It is often debated in the hair care community how often we, as a collective, should be washing our hair.

I think if we understood the purpose of shampoo it would be easier to decide when is best to wash our hair.

Understanding the importance of shampoo opens the door to understanding that there is no “one size fits all” regimen for taking care of your hair. It’s based on what YOUR hair and scalp need.

So what is the purpose of shampoo?

Shampoo’s main purpose is to remove dirt and build-up from your SCALP and hair. I emphasized scalp because sometimes when hair is shampooed at home, the scalp can be overlooked— and the scalp is the main part you should be focused on.

Why is it important to focus on your scalp?

1.) It’s where the hair grows.

Keeping your scalp clear and clean creates the best environment for your hair to grow.

2.) Its skin.

Just as we have a routine for our face, we can’t overlook the scalp. We need a routine for that as well. The scalp ages just as facial skin does but it doesn’t show up as wrinkles. It shows up in its inability to maintain healthy follicles.

3.) It houses the majority of the hair follicles on our body.

Built-up dirt, debris, dead skin cells, and DHT affect and cause harm to your hair follicles. So it’s important to keep the scalp as clean and healthy as possible.

With that being said, shampoo should be used to remove all dirt, oils, products, and skin debris without adversely affecting the scalp or hair.

This is why choosing the right shampoo is important as well as when and how often you use specific shampoos.

Some shampoos can be too strong and strip your hair of its natural oils and do more harm than good.

This is why It’s recommended to apply the shampoo to your scalp and focus on your scalp, and then pull the remaining shampoo down your strands. This cleans the hair without stripping it.

Choosing the right shampoo is also important because scalp conditions are a real thing and sometimes you need a medicated shampoo or a sensitive shampoo to clear up your condition.

With scalp conditions, you’ll need to master the perfect timeline between washes to prevent flare-ups.

Knowing your hair and scalp plays the most important role in creating your regimen and this is why you should always tailor it to your own personal needs and not to those of the internet.

So when choosing a shampoo and incorporating it into your regimen think about what your hair and scalp are telling you.