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Pink_Tea
October 26th, 2016, 05:48 AM
Hi everyone,

Just wondering do you wash the ends always or just the scalp area?

I have fine hair and I use silicone conditioner which I only use on the mid-length to the ends. My scalp gets oily fast so I have to wash pretty frequently. I always use silicone conditioner each wash.

If I wash only the scalp, should I skip the silicone conditioner? How often should I use the conditioner?

lapushka
October 26th, 2016, 07:09 AM
It depends on what week it is. I wash weekly. Sometimes shampoo is put directly on the lengths, other times the suds just travel down. I try to interchange, but it depends on my mood largely.

I think to prevent mechanical wear & tear, conditioner at all times is necessary. I get tangles if I don't use conditioner. YMMV. You'll have to experiment a little for yourself, there is no one way or the highway. :)

Kamille
October 26th, 2016, 07:15 AM
I usually only wash my scalp, but since I have been using olive oil that stays in my hair for longer than I want, I think I need to wash my length once in a while as well.

sarahthegemini
October 26th, 2016, 07:19 AM
I lather up on my scalp and bring the suds down. My length gets greasy just as quick as my scalp so I need a thorough wash every other day.

Kajzh
October 26th, 2016, 07:43 AM
I wash just the scalp, because it's not realistic to wash the ends of locks every wash day .... My hair is made of knots, so sebum doesn't even travel far past the roots (gravity, heh).

Once every 4-8 weeks, I'll use a clarifying shampoo and wash my hair from root to tip, and soak it in piping hot vinegar for 30 minutes to deep clean it though.

Anje
October 26th, 2016, 09:55 AM
Most washes, I just wash near the scalp. Every few weeks, I'll make a point of shampooing the length and ends with my diluted shampoo too. I condition from the ears down, every wash, often with a light silicone conditioner. My occasional shampooing (and the specific silicone I'm using) generally keeps buildup at bay. Every several months, I'll use a full strength or clarifying shampoo from root to tip.

Annalouise
October 26th, 2016, 10:13 AM
Firstly, how long is your hair? If you hair is long you can just hold it out of the water and just wash your head. Therefore, you can leave the length alone and you don't have to wash it or condition it. You can even keep it dry if you put a plastic bag over it. Or you can just get it wet with water.
If your hair is shorter and you're not able to hold it out of the wash, then you might want to not condition it everyday because silicone conditioner will build up on the hair leaving you with crunchy dry hair over time. This is combated by washing the length with a sulphate to remove buildup.
You might want to consider a lighter non silicone conditioner that you can use on your length everyday that won't build up. That way you can smother the length with that and then just wash your scalp with shampoo every day or every second day. You have options.:toast:

Larki
October 26th, 2016, 10:32 AM
I just recently started doing scalp only washes: I'm doing a full wash twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, and scalp-only when needed in between. I have a shower cap that I put on and clip into place with my bangs and crown exposed.

mira-chan
October 26th, 2016, 10:56 AM
I let the shampoo run down the length when washing, and always use conditioner after.

I have done many attempts as scalp washing, all of them failed ones. Either it doesn't clean the scalp well, dries into gooey seaweed hair or is all severely tangly after. That's with a hand held shower head too. It's a no go for now, for me. I certainly have hair long enough to keep out of the way of the water, so that's not the issue.

animetor7
October 26th, 2016, 11:01 AM
My length gets washed with some suds every week, but I use an exceedingly gentle shampoo bar, so I don't feel like it's damaging. When I used liquid shampoo I would only suds the length about once a month if that. I also lather my length when I'm clarifying because I like to use cones in my length and the point of clarifying is to remove buildup like this from the hair. :)

Groovy Granny
October 26th, 2016, 11:07 AM
I shampoo 1-2x/week; shampooing the scalp and then working the suds down the length/rinse.
Conditioner is then applied from the ears down, and wet brushed from the scalp to the ends to detangle.
Let it sit a few minutes/rinse.

I have fine silver and my hair LOVES cones.

Larki
October 26th, 2016, 11:12 AM
My length gets washed with some suds every week, but I use an exceedingly gentle shampoo bar, so I don't feel like it's damaging. When I used liquid shampoo I would only suds the length about once a month if that. I also lather my length when I'm clarifying because I like to use cones in my length and the point of clarifying is to remove buildup like this from the hair. :)

Can I ask which brand of shampoo bar you use? Do you use conditioner afterwards, or vinegar?

Shiranshoku
October 26th, 2016, 01:27 PM
I scalp wash occasionally, but tend to get tangles where the part that staid dry meets the part that got wet.

