Wash Warm, Rinse Cool

Before diving right into the process for washing hair, it is important to understand the construction of the hair shaft. Per Heather Brannon, MD: Shaft – The hair shaft is made up of dead, hard protein called keratin in three layers. The inner layer is called the medulla and may not be present. The next layer is the cortex and the outer layer is the cuticle. The cortex makes up the majority of the hair shaft. The cuticle is formed by tightly packed scales in an overlapping structure similar to roof shingles. Most hair conditioning products attempt to affect the cuticle. To efficiently cleanse hair of dirt and excess oils, lukewarm water is used to open the cuticles of the hair shaft. Having open cuticles also allows conditioner or protein treatments to readily penetrate the hair shaft to repair damage. One should avoid washing hair with hot water as this will strip the hair of essential oils and cause breakage and dryness. Once reconstructive shampooing and conditioning is complete, it is important to seal the protein in your hair cuticles with cool/cold water. Stay nappturally beautiful by practicing healthy wash techniques.