How do you position your hair when you wash?

[shikara]

Do you bring to the front on both sides and wet from the side or the back, is your hair down the back, or do you wash upside down?

[summerstarlet]

I comb my hair from the front of my head to the back. I was my scalp, rinse, then apply conditioner. I rinse my conditioner out up side down. I use a coney conditioner so I don't get many tangles.

[amantha]

I apply my shampoo and conditioner upside down and rinse them with my hair flipped back over and down my back.

[kidari]

I wash it standing when I'm washing my hair in the shower but if I wash my hair separately I wash it upside-down bent kneeling over the bathtub. I always spray conditioner and brush out all the tangles before I wash.

I found I get more tangles washing upside-down and virtually no tangles when I just wash it standing in the shower. However, I get tons of volume and my bangs look amazing when I wash upside-down.

[elfgirl]

I bring it to the front on both sides, wash with shampoo, then rinse it out before applying the conditioner. I do everything standing :) ...I've had terrible tangle problems if I rinse my hair out upside-down :(

[Madora]

Hair is thoroughly brushed, combed/detangled first, then parted from forehead to nape so that it is in two sections.

Hair is then wet completely and I try and keep both sections separate during the entire shampooing/conditioning/rinsing procedures.

I shampoo in the bent at the waist position, while seated in a bath chair. My fingers massage the shampoo through the strands - working in one direction at a time. I also use a hand held device when rinsing.

[sfgirl]

I just get my scalp wet, put conditioner all over, wash it out, then put shampoo on my scalp and massage it in, then wash that out, and then I put the conditioner on my lengths and wash it out. I don't move my hair at all. Didn't occur to me that people did. o.o

[Vanille_]

Sometimes, if my hair is particularly dirty, I section hair in two - one on my crown and the rest left down. I concentrate on my scalp in each section on its own.

I wash my hair with it down my back. I've tried other ways, but my back isn't strong enough for any other way yet.

[AnimaSola3o4]

I wet it going down my back, then apply the shampoo to the roots all over my scalp, gently rubbing. Then i rinse that going down my back as well. Put the conditioner in, and then I need to bring my length over my shoulders (one at a time, splitting my went hair is too much of a PITA), then I shower comb and let it sit while I wash my body.

Interesting question though. I for one cannot wash my hair over the top of my head. I don't know how anyone can, I couldn't do it when my hair was shorter either. It just makes me dizzy.

[sycamoreboutiqu]

I bathe in an old fashioned claw foot tub and it is easier to wash hair separately from bathing - and I only do it 1x per week (hair that is). I do it upside down and that used to be an issue when using shampoo - but now that I am CO only it isn't a problem. I put my cheapo conditioner on then shower cap it and wait at least 30 min or longer - then rinse and condition again with the better stuff - then comb still upside down. Since I need to turban with a bath towel anyway to start the drying process, the upside down position is just fine.
I do find that at hip length now, I am starting to drag the ends in the rinse water if not careful

[woolyleprechaun]

I tend to just wash it in the shower, with it down my back. Im glad I read this thread, because its getting longer now and im struggling to get to all my scalp as my hair is heavy when wet. I might start trying to split it into two now.....:)

[MaryMarx]

I wash my hair upside down, because I can't stand the feeling of loose hair all over me. :D

[PorkChop]

just leave it down the back

[Mina17]

Usually I wash in the shower first with my hair down the back, but sometimes I lean over the tub and wash with it upside down. I think I get my scalp cleaner by washing upside down, but it does give me more tangles.

[fridgee]

I wet it with my hair down my back and cover my hair and scalp in conditioner the lean over so my head is upside down and massage the conditioner into my scalp and detangle. The I twist my hair into a cinabun on the top of my head and stand upright. It stays like that for ten mins, then I add a couple of handfuls of water on top of my head and massage again and detangle. Then I rinse my parting out the right way up, flip my head over and rinse the rest out upside down. Then ACV rinse upside down. I prefer upside down because my skin is sensitive to the conditioner running down my back and it sets my hair up nicely for plopping.

[Apriori]

I wet and wash it down my back, but I'm thinking that I'm probably going to take it over my shoulder when it gets longer :)

[Revontuletar]

I lean my head to the side and bring all my hair down that side so it's just hanging down the side and not touching my skin.

[SwordWomanRiona]

My hair stays down my back as I wash it. I avoid tangles that way, and it's the most comgortable way for me as well.

[Hairizona]

I wash my hair in the shower with it gently flipped forward (after being combed prior to washing) while bent at the waist so that I can really reach all areas of the scalp, which I find cannot be done if my hair is simply left down my back while standing. After rinsing, I bring my hair around to my back while standing straight, and then apply conditioner from the ears down and rinse while standing with my hair down my back and then lean toward one side and then the other while working out the conditioner with both hands. I have tried all other methods and this one seems to work best for me to provide some volume at the crown when dry. It seems to make no difference in the amount of tangles afterward for any style of washing and rinsing. A light combing on ends and up to the shoulders with a horn comb after hair haas been in a towel 30 min. seems to assure that the worst of tangles will not be a problem.
My hair tangles just to be noticed!