So I usually do a full wash, where I first wet my hair, apply conditioner from the ears down, shampoo the scalp and then rinse both out. I only ever shampoo the length when I've done a particularly heavy oiling.

mizukitty
October 26th, 2016, 01:44 PM
My scalp demands being washed every other day and I alternate those days between scalp only (length kept dry with a plastic cap) and a normal wash. I never really deliberately rub my length with shampoo unless I'm clarifying or chelating. The diluted shampoo is fine since I don't use cones 😊

vampyyri
October 26th, 2016, 01:55 PM
I wash my scalp every other day, and my bangs daily. My hair gets a full wash twice a week. All with clarifying shampoo as I'm super oily.

Kat-Rinnè Naido
October 26th, 2016, 01:57 PM
I wash while I shower.
I wash my scalp only. Then finger separate my curls in the shower under running water. I do not condition. As I use a leave-in conditioner as soon as I am done. But then again I do not use shampoo. I do an ACV rinse. I try to avoid manipulating my hair as I have very fine strands

Flipgirl24
October 26th, 2016, 06:20 PM
It depends on what week it is. I wash weekly. Sometimes shampoo is put directly on the lengths, other times the suds just travel down. I try to interchange, but it depends on my mood largely.

I think to prevent mechanical wear & tear, conditioner at all times is necessary. I get tangles if I don't use conditioner. YMMV. You'll have to experiment a little for yourself, there is no one way or the highway. :)

Sorry for a little detour but what does YMMV stand for? (I know I'm goto be smacking my head when you tell me!)

mira-chan
October 26th, 2016, 06:24 PM
Sorry for a little detour but what does YMMV stand for? (I know I'm goto be smacking my head when you tell me!)

Your Milage May Vary = YMMV

Flipgirl24
October 26th, 2016, 06:30 PM
Your Milage May Vary = YMMV

Ah I see! Thank you!

Stormynights
October 26th, 2016, 06:45 PM
I seldom wash my length but when I do it is in a loose braid. I shampoo more often in the summer month and I often use a pony dry to keep my ends dry because my hair is very porus and takes forever to dry.

RavenRose
October 26th, 2016, 07:02 PM
I wash my scalp/bangs every other day, occasionally stretching it a day if I am home and not going anywhere. I do get my whole length wet, and do let the suds run down the length when rinsing out. I usually end up lapping the conditioner over the bottom of the shampooed area (between ears and nap) to finger comb out the tangles. At least once a week I purposely wash the whole length and clarify the whole length every other week since I do use cones/protein and they have a tendency to build up, and my daily shampoo is sulfate free.

sumidha
October 26th, 2016, 07:36 PM
I apply shampoo to my scalp, and squish it through the length as I'm rinsing it out, every time I wash, then condition from the ears down (and a tiny bit on the canopy hairs). Unless you're noticing build up, the conditioner is probably fine...

animetor7
October 26th, 2016, 07:45 PM
Can I ask which brand of shampoo bar you use? Do you use conditioner afterwards, or vinegar?
I use the Coconut Milk Chagrin Valley shampoo bars. I follow it up with a very dilute white vinegar rinse and add a lot of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner. Truth be told though, I'm more concerned about harsher cleansers in terms of how my eczema will react than their affect on my hair. Many people use detergents(like SLS) and grow beautiful long hair, I just can't because that will cause an eczema flare up. Good luck on your long hair journey!!!

lulikrueger
October 26th, 2016, 08:05 PM
I have really fine hair and I'll only stretch the shampoo to the lengths and ends when I think I over-oiled it. Besides, unless I'm co washing, I always pre-poo the very ends. Also, I run like hell from silicone, it leaves my hair - even - flatter.
I always condition it, though.

trolleypup
October 26th, 2016, 09:34 PM
Weekly wash, focusing on the scalp, hair is wetted and scalp wash shampoo runs down to the ends, conditioner on the length, vinegar rinse at the end to keep the scalp happy, coarse hair isn't very sensitive to the routine.

school of fish
October 26th, 2016, 10:10 PM
My hair likes intervention ;)

I wash every day, alternating one day shampoo & conditioner and the next day conditioner only. I've tried all kinds of wash stretching experiments but have come to the conclusion that my hair is just is happiest with washing and lots of it! :)

Every wash is root-to-tip - shampoo down to the ends and conditioner up to the scalp. Yup, I do the head, the tail, the whole damn thing, hahaha!! :p

Bea18
October 27th, 2016, 03:21 PM
I only shampoo the scalp, rinse then conditioner in the ends, only the ends.

zashin66
November 1st, 2016, 07:15 PM
Weekly wash, focusing on the scalp, hair is wetted and scalp wash shampoo runs down to the ends, conditioner on the length, vinegar rinse at the end to keep the scalp happy, coarse hair isn't very sensitive to the routine.

