Of course you’ve noticed how much better your hair looks after a professional blow-dry, but have you ever considered that it’s actually the way in which your hair is washed that lays the foundation for a great hair day? Turns out there is a right and wrong way to wash your hair; here’s how to master the ritual…

Step 1

Brush your hair when dry. When hair is wet its capacity to stretch is further increased, but there is a danger of overstretching the hair shaft, causing irreversible damage and breakage. In order to avoid this and to preserve hair fibre integrity, start your ritual by gently brushing your hair from the ends upwards to coax out tangled strands – rather than during the conditioning stage or post washing.

Step 2

Dial down water temperature. Ditch hot water as this can strip the hair of natural oils and moisture, making it brittle and prone to breakage. Wet your scalp with lukewarm water to facilitate the opening of the hair cuticle and use a gentle cleanser like the Aquavol Shampoo to penetrate the cortex in order to clean the hair. If your hair is chemically treated or coloured then opt for cool to cold water to keep the cuticle closed, which will help to retain colour and reduce fading.

Step 3

Master the massage. If you have fine hair use a cherry tomato size amount of shampoo, and for thicker or extra dirty hair go up to a walnut sized dose dispensed directly into the palm of your hands. Using the tips of the fingers, gently knead the scalp for 10-20 seconds, this will warm up the skin and increase blood flow. Follow with a circular kneading method that starts at the edge of the hairline, working towards the crown. This will stimulate the lymphatic drainage that starts at the periphery of the scalp, increasing blood and nutrient flow to the hair follicle and allowing the active ingredients in your shampoo to penetrate deep into the scalp. Continue to gently massage for 2-3 minutes, using the tips of your fingers being careful not to scratch into the scalp with your nails – as this can damage the scalp surface and hair shaft. Avoid ‘scrubbing’ the full length of your hair as the rising phase with ensure your shampoo cleanses down the hair shaft while avoiding unnecessary friction.

Step 4

Rinse with care. Rinse your hair thoroughly with cool or cold water (if you dare) and keep stroking the hair in a downward direction from root to tip. The cool/cold water and the downward stroking of the hair strands will help to seal the hair cuticle, making it lay flat and smooth and more shinny to boot.

Step 5

Don’t condition wet hair. Gently remove any excess water from your mane by gently blotting the hair with a dry towel. Don’t be overly enthusiastic here and aggressively rub the hair as this can inadvertently damage the hair shaft and follicle. Once damp apply your mask or conditioner by separating the hair into 4/5 sections and gently massaging your product in from the mid-length of the hair to the ends. Leave your conditioner in for 2/3 minutes and your mask for 5/15 before rinsing again with cool or cold water, using the downward stoking method.