I know everyone's hair is different and so on, but does anyone deliberately go for piles of lather on top to begin with or not ? Either way is there any particular reason ?

I'm experimenting with as little as possible to see what happens !! :)

Piling all your hair on top of your head and rubbing it is asking for knots and tangles.  This method of shampooing is not recommended for longer hair.  The less you mess with your hair, the better it is for it.  When I shampoo, I gently massage the shampoo into the hair with just the pads of my fingers.  I then carefully work the lather down the hair to about my shoulders.  The rest only gets the shampoo as it is being rinsed.  This keeps the hair from tangling and breaking.

Oops sorry bb my mistake. I meant lots of lather to begin with (shouldn't have said piles :)) or very little lather i.e. diluted with water first.

It's like learning a new language ! ;D

Ah, yes, terminology!   ;D

The amount of lather is more of a personal preference.  I have some shampoos that create a lusciously thick lather (Giovonni) and others that produce very little lather (JASON).  Both get my hair clean.  I will admit that when my hair is really dirty - such as going 8 days without a real wash on a bike ride with lots of sweat and road grime, I like to have a nice rich lather to get my hair clean again.  But for my usual/regular washes I have learned that lather is not as important.  A certain amount is good for breaking down the sebum and carrying it away, but it really doesn't take much to get the job done.

Thanks ! Big learning curve all round this ! :)

It’s the how much sebum has to be broken down bit that I’m still not really clear about and whether one risks removing too much during each wash. And why I think experimenting with diluted shampoo and cooler water might just turn up some possible answers ?

I’m also wondering just how long I've had the wonderfully simplistic idea that more shampoo lather meant more cleansing power similar to - wait for it ! – ordinary washing powder for clothes !!  :-[

Experimenting is about the only way you will really determine the best concentration of your shampoo.  If you like "slather" lots of shampoo on your head, diluting might be a great option for limiting the amount of shampoo, yet still feeling like you are covering your head with it.  :)  You can also try putting a bit of shampoo on your head, then adding a bit of water to your head/hair to help with the lathering process.  It all gets down to what you like and what gets the job done.  

One method will not necessary work with all shampoos.  I find some can be diluted easily and work great that way, others don't seem to want to dilute at all, so I put the shampoo on my hair, then do a quick dunk of my head under the shower, then proceed to lather.  Play around with different techniques to see what work for you.

For me, the more lather means the more natural oils removed which makes both my scalp & hair super dry.   :P  I have shampoo that doesn't lather very much, and I put a small amount on my fingertips and massage the top of my head first, then the sides (adding a bit of shampoo) and then down to the nape from the crown again adding a small amount of shampoo.  Sometimes I'll coat the length from my ears down with conditioner before I start cleaning my scalp-if I haven't gotten very sweaty or used only minimal hair product.

Thank you both, great ! It's rather what I was beginning to think fortunately !  :)



Sakina wrote on Feb 24^th, 2007 at 8:33pm:

For me, the more lather means the more natural oils removed which makes both my scalp & hair super dry.   :P

I think the bottom line then is continued experimentation to establish just how much of one's natural sebum, i.e. the right balance, can be left intact without becoming too dry or too greasy ? Too dry meaning dandruff and too dirty/ greasy = :P

I use loads of shampoo, but i use a very gentle one for a sensitive scalp and it works up quite a few bubbles, my hair is short, but i like the bubbles, i dont think it was the lather that is the problem i think it is the harsh chemicals in the lather, now i use a chemical free shampoo i find i love the lather.

I love lather, but having really dry hair to begin with I know it's not a good thing for me.  For me, lather is more of a mental thing.  I have a tendency to link lots of lather to cleaner hair.  I'm still getting used to  shampoos that don't provide much or any lather because they do clean. But not having the lather, I have a tendency to use alot of shampoo to guarantee clean hair but I'm sure the amount that I use is unnecessary.

I'm the same way when it comes to face wash, some lather and some don't but of course I use a "foaming" face wash.