Share: how exactly are you washing your hair?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all can have a shampoo station right at home? That’s such a nice idea isn’t it? And if you can get some help to wash your hair from the back of the station, that’s such a luxury! But even if you can’t get help, it is still possible to shampoo your hair on your own, as long as you can reach out for the shower head. Okay, enough of wishful thinking there but I reckon having a shampoo station is probably the best way to wash my hair daily because it appears that I’ve not been washing my hair the correct way, according to shampoo tips I’ve gleaned from a Chinese magazine.

Roughening the hair cuticles?
According to the magazine, the right way to wash our hair is to tilt our head backwards. I’ve been doing the exact opposite for eons because I always bend my head down when I’m washing my hair. I’ve tried to tilt my hair back but I just find it a hassle to keep the water dripping down my face. However, washing my hair with my head down means that I’m probably roughening the hair cuticles since I’m literally washing them in the opposite direction.

Your say
So today’s question is one that everyone can answer…unless you don’t wash your hair at all? So come on, feed my curiosity. How exactly do you wash your hair? Do you wash with your head bent down, with your head tilted back, or maybe with the head tilted sideways? Or some other creative ways that I can’t even think of.

Comments

  1. Frond says:

    I wet my hair first without wetting my face using a shower handle and tilting my head backwards… I find that way, there’s less chance of drips on my face… then I apply shampoo… adding a little water to help it emulsify. I basically only rub the shampoo into my scalp area and only push the suds through the rest of the hair. Because the hair isn’t dripping wet, there are no drips on my face to speak of and I leave the shampoo to sit while I wash the rest of me… then come back and rinse everything off. I’ve taught my girl this technique and she’s quite happy using it too.

    I’m using LolitaNewYork’s miracle protein in my shampoo so I don’t need to condition after.

  2. Nikki says:

    I tilt my head backward and wet my hair, I mix the shampoo with water and gently massage onto the roots going further down to the tips of the hair.

    Once I make sure all sides or areas are covered, I wash it and apply conditioner on the middle portion of hair to the tips and tie it in a bun and wash the rest of my body leaving the conditioner for a couple of minutes ?

  3. TheUndercoverGypsy says:

    Head tilted back, always tilted back. We really don’t notice these things until they’re pointed out as incorrect, don’t we? ?

    I once read an article about treating hair the same way you would while washing an expensive silk garment (no abrasive motions, scratching etc.) which also listed this head tilted back tip, along with not specifically washing (as in using a fresh dollop of shampoo on) the ends of the hair and instead let the suds just drip down and take care of them and that it’s always advisable to buy a shampoo that treats the scalp and a conditioner that takes care of the hair needs.

  4. fwy says:

    I wet my hair 1st, then apply shampoo & at the same time tilt my head backwards. I massage my scalp as I wash my hair. I know some people wash their hair over their washing basin & that’s why they need to tilt their head forward.

  5. xin says:

    wooohoo i wash my hair correctly by tilting backwards? i usually foam up in my palm first before it touches my head. but im still losing hair =/

  6. Jien says:

    Hahaha, interesting article you found! But I wash my hair straight up! Does it count as bad too? I close my eyes so I don’t worry about suds invading my eyes, as well as face the shower.

  7. Tine says:

    Gee, I’ve never actually thought to describe it since it’s second nature to me ? Let’s see, I’m up straight, squirt in shampoo, wash my hair upright, massage the scalp, rinse and then add conditioner, till upright.

  8. sesame says:

    Wow, you’ve got a shampoo regime that you pass down to your daughter? That’s cute. I’ve tried their miracle protein but am not so hot about it…my bestie like it though.

  9. sesame says:

    I do most of what you do the opposite way but somewhere along the way, my head is straight up for awhile.

  10. sesame says:

    Yeah…I have no idea why I wash my hair this way. It seems to stem from the way I was taught to blow my hair when I was young. But funnily, I no longer blow my hair with my head bend down but I still wash my hair this way. Actually, the suds don’t drip on my face while I’m standing upright but I’ll naturally bend my head down when washing. I did try to wash with my head tilted backwards but found it so odd…guess it’s hard to break an old habit.

  11. sesame says:

    No, I don’t wash my hair over a washing basin but I just naturally bend my head down.

  12. sesame says:

    You are? Have you tried to determine the cause?

  13. sesame says:

    Well, it’s okay if you wash your face last cos you’ll then wash away residue is left on your face from your shampoo.

  14. sesame says:

    So the shampoo or water might drip over your face? I think this was how I bathed when I was much younger.

  15. Alexandra says:

    Oh no, I’ve been washing my hair head bend down all these while. But lately, I will tilt my head sideways during rinsing time to avoid shampoo or conditioner residue streaming down my face.

  16. Miss Vinny says:

    Hmm, I’ve tried washing my hair, with my head backwards of course but the “don’t wash the hair ends” tip is a bit difficult for those with short hair. I think that’s more for those with medium to long hair. ?

  17. Miss Vinny says:

    Btw, forgot to ask:

    what is a good oil for using as a serum under a sunscreen? My current face sunscreen is too drying and I’m developing eczema reactions(red, swollen, itchiness, etc.), as a result. However, I’m reluctant to try more brands cos this one actually stays on my face, even after an intense session of aerobics dance. I’ve very oily and very sensitive skin, btw.

  18. RedScorpio says:

    I used to wash my hair bending downwards over the bathtub but the longer my hair was getting, the more difficult it was for me to detangle it afterwards (I have long, fine, curly hair). And my back was hurting too!

