You've probably been washing your own hair for decades by now, right? You'd think you—and the other few billions of people on this planet—would have it down pat, but a Google search of "how often should I shampoo" yields more than 13 million results. Couple that with all the recent shampooing trends (read: co-washing, no-pooing), and suddenly, sudsing up is no longer child's play. That's why we asked top stylists (and one scalp expert!) to list the biggest myths about shampoo they wish people would stop believing.
By Renee Jacques, Allure
Myth:
You should wash your hair every day
By Renee Jacques, Allure
Myth:
You should wash your hair every day
"For the most part, washing your hair every day is not great. Washing daily produces more oil, and the hair gets even oilier, faster. People think that daily washing would help, but it actually has an adverse effect. Washing two or three times a week is good." —Teddy Charles, a hairstylist who works with Amber Heard and Taylor Swift.
Myth:
Shampooing will increase shedding
Myth:
Shampooing will increase shedding
"When you shampoo, all that sheds is what was supposed to shed that day (about 50 to 100 hairs). If you don't brush regularly, it may seem like more." —Francesca Fusco, a dermatologist and scalp expert in New York City.
Myth:
You should follow the instructions on the bottle and shampoo twice
Myth:
You should follow the instructions on the bottle and shampoo twice
"This is completely false unless you have a big buildup of product or dry shampoo in your hair." —Fusco.
Myth:
You should never use conditioner because it weighs your hair down
Myth:
You should never use conditioner because it weighs your hair down
"The truth is there are many different types of conditioners on the market. You just need to know which one is best for your hair. For example, if you have fine hair and want volume, my go to would be Matrix Biolage Volumebloom Shampoo and Conditioner. For color-treated hair, I love Matrix Biolage Colorlast Shampoo and Conditioner." —Nick Stenson, a hairstylist who works with Shay Mitchell and Rumer Willis.
Myth:
You should always use shampoo and conditioner that match
Myth:
You should always use shampoo and conditioner that match
"You can cocktail them. I'll use color-treating shampoo with volumizing conditioners for fine-haired redheads, or I'll use a smoothing shampoo and a moisturizing conditioner for thick, unruly, curly hair." —Matt Fugate, a hairstylist who works with Karlie Kloss and Cheryl Burke.
Myth:
You should always use shampoo before you use conditioner
Myth:
You should always use shampoo before you use conditioner
"You can reverse shampoo on days you want volume. Condition your ends for shine and health, then rinse, and then shampoo your roots for volume. Team that with a cold rinse to lock down the cuticles, and your hair is clean, shiny, and full of life." —Fugate.
Myth:
You need to shampoo curly hair
Myth:
You need to shampoo curly hair
"For thicker, curly, and coarser hair types, try co-washing, which is washing your hair with just conditioner. Curly hair tends to be drier, so you want to refrain from removing the natural oils from the scalp and hair. Try a product like Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner. It gently cleanses the hair and removes product buildup." —Lacey Redway, a hairstylist who works with Lupita Nyong'o and Maya Rudolph.
