Do you shampoo all of your hair or just your scalp?

[blackgothicdoll]

I have a habit that I can't seem to break of shampooing just my scalp, then adding more shampoo into my hands and squishing it through the rest of my hair. I always do it before I even realize I'm doing it. :lol: At first I thought it was fine because hey, my hair needs cleaning too, but is it possible I'm cleaning my hair too much and making it dry? I do oil treatments so I say I'm getting the oil off, but I guess what I'm really wondering is if I could get my hair just as clean by letting the suds run down?

[Ligeia Noire]

I do exactly that. I do not see any issues with it...I only wash once a week and use silicones, so i need my length properly cleaned too. If one washes more often and does not use silicones or heavy butters/creams maybe the suds from shampooing the scalp might be enough... not for me though.

[Begemot]

I can't avoid getting some shampoo water down my hair (I do pre-poo and CWC) but yeah, I try my best to keep shampoo close to my roots. I apply shampoo down my length too only when I clarify, which is once a month.

Let us know how your hair feels afterwards if/when you manage to break the habit and not shampoo all your hair! :D

edit. I usually wash twice a week with sulfate free shampoo.

[Strawonaberry]

I only shampoo my scalp and I have never had my length feel dirty :ponder:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I normally just shampoo my scalp, unless I am clarifying, which I do about every six weeks.

[SurprisingWoman]

I wash my scalp with anywhere from 3 to five squirts of Pantene (it's what I have now but I am a cone girl) and then scrub my scalp with my fingertips. After that I lean my head back and let the suds wash down through my length. I squish the water out from my scalp to the ends until it's completely rinsed. Then I put 5-7 squirts of Pantene conditioner on my length on one side, squishing it in and finger combing. Then I do the other side with more conditioner. Turn around, rinse with my head leaned back and put my hair up in claw clips to finish my shower.

I tried clarifying but my hair doesn't like it and I don't really have anything on my hair so I just leave it alone.

I don't really wash my ends but I don't freak about shampoo going through them.

[spidermom]

Most of the time I just concentrate my shampooing efforts at the scalp. The suds running down my length during the rinse is cleansing enough for most washings. I do shampoo from scalp to ends when I feel my hair needs to be clarified or if I've done an over-generous oiling.

[littlestarface]

Sometimes yea, especially when I want my hair more wurly like my sig picture.

[AmaryllisRed]

I just wash the scalp and let the suds run down.

[BerrySara]

I also only wash my scalp (massage it in) typically with no-poo or conditioner and occasionally with shampoo (Shea Moisture JBCO shampoo) and just let the suds run down as I hold my head under the shower head. I honestly don't shampoo very often - maybe once every month or every two months. I clarify even less than that - every 3 months or so. For me it is too drying, I definitely feel a difference. Using just no-poo (devacurl) or an affordable conditioner cleans my hair sufficiently without drying it out.


EDIT: Just wanted to add that I use silicone-free and sulfate-free products only so I don't deal with much build up. For other curlies who do use silicone products may need to shampoo or clarify more often to avoid buildup.

[lapushka]

I have a habit that I can't seem to break of shampooing just my scalp, then adding more shampoo into my hands and squishing it through the rest of my hair. I always do it before I even realize I'm doing it. :lol: At first I thought it was fine because hey, my hair needs cleaning too, but is it possible I'm cleaning my hair too much and making it dry? I do oil treatments so I say I'm getting the oil off, but I guess what I'm really wondering is if I could get my hair just as clean by letting the suds run down?

I used to switch between washing my lengths with actual shampoo added to them, with just letting the suds run down. I switched this on and off, week after week. Lately I just wash my lengths as well, every time. I clarify well each week, and that seems to work much better for me, with oil rinsing and LOC/LCO and everything. I just don't risk it.

[Dark40]

I wash both the hair and scalp. My full entire head needs to be clean, and I use silicones right afterwards.

[Ylva]

I go two or three washes with just shampooing my scalp and letting the suds run through, then I shampoo all of my hair, and the cycle repeats.

[lithostoic]

All my hair. Don't want my products to build up. I only shampoo twice a month and cowash in between.

[Kat]

I do CWC, and my first "C" is lightweight conditioner (V05), so that helps to clean my length. Since I lather my scalp twice, I put conditioner on my length, lather up my scalp, rinse just my scalp, re-lather, and then rinse it all (I'm sure some shampoo does get into my length to help the conditioner). Then regular conditioner.

I started to swear by conditioner when I realized it got oil out of my hair way better than 2 shampooings even. Once I didn't condition my length and, well, it didn't smell clean (as in, it smelled gross)... so I know the conditioner does clean it (actually cleans it, doesn't just put a conditioner scent-- trust me, that won't cover the smell of dirty hair, at least not mine).

[gingerninja]

I haven't shampoo'd my length in over 2 years i always cwcc, as it majorly dries it out, and since I don't use silicones I get barely any product build up.

[Reservechic]

I cleanse my entire head of hair from my scalp on down to my ends. I don't practice scalp only washing, because every day, my entire head of hear is being exposed to pollutants in the air, dirt, grime, debris, and product buildup. So, in order for me to most effectively remove all of this from my hair and scalp. I cleanse my hair over my head, using either shampoo or an actual co-wash cleanser to do so, making sure that all of my hair and scalp is left completely clean every time.

