Washing your hair the wrong way can lead to dryness, breakage, and long-term damage. This guide reveals 17 common hair washing mistakes and how simple changes in your routine can restore your hair’s health and shine. Start treating your hair the right way—one wash at a time.
“Invest in your hair. It’s the crown you never take off.”
Beyoncé
Washing your hair is one of those things that we might know how to do. But most of the time, we still make mistakes that can cause terrible hair damage. So, today we talk about your hair washing mistakes and how to fix them. We assume that you are aware of how to wash hair properly. If you do not know it, please click it. Let start.
1. Skipping Oiling
It is time to wash our hair and, the first hair washing mistake that I have seen a lot is skipping oiling your hair before washing it. The recent oiling before washing your hair is so beneficial. It is related to the fact that oiling will act as the protective area between your hair and shampoo. Reducing the stripping effect and minimizing the amount of water your hair soaks during the washing time. As a result, it can lead to hydro fatigue greasiness dryness. So, in terms of what oils to use as pre-wash, coconut oil is one of the best options because it reduces the protein loss in your hair while you shampoo hair. Avocado oil is also fantastic and, it works well for fine hair. All you do is apply a few drops of this oil massage for a little bit on your strands and, then you’re ready to hop in the shower.
2. Washing Hair with Hot Water
Now there is another hair wash mistake, washing your hair with hot water ruins your hair thoroughly. The right temperature of water for your hair, wash in lukewarm water. Lukewarm water softens the skin on your scalp and opens up your hair cuticles, which is what we need to clean and release dirt from your hair and scalp.
3. Not Wetting Hair
With this being said, there is a further hair washing mistake that I see a lot which is not wetting. Your hair throughout leaves before shampooing; you are probably wondering what’s wrong with that. But for your hair cuticles to open up for a deep clean, you need to allow your hair and scalp to soak in warm water for a full minute to ensure every strand is soaking wet.
If you have low porosity hair, run your fingers through to your hair. And make sure that your whole hair drenches completely.
4. Removing Excess Water
The other hair washing mistake is removing the water out of your hair to proceed to shampoo. Shampoo needs water to leather better doing this. But it would only cause you to overuse shampoo. The proper way to do this is by literally leaving your hair soaking wet as it is and then proceeding to shampoo right away. In terms of what kind of shampoo to use, we will recommend a sulfate paraben-free shampoo. This shampoo is very gentle on your hair. And if you wash your hair with hard water, use a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove build-up.
5. Using Too Much Shampoo
The next mistake of hair wash is using too much shampoo. In reality, you only need one-quarter size of shampoo to deep clean your scalp. It applies to anyone male or female. Squeeze your favorite shampoo in your palm, rub your hands a little bit and distribute the shampoo directly on your scalp.
However, there is an exception. If you use lots of products on your hair during the week, an extra cleanser using the same amount of shampoo will help you remove the dirt and the build-up. You do not need to use half a bottle of shampoo to end up with clean hair.
6. Shampooing Your Entire Hair
The most common hair wash mistake that ruins your hair is shampooing your entire hair. Just keep this simple rule in mind shampoo is only meant for your scalp.
Thus, the correct technique to shampoo your hair is simple. You are going to use your fingertips to scrub your scalp using a side-to-side motion.
7. Scrubbing Hard and Using Nails
Please avoid the hair washing mistake of swabbing your scalp with your nails, rubbing your ends to clean them, or cleansing your scalp vigorously. All these things tangle your hair and, unfortunately, can rough the cuticles which, can cause you to lose more hair than usual. Also, if you feel like shampooing with your fingertips, it is not giving you the deep cleaning feeling. Use a scalp exfoliator which is, you can use gentle pressure. Still, get that beautiful deep scrubbing on your scalp as some of us like.
8. Shampooing Quickly
Shampooing your hair in less than a minute is your next hair wash mistake. If this is what you do, you need to stop doing this. Now on, believe it or not, there is not a specific time. But you must entrust three minutes to cleansing your scalp perfectly. Spending less time to scrub your scalp will not give your shampoo enough time to remove Cebu, dirt, and build-up.
9. Shampooing Your Ends
Now it is time to rinse off the shampoo throughout leave from your hair with lukewarm water. Wanting to point out why washing your ends is a hair wash mistake. You can see that the water is going through your hair the shampoo eventually gets to the ends. As it rinses down, then it will end up cleaning these parts of your hair more gently since we are not scrubbing them or teasing them.
