The 4 biggest mistakes women make when washing their hair.

We’ve all been lather, rinse, repeating long enough to know that washing your hair is beauty 101… But maybe it’s not as basic as we thought.

Barney Martin, Pantene’s expert hairstylist, has noticed his clients aren’t always nailing this habit.

DO… find your shampoo soul mate.

Are you just using whatever you’ve got in the shower? The market is filled with prescriptive products for every single hair type or woe that you could think of, from dry scalps to oily ones, bleached blonde hair to hair that’s been dyed dark brown.

They don’t do this just to bamboozle you in the hair aisle. Next time you’re standing there, take a moment to profile your hair. Consider the length, colour and texture (is it coarse, fine, curly?), do you colour your hair? Ask yourself what you want: hydrated hair, shiny hair, smooth or straight? Barney promises there are products that will suit your hair. Finding the right product means you never have to compromise on what you want from your hair, and they are all very helpfully labeled so you can pick exactly what you need.

DON’T… slack off in the shower.

Just slapping shampoo on and rinsing it straight out won’t cut it. Take the time to massage the shampoo thoroughly into your scalp in circular motions with your fingertips. Lots of women just wash it through their hair, but it’s really the scalp that needs the most cleansing. You want to work the shampoo on your scalp up into a good lather and let it trickle through all of your hair.

DO... treat yourself.

Treatments aren’t just conditioners in different boxes. They’re actually an essential way to keep your hair in top-notch condition. Barney recommends backing up your usual routine once a week with a nourishing treatment to rehydrate ends, all year round. The harsh winter and summer seasons can dry ends out, especially if you're also using a heat styling tool. Given 70% of Australian women dye and heat style their hair – that’s probably you. If you’re not already doing it, give one a try. You’ll wish you’d been using one for years.

DON'T... overdo it.

Typically, you should wash your hair every two to three days. Washing it more often than that will dehydrate the hair, and you'll end up looking like a frizzball. If you’re finding your hair is oily everyday, you’re probably not using the right shampoo and conditioner.

No, no one wants to look like a Troll Doll but what if you work out every day? Isn’t it worse to be getting around with post-treadmill hair? Barney suggests you just rinse your hair thoroughly with water after a workout, followed with a dollop of conditioner. Continue to wash every other day, but immediately following a workout a rinse should be enough to get rid of that recent sweatiness. And if you have thin hair or an especially oily scalp then you can spritz all over with dry shampoo to soak up the excess oil.