[jacqueline101]

I wash and condition my hair up side down and rinse that way too.

[Amber_Maiden]

I bring it the front on both sides. Sometimes I let it down straight down my back.

[wandlimb]

I wash my hair with it down my back but bring it all over one shoulder to condition it (I don't condition the roots).

[Ishje]

I really like to play around with my hair when it is wet, so when I start with the wash it usuall is on my back, but halfway I part it and have it on the sides, and by the time I finished it is on my back again.

[excentricat]

I will often split it in two for washing, to make sure I can get the shampoo all the way to my scalp in the back, but conditioner is typically done down my back. On the rare occasion that I'm washing my hair but not taking a full shower, I do it upside down.

[Tabitha]

I discovered when I went to the George Michael Long Hair Clinic in London, that quite by accident I've been washing my hair in the GM approved way (ie with my head tipped upside down). GM says that the underneath hair at the nape of the neck is "stronger" than the canopy which is more vulnerable due to environmental exposure.

I wash my hair kneeling down by the side of the bathtub to avoid getting shampoo or conditioner on my skin. I can't use normal bath or shower products, I have to shower with dermatologist-prescribed gunk. Washing hair this way can be hard on the back because of the bending forward, and now my hair is waist length the hair trails in the bath and catches in the drain. For these reasons I like the sound of Madora's "bath chair"! though having read Jane Austen, for me the phrase brings to mind early precursors of the wheelchair.

[Jessykins]

after i give it a ruddy good brush i just get in the shower and wet my hair, it stays on my back the most of the time, then i just start using shampoo on my scalp and start manipulating it to the ends (i shampoo twice because the second time it lathers up nice), then when i use conditioner i tend to alternate putting it over my shoulders to rub it in then just leave it on my back while i scrub a dub dub. the only time ive ever washed my hair upside down is when ive rinsed hair dye out and its real awkward

[CastaDiva]

I have always washed my hair upside down. I bend at the waist and lean my torso into the shower cabinet.

[ingvild]

I usually wash my hair with it down my back. When I use conditioner, I bring my hair to the front and condition the length, and rinse it in that position so I can see that it all gets rinsed out. My shower has quite bad pressure and is unstable and annoying. :rolleyes:

Sometimes if I wash my hair in the tub (at home) I do so upside down. But that usually just happens if I'm only washing my hair, and that happens quite rarely as I'm stretching washes. I always put it in a turban when I get out of the shower, though, so it ends up being elevated anyway. ;)

I always detangle my hair thoroughly and try to pull out all the loose hairs before I wash it. I don't lose any hairs in the shower, but I lose a whole bunch when I comb it out after it has dried. But it's way better than having to catch shed hairs in the shower, I just hate that!

[dwell_in_safety]

I usually comb my hair upside down before entering the shower and either rinse out conditioner or conditioner+oil or give myself a good scalp massage under the water if it's a WO wash. When I just can't stand it any longer, which is usually after about ten minutes or so, I'll sloooooowwwwwly stand up, smoothing my hair back as I go. Any detangling necessitated by switching back to right-side-up is done under the water, and then I finish it off with a blast of cold water.

[MamaCimino]

I am a busy mom of three boys under the age of 5 so showers have to be quick and tend to be less frequent than I like but I feel the way I wash my hair has worked for me. I love learning all the different methods people use to treat and manage their lovely tresses!

I brush it out with my BBB to help with the oils on my head. I wash it standing in the shower, make sure that my hair is drenched with water and add just a half teaspoon or so and shampoo just my scalp area, rinse really well and squeeze out excess water. then I add conditioner to just my ends and then with the extra that is left on my hands I cup my hands and fill up with water for the top of my head. It seems to be just enough conditioner so it isn't impossible to comb out later. I use a turbie towel for drying my hair and then after a bit take it down and add either a leave in conditioner or some baby oil... my hair is silky smooth and I love the feeling of my clean hair!

[ladonna]

I let it hang down my back.

[growfro]

All laying on my back in shower. I shampoo the roots only and rinse, then smother a ton of conditioner from 1/2 my hair length down to the roots for about 10 mins :) I don't pile on top of my head.

[Sushi144]

I put shampoo on my scalp and let my hair on my back. I wash carefully the scalp and massage it, then rinse. Then I take my hair over my shoulder to be sure it's correctly rinsed, then condition it and rinse again.

[HappyHair87]

I rinse my hair for a few seconds and then i part it in half with my fingers(down the middle), clip up one side, wash the other and then alternate sides.

