How to Wash Your Scalp Properly

1. 

   Step 01

   Prepare — lukewarm water, never hot

   Wet the hair and scalp thoroughly with lukewarm water. Hot water can leave the scalp dry and reactive, and it does not clean any better. Give it a good 30 seconds so the scalp is properly saturated before any product goes on.

2. 

   Step 02

   Apply — to the scalp, not the lengths

   Take a small amount of cleanser and apply it directly onto the scalp in sections, not onto the mid-lengths and ends. The scalp is what needs cleaning; the lengths get cleaned by the lather as it rinses down.

3. 

   Step 03

   Massage — fingertips, 2–3 minutes

   Use your fingertips, never your nails, and work in small circles across the whole scalp — hairline, crown, behind the ears, the nape. Two to three minutes feels longer than you expect. This is the part that lifts buildup and supports circulation.

4. 

   Step 04

   Rinse — completely

   Rinse for longer than feels necessary, until the hair no longer feels slippery at the roots. Leftover cleanser is one of the most common causes of residue buildup, itch and a scalp that feels heavy the next day. Then dry the scalp fully — never sleep on a damp scalp.

How often?

In this climate, most people do well washing every one to two days. If your scalp is oily, sweaty or odorous by the evening, washing more frequently with a gentle cleanser is usually kinder than stretching washes and scrubbing hard.