My 5 Step Wash Day Routine

Hey Curlfriends! You guys have been asking for my wash day routine and I wanted to make sure that I had it perfected before I shared it with you. In today’s blog post I am going to give you a step by step breakdown of my wash day routine. This is my tried and true method for happy and hydrated curls. Enjoy! 

Step 1: Pre-poo. This is a step that can be tempting to skip, but prepooing is a great way to make sure that your hair retains moisture before applying shampoos that may strip your hair of its natural oils. I like to apply my pre-poo product 24 hours before I wash my hair. Your pre poo elixir can be a combination of oils that you blend yourself, or you can purchase some of the hair masks and treatments designed specifically for this purpose. Whichever route you choose, be sure not to skip this step because it sets the stage for a successful wash day. 

Step 2: Wash with Conditioner OR Shampoo (as needed). I do not use shampoo every time that I wash my hair. I have found that using shampoo too frequently can spell disaster for my curls. To ensure that my hair maintains the right balance of moisture, while still having a clean scalp, I alternate between shampoo and cowash. I only use shampoo once or twice a month, or if my scalp feels physically dirty. Your hair will let you know when it needs a good shampoo, but for the most part I have found that cowashing gets the job done most of the time.. 

Step 3: Deep Condition EVERY TIME . That’s right, I deep condition with every wash. I know that deep conditioning can sometimes feel like a hassle, but this is without a doubt the most important step in my wash day routine. Deep conditioning makes the next step of detangling so much easier, it also just makes my hair look and feel the way that I need it to. 

​Step 4: Detangle.​ The star of the detangling process for me is my denman brush. I always detangle while I still have conditioner in my hair. The denman brush helps to separate and define my curls, and the conditioner provides the slippage necessary to ensure that there is no breaking and unnecessary shedding. Although detangling can be the most challenging step in the wash day process, it is key to making sure that your end result is ideal.

Step 5: Towel Dry and Style While Wet. I prefer to style my hair while it is still damp, this is the method that I’ve found works best for me. After detangling and rinsing out the deep conditioner I use a microfiber towel to lightly dry my hair. The microfiber towel is an essential tool because it is designed to avoid the breakage that can come from using a regular towel. While styling my hair I add my favorite leave in and allow my hair to air dry. Leave in is also my secret method for retaining moisture between washes. 

So there you have it. My wash day in 5 simple steps. Click here for a list of my favorite tools and products, and for more tips and tricks for simplified wash days be sure to follow us on instagram @curlfriendsforvever.