to take care of many things: the temperature of the water (would you ever have thought that it could affect the beauty and shine of the hair?), The products you choose to use (how many? Which ones? In what order?) And how they are used. Today, more than ever, the “washing” techniques are varied and to choose the most suitable for everyone, let’s start with some simple rules. READ ALSO

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Hair type

The first rule for choosing how and with which products to wash your hair is to identify the type. This may seem obvious too, but it is not at all. A fine hair compared to a thick or frizzy hair is to be treated in a completely different way, as well as a curly hair compared to a straight one. The importance of this difference is often underestimated by using products that are not specific to your hair type, thus not enhancing it to the maximum, if not even worsening the condition. THE fine hairfor example, they need to a shampoo and conditioner that give structure and volume and above all that they do not weigh down. THE medium and thick hairinstead, they need to extra nourishment and hydration. For this reason it is essential not to use any shampoo, as well as any conditioner or mask, but to follow the instructions that are shown on the label – even better is to ask your hairdresser for the most suitable products.

Perfect cleansing: does inverting the order of the addends make sense?

Everyone has always known that to best wash your hair there are two main steps: application of the shampoo, rinsing, application of the conditioner or conditioner and further rinsing. A mathematical rule says that reversing the order of the addends does not change the result. And this, according to some, also applies to hair cleansing. If you followed the technique of reverse hair washingin fact, as the first washing step the conditioner should be applied for at least 5 minutes on the lengths before proceeding with the shampoo. This is to prevent the hair from drying out and the tips to be protected. After shampooing, however, the technique would like to apply a very light layer of detangling conditioner again before finally rinsing the hair. “Personally, I don’t approve of reversing the order of use of shampoo and conditioner,” he says Mayra Cassano, owner of the Mercì à Voùs salon and, in via Borgospesso 21 in Milan, where there is a spa area dedicated to hair washing. «In fact, I recommend to everyone a washing routine that begins with the application of one mask, not a conditioner, with dry hair to be left on for an hour if possible, perhaps covered by a film that, in synergy with the natural temperature of the scalp, creates the right heat so that the scales of the hair open and the product penetrates deeper – in the salon we have a much faster method that uses a vaporizer and 5 minutes of exposure are enough, but it can be replicated at home using a film or a headset. The mask must then be rinsed very well and washed with shampoo. Here things change according to the type of hair. For those with fine hair I recommend, after the mask, a very moisturizing shampoo so that you can use only that, without having to use the conditioner afterwards.

In fact, if we applied a full-bodied maskalso using one rich shampoo then no other products are needed and the hair does not get heavy and stays clean longer. In the salon, we always add essential oils to the shampoo so that washing your hair becomes a 360-degree sensory experience. I advise my clients to do it at home too: just a few drops are enough to indulge in a real pampering in the shower ».

If the shampoo becomes cream

According to some theories, however, the shampoo, especially if used very frequently, can be too aggressive, so it is better to replace it with a washing cream or conditioner. This is what the technique of low poo washingwhere the use of shampoo is minimized in favor of cleansing cream. Even more extreme is the technique of no poo washing or co-wash (conditioner only wash) would like to completely eliminate the use of shampoos. «The ideal would be to do it shampoo no more than two or three times a week, apply it to wet hair, in a reduced dose, and massage it with circular movements. If the product does not foam (according to the trend of the most recent ones launched on the market, ed), it is not necessary to add another product, but to continue cleansing normally, rinse and repeat the shampoo a second time. When the product has been well emulsified, rinse thoroughly, dab the hair carefully and apply a conditioner, always in small doses and away from the hair roots “, he explains. Giampalo Gori, Roots hair stylist, in Corso San Gottardo 3 in Milan.

«Different speech for those who wash their hair daily. So yes, it may be better to use a cleansing conditioner. My favorite is Analog by R + CO, which is a vegetable, vegan product, in the form of a mousse, without sulphites or parabens, and which is applied like a real shampoo to be emulsified, even if it does not foam. It is a product that can be used alone without the need for anything else, suitable for practically all types of hair and skin “, continues Giampaolo Gori. But do the same washing rules also apply to curly hair? “In terms of cleansing, I would say yes, but before proceeding with the shampoo, it is always better to brush your hair well, so as not to go crazy doing it while laying the conditioner and to be able to untangle it only with your hands, which is very better. Once the hair has been washed, it is very important to identify the most suitable styling product and, for example, if the hair is sturdy and tending to frizz, it is better to use a mousse, while if it is thin, a creamy-based product is preferable to then proceed with creating light twists with your hands and drying the hair with the diffuser », ends Giampaolo Gori.

The most important step? The rinsing (and the right timing)

Absolutely essential before turning off the water is to make sure you have rinsed the shampoo and conditioner perfectly. An ancient grandmother’s remedy would like the last rinse to be with water and apple cider vinegar to erase all residues of the products used, but it may not be necessary. «Certainly the moment of rinsing is fundamental, but it is even more so water temperature that you use. Hair goes washed with hot water – but never too hot -, which opens the scales of the stem well, thus allowing the products to penetrate and perform well. L’last rinseinstead, it would have to be done with very cold water, which, on the other hand, closes the previously opened cuticles and gives extreme clarity. Seeing is believing, ”he explains Mayra Cassano.