Sorry to break it to you, but you're washing your hair all wrong.

Image: iStock.

After recently learning that I’d been washing my face wrong, I thought I finally had my beauty routine down pat.

I was wrong. So wrong.

Apparently shampooing your hair just once before conditioning is a big no-no.

RELATED: Exactly how often should you wash your hair?

You see, the first wash doesn’t actually clean your hair, it simply removes the product you put on your hair throughout the week to make it look half decent. Or at least that’s what Byron Turnbull, senior stylist at Edwards & Co tells me.

“The first shampoo just cleans the hair from excess product build up, pollutants from the air and excess oil,” he says.

So washing your hair once is kind of like redoing your eye makeup fresh everyday, but leaving the base, your face makeup, on for the whole week?

“Exactly. The second shampoo actually treats the hair. This is where all the magic happens and the shampoo can treat and repair the hair because the cuticle is open,” he says.
Need inspiration for your next trip to the hairdressers? (Post continues after gallery.)

Got it.

To avoid further basic hair care ignorance (and another beauty breakdown!), I asked Turnbull his advice on other common hair myths.

How often should you wash your hair?

While specific frequency depends on the thickness and length of your hair, being proactive and washing your hair everyday could actually be more harmful than helpful.

"I would recommend no more than four times a week," Turnbull says.

RELATED: The 4 biggest mistakes women make when washing their hair

"One of the best things for your hair are its natural oils, so it's best not to starve the hair of these by washing it too often."

For best treatment, make sure you're using an extra hydrating conditioner like Sebastian Professional Hydre Conditioner ($36) each wash. To avoid damaging your hair, use a comb rather than a brush in the shower after conditioning to gently detangle. The Lady Jayne Wet Care Comb is particularly good at getting rid of your knots without causing you to yelp out in pain every five seconds.

How often should you get your hair cut?

Given the length and curliness of my hair, I often find well over six months pass between haircuts and I go crawling back to my hairdresser Lauren, apologising profusely for my knotted split ends.

Unsurprisingly, Turnbull doesn't advocate this.

"I would recommend anywhere from three to four weeks for men, and six to eight weeks for women," he says.

"Of course, you can go more often, depending on how much you like to catch up with your hair stylist."

(Sorry Lauren - it's nothing personal!)

How often should you do at-home hair treatments?

For best results, Turnbull advises making time to do nourishing treatments like hair masks regularly, rather than cramming it in the night before a special event.

"I would say to do them at least once a week, depending on your hair texture and damage. It never hurts to add a bit more protein, moisture and shine," he says.

RELATED: The only acceptable way to style your hair, according to every beauty writer ever

And the one thing we should all stop doing...

"Over using heating tools without protecting your hair first. It's vital for hair quality to use a heat protectant when you're styling with any heating tools," he says.

Consider yourself hair-ducated.

Related: The lipstick colour proven to get you what you want.

Any hair related questions you want answered?