Do you know when or how often you should wash your hair?

Confused about all the conflicting information of when or how often you should shampoo your hair, Gary Russell Creative Director of The Chapel Hair Salon (http://www.thechapel.co.uk/) offers his expert advice:

We all know that everyone's hair is different. So when looking for a shampoo, you need one that suits your hair. Many with thick hair think they have to shampoo more regularly. But actually the only time you may have to shampoo more often is if your hair and scalp are more likely to get oily. If this is the case use the palm of you hands and not your finger tips as this will decrease the risk of over stimulating the oil glands.



There is no real difference between male and female hair, the main reason that we use different shampoos and conditioners is because the textures are different, or if the hair is colour. You also have to consider subtle things like smell, sounds silly but it can make all the difference.



If we use a lot of hairspray, or for men Gel or wax, this can be difficult to remove sometimes. A couple of way's to help get rid of a build up is to either apply your first shampoo on dry hair and continue to massage throughout (this should pick up most of the product as the shampoo is not watered down) then rinse and shampoo and condition as normal. Or if there is loats of build up on the hair go for a clarifying shampoo like Redken's hair cleansing cream, this will remove any excess product. Do not use it every time its best to alternate with your regular shampoo.



The belief is to not shampoo your hair for up to 6 weeks and the hair will cleanse itself with the natural oils we were born to have. I have seen some people do this and yes there has been a success or so they say. However if your hair is very long its harder for this to happen than the people with shorter hair. Also just a warning your pillow case will smell for that 6 week term and if you use products for styling this would have to stop, result un-styled smelly people.ha ha



If we are in the habit of washing your hair everyday then always use shampoo and conditioner unless you are dampening down to re-style for the day which is possible to do.

We should use conditioner every time we shampoo this is to give the hair nourishment and also to smooth the cuticle down to show healthy shiny hair. Although in saying this if you have no colour and its not dry and very short then you can get away with not....but it's still always good to protect the hair.

If someone comes in with hair that has been chemically processed, we have to go for the shampoo and conditioner that fits. For example if coloured go for a shampoo for coloured hair it will also give you longevity with the colour you have paid out for as well as add proteins to replace what the chemical process removed. As colours have become more intense, richer and more vibrant they are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. After only a couple of washes many people find their colour starts to fade or change significantly. Reds are the worst culprit for fading, whilst brunettes can become wishy-washy and blondes more brassy.



Washing your everyday is ok with the right products.However when it comes to drying it with a hair-dryer or styling with straighteners etc make sure you use a heat protector. Redken's Pillow Proof creme is great as it protects the hair up to 450 degrees of heat, speeds up your drying time and works with a dry shampoo that will help your blow-dry last an extra 2 days so you don't have to shampoo and re-style everyday.



Unwashed hair is not always a bad thing. There are times when dirty hair is just what you need to create the ultimate updo, or to achieve a tousled, lived-in look.
It is good to wash your hair less often, so why not get creative with styles that embrace unwashed hair.



http://www.thechapel.co.uk/