While I was cutting one of my clients hair last week, we were discussing shampoos - ones that she has tried and liked, and others that she did not care for. She was having problems with her hair tangling after she shampoos. She was doing all the right things, like sleeping in a hair masque, and or using a conditioner after she shampooed. But what we discovered, was that she was only shampooing once, not twice, after going 2-3 days between shampoos. Sometimes, we as stylists, take for granted the client not knowing the basics. If you go 2 or more days in between shampooing, you need to shampoo twice, then follow up with a conditioner or masque. If you go up to a week or more, you may need to shampoo 3 times.
For example, I have a client who has very thick, course, naturally curly hair. She is active in golf and tennis daily, and needs 3 shampoos. This is why:
The first shampoo will not lather due to the amount of oil and dirt that is in the hair. This shampoo is only intended to start the process of removing dirt and oils from the hair, and not to thoroughly cleanse the hair. This shampoo shouldn't take very long either, maybe 30 seconds.
The second shampoo is the true cleansing shampoo. You should see and feel more of the shampoo lathering. If you don't, DO NOT add more shampoo, add a little more water on your hair. Oribe is what we use in our salon, and it is very concentrated (less is more) meaning it goes further if you emulsify (break it down) in your hands first, before putting it on your hair. By adding additional water, it will lather more so you don't need to add additional shampoo to properly clean your hair. This shampoo should last about 1 minute, using your fingertips - not nails. Rinse your hair in cool water (Blog: Why Do I Need to Shampoo With Cold Water?) until it is squeaky. Yes! You can hear it squeak! This can take up to a minute depending on the length and thickness of your hair.
Finish with an everyday conditioner or masque. It is important to go back to the basics on shampooing properly, not only to help with your hair tangling, but to also have healthy hair. It starts with a healthy scalp.
(Pictured from left to right: Oribe's Serene Scalp Shampoo, Run-Through Detangling Shampoo, & Moisture and Control Shampoo.)