There is no greater feeling than freshly washed hair, am I right? Freshly washed hair is meant to feel soft and luscious, but if your hair feels dry after washing then this is the article for you!
If your hair feels dry after you have washed it, it may be due to using harsh shampoos, washing your hair too often, and not using a conditioner correctly. To fix this, ensure that you use paraben-free shampoos and only wash your hair 2-3 times a week with cool/lukewarm water. Also, apply a leave-in conditioner to your damp hair after every wash.
Keep on reading to understand more about why your hair is feeling dry after washing and exactly how you can fix this!
3 Main Causes Of Dry Hair After Washing
So, what is the reason your hair feels dry and brittle after you have washed it? There are actually three main reasons, so check them out below to see which mistake you may be making!
The main cause of dry hair after washing is using harsh products and washing your hair too much. Avoid using shampoos that have alcohol or other parabens. Also, only wash your hair 2-3 times a week using a dime-sized amount of shampoo to create a lather on your scalp; the rundown will clean your hair’s ends and length. Don’t skip your conditioner.
Keep reading to find out more how these above-mentioned factors can make your hair dry after washing!
01. Over-washing
Firstly, you may be over-washing your hair. Yes, that is an actual thing! If you wash your hair too often you may be stripping the hair of all moisture and not giving it a chance to replenish itself. You need to ensure that you give your hair a chance to produce and reap the benefits of naturally occurring oils.
02. Using a harsh shampoo
Secondly, your hair may be dry if you are using a harsh shampoo. Some shampoos have a high alcohol content which is too harsh on delicate hair. These shampoos strip away your hair’s natural oils and leave it feeling dry and dehydrated. If you are washing your hair too often and using a harsh shampoo each time this could be damaging your hair very badly!
03. Under-conditioning
Thirdly, your hair may feel dry after it has been washed if you are not using enough conditioner and conditioning products. There is no such thing as over-conditioning when it comes to dry hair, so make sure you are using enough conditioner after you shampoo.
When your hair has been washed it is rid of all oils, grease, and build up so you need to make sure you are putting moisture back into the strands before you step out of the shower!
How To Fix And Restore Your Dry Hair After Washing (3 Simple Steps!)
If you are reading this article there is a high chance that you have already made some of the mistakes mentioned above, and only noticed once you stepped out of the shower.
To fix your dry hair after washing, apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair’s length and end’s, whilst your hair is still damp. Use the Biolage Ultra Hydrasource Conditioning Balm from Amazon after every wash to restore and trap moisture. When your hair is dry, you can use jojoba oil on your hair’s ends to seal moisture into your hair.
It is time for damage control, so try out the steps below!
Step 1. Use a leave in conditioner
Before you dry your hair you should apply a leave-in conditioner to the hair. Regular rinse-out conditioners leave a very thin film on the hair cuticle, however, this isn’t enough to fully replenish dry strands!
A leave-in conditioner, applied on damp hair, will lock in that moisture and penetrate the hair strands. It is important that you apply the leave-in conditioner to wet hair as this will increase the moisture intake of the hair. Allow your hair to dry fully and absorb all of the leave-in conditioner.
Step 2: Use a hair oil
The next thing you want to do, when the hair is completely dry, is to massage in a drop or two of hair oil to the lengths and ends of your hair. Apply a few drops of hair oil to your hands and warm it up by rubbing your hands together a bit. Run your hands through the hair and focus on the ends that are likely to be the driest section.
Step 3: Use a hair mask
Before you next wash your hair, apply a moisturizing hair mask on and allow this to sit on the hair for as long as possible. If you do not have a hair mask, organic coconut oil will work perfectly. Massage the oil or mask into your hair and scalp to fully moisturize the hair.
This will allow your hair to draw the moisture it needs before it is washed so that when you shampoo the hair, only excess oil and moisture are removed.
6 Ways To Prevent Your Hair From Drying Out After Washing
To prevent your hair from drying out after washing, ensure that you use a moisturizing shampoo instead of a clarifying shampoo. If you are prone to dry hair, then a clarifying shampoo should be used once weekly, followed by a deep-conditioner instead of more often. Instead, use a co-wash for frequent wash days (2-3 times a week with cool water).
Keep reading to find out what else you can do to prevent dry hair after washing!
01. Do not wash your hair too often
The first thing you should do is make sure that you are not washing your hair more often than needed. Try and stick to only washing your hair when it starts to look and feel oily or perhaps twice a week at most. You should definitely not be washing your hair daily, as this can strip the hair of the naturally occurring oils it needs.
These naturally occurring oils are important for healthy and moisturized hair! If you need a refresher in-between hair washes, try using dry shampoo on your roots to absorb any noticeable oil. If your hair becomes flat or your scalp gets too oily, try applying a dry shampoo on your roots to refresh and absorb excess oil.
02. Use a mild shampoo
You should try to use more natural and moisturizing shampoos made specifically for dry hair as these products will contain fewer drying components. Look for products that contain shea butter, coconut oil, or argan oil as these ingredients are known to have moisturizing properties.
Only use clarifying shampoos when you have a build-up of sebum or product on your scalp, and never use a clarifying shampoo more than once a week as this can strip the hair of all oils.
03. Use a moisturizing conditioner
Never skip the conditioner! You need to make sure that you always follow the shampoo with a moisturizing conditioner. A good quality conditioner will restore some moisture back into the hair cuticle and seal it.
As I mentioned before, it is best to use conditioner in conjunction with a leave-in conditioner as this will be beneficial to the hair cuticle.
04. Wash your hair correctly
It is so important to make sure you are washing your hair correctly. It may sound simple, but there are many people who make the simple mistake of washing the lengths of their hair with the bulk of the shampoo!
The best way to wash your hair is to apply the shampoo to your roots and allow the leftover product to run down through the rest of the hair. The lengths of your hair are always the least greasy section as it is the furthest from the roots and scalp, so focusing the shampoo on the lengths of the hair may dry the hair out too much.
Focus the shampoo on the roots to remove excess grease and then focus the conditioner through the lengths and ends of the hair.
05. Adjust the water temperature and condition
It is also imperative that you adjust the water temperature and condition. Warm water opens the hair cuticle and cold water closes it and seals in the moisture, so be sure to do your final rinse with cooler water to lock in the moisture!
Hard water has a high mineral content and contains calcium, magnesium, bicarbonates, and sulfates. The more minerals in the water, the harder it is and this is often dependent on where you live. Hard water can dry out the hair and make it feel like straw, so try to invest in a filtering shower head to soften the water.
06. Condition your hair on non-hair wash days
Finally, you can condition your dry hair on the days when you are not due for a wash! Instead of washing your hair using shampoo, you can apply conditioner to the ends of the hair and rinse it out. This is the perfect way to refresh your dry hair without stripping it of moisture if it isn’t dirty!
Final Thoughts
If you are struggling with dry hair after you wash it, don’t panic! As long as you take note of the information in this article and change up your hair washing habits, you should be able to prevent any further damage and get your hair back to normal in no time! Just keep on adding moisture to your hair and reduce any other possible sources of damage.