When it comes to washing your hair, it’s likely you have the tried and tested rinse and repeat down – lather up with your staple shampoo and follow with your favourite conditioner.
However, sometimes conditioner can leave hair feeling limp and prone to product build-up – this is where reverse washing comes in. It’s time to turn your haircare routine on its head!
It is thought that conditioning your hair first enables strands to absorb more of the nourishing ingredients in the formulation, boosting hydration and hair health. Shampoo then gently cleanses, removing the excess conditioner without stripping the hair and scalp of naturally occurring oils1. The result? Weightless shine, and bouncy volume. This technique is particularly beneficial for those with fine hair that gets easily weighed down with excess product.
Google trends has seen the search term ‘reverse washing’ up 60% in the last month. With that in mind, I wanted to share some of the expertly developed shampoos and conditioners available at Grow Gorgeous, Christophe Robin, and ESPA for the swishy, healthy hair you crave.
Reverse Washing – GROW GORGEOUS
Grow Gorgeous Balance pH-Balanced Shampoo – RRP £14.00
Cleanse hair without stripping strands with this pH-balanced shampoo, leaving hair visibly shiny and healthy, with burdock root, ivy, rice, and fenugreek extracts to nourish and condition. Formulated with Caffeine to stimulate roots, Allantoin to soothe, moisturise and condition hair and scalp, and Amino Acids to promote healthy-looking hair. Burdock Root, Ivy, Rice, and Fenugreek Extract help nourish, condition, and maintain healthy-looking hair with enhanced shine, with 93% of users agreeing it feels lightweight and does not strip the hair of natural oils*.
Grow Gorgeous Balance pH-Balanced Conditioner – £16.00
Nourish and soften strands without leaving residue with