I was reading the other day an extraordinary thing about washing hair. It was written by someone at John Frieda, who does some marvellous kind of blow dry and she was saying that in order to prepare the hair for this blow dry she washes the hair in a very special way.
The hair isn’t scrubbed at in a big lathery mess, rather the shampoo is spread on it in sections. The theory is that the shampoo will clean the hair without it lathering up and rubbing at the hair causes breakages, knotting and a “roughing up” of the cuticle.
Hmm, I thought. This is interesting. I never gave my hair’s texture or quantity a minute’s thought until I turned 35 and noticed there was about 15% less of it than there usually was. Suddenly I was on high alert.
Anyway, this hair washing principle seemed rather sound and since then I have been washing my hair not quite in this way, but I have certainly started paying attention to how much I rub at my hair and I am trying to do it less.
(I must say, I have been having my hair cut at John Frieda since I was 26 and not once have they washed my hair in this precise section-smoothing way, but I suppose I only ever go for a cut-n-get-lost rather than a special occasion actual BLOW DRY - so what do I know?)
On hair-washing day I give my hair a good brush before washing it with a Mason Pearson brush and then one of those spiky Tangle Teezer things. Then I take the Tangle Teezer into the shower with me and brush the shampoo through my hair with it. I go in with my fingers round the back of my neck and then, as also instructed by the Blow Dry Queen at John Frieda in this thing I read, give myself as much of a scalp massage as I can be bothered with. I have absolutely noticed a reduction in fluffiness and frizziness with this regime.
So I’m not saying don’t rub at your hair and head when washing your hair, I’m saying do it less. I know it’s fun to get the shampoo all up into a big Mont Blanc meringue of foam and then squeeze it all out and hear it make that muffled splat onto the shower tray - it is a simple, childish pleasure in our otherwise very adult, belaboured lives - but just think of your roughed-up cuticles!
Meanwhile, if you can get away with it, shampoo your hair less, too. Every other wash just rinse it with water instead, as shampoo is the number one cause of fluffy, unmanageable hair. Most hair styling is just putting back some of the texture and silkiness that shampoo takes out. I know that some of you have very luxury routines with your hair that involve blow dries and Olaplex shampoo and so on and see no need to give it all up. But if you are not required to present Kate Middleton levels of hair at all times, give rinsing your hair with water a whirl. It’s not forever, but I think it gives your hair a bit of a break.
Although what we must avoid at all costs, of course, is becoming a Smelly Old Woman. I met a woman a few months ago who clearly thought that washing generally was a bit bourgeoise and she smelt. Not horribly, but just of person - of lightly unwashed person. It didn’t help that as well she was very argumentative and disagreeable. I do worry about being a Smelly Old Woman when I consider my new hair-washing attitude and I cannot trust any member of my family to be honest with me about the scent issue and it is just something to bear in mind.
On a completely different subject - I have just been made aware of quite game-changing sounding advancements in the area of mosquito bite prevention and cure. In prevention, there are these sticky patches that you can stick on children’s clothes (or yours) rather than the dreaded sundown Jungle Formula douche. The other is these hashtag-shaped post-bite patches that reduce itching and swelling. All four of the Corens are absolute mosquito magnets, we are caviar for those suckers and Sam in particular swells up like Violet Beauregarde when he gets a bite so I have invested in the whole lot in advance of our trip to Greece.
Sophie I am so so pleased! Just back from Greece and it was my saviour there! Have to keep using it as bite will itch the next day or so but it really helps. So glad! X
I've always had long hair and always swear by never brushing wet hair. Wet hair is at its weakest and easily damaged. I use a wide toothed comb to detangle it rather than a Tangle Teazer. I also love Aquis turban towels after washing my hair.