You have probably done it a million times... or darn near close to a million times- shampoo your hair, that is.

Next time you are in the shower, remember these rules- your hair will thank you for it!

1- Never wet your hair before brushing out the tangles.

Wet hair stretches, knots and breaks. Dry hair is much stronger and releases from tangles better. So avoid breakage by pre-treating your hair to a good ol' brush-out before the shower. (This stimulates your scalp and encourage blood flow too... double bonus!)

2- Never apply shampoo until you've loosened up your scalp

and thoroughly saturated your hair with water. Go ahead and get in there with the pads of your fingers (not your finger nails) and vigorously massage the scalp. Not only does it feel good, but it loosens up the oils and buildup on your scalp so that the shampoo can lift away the buildup and carry it down the drain.

3- Never apply shampoo to the ends of your hair.

Shampoo is designed to clean the scalp and roots of hair where natural oils buildup. The mid-shaft and ends of the hair will get cleaned by default as the shampoo is rinsed out, so focus on the roots and avoid drying out the ends with excess cleansing.

4- Never apply conditioner to the roots of your hair.

Conditioner is designed to rebuild the moisture in your hair that is lost with heat styling etc. However the natural oils from your scalp will do the job at the roots, so focus the conditioner from the mid-shaft down and you'll get a lasting style with more volume.

5- Never wash hair with hot, hot water.

Think of your hair as fabric, let's say it's your favorite shirt... Now imagine what would happen to your shirt if you washed it with harsh detergent and HOT water every single day. The shirt would fade, loose it's shape, and loose it's luster- right? These principles apply to your hair as well- cooler water and higher quality shampoo will protect the color and luster much longer.

*Bonus-

Never use a towel to muss-dry your hair. You know what I'm talking about... quickly rubbing the towel in back-and-forth or in circular motions to remove moisture. This type of drying just causes breakage and knotting- so don't do it! Gently squeeze excess water out in downward motions to keep the hair cuticle going in the downward (closed) position. This will lead to shinier and healthier hair.

Here is to your best hair health!

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