[Cirafly24]

I wet it going down my back, then apply the shampoo to the roots all over my scalp, gently rubbing. Then i rinse that going down my back as well. Put the conditioner in, and then I need to bring my length over my shoulders (one at a time, splitting my went hair is too much of a PITA), then I shower comb and let it sit while I wash my body.


Same here, except I finger comb instead of using a shower comb. Whenever I've tried washing/rinsing upside down, I get dizzy and my hair ends up a horribly tangled mess.

[lolot]

lately i have been washing upside down because i have breakage in the top of my head and the only possible reason for that is that i take baths with very hot water, so im trying to wash my hair separately from my body, but is kind of unconfortable and it takes a lot of time to do it and i cant take baths with not so hot water.
Is it possible that my breakage is because of hot water, does anyone have the same problem?

[luckyduck]

I apply cconditioner to my dry length, then I put in a claw clip like a mid back ponytail. Once I enter the shower I bend over a little to wet the scalp only. I wash and rinse the scalp in that position so that no shampoo goes down the length. When that is done, I rinse the length, and re-apply conditioner to the length and at the very last I run my hands over my canopy so it gets just enough conditioner to be soft. All that is left to do is rinse it all, this time with it going down my back.

Every once in awhile, if I feel like it needs it I will SC length and scalp. It's like hitting the reset button.

[Mommyof4]

I just stand there and let the water flow over my head... but I'm only at SHL too.. when my hair was at waist and TBL, I would pull it in two parts over my shoulders to rinse my scalp, then wash the same way I do now... I'm really funny about not rubbing, moving my hair when I wash.. it causes tangles for me..

[beckishness]

I wash my hair upside down, while standing up in the shower. I have washed it this way since I was a teenager. I found that washing my hair while standing up made my skin break out from the conditioner. I have really sensitive skin, so I've been washing this way to protect it.

[freecelt]

Hair is thoroughly brushed, combed/detangled first, then parted from forehead to nape so that it is in two sections.

Hair is then wet completely and I try and keep both sections separate during the entire shampooing/conditioning/rinsing procedures.
Thanks for sharing this detailed description. I was trying to understand how you could get less tangles but I could see how now. I tried it out tonight and I think it just might work. :)

[AMW]

I wash my hair upside down in cool water since I love to shower in very hot water! I put a cheapo conditioner on the length then shampoo the scalp ... rinse it then I use a good conditioner on the length for a few minutes! Ever since I started washing my hair separate from my shower my hair is a lot better just because I pay more attention to how I'm washing it.

[joliherb]

I wash my hair standing up with conditioner. Then I use cold water to rinse and so I flip my hair over and bend over so that my hair flows down. That way I don't take a cold shower! Brrr.

[Renate]

Currently I hold the lenght up while shampooing, but it doesn't clean my scalp completely, so next time I'll try dividing my hair in two sections and shampoo each side separately, while still holding my hair up.

[Rilig]

Everything down to the back, no part.

[vintage88]

My hair is down my back when I wash it:)

[Henrietta]

Upside down. I am UNABLE to apply my shampoo when standing straight. I tried to learn it last year when I had to switch from a tube to a shower but I an technically unable to do it and the three times I tried it I hated it as almost nothing else in the world. Literally, I was so angry when I was leaving the bathroom that my roommate noticed it. :D So definitely upside down, always.

[heidi w.]

My hair is pre-detangled, and wetted while standing. I stand in the shower while I wash my hair. I wash from behind. I only bring it round front when I apply conditioner.

I use a hand-held shower for rinsing as I have 3 different hardnesses of water pressure for rinsing.

Also, I have lately started brushing/combing from the nape of my neck with my hair drawn in front of me.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Upside down. I am UNABLE to apply my shampoo when standing straight. I tried to learn it last year when I had to switch from a tube to a shower but I an technically unable to do it and the three times I tried it I hated it as almost nothing else in the world. Literally, I was so angry when I was leaving the bathroom that my roommate noticed it. :D So definitely upside down, always.

Showering methods are very different in different countries. Even in the US the water pressure can vary. My friend has a shower that barely spurts out water, and its near impossible to wash hair in his shower. Plus he has a small shower, so it's hard to move around in the shower. In his shower, one is often cold, for example, even though the water is warm.

Water quality can vary a great deal too.

In many places in Europe, they still don't wash the hair in the shower, but instead, in a sink or basin.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Currently I hold the lenght up while shampooing, but it doesn't clean my scalp completely, so next time I'll try dividing my hair in two sections and shampoo each side separately, while still holding my hair up.

