How many times do you wash your hair a week? Many specialists agree that daily use of shampoo makes the hair fiber more greasy and tends to damage it. Although this habit is not recommended, some people do not always have the choice to do otherwise: sometimes, out of necessity, you cannot avoid washing your hair in the shower.
The debate is still raging: should we wash our hair every day? Reviews are very mixed. Some claim that shampoos should be spaced out, because daily washing makes the hair more greasy and more fragile. Others believe, on the contrary, that a quick wash, without too much friction, is not harmful for certain types of hair. Difficult to navigate, but the experts have decided. Ideally, you should not exceed two or three washes per week. However, if you can't get rid of this habit, there is no real prohibition. You can establish a hair routine by taking a few precautions. With the right products and the right gestures, it is possible to avoid some damage!
But, faced with all this fuss around the question, many fear damaging their hair. Are you worried that your hair will get too oily or too dry? Or even that they end up altering to the point of weakening? Do not panic ! To avoid damaging your hair, there are some rules and tips to follow.
Here are some wise tips for washing your hair every day without risking weakening it.
Follow a specific hair routine
Using only shampoo when you wash your hair daily is not the ideal solution to avoid damaging it. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you must follow a very specific hair routine. Conditioners and masks are ideal for keeping hair always hydrated, especially on the ends. On the other hand, if you use hair straighteners, it is important to combine them with leave-in heat protectant products. Essential precaution: you should not wash your hair in hot water and the towel with which you dry it must absolutely be made of cotton or linen.
Massage your scalp while washing
Often, after a sports session or simply when you sweat a lot, washing your hair daily is the only option to eliminate impurities and sweat. Similarly, after swimming in the pool or the sea, it is necessary to remove salt, sand and potentially harmful substances such as chlorine. In these cases, it would be good to gently massage the scalp during the application of the shampoo, so as to stimulate hair growth, keeping it soft and silky.
Alternate normal shampoo with dry shampoo. The latter is an excellent alternative to avoid daily washing. Of course, the result will not be the same, but for 24 hours you can make an exception: your hair will be shiny like after washing with normal shampoo.
N.B: the purpose of the shampoo is to moisturize the hair, to eliminate impurities and to protect the scalp against the harmful effects of external substances. Indispensable to the beauty of the mane, it promotes suppleness, shine and softness. But be careful, too much shampoo can have the opposite effect: it risks smothering your hair, weighing it down, causing it to lose its lightness and shine.
Choose shampoo according to the quality of your hair
The ideal products for frequent or daily washing are those that do not contain phosphates or sulphates, that is, without aggressive agents, although the quality of your hair must first be analyzed before buying it. In general, these shampoos are less chemical and much more respectful of the scalp and the hair fiber. The important thing is to avoid products that are unsuitable for your needs. The experts are adamant: if you opt for daily washing, the shampoo formula must contain few ingredients that are too nourishing. In other words, so that your hair does not get greasy too quickly, it is better to ban products based on shea butter or keratin. It is also important to determine the amount of sebum secreted by the scalp: it is well known that oily hair needs more frequent washing than dry or normal hair.
Finally, the secret to avoid damaging the quality and structure of your hair is to use delicate products specially designed for daily washing. Their formulas are less aggressive, so they do not alter sebum production or the presence of natural oils on the skin.
Use the right routine for daily washing
Commonly, what gives the hair the dirty look is the excess sebum that comes out of the scalp. In order for the hair to breathe and be radiantly healthy, but also to avoid certain irritations, washing will help remove this sebum. However, it is not only a question of choosing the right product, it is also necessary to know how to wash your hair correctly! Because, let's face it, many do things in a hurry, we rub mechanically as if we were doing laundry. However, the ritual of washing is not as banal and innocuous as one might think. Here again, there are key actions to follow and mistakes not to make:
- Always remember to first brush your hair well, especially if it is long, taking care to untie all the knots, before going under the jet of water. This also allows dead hair to be driven out and the scales to close.
- Never pour the shampoo directly on the head: put a small amount in the palm of your hand and moisten it before applying it to your wet hair. Above all, do not spread the product on your head, a hazelnut is enough! If your hair is really dirty, then you can do a second shampoo.
- Emulsify on the roots avoiding too much pressure. And do not forget to moisten the head regularly. Do not rub, prefer self-massage. Generally, the shampoo is a washing base that will not only remove dirt, but also stimulate micro-circulation: make circular movements from the neck to the forehead area. By massaging the scalp, it will help you loosen the sebum.
- Rinsing should not be done with hot water: opt for lukewarm or even cold water. High heat will greatly weaken the scalp.
- Similarly, when drying, do not inflict torture on your hair by attacking it directly with a hot blow-dry. In summer, it is recommended to dry the hair naturally in the open air to let it breathe. However, in cold weather or if you have no other choice, be careful not to use a straightener with too much steam, nor a hair dryer that is too aggressive. The best thing is still to keep the device as far away from the scalp as possible to avoid the risk of burning it!
As we said, it is not forbidden to wash your hair daily. Remember to alternate between frequent use shampoo and dry shampoo. Also remember to do regular care and masks. The more the hair will be maintained and nourished by appropriate care, the less it will be attacked by the shampoo and the healthier it will be. Don't overdo it either: smoothing, coloring, straightening, perms and other hair techniques can damage the quality of your hair in the long run.