5 Hair Hacks For The Best Wash Day Ever

Wash day can be a time of great relaxation for some, and the source of a gigantic headache for others. Do you feel like you’re stuck in a rut with your wash day routine?

Do you feel like maybe there is some way you can cut down time and still get great results? Well you’re in luck because there are! Keep reading to learn four wash day hair hacks you can try as soon as possible.

Section hair

If you’re like me, you may get a little lazy sometimes when it comes to parting hair into sections on wash day. But before you decide to hop in the shower without sectioning first, just hear me out: you are actually prone to more breakage if you try to tackle your hair all at one time.

To make wash day easier on yourself, part hair in at least 2-4 sections. This way you can give each section the attention it deserves, and you’ll also be able to properly detangle and distribute product to each strand. You’ll also avoid unnecessary snagging and pulling.

Pre-poo and detangle before hand

Simply detangling your hair before washing can mean less breakage and a shorter wash day. By detangling in the shower, you can risk extra knots and tangles that are much harder to take out.

Before shampooing your hair, wet it lightly and apply your favorite rinse out or deep conditioner*. Go through each section and either use a wide tooth comb* or finger detangle. Afterwards, twist each section and put on a plastic cap for at least 30 minutes. This is called pre-pooing. Not only does it make wash day go faster, but it also acts as an extra layer that prevents shampoo from stripping all of our hair’s natural oils*. Pre-pooing isn’t an absolutely necessary step, but it sure is a beneficial one.

Use multi-purpose products

Want to save money and or skip an extra step in your regimen? Invest in some products that are multi-purpose. There are a few products out there that are made for us curly girls, it just requires a little research to find them. Here are some of our favorites:

Naturalicious 5-in-1 Rhassoul Clay*– this product is a pre-poo, shampoo, rinse out, deep conditioner*, and leave in conditioner* all in one (and it doesn’t hurt that it’s sold by the first black woman to hold a patent for a natural hair product).

It does each task advertised on the bottle, while leaving hair soft and moisturized. This is the first part of a three part hair care system that’s supposed to turn wash day into wash hour.

Natasha Somalia Cleanse– While some people use conditioner as co-wash, the majority of conditioners don’t have the cleansing properties needed to remove product build up. This product is great because it acts as both a co-wash and conditioner. Instead of needing two products, you simply just apply Cleanse at the beginning of your shower, and you wash it out at the end.

Shea Moisture* Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner– This conditioner is great, because it can be used as both a rinse out and leave in conditioner*. All you have to do after conditioning hair in the shower is just apply to wet hair and leave in. It’s lightweight and ultra moisturizing.

Know whether to use hot or cold water
Contrary to what you may know or think, water temperature plays a big part in our wash day. Whether you use hot, warm, or cold water can make the difference in your hair, so it’s important to know when to use each.

Use warmer water when you’re cleansing your hair. It helps open up follicle when washing, and helps to remove dirt and product buildup. Make sure not to use water that is scalding hot. Also, don’t use warm water when rinsing hair, because the steam and humidity will also leave lasting frizz.

Use cooler water when rinsing hair. Cooler water helps seal the cuticle after washing and conditioning. Using cooler water also plays a part against frizz when you get out of the shower.

Heated towel deep conditioner

The heated towel trick is perfect for anyone that wants to do a deep conditioning* treatment but doesn’t have a hooded dryer. All you need is a towel and a clothes dryer (or a heater in the winter months).

Simply warm the towel while you shower, so that it can be nice and toasty when you get out. Apply your deep conditioner*, put on a satin cap, then wrap the towel around your head. The heat will activate the other properties and benefits of whichever hair product you use.

These are our four favorite wash day hair hacks (for now). What are yours? What’s your favorite tip for a faster or more effective wash day?