washing the length of your hair...

[Clem_Dela]

how do you do this without "piling" it?

I get so stringy so easily...

any gentle method suggestions would be greatly appreciated :~)

you people are awesome and inspiring!

[ladyfey]

Don't know. I never wash the length, the soapy water rinsing down it is enough for me. Hope someone can help you!

[julierockhead]

Co washing with a cheapo runny conditioner like Suave coconut (a very popular one around here) works really well to clean the hair and leave it lightly conditioned. Apply lots to wet hair, massage into scalp, run fingers through the length of the hair to distribute (add more if you need to), twist it up and clip it. After you do you other shower stuff, unclip, add a bit of water to your hair (a palmful is enough) and massage again - you should feel the conditioner become foamy, *almost* like a shampoo. Then rinse REALLY WELL, massaging your scalp and running your finger through your hair, for a good two minutes. Then rinse just a little more.

You will be AMAZED, trust me. It might not work for you as your regular routine, but this will get your hair and scalp perfectly clean and conditioned.

[darklion]

what I do is scrub the scalp and then just pull the bubbles down.
I wrap my whole hand around all the hair at the base of my neck and drag my hand down the length. Kind of like you do if you are trying to pull water out of your hair. I do this several times and that's it. I feel that I've washed the length enough.
I only do this if I feel the length has gotten dirty somehow. Usually I do CWC and allow the condition to "wash" the length of my hair. That works really well for me.

[Carolyn]

I usually let the shampoo suds run down the length and consider that good enough. The exception to that is when I am doing a clarifying shampoo. I apply the shampoo in a few places down the length and then I squeeze it in to my hair.

[slz]

I dilute with lots of water in a big salad bowl, and dip my lengths in it. I do this with conditionner for CO, indian herbs (very diluted), vinegar, or with shampoo when clarifying only. You don't want to do it everytime with shampoo.

[jasper]

I bring my hair forward over my shoulder and apply a handful of conditioner starting high and moving downwards. (suave coconut) and I only use shampoo on my scalp.

If I need to use shampoo on the length, that is really only if something unusual is in my hair like the caramel treatment or something I didn't mean to get in my hair (paint? glue? breakfast because I wasn't fully awake?) I still bring it forward over my shoulder instead of up on top of my head.

[Teazel]

Usually I don't use shampoo on the length, but sometimes I do if it's been a long time between washes or if it's got a lot of oil in it. I divide it in half, bring it forward over my shoulders, apply a little shampoo to my palms and then sort of gently massage it into my hair, moving downwards. I use the same method for applying conditioner, actually.

[pepperminttea]

Unless I'm clarifying, the run-off of shampoo does the job for me. With CO, I just apply conditioner to my length as well, gently squeezing it down the length with my hands. :) You might find this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzEjdmXaUUU) of Torrin's useful. :D

[celebriangel]

How long is your hair? Most people find they need to wash the whole length of their hair until somewhere between shoulder and APL. At that point, since oil is produced in the roots only, and it doesn't have a chance to reach the ends which are further away, there is no need to wash the length - unless you have lots of styling products in it (which are not so great an idea...)

Even those who use cones find that shampooing the scalp, then allowing the suds to run down the length as they are rinsed out, is enough most of the time between full clarifying washes (where shampoo is applied to the whole length - in my case, normally by taking pea-sized drops in my wet hands, rubbing to create a lather, then running my hands down my length, pausing to scoosh the length around to spread the lather).

You may indeed be prone to stringiness, but shampoo is an extremely effective and strong detergent, to the point that many of our members dilute it so there's 3 times as much water as shampoo! Because modern people use this kind of shampoo all the time, the scalp adjusts its oil production to compensate, however the length does not, and harsh shampoos will over time dry out and damage the length. It is possible to get your scalp used to, if not less frequent washings, then at least a more gentle wash method.

[spidermom]

Most of the time I apply conditioner to the length and diluted shampoo in a squirt bottle to my scalp, then run my fingers over my scalp in one direction, like I'm combing it.

If I feel the length must be washed, I bring my hair over my shoulders and squirt my shampoo solution down the length and then massage it down, sort of like I'm milking a cow.

[redwoman]

I just pull my hair over my shoulder to the front and squeeze the shampoo down the length. Gets it clean without adding tangles.

[nobeltonya]

I just kind of pull it up.. bring it like a ponytail, then pull the rest up [grabbed about halfway down]. Don't really rub it, but use the butt of my hand to lather the nape hair and kind of rub [but not a rub] the length in the suds. Confused? :)

Then, I finish lathering the scalp, then on one side then the other I rub the suds down the length. I leave it on for like 2 minutes max, then rinse it out and condition the ends.