How to use New Wash
First off, let’s get one thing straight. New Wash is different! It’s going to feel different and strange and perhaps take a little getting used to. But I believe it will be worth it.
The most important thing to understand about New Wash is that it doesn’t contain detergents like typical shampoo. Detergents are very, very good at cleaning, and it’s their sole job to remove everything from our scalps; product build up, oil, etc. But they are actually too good at cleaning, and end up stripping our scalp as they remove the protective barrier that our scalp produces. This causes our scalps to react by producing MORE oil to compensate for what the detergents washed away. Ever get frustrated that your hair gets greasy so quickly? Ever feel like your the ends of your hair are so dry but your scalp is so greasy? It’s all thanks to detergents.
New Wash cleanses and moisturises with aloe, essential oils and fatty alcohols. Because there are no super cleaning detergents, using New Wash relies on three important factors being executed properly.
Amount of product used: Think of how much shampoo you usually use, plus how much conditioner you use. That’ll be close to how much New Wash you’ll need. That might seem like an alarming amount and it may be tempting to try to use less, but it will just not clean properly if there’s not enough product on your scalp. You can’t over use New Wash, but using too little just simply won't get the job done. Using a generous amount to clean your hair should reward you later with extended time between washes, and less styling product needed.
If you’ve been using New Wash and are struggling, you can try adding a small amount of water to your hair after you’ve applied New Wash and you might find it easier to distribute throughout your hair, making sure you’re scalp is fully covered for thorough cleansing.
Scrubbing: Because there are no foaming detergents to remove dirt and excess oil, New Wash requires more physical scrubbing to work properly. Hairstory sells a fantastic scalp brush we highly recommend. It feels great too! After you’ve scrubbed well, leave New Wash on your hair for another few minutes while you finish the rest of your shower.
Rinsing: New Wash does require a bit of extra rinsing. Think of how long you’d rinse your hair after shampooing, plus how long you’d rinse it after conditioning, and that’s close to how much rinsing you need after New Wash. Using the scalp brush again while rinsing can be helpful to ensure you’re rinsing thoroughly. Use your hands like a squeegee to help physically remove the product from the lengths of your hair. One thing to note is that when you first begin using New Wash and you’ve rinsed well, you may be surprised to feel that your hair doesn't feel as silky and soft as after shampooing and conditioning. It can be mildly alarming, but have faith that all will be right once your hair is dry. If you’re rinsing and it still has the slippery “conditioner” like feeling, it’s probably a sign to keep rinsing more.
Troubleshooting:
If your hair feels clean and soft after a shower, you are using the product correctly.
If it feels greasy or heavy after the shower, it’s due to user error and one of the three factors above have not been executed properly. More cream=more clean! Most of the time the issue falls with not using enough product, but not scrubbing well enough, or not rinsing can also be the issue. If you really feel like you are using an adequate amount and still struggling, try tilting your head back under the shower head to add a small amount of water, and continue scrubbing and massaging. If your scalp feels clean and not greasy, but the ends feel heavy it’s likely you need to rinse the ends better. Use your hands like a squeegee to help rinse more thoroughly.
If your hair feels clean the first day but greasy the next day after washing, it’s most likely your scalp adjusting to not being stripped with detergents. Many people do not experience a transition period but it is common. Give it time, try using Hairstory Powder as dry shampoo as your scalp adjusts.
Typically, either right away or after some adjustment period your scalp will stop overproducing oil, and you’ll find that you can go longer in between washes. New Wash is safe to use on your hair daily, or as often as you’d like, but many users love the freedom being able to extend their time between washes.
If you have low water pressure, I would suggest using your hands like a squeegee and really physically helping to remove the product from your hair.
Another hot tip for caring for New Washed hair is to use a brush (my favourite has a combination of natural and nylon bristles) throughout your days between washes to exfoliate your scalp, and help distribute your hairs natural oils from your scalp down throughout the lengths your hair. If you have textured hair and don’t like the look of your hair brushed, try brushing before washing/rinsing in the shower, or midweek before you restyle.
How do I know which New Wash formula to try?
Original is good place to start and will work great for just about everyone. Rich provides extra moisture and is great for very dry, coarse, or heavily bleached hair. Deep is a more deep cleansing formula and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’ve tried Original first.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of New Wash I highly recommend using their subscription service from Hairstory.com as you can save up to 20%. You can choose how frequently you’d like it shipped (from Australia), you can pause or cancel anytime. You’ll also get 15% off your first order using my referral link.