I bought a whole gallon of Apple cider vinegar but I keep wondering if my head is going to smell like that after I finish. Do you have any problems that way?

Anje
November 1st, 2016, 07:29 PM
I bought a whole gallon of Apple cider vinegar but I keep wondering if my head is going to smell like that after I finish. Do you have any problems that way?
Most of us dilute the vinegar quite a bit. How much tends to depend on the person (and probably more specifically, their local water). 1:4 vinegar in water is super strong, 1:10 is probably more average, but you'll see tons of people who do like a Tablespoon of vinegar in a quart of water. Rinse out or leave in as you prefer, the smell tends to fade as it dries.

Olavi
November 2nd, 2016, 05:58 AM
Normally just the scalp, as I don't use conditioner and washing ends too every time (about every third or fourth day) would dry them up too much. I wash ends only when I clarify about once a month,

Gothic
November 2nd, 2016, 06:19 AM
I wash my entire lenght but only because my hair is collarbone lenght and the shampoo flows down to the ends anyway:/

Mrstran
November 2nd, 2016, 09:14 AM
After my extremely heavy week long oil treatment I do. (Essential to roots, soaking oils to length) I clairify my entire length & scalp (it's a must after that!)

Every day when I'm not doing my week long treatment, I still have to keep a decent amount of oil on my hair. I wash my roots every ten days or so with a clairifying shampoo and let it run to my ends.

* This is what works for my dry damaged hair. I imagine on healthy hair that this may be too much oil, and may have to be washed off the ends as well as scalp on a weekly basis.

Saldana
November 2nd, 2016, 10:22 AM
I generally S/C twice a week, on Wednesdays and either Saturday or Sunday. Unless I have a really heavy oil treatment in my hair, I shampoo my scalp only, and rinse the suds through my length. Then, if I have time, conditioner on the length, then rinse. And that's it!

EbonyCurls
November 2nd, 2016, 11:58 AM
Just scalp. Except when I clarify on the 1st wash of each month.

Cg
November 2nd, 2016, 01:59 PM
Scalp once per week, everything once per month.

Andthetalltrees
November 2nd, 2016, 02:34 PM
I wash everything. When I experimented only washing my scalp awhile ago the rest of my hair got weird(Build up?) so it's easier just to wash everything; Especially now since it's only shoulder

luxurioushair
November 2nd, 2016, 05:25 PM
Scalp most of the time. II'll use a tiny bit of shampoo on the length once every few months to avoid any product buildup.

Dark40
February 5th, 2017, 04:49 PM
I usually wash both of scalp and length but mostly my scalp, and just let the suds travel down the length. As you rinse it will cleanse the whole length but yes. I second the silicone conditioner after every wash. I'm likelapushka. If I don't condition afterwards my hair gets matted and tangled.

bparnell75
February 5th, 2017, 06:20 PM
My hair is tailbone and I suds the scalp and condition the length and let it soak in while I wash the rest of my body. Rinsing out haor is the last thing I do. 2X weekly. Hair has stayed soft with no splits for 5 years now. I do occasionally put a little oil on the ends just for good measure. I need cones.

VersLaLumière
February 5th, 2017, 09:18 PM
It was my hairdresser who first advised me to stop shampooing the entire length of my hair every time I wash. I was complaining of dryness and she said she thought that I was probably over-shampooing past the neck (turns out she was right). Now for most washes I just wash the scalp and let the suds travel down, rinse, then condition from ear to ends. Every fourth wash or so, I go ahead and shampoo the entire length. Or I'll wash through to the ends if I can just tell it has too much oil, or buildup.

truepeacenik
February 5th, 2017, 10:10 PM
I apply very diluted shampoo to my scalp twice a week or slightly less. The length gets incidental rinse-off one of those times.
I clarify about twice in three months, on average.
My conditioner isn't coney.

mayfaring
February 5th, 2017, 10:44 PM
I CWC, so everything other than scalp is somewhat protected by conditioner. The suds travel down, but I don't lather the length. I follow that with coney conditioner.

JillRenee
February 7th, 2017, 09:50 PM
I really just concentrate on the scalp. The ends just have to be happy with whatever shampoo runs down on them.😀

dvep
February 8th, 2017, 12:10 AM
Same as above. I focus on the scalp, and wash my length with whatever suds are leftover.