The 6 definitive rules of looking after your hair.

We like to think we’ve accumulated a fair bit of hair and beauty wisdom over the years. At the very least, most of us feel that we understand the basic dos and don’ts of hair care.

But there are certain hair care myths that may have snuck into our thinking that are outdated, or just plain wrong.

Like that lemon juice and a bit of light sunbaking will make your hair lighter in a lovely, natural way? WRONG. Or that you only need to condition once a week, otherwise your hair will get oily? WRONG AGAIN.

The rules have been updated, and it’s time to set things straight.

We spoke to Emma Graham, Product Manager for L’Oréal Paris Elvive Haircare, to sort out the fact from fiction in the bathroom. Here are her top six tips and the definitive rules of looking after your hair.

1. Shampoo twice. Once to clean hair, then a second time to activate the shampoo’s benefits.

You heard it right. You should always shampoo your hair twice, just like they do in the salons.

Related: “I tried to make my own shampoo and nearly scrambled eggs in my hair.”

The first wash is to work away the grease and dirt in your hair, and the second wash allows the active ingredients of the shampoo to do their thing. So if you have fine or limp hair, washing twice with a product like L’Oreal Paris Elvive Fibralogy shampoo will allow the active agents to fully work to thicken your hair.

2. Conditioner should be used with every wash.

Conditioner is not an optional extra, people. And when conditioning, you should focus on the lengths and ends of the hair rather than the scalp.

Emma’s expert tip is to brush your hair with a wide tooth comb when you’re in the shower, and not once towel-dried. The comb will glide through your hair and prevent damage to ends.

3. Once a week, treat your hair to an intense conditioning mask.

When you use a mask, you can skip the conditioner. Just leave the mask in for three minutes for intense hydration and nourishment. Emma explains that the mask is more concentrated and gives much more nutrition and moisture, and will deeply condition your hair in a way that regular conditioning alone won’t achieve.

4. Avoid towel drying your hair – it causes damage to the ends.

Did anyone else’s Mum dry their hair when they were younger in a furious towel drying frenzy? Yep, don’t do that.

5. Always protect your hair before using heat tools or drying.

Heat-styling tools like straighteners or blow dryers deplete your hair’s natural moisture, and damage the hair’s layers. They often cause the hair to burn, causing frizziness and dullness.

Related: 8 hair crimes you had no idea you were committing.

To combat this, Emma suggests using Elvive Fibralogy’s thickening serum or Elvive Extraordinary Oil before you take the heat to your hair to protect.

6. Using a serum on dry hair will lock in moisture between washes.

Think of serum as extending the work of the conditioner in your hair. The L’Oreal Elvive Fibralogy thickening serum was voted Product of the Year in 2015 by the Australian public, so is well worth adding to your repertoire. The range is available at all leading retailers.

See? It’s actually pretty simple. So print this list out, stick it on the fridge, and memorise it by heart – and soon you’ll have hair that Blake Lively herself would envy.

What are your tips for keeping your hair healthy?

Click through to find out about the most common hair myths.