Shampoo or Conditioner First: Does the Order Matter?

If it's hair wash day when you hop in the shower, it seems natural to grab your bottle of shampoo before reaching for the conditioner. After all, it makes sense that we want to clean our hair and then seal it.

Introduction

When we shampoo our hair, the shampoo gently lifts the cuticle of our hair strands to remove dirt and oils from our scalp and hair. A raised cuticle can equal tangled hair, especially if we have drier hair.

Most of us going through the aging process will experience dry hair at one point or another. This means that using a conditioner is mandatory! Conditioner smooths the cuticle of our hair strands, sealing in moisture.

Now that we've explained how shampoo and conditioner work, this is where things get interesting. Could there be a positive effect of using conditioner before washing your hair?

Just like most questions in the beauty world, there is no single answer to whether or not we use shampoo before conditioner or vice versa. Today, Better Not Younger looks at who might benefit from using conditioner before shampooing and whether the order of your hair washing routine really matters.

What happens if you use conditioner before shampooing?

Shampoo is a product used to clean the hair and scalp. We all know this very well! Shampoo can remove excess dirt, oil and build-up on our scalp and hair with the help of surfactants and detergents. The foaming effect of the shampoo opens the cuticle of our hair, allowing it to be cleansed before conditioning.

Once we have washed our hair, we should always apply conditioner. Conditioner is a product that will moisturize and nourish. Conditioner provides nutrients and moisture that may have been naturally lost or removed during the shampooing process.

Conditioners do not have any cleansing properties, but on the other hand, some shampoos may contain mild conditioning elements. As we age, a good rule of thumb is to gravitate toward moisturizing products, whether they're shampoos or conditioners.

The idea of ​​shampoo before conditioner is that the shampoo will first clean your hair and remove dirt, debris, and excess oil. Once the shampoo is lathered, massaged into the scalp and rinsed, the conditioner is applied.

The conditioner will provide vitamins and oils to restore moisture and body to the hair. Caution: Conditioner should only be applied to the hair strands, as conditioner on the scalp can cause buildup. The conditioner is washed off; hair should be dried for best results.

Using conditioner before shampooing will have different results for different people. This variation is how your hair and scalp normally react to the traditional method of shampooing before applying conditioner.

If your hair is becoming greasy, greasy, weighed down or lacking volume, you might want to make a change. Try going from shampoo to conditioner in reverse order: use your conditioner first.

Using conditioner before shampooing can be beneficial for aging hair. Aging hair is particularly dry and brittle, making it easily breakable and prone to split ends. This means that with every shampoo, dry hair can become even drier if it is not properly hydrated during and after.

This drying effect can be amplified when using products not designed to be gentle on aging hair. Adding conditioner to dry hair will not completely repair the damage caused. Using specialized products to be gentle on aging hair is a key part of having healthier hair.

Are there any benefits to washing your hair inside out?

For those who find the traditional order leaves their hair greasy and weighed down, reversing it has many benefits. However, reversing the order of conditioner before shampoo should only be used about once a week. The typical shampoo method should be used every time you wash your hair during the week.

One of the main reasons to reverse the order of conditioner when washing hair is to protect the strands. Brittle, dry hair prone to breakage can be stripped of all the natural oils that prevent it from getting worse. Removing oils further by using shampoo can compromise the integrity of your hair.

Using conditioner first can create a barrier around your hair strands. When shampoo is applied with this method, it will not strip the natural oil like it did before. Instead, you're left with hair cleansed of dirt and debris while still feeling conditioned and nourished.

Conditioning first can also help the shampoo be distributed evenly throughout your hair strands instead of being localized in one spot. When you shower with conditioner, you may notice that it takes a little time to rinse it out completely.

Conditioners have properties that coat it and distribute it easily throughout the hair. A little conditioner can go a long way compared to shampoo! The shampoo tends not to spread as easily and stays more localized.

Using conditioner first can allow the shampoo to distribute evenly to all parts of the hair strands. This method prepares your hair for a more even clean.

How to reverse shampoo?

Reversing the order of shampoo and conditioner has special considerations that separate this technique from the normal shampoo-first method.

First, you should apply just enough conditioner to cover your hair strands, avoiding the scalp. Too much conditioner on the scalp can cause irritation and blockages in the hair follicle. This can inhibit hair growth and cause a rash.

Next, apply the shampoo to the leave-in conditioner and lather. Once you've finished soaping, the final step is to rinse your hair as you normally would. If you need to dry your hair, it's best to use a towel and dry it. It's never a good idea to tie your hair up or be rough with it!

Using a gentle shampoo and conditioner also means being gentle with your hair afterwards. Remember that this conditioning method does not have to be a daily or every time approach. Instead, the conditioner first method should be used as needed while using the shampoo first method about 90% of the time you wash your hair.

Conclusion

The order of shampoo then conditioner, or conditioner then shampoo, makes a difference. Many people can enjoy the benefits of changing up their hair washing routine by adding a night or two of conditioning to the start of their week.