As a hairstyling student, I’ve seen just about all types of hair in my chair. I’ve seen super curly afros, fine hair, dense hair, long hair, and short hair. Many of these people have told me how their hair feels dirty, even though they shampoo daily, or how they use a lot of shampoo, and yet it just never works. Most of the time the cause of their problem was bad shampoo habits. If you also experience this problem this is probably why:

1. YOU ARE USING A BAD SHAMPOO

If you use a grocery store shampoo you are most probably using a bad shampoo. This offends many people because it implies they use “cheap” products. Unfortunately, it is just that. Grocery store shampoos are designed to look good, smell good, and be good for your wallet; unfortunately, it isn’t good for your hair. They are filled with ingredients that coat your hair, sort of like a plastic coating, which makes your hair feel good, and look shinny but it does not clean. This coat will also influence coloring your hair, as the color is unable to break through the coating.

If you want good clean hair you must understand you need a professional product. You pay for quality.

2. YOU ARE NOT USING A SHAMPOO FOR YOUR HAIR TYPE

If you have fine hair and you are using a shampoo for thick course hair, you will probably find that your hair feels weighed down and dirty. This is because shampoo is specifically designed to work with different types of hair. Fine hair is difficult to keep clean because it doesn’t absorb as well as other hair. Shampoos for fine hair are designed to not weigh it down.

3.YOU DO NOT WASH THE SCALP

It isn’t your hair that gets dirty, but rather your scalp. You have both sweat and oil glands located at the roots of your hair. As you go about your day your body produces sweat and oil which makes its way down your hair. Therefore it is important that you focus on the scalp when washing your hair. Don’t just focus on one spot, wash everywhere!

4. YOU ARE USING TOO MUCH SHAMPOO

When washing hair do not use too much product. You really only need a small dollop of shampoo when washing your hair. Lather properly by rubbing hands together and applying all over hair (neck area, sides, top etc.) It is also good practice to shampoo your hair twice, once to soften and lift the dirt and once to wash it out. So instead of just adding shampoo till your hair lathers up rather shampoo with small amounts so that you don’t waste product.

5. YOU ARE NOT RINSING PROPERLY

When rinsing you must make sure that all the shampoo is washed off. A build up of shampoo will make your hair look and feel dirty. Lift hair in layers when rinsing to make sure that the bottom hair is also free of shampoo.

6. YOU USE TOO MUCH CONDITIONER

When you condition your hair, be sure to only condition the mid-lengths and ends as your roots have enough natural oils to keep them healthy. Conditioner on your scalp will leave it oily and feeling dirty. Also, towel dry your hair before using conditioner as it will ensure that the conditioner can penetrate into the hair as it was designed to. Make sure to rinse conditioner off properly, same as with shampoo. If you want conditioner on your hair after washing I’d recommend a leave in conditioner as it is designed to stay in your hair.

If you are unsure which shampoo or conditioner you should be using ask your stylist for their recommendation. They will try their best to suggest the right product for your hair, as clean hair helps them do their job properly.