10. Quick Shampoo Rinse
Here, a fast water rinse in your hair is another common mistake that you make. According to experts, it is necessary to spend at least a whole minute rinsing your hair with shampoo. Since shampoo can cause scalp build-up on your hair, it does not wash properly. When you have done with shampoo, it is time for conditioner.
11. Squeezing Hair Wrong
To roll your hair to squeeze the water out is a further hair washing blunder. And it is a common habit. Yet, it is damaging to wet hair. The proper technique to remove excess water is to squeeze very gently and go upward to downward to drain the water from your hair. You repeat this motion one more time and, then the hair is ready for conditioner.
12. Wrong Application
Remember, the less water is on your hair more prodded. Your strands will end up absorbing which, is what we want to accomplish with conditioners. Now in terms of how much conditioner you should use on your hair. It all depends on your hair texture and length. For example, if you have thick hair, you might need a little bit more conditioner than someone with thin hair.
The proper technique that you are going to use to spread the conditioner is super simple. Keep in mind shampoo belongs to the scalp and conditioner to the hair. Therefore, do not make the hair wash mistakes of applying conditioner on your scalp or twisting your hair. In this way, the trick of applying conditioner to your hair is to massage. The product is gently massaged from mid-lengths to ends by using the palm of your hands or your fingers. Take your time to massage your conditioner or hair masks into your hair. Also, allow the ingredients to bond with your cuticles.
In the end, this treatment will perform better in hydrating your hair. By the way, if you follow up with a deep conditioning hair mask or a protein treatment, it is advised to towel dry your hair a little bit to maximize the absorption. We recommend using an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel instead of your hands draining your hair with your hands.
13. Rinsing the Conditioner
Now rinsing the conditioner right away is another hair wash mistake. You want to let it sit on your hair for a little bit so that it has time to absorb into your hair. The experts say that the minimum time to leave it on your hair is ten minutes. However, we suggest you check the instructions for your conditioner or hair mask. Specifically, it should be better to follow what is the exact time your product recommendations. Make sure to cover your hair with a shower cap which is the best option. But if you don’t have one, then at least clip your hair with a punch clip and now wait.
When you have to wait for the conditioner, you can use these ten minutes to shave your body, clean your body and do the rest of the things you need to do. When the ten minutes are over, it is time to rinse off the conditioner or hair mask.
14. Using the Wrong Temperature
Here is something that might be a hair wash mistake or, maybe not, you can wash the conditioner with lukewarm water if you want. But we advised that you finish the last step means washing your hair with cold water. For rinsing your hair in cold water, your hair looks shinier, lasts longer, and gets less oily. You stand under the shower string for ten seconds to allow the cold water to rinse the product a little bit. Now, your hair is clean properly and, you go to remove excess water from your hair one more time using a gentle squeeze.
15. Dying Hair Your Regular Towel
The hair washes mistake that is so common is using your regular towel to dry your hair. Because the material of your towel is too rough for your hair, do not even get me surprised if you do these things with your towel. The best way to towel dry your hair is with a microfiber towel or an old t-shirt. And what you want to do is gently press with both of your hands a few times to get as much water as possible. If you have curly and wavy hair, you want to scrunch.
16. Skipping Leave-Ins
Once you get out of the shower, do not make the hair wash mistake of waiting until your hair gets dry to apply your oils. It is crucial to follow up right away with at least a hair oil to seal your cuticles. If you have a leave-in conditioner, apply this one first, and last apply your natural oil or hair serum. You can put whatever you prefer from these two products after your shower. But if you want to know what our recommendation is, it must be natural oil like argan oil, jojoba oil, or grapeseed oil–they are fantastic and super light. After applying oil, cover your hair with a microfiber towel until your hair gets dry.
17. Washing Hair Daily
The less you wash your hair less water will damage hair. In our opinion, it is best if you clean your hair once or twice a week. However, we are super aware that not everybody can do this. A healthy range to wash your hair is in between three to four days would be ideal.
Only a matter of time that your hair is going to get better more you implement these hair tips in your hair wash routine and, the less you do that hair wash mistakes. So, to enjoy your health and beautiful hair, you love your hair. in return, your hair also shows its love to you.
Final Thought
Taking care of your hair doesn’t just mean using the right products — it also means adopting the right habits, especially when it comes to washing. Many of us unknowingly damage our hair through small, everyday mistakes that add up over time. But the good news is, with a few mindful changes — like using lukewarm water, not over-shampooing, applying conditioner the right way, and being gentle with towel drying — you can dramatically improve the health, strength, and appearance of your hair.
Remember, your hair reflects how you treat it. Show it some love with a thoughtful wash routine, and it will reward you with shine, smoothness, and vitality.