    So I changed my routine some years back and ever since I wash my hair _in_ the bathtub, standing up, head tilted slightly backwards. It’s much easier (I can even do it if I have just eaten!) and I think better for my hair. Only drawback I cannot rinse with cold water, because I hate cold water running in my back! ?

  19. sesame says:

    So you’re the same like me. Your hair is longer though. I’m wondering if my hair would look smoother if I wash my hair with my head tilted backwards instead. But then again, if it’s too smooth, I won’t get much volume.

  20. sesame says:

    Yup…true. I can’t find my ends. LOL.

  21. sesame says:

    Red Raspberry Seed oil. Marie Veronique Organics also sell as Sun Protection oil with a mix of oils that offer some UV protection. Or read this post where I covered the different SPF offered by oils. https://www.vivawoman.net/2010/04/05/getting-sun-protection-from-natural-ingredients/

  22. sesame says:

    Hmm…I tried to do that this morning but still can’t get the hang of it…I shall have to try again. Anyway, I have short hair so tangles are not a concern for me.

  23. xin says:

    i have tried, suspected it’s hormonal. have tried many shampoos etc. based on the daily fall, it seems like a normal amount that anyone else will have. but but but it doesnt seem like they are growing back ?

  24. Issa says:

    I sometimes wash my hair with my head straight up or sometimes my head is tilted a liitle bit backwards… nice to know I’m doing the right thing! ?

  25. Pollya says:

    It’s funny, I’ve always washed my hair with head tilted back, and I thought this was the most natural thing to do, and I never imagined people could wash otherwise! (unless you wash over a sink, then definitely have to bend forward). That’s why I always had difficulty understanding why some people have issues with shampoo “contaminating” their faces, hmmm… Maybe it’s because I’ve always had long hair swept back, so washing-wise, I just follow the “direction” of the hair (i.e. backwards) ?

  26. Swati says:

    wow!!! I can’t think how can I keep my head bent backwards for that much time and probably I’ll forget it too but isn’t it same like keeping the head straight…of course you shouldn’t bend the head forward though…that creates tangles too!!! nice tip ?

  27. Ann says:

    I wash my hair with shampoo diluted in water….depends once or twice on how greasy is the hair. I always keep my head bent backwards and then massage the hair and scalp……..I don’t care if there is lather or not cause massaging itself is dissolving all the nasty bits in hair…..then I wash my hair and apply the conditioner from mid to ends, not on scalp, with a big comb I usually comb through and then leave it for 5 mins until I use the body wash…….and finally rinse hair , still with my head bent backwards. I started doing this cause I felt the dirt/oils and shampoo/conditioner from hair was causing some probs in my eyes/lash line. Secondly it’s easier to wash this way not tangling and pulling hair and cause damage. This really causes less split ends.

  28. Miss Vinny says:

    Hmm, okay. It looks like MilagroTrading doesn’t carry the red raspberry seed oil anymore.

    Any idea where else I can get it locally?

  29. sesame says:

    Not sure that The Skin Pharmacy carries this – the one at Nex and City Square Mall. I know they sell some ingredients but don’t seem to see carrier oils though.

  30. sesame says:

    Yup, I guess if you have longer hair, washing your hair this way will avoid tangles.

  31. sesame says:

    I guess I don’t notice the tangles cos my hair is short. But yeah, I find it hard to keep my head tilted back.

  32. sesame says:

    I have no idea…it’s really strange I started washing my hair this way. I think I was washing it this way even when I had long hair about 20 years back!

  33. sesame says:

    Yeah…

  34. Frond says:

    yeah I have friends who don’t like it too.. but for me, it works wonderfully… grew out my hair (without a cut/trim) for a year with no split ends at all. So I’m convinced it does help in terms of hair health.

    as for teaching my girl… if I don’t, who will? *grin*

  35. sesame says:

    I have a boy so his hair is short and washing is never an issue. I know some parents don’t teach…they leave it to their maids. And in this case, the maids won’t teach cos it’s just easy to wash it for them.

  36. Amanda says:

    It’s possible to shampoo your hair in a standing position without much dripping! All you have to do is to control the amount of water. I’ve done that in the past, but since I’ve changed my hair-washing habit (in the morning instead of at night), I now wash my hair with my head bending forward.

  37. sesame says:

    I tried the standing up with head tilted slightly back…ahhh…not used to it…keep wanting to bend my head down.

  38. Twyla says:

    I wash my hair in the shower. I don’t tip back and I don’t tip forward. I use bar shampoo rather than bottle because bottle means plastic and I am anti-plastic for the sake of my child’s future. I have frizzy rough nasty curls and before I switched to bar shampoo I had frizzy rough nasty curls. The products I use don’t seem to have an impact on my crap hair.

  39. Jyoan says:

    I tilt my head backwards, and adjust the angle of the shower. Then I stand at the distance that allows the water to only reach my hairline, so that the water doesn’t flow onto my face at all.

    I have been doing this for years. But when I were a kid, I did the forward way too.

  40. sesame says:

    I see…I can do it this way but with conscious effort. Tend to forget and bend forward if I’m in a hurry.

  41. sesame says:

    So I suppose you’re standing upright when you’re washing your hair?

  42. EcoBeauty says:

    When I was in high school and my hairnwas waist-length long, I used to flip it all forward while my head is bowed down ’cause I thought it was easier. But I realized that it seems to make my bath time longer so now I just tilt my head back and wash my hair as it falls naturally.

  43. sesame says:

    I think those with long hair would probably get them tangle up if they bend their head forward to wash their hair…tilting back seems to be more logical.

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