I’m sure you recognize “Lather, Rinse, Repeat” as the directions on the back of your shampoo bottle. But, why is that so important to shampoo twice? Owner of Dimensions Salon & Spa, Linda, gives us the low-down.

The idea of the first step is not to wash your hair, but rather to clean your scalp and remove the sebum (oil) and product that has accumulated since your last shampoo. I like to use this analogy- if you were going to shampoo your rugs, wouldn’t you vacuum first? Of course you would! That is what we’re doing here. It’s a two-step process. We must shampoo, rinse, and repeat.

It is important to know that the shampoo will likely not produce a lot of lather during this first step. No need to add more shampoo! The type of shampoo you use will determine the amount of lather that you achieve. Your Aveda shampoo and other professional shampoos will lather less than drugstore brands, as drug store brands typically include more “bubble making” agents to create lather. We will explain why that is in September’s E-news. Stay tuned! Until then, try to focus less on lather and more on really working the product onto your scalp. The amount of shampoo you need depends on the length and density of your hair and the brand of shampoo that you are using.

Now it’s time to re-shampoo and rinse the remainder of your hair. Aveda shampoos are more concentrated and allow you to use less shampoo. Drug store shampoos, which are more watered down, will require more product. You will notice that the shampoo should lather up more than it did in the first step.

I shampoo my hair every three or four days, so I usually repeat twice, or as many times as it takes until my hair and scalp feel clean. Follow up with a conditioner that’s appropriate for your hair type.

What beauty questions do you have for Linda? Email Linda at linda@dimensionsdws.com and your question may be answered in the September E-news. Have a beautiful day!