[H o n є y ❤]

I shampoo all of my hair to avoid build up. My hair doesn't like a lot of product and I just don't trust the suds to cleanse my hair.

[Groovy Granny]

I have just done scalp washes in the past but now that it is longer, I prefer to wash all my hair; especially because I do use a lot of coney products.
I was only clarifying my hair quarterly, but lately my hair feels better with it done more often (monthly) and I do the entire length.

My hair had a different texture when it was shorter, and now that it is longer and mostly silver, it has different needs.

If you are happy with your hair doing the entire length then let it be; if it acts up you can make changes :shrug:

I use moisturizing product for S&C and leave ins so that may be the difference.

[gustavonut]

I try to do just the scalp but of course it can run down and get on my ends too.

[spidergoat]

I wash three times per week, but I only wash my length one of those times, and that's when I clarify, followed by a two-hour DT. I do use cones in my S&C, as well as in my leave-in serum.

[LadyCelestina]

Scalp only, with suds running down the length. Occasionally I put shampoo on the length, when it feels buildupy, but I honestly can't remember when was the last time I did it.

In the past I used to shampoo the length a lot more. I also used a lot more product and silicones.

[Hairkay]

No shampoo anywhere for me because I am allergic to them and all soaps.

[MusicalSpoons]

Scalp only, with suds running down the length. Occasionally I put shampoo on the length, when it feels buildupy, but I honestly can't remember when was the last time I did it.

Ditto!

Just to be clear, as I've seen confusion on threads in the past: that's *not* the same as a scalp wash, which I sometimes do if I need to look presentable between ~weekly washes; a scalp wash (or scalp-only wash) keeps the lengths dry. Shampooing only the scalp and getting the lengths wet is just a wash :lol: [Actually shampooing the lengths counts as clarifying for me, although it does depend how much buildup and what kind as to whether your ordinary shampoo will do the job. I'll use a clear shampoo if my roots are getting weighed down by the plant oils in my usual shampoo, but for the lengths just the mechanical action of squidging a detergent down does the job :)]

[ExpectoPatronum]

As others have said, I wash my scalp but allow the suds to rinse down my length. I do not apply shampoo onto the length and wash unless I'm clarifying.

[blvnkness]

Pretty much the same as most everyone else. I wash my hair every 3-4 days, shampooing the scalp only and letting the water carry it down my lengths. I apply oil to my ends/lower lengths and leave them in for a full night, doing this perhaps twice a month or more depending on how much they need it, and those are the only times that I shampoo the entirety of my hair; scalp, length, ends. It's worked for me thus far!

I used to shampoo everything years ago, and washed every other day. I can't believe I never noticed why my hair had been so dry. Hard habit to kick after doing it for so many years, but worth quitting!

[milosmomma]

I'm in the scalp only with suds running down the length boat. If I've used tons of oils or leave ins I may on rare occasions actually shampoo the lengths. I've been using silicone free for quite some time now and only purposely shampoo the lengths if I feel it needs.

[bparnell75]

Yep Shampoo scalp and condition the length.

[Milkchocolate]

I wash my hair roots to tip, with sulfate- free shampoo so it does not get overly drying. I also let it sit (like a deep conditioner). This is my favorite thing ever :)

[Jo Ann]

Roots to tips here, each week, whether it needs it or not :p

[Katsura]

I shampoo my scalp only and let the suds run down my ends.

[Joules]

Both. I shampoo my scalp quite vigorously and then gently run my fingers down my lengths, spreading the suds all over it. I'm prone to build-up and I'm using a lot of product, so I kinda need it.

[school of fish]

I shampoo the whole lot, scalp to ends, every day :) I also follow up with conditioner the same way, root to tip

[TreesOfEternity]

I go two or three washes with just shampooing my scalp and letting the suds run through, then I shampoo all of my hair, and the cycle repeats.

Same, seems to be the perfect balance for me as well

[EmeraldSkies]

After shampooing my scalp, I would massage any leftover shampoo on my hands into my hair. Sebum usually built up pretty fast on my hair. If I don't wash it, it's going to be a frizzy and dry mess.

[StellaStellitsa]

I only shampoo my scalp skin and roots, then rinse with soap water going through the rest of the hair. I feel this is more than enough. I don't use silicones nor any styling products.

[RottenMango]

Scalp and hair. I also shampoo twice. I use about 2 oz or a 1/4 cup of shampoo per wash.

[frostedeyes]

I only shampoo my scalp.

I used to shampoo from the scalp to the ends, but I found this made my hair extremely dry and brittle.

[zmirina]

I only shampoo my scalp, unless castor oil got into the lengths. Then whatever passes through the lengths by accident is allowed to pass

[mackensey]

I usually massage my scalp for about a minute and then without whatever is left on my hand I'll use on the rest of my length.

[YvetteVarie]

I use shea butter so I have to shampoo my hair to get it off. So far it seems to be working, and my hair doesn't get dried out because once I have shampooed and deep conditioned, I add more shea butter. This routine is working great for me

[Ylva]

I've recently gone back to just shampooing my scalp an indefinite amount of times before shampooing all of my hair. I am taking a break from silicone serums at the moment and seeing how it goes. I find this helpful in terms of benign neglect as I'm not constantly keeping up with a mental "hair calendar".