Hair-Care Lessons

How to Wash and Condition Your Hair

Rub a quarter-size dollop of shampoo in your palms with a little water to create lather. But don’t charge right in and start scrubbing. First pat your hands over your head to distribute the shampoo evenly, says Wendy Bélanger, the global artistic director of Pureology Serious Colour Care.
Work the shampoo in with your fingertips (they won’t scratch the scalp the way nails can), then rinse with warm water.

Gather your hair into a ponytail in one hand and apply conditioner to the tail only. Even for people with short hair, this is generally the only part that needs additional hydration.

Extra credit: Hair can become dry if you shampoo more than a few times a week. If you simply must wash it every day (because you exercise daily or your hair is very fine and tends to get greasy), flip your routine and condition first. Apply conditioner all over (don’t rinse it out yet), then add a small amount of shampoo and work it through. After the conditioner’s moisturizing ingredients sink in, the shampoo shouldn’t remove too much oil, says New York City–based celebrity stylist Mark Garrison. Rinse and you’re done for the day.

How to Apply Dry Shampoo

“Use a powder dry shampoo if your hair is medium to thick,” says Edgar Parra, a stylist at the Sally Hershberger salon in New York City. “An aerosol, which goes on much lighter and adds volume, is better for finer hair.”

Separate your hair into two- to four-inchwide sections. From about six inches away, sprinkle or spray the product onto the roots, where oil can build up.
Massage the product into your scalp as if you’re shampooing. Style as usual.
Extra credit: In a pinch, try cornstarch, an ingredient in many dry shampoos.