Posted by Support Team
on June 26, 2026
We've all been washing our hair since we were kids. It feels like the kind of thing you just... know how to do. Wet hair, shampoo, rinse, done, right?
Well - not quite. It turns out most of us have picked up a few habits along the way that aren't doing our hair any favours. Too much product, the wrong technique, washing too often (or not often enough), skipping steps that actually matter - it adds up. And the result is hair that feels dry, looks dull, or just never seems to reach its potential no matter what products you buy.
The good news? It's a surprisingly easy fix. Here's your full, no-nonsense guide to shampooing the right way - including the mistakes you're probably making and the steps you might be missing entirely.
Before You Even Get in the Shower
Step 1: Start With a Pre-Wash Oil Treatment
This is the step most people have never heard of - and it makes one of the biggest differences of anything on this list.
Applying oil to your scalp and hair before you shampoo serves two brilliant purposes. First, it nourishes and stimulates the scalp directly, delivering all those good ingredients before any water or cleanser touches your hair. Second, it creates a protective barrier that stops the shampoo from stripping your natural oils completely during the wash.
The mistake people make: skipping this step entirely, then wondering why their hair feels dry after washing. The shampoo isn't the problem - the lack of pre-protection is.
In the Shower
Step 2: Rinse Thoroughly Before You Even Touch the Shampoo
This one sounds obvious but it's worth saying: your hair needs to be properly saturated with warm water before shampoo goes anywhere near it.
Dry or barely damp hair means the shampoo can't distribute evenly, which leads to you using more product than you need and getting an uneven clean. Give your hair a good 30 to 60 seconds under the water, making sure it's wet all the way through from root to tip.
Water temperature matters too. Hot water feels amazing, but it opens the hair cuticle more than it needs to and strips moisture from the scalp. Warm water is your friend here. Think comfortable, not scalding.
Step 3: Dilute Your Shampoo
Yes, really.
Pour a small amount of shampoo into the palm of your hand - for medium-length hair, something roughly the size of a 10p coin is plenty - then add a little water and emulsify it between your palms before it goes anywhere near your head.
This helps the shampoo distribute more evenly across the scalp, means you need less product overall, and reduces the risk of applying too high a concentration in one spot.
The mistake people make: squeezing shampoo directly from the bottle onto dry patches of hair and then wondering why it won't lather.
Step 4: Apply to the Scalp - Not the Lengths
Here's one of the biggest misconceptions in haircare: shampoo is for the scalp, not the hair.
The scalp is where sebum, product build-up, sweat, and dead skin cells accumulate. That's what needs cleansing. Your lengths - especially if they're dry or damaged - really don't need the same treatment, and repeatedly shampooing them is one of the main reasons hair gets brittle and breaks.
Apply the diluted shampoo to your roots and scalp only, section by section if needed. The lengths will get cleaned as the product rinses through.
Step 5: Actually Massage It In (Properly)
This is where most people rush, and it's one of the most important steps of the whole routine.
Using the pads of your fingertips - not your nails - massage the shampoo into your scalp in slow, circular motions. Work across the whole scalp: the front hairline, the sides, the nape of the neck, and the crown. Spend at least two minutes doing this - it probably feels longer than your usual routine, and that's fine.
Here's why it matters so much: the massage itself increases blood circulation to the follicles, which directly supports healthier hair growth over time. It also helps loosen any product build-up or dead skin cells that have accumulated since your last wash, and it ensures the shampoo actually reaches the scalp rather than just sitting on top of the hair.
The mistake people make: a quick 10-second scrub and straight to the rinse. Your scalp deserves better.
Step 6: Should You Shampoo Twice?
Always! It's not as excessive as it sounds.
If you use a lot of styling products, if you've got an oily scalp, if you've been using a heavy oil treatment (like the pre-wash step above), or if you haven't washed your hair in more than a week, a second shampoo is worth it.
The first shampoo breaks down and lifts the build-up. The second one actually cleanses. You'll notice the difference in how your hair lathers - the first wash often won't lather much at all if there's significant build-up. The second will foam up properly, which is your sign it's doing its thing.
You don't need double the product for the second shampoo - a smaller amount than the first is enough.
The mistake people make: assuming more shampoo in one go equals a better clean. Two lighter washes beats one heavy one every time.
Step 7: Rinse. Then Rinse Again.
Rinsing is another step that gets rushed, and leftover shampoo on the scalp is one of the most common causes of itchiness, flaking, and product build-up.
Rinse until the water runs completely clear and your scalp feels genuinely clean - not just mostly rinsed. Work your fingers through the roots as you rinse to help dislodge any remaining product.
At the very end, if you can stand it, a brief cool rinse is worth doing. Cool water closes the hair cuticle, which means less frizz, more shine, and better moisture retention. It doesn't have to be cold - just cooler than your shower temperature. A few seconds is enough.
The mistake people make: a quick rinse and jumping straight out. Take an extra 30 seconds here - your hair will genuinely thank you for it.
After the Shampoo
Step 8: Condition Properly
Once you've shampooed and rinsed, it's time for conditioner - and the rules here are almost the opposite of shampoo.
Conditioner goes on the lengths and ends, not the scalp. Applying it to the roots can weigh the hair down and contribute to greasiness, especially for finer hair types. Squeeze out excess water from your hair first (soaking wet hair dilutes conditioner and reduces how well it works), then apply the conditioner from mid-lengths to the ends and leave for two to three minutes before rinsing.
For a deeper treatment - once a week or whenever your hair needs a proper reset - reach for the Rich Roots 3-in-1 Hair Mask instead. Apply it to the lengths, leave for three minutes in the shower, and rinse. Or use it as a pre-wash treatment on dry hair for 30 minutes before shampooing for the most intensive results.
The Mistakes Checklist
Here's the full list in one place - how many are you guilty of?
❌ Skipping the pre-wash oil treatment - your hair is going into the wash unprotected
❌ Not rinsing properly before shampooing - uneven application and wasted product
❌ Using too much shampoo - a 10p coin-sized amount diluted in water is genuinely enough
❌ Shampooing the lengths - shampoo is for the scalp, not the ends
❌ Rushing the scalp massage - you're missing out on one of the best things you can do for hair growth
❌ Only shampooing once when you need two rounds - especially after oil treatments or heavy build-up
❌ Not rinsing thoroughly - leftover shampoo causes itchiness and flaking
❌ Skipping the cool rinse - you're leaving shine and frizz control on the table
❌ Applying conditioner to the roots - it belongs on the lengths and ends only
How Often Should You Actually Be Washing Your Hair?
This is one of the most common haircare questions, and the honest answer is: it depends.
For most hair types, washing once or twice a week is ideal. Washing more frequently than this strips the scalp of its natural oils, which can actually trigger the scalp to produce more oil to compensate - the classic cycle of washing more to manage greasiness, which creates more greasiness.
If you have a naturally oilier scalp, two to three times a week might be right for you. If your hair is very dry, coily, or curly, once a week (or even less) might be enough. Pay attention to how your scalp feels rather than following a fixed schedule.
The Short Version
Great hair starts with a great wash. Pre-treat with oil, rinse thoroughly, dilute your shampoo, focus on the scalp, take your time with the massage, rinse until it's really gone, and finish with conditioner on the lengths. Do that consistently, and the difference will speak for itself.
