Head case

If you thought washing youry hair was just basic maintenance, the latest technologiesg and products will have you seeing lathering up in a whole new light.

There’s nothing sexy about washing your hair. In fact, it’s perhaps the most mechanical task in your beauty regimen, akin to brushing your teeth or plucking your brows. Automated. Time-consuming. Boring. But it may be the most important and impactful process in our entire morning routine. “Shampoo and conditioner are absolutely vital to the result you get when styling, as using the wrong shampoo and conditioner will destroy your efforts,” says Paris-based Australian hairstylist David Mallett. The new crop of technologies and products are changing a hair cleansing market that’s historically been overlooked as an area of basic maintenance and which has been the subject of little ground-breaking innovation to speak of. It’s time to lather up.

HAIR TRUTHS

Industry insiders separate fact from fiction. WASHING YOUR HAIR TOO OFTEN MAKES IT OILY “When you are washing your hair, you are stimulating the oil glands and causing blood flow to the scalp,” says Renya Xydis, who counts Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett as clients. “If you wash your hair every day and find it’s getting oily, you can re-train the hair and scalp by not washing for two rounds of a period of five to seven days. It’s hard to do if you are used to washing your hair all the time, but your hair will thank you in the long run.” SULPHATES, SILICONES AND PARABENS ARE THE ENEMY “Silicones get a bit of a bad rap because of their ‘ fake shine’ properties,” says Sydney-based hairstylist Anthony Nader, “but using them sparingly doesn’t do your strands any harm. If your hair is lacklustre, dull or needs a pep-up quickly, use a siliconebased shampoo and conditioner once a week for instant shine. Red flags that you should avoid are sulphates, parabens, anything too fragrant, and triclosan. These ones are the main culprits, so take a look on your bottles for your next purchase or ask your hairdresser for help.” A LITTLE OIL IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR THE HAIR “Never opt for ‘squeaky clean’ hair!” says Iles Formula founder Wendy Iles. “A perfect shampoo and conditioner leave the hair feeling like silk, with no squeaky sound – if you hear a squeaky sound it means you have stripped the hair of its natural lubrication.”

THE NEW WAY TO WASH

First step: shampoo; second step: conditioner? That’s old hat, with the latest innovations turning hair-washing on its head. REVERSE WASHING Conditioning the hair after shampooing can lead to weighty, lacklustre and even oily strands. Reverse washing is simply conditioning first, meaning the hair drinks in the moisture it needs, with the excess shampooed away. “Most shampoos can be too hard on dry or damaged strands, leaving hair feeling parched,” says Justine Marjan, Tresemmé global ambassador. “In the same respect, some conditioners are too heavy and leave the hair flat. Reverse washing is a great way to protect and moisturise hair without heavy conditioners weighing the hair down.” CO-WASHING Not to be confused with those daggy, 2-in-1 formulas from the 90s, co-washing, or conditioner-washing, is simply a conditioner-like product that cleanses the scalp and moisturises the strands. The main difference is that co-washes don’t contain detergents common in a lot of shampoos, so they tend to be more moisturising and are aimed at curly, coarse, coloured or dry hair types. And be warned: simply using your everyday conditioner, sans shampoo, won’t have the same effect. We love Percy & Reed Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Cleanse & Nourish. NOT WASHING Skipping the conditioner altogether was once a fundamental hair sin you wouldn’t dare disclose to anyone, let alone your hairdresser. Now beauty brands and hairdressers alike are clued in to the fact that many women are simplifying their routines, and conditioner simply isn’t getting a look-in. Just ask Mallett, whose clients, among them a myriad of welltressed French It girls, have been boycotting conditioner as a shortcut to volume. “French girls love that bouncy look, so many of our clients don’t condition their hair, and if they do, it is always just the ends,” he says. Meanwhile, cult hair-care brandb R + Co’s Cactus Texturizing ShampooS instructs the user to skip the conditionerc to boost texture, grip and stylings ease. If you’re not quite ready to breakb up with conditioner, Nader recommendsr a leave-in formula. “If you findf that your strands do need conditioning, butb you don’t want to weigh the hair down, investi in a spray instead of a regular creambasedb product. It’s weightless and doesn’t messm around with your styling, either.”

While it may take the crown for the most automated task in our beauty regimen, a few simple tweaks to the way you wash can pay off. 1. WATER TEMPERATURE MATTERS Overly hot water opens the hair follicles dramatically, making them susceptible to dryness and breakage, says Xydis. Instead, wash your hair in lukewarm water, followed by a shot of cold water to close the hair follicle, dial up the shine and keep oils at bay. 2. RINSE, RINSE, RINSE Failing to thoroughly rinse out shampoo and conditioner is the hair-care equivalent of sleeping in your make-up. That is, a fast track to lacklustre, weighty and oily strands. Ensure you thoroughly wash out products (do it twice for good measure), particularly if you notice your hair slides into oily territory between washes. 3. TWO IS THE MAGIC NUMBER While you may love that oh-so-clean feeling, washing your hair more than twice weekly might actually be doing more harm than good. “Twice a week should be more than enough if you have hair that is generally easy to maintain, and you only need the amount of a 20 cent piece [each of shampoo and conditioner] per wash,” says Xydis. 4. SWITCH UP YOUR SHAMPOO Like switching up your skincare routine to promote a brighter complexion, changing your shampoo once a month can ensure your tresses are at their best. Nix product build-up and heavy strands with a clarifying shampoo once a week, and change up your conditioner monthly. 5. PLACE YOUR CONDITIONER WISELY Unless you’re sporting a peroxide mop, head south from the roots and concentrate conditioner from the mid-lengths to ends. “Most of my clients love that extra volume on the crown area, so adding conditioner will only weigh it down,” says Nader.