Wash your hair once or twice a week if it’s dry and daily if it’s oily. Oil your hair lightly and untangle it before washing, use minimal shampoo on your scalp, rinse thoroughly, and dry wet hair gently. Hold your head upside down while shampooing to increase circulation and volume. Beyond chemical-based shampoos, a world of plant-based ingredients can be explored. Homemade vinegar rinses are economical and offer great hair benefits.<\/p>\n
Healthy hair is happy hair \u2013 soft, lustrous, and never out of style. The first step toward acquiring this enviable asset is washing your hair correctly. Did you raise a skeptical eyebrow? Well, we\u2019ll have you know that there\u2019s more to washing than just, well \u2026 washing!\u00a0Easy does it<\/em>\u00a0is the most important rule while washing your hair. Strong hair cleansers and rough handling can wreak damage, leaving your tresses looking coarse, dull, and unmanageable, and causing hair fall. Your hair type will also decide how many washes you need per week.\u00a0Follow these simple, practical techniques to wash hair the right way.<\/p>\n Before washing your hair, comb out tangles gently, starting at the ends and moving up to the roots. Use a wide-toothed comb or good quality brush. This way, you won\u2019t have to comb out messy, knotted, and wet hair at the end of your hair wash, a complete no-no that stresses out hair.<\/p>\n In Ayurveda, an oil massage for hair is an essential pre-hair wash technique. The days you apply a shampoo or cleanser (instead of a plain water rinse), pre-condition hair with a little vegetable-derived oil such as almond, coconut, or argan oil. Sesame oil, with its linoleic acid, is also highly recommended in ayurveda. Other oils to explore are coconut, bhringraj, amla, and a sesame-almond mixed oil.<\/p>\n This can be a relaxing, full-blown head massage, where you gently but thoroughly work your hair from scalp to tips with these oils. You can also simply apply oil to the length of your hair or just the ends, leaving it in either overnight or for about 15 minutes before you wash your hair. This fortifies your hair and is one way to skip using conditioner later.<\/p>\n Use lukewarm water to wet your hair. This helps to open up hair follicles and facilitates thorough cleansing. Very warm or hot water can scald the sensitive scalp. You can use cold water for the final rinse as it closes the hair shaft and keeps hair smooth after it dries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In a society where we\u2019re spoilt for choice with store shelves loaded with haircare products, it\u2019s worth knowing that in many cultures, people don\u2019t use shampoo or any other hair cleansers. Yes, plain water is all that\u2019s used! This is\u00a0graining ground in the \u201cno-poo movement\u201d today, with people replacing shampoos with natural rinses.\u00a0If your hair isn\u2019t particularly greasy or smelly, you could simply settle for a plain water wash followed by air drying.\u00a0It may take several weeks for your hair to get used to this method. It\u2019s also likely that the results may not be so great if you have hard water.<\/p>\n You could also try another plain water technique with just one add-on. Simply mix a cup of warm water with a teaspoon of baking soda and stir until the soda is dissolved. Wet your hair with warm water and pour the mixture over your scalp. With your fingertips, massage and scrub your scalp, focusing more on the higher oil-producing areas, the crown, and hairline. Rinse well. You may increase the quantity of the mixture at the same ratio depending on the thickness of your hair.<\/p>\n Look for any of the following in your plant-based shampoo:<\/p>\n This is for the days that you will be shampooing your hair. Take a teaspoonful of shampoo or herbal cleanser in your palm, emulsify with water, and work it in gently with your fingertips along the scalp. Avoid harsh techniques like rubbing the scalp vigorously \u2013 you don\u2019t want to tangle your hair and invite breakage!\u00a0Never apply shampoo over the length of the hair. This can dry out hair, leaving it looking dull and rough in texture. Stylists often recommend shampooing with your head hanging upside down to increase circulation and volume.<\/p>\n Use plant-based cleansers rather than harsh chemical-based ones. Look for shea butter, chamomile, witch hazel, avocado oil, aloe vera, and honey in your herbal shampoos. These\u00a0are loaded with nutrients and help moisturize and protect your scalp and hair.<\/p>\n You could also explore ayurveda-recommended herbal powders like shikakai (Acacia concinna<\/em>), reetha (soapnut), and hibiscus. These won\u2019t strip your hair of its natural oils and are 100 percent chemical-free.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re done shampooing, rinse the hair gently but thoroughly until the water runs clear of shampoo suds and hair feels squeaky clean. This is an important step and one that many women neglect. Take your time and get all the product out of your hair.<\/p>\n Conditioners can\u2019t make your hair healthy (that needs to happen from the inside) but they may offer a host of other benefits: they improve the appearance of damaged hair, reduce static electricity, strengthen hair, and provide some protection from the sun\u2019s harsh UV rays. Apply conditioner after a shampoo and rinse. Some experts discourage conditioners for hair that is excessively greasy.<\/p>\n Depending on your hair type, try any of these natural conditioners:<\/p>\n Apply conditioner along the length of your hair to the tips. If you have fine hair, apply conditioner only on the tips as using it down the length of your hair will make it look limp. Avoid conditioning the scalp \u2013 it produces its own oil (sebum) and conditioner can block the hair follicles, leading to greasy hair and dandruff. Rinse your hair once more until the water is clear. For brittle hair, use a weekly deep conditioning mask \u2013 try a combination of egg and olive oil, for instance.<\/p>\n Finally, give your hair a gentle squeeze to remove excess water and blot it with a towel. Rubbing and twisting wet hair can lead to breakage. Just hang your head down, flipping hair over your head. Now, bunch a towel at the ends, hold taut, and run it over your hair quickly on both sides. This flicking motion will remove all the excess water.<\/p>\n After a brief towel dry, allow your hair to air dry. If you have to use a dryer, let your hair dry naturally for a while and then use one on a low or medium setting. But try and save the blow dry for special occasions.<\/p>\n The amount of oil produced by the scalp varies from person to person. The frequency of the washing and cleansing products you use should be based on this factor.<\/p>\n When life gets hectic and there\u2019s no time to fit in a hair wash, spritz the roots of your hair with a homemade vinegar solution, combining 5 drops of apple cider vinegar with 5 ounces water in a spray bottle. This will act as a healthy tonic for hair and won\u2019t leave any buildup, unlike dry shampoo.<\/p>\n Washing hair with the care it deserves may seem like a lengthy process, but it\u2019s well worth the time and effort \u2013 it makes the cleansing routine last longer and helps you cut down on frequent washes. Follow these tips and, soon, you\u2019ll have others seeking advice on keeping hair healthy, shiny, and attractive!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wash your hair once or twice a week if it’s dry and daily if it’s oily. Oil your hair lightly … <\/p>\n1. Untangle Hair<\/h2>\n
2.\u00a0Oil Your Hair Before A Wash<\/h2>\n
3. Wash\u00a0With Just Plain Water On Most Days<\/h2>\n
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4.\u00a0You May Also Use\u00a0Baking Soda<\/h2>\n
5. On Days You Shampoo, Cleanse Gently<\/h2>\n
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6. Rinse Thoroughly<\/h2>\n
7. Condition Your Hair After Shampooing<\/h2>\n
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8. Squeeze Out Water Gently<\/h2>\n
9. Air Dry Instead Of Blow Drying<\/h2>\n
10.\u00a0Wash Oily Hair Daily And Dry Hair 1\u20132 Times\u00a0A Week<\/h2>\n
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11. Use An ACV Hair Tonic When\u00a0You Can\u2019t Wash Your Hair<\/h2>\n