American Woman beauty editor Nicole Emmerling stops by today to answer a question every woman has asked at one time or another. -- AP
Thanks, Anastasia. Nicole here. Lather, rinse, repeat. Those three words appear on every bottle of shampoo I’ve ever seen. Recently, though, I’ve noticed tips for saving money that include dropping the “repeat” part. Do so, and you extend the life of your shampoo by 100%. If you buy expensive salon brand shampoos, that's a significant savings. But if you don’t “repeat,” will your hair get as clean as it should?
I decided to do a bit of research to determine whether “lather, rinse, repeat” is a myth. Here’s what I found:
The expert at About.com was emphatic about following the shampoo bottle advice, stating that the first lathering should be to clean your scalp and remove the sebum (oil) and hair products that build up between shampooings. The second lathering is to wash the hair itself.
But then I checked out what the experts at Good Housekeeping had to say, and they claimed that “lather, rinse, repeat” is a myth, that one thorough washing is all you need.
But then I checked out what the experts at Good Housekeeping had to say, and they claimed that “lather, rinse, repeat” is a myth, that one thorough washing is all you need.
As I continued to research the subject, I found my results were split evenly down the middle.
So…to repeat or not to repeat? That is the question. My solution? As in so many things in life, there’s no simple answer. Much will depend on how often you wash your hair and how much hair product you use. So I say, wash your hair once. If it doesn’t feel clean enough to you, wash it again.
Where do you stand on the "lather, rinse, repeat" issue? Let's hear from you. Post a comment and be eligible to win a book from our Book Club Friday guest author this week. -- AP