I too have to have a "lift" in my hair to wash the scalp skin well. Otherwise it's too tight. So I kind of lift up the bulk and let it rest a bit on my shoulders so I can work on the scalp skin and have some room to get between the hair strands and down to the scalp.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

I wash my hair standing up with conditioner. Then I use cold water to rinse and so I flip my hair over and bend over so that my hair flows down. That way I don't take a cold shower! Brrr.

When your hair becomes a whole lot longer, you won't be able to flip your hair anymore without a lot of tangles being incurred. You'll have to learn to draw it forward gently.

I, frankly, never recommend flipping the hair around.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

lately i have been washing upside down because i have breakage in the top of my head and the only possible reason for that is that i take baths with very hot water, so im trying to wash my hair separately from my body, but is kind of unconfortable and it takes a lot of time to do it and i cant take baths with not so hot water.
Is it possible that my breakage is because of hot water, does anyone have the same problem?

1. Are you sure it's breakage? Short hairs on the top of the head can also be new growth. That's a possibility.

2. I don't think that hot water is the cause of breakage. In fact, I find that most people use too tepid of a water temperature for washing the hair and for applying conditioner to the hair.

heidi w.

[Tia2010]

I wet it going down my back, then apply the shampoo to the roots all over my scalp, gently rubbing. Then i rinse that going down my back as well. Put the conditioner in, and then I need to bring my length over my shoulders (one at a time, splitting my went hair is too much of a PITA), then I shower comb and let it sit while I wash my body.

Interesting question though. I for one cannot wash my hair over the top of my head. I don't know how anyone can, I couldn't do it when my hair was shorter either. It just makes me dizzy.


This ^ :) The only difference is when I put in the conditioner I separate it down the middle and pull half over each shoulder. And I agree... I can't imagine washing with my head bent over. I would get way to dizzy!

[kaiakai]

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but I don't understand how the GM/ bent over method of washing avoids tangles. It seems like if I "flip" my head over (no matter how gently) my hair tangles immediately, even if I have just combed it out. Then it tangles again when I lift my head up again.

??

[Bulbus]

Upside down so I don't get conditioner down my back. Conditioner gives me back acne.

[Hairizona]

kaiakai- don't know if he meant "flip"; that would be hard with ultra lengths anyway. I myself don't actually flip my hair forward; rather I bend forward and it kind of "slips" forward, guess that's a better way to describe it. I comb it thoroughly first and get in the shower with it still over my head- holding it like a ponytail, forward with one hand and then get it under the water.

[kaiakai]

kaiakai- don't know if he meant "flip"; that would be hard with ultra lengths anyway. I myself don't actually flip my hair forward; rather I bend forward and it kind of "slips" forward, guess that's a better way to describe it. I comb it thoroughly first and get in the shower with it still over my head- holding it like a ponytail, forward with one hand and then get it under the water.

That's why I put "flip" in quotation marks, I wasn't sure what word to use..
thanks for describing how you do it.

[kaiakai]

Ok, so I was ready for a wash anyway, so I tried it! The first "flipping" part and washing went smoothly, no tangles. I did get a lot of water running into my eyes... How do you see what you are doing while washing?!

My next question is, how and when do you get your hair back to its normal position?
I wrapped it up in a shirt while still upside down, but then ended up with a bunch of tangles when trying to get it, uh, right side up.

[Zesty]

If I'm doing a full wash I just tip my head back and let my hair hang down my back. Shampoo, rinse, condition, rinse. If I'm doing a scalp wash I tip my head to the side. I get great volume that way.

[mzBANGBANG]

Recently began flipping my head over to wash. Seems like more dirt/bacteria would be on the underside of my hair considering it gets the most sweat during work out and such... also figured the underside of my hair can handle a bit more scrubbing since I had highlights on the top. Works better for rinsing with cold water too.... ugh, couldn't stand dumping cold water down my back!

[AnimaSola3o4]

One thing that could be important to note when answering this question, is if you have a handheld shower head or not. I have a handheld one, so It's not hard to move the water stream around my hair, instead of the other way around. ;)

[Neorah]

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but I don't understand how the GM/ bent over method of washing avoids tangles. It seems like if I "flip" my head over (no matter how gently) my hair tangles immediately, even if I have just combed it out. Then it tangles again when I lift my head up again.

Flipping my hair upside down when wet is a recipe for instant tangles for me! Handling it much at all is not a good idea for me when it's wet, whether in the shower or out of it.

I usually CO wash, but regardless of whether I'm using conditioner or shampoo, I leave my hair hanging down my back when I wash it. I only bring it to the front when I'm applying conditioner to the length, and then I tend to bring it around one side and then the other, as my hair is more likely to tangle if I handle it too much on just one side.

[SarahKayfa]

I lean my head back in the bath and wet my hair, and try not to let it tangle. Shampoo on the scalp only- rubbed in with fingertips at part, hairline and underneath. Then I apply conditioner to the length, and after a while I let my it rinse out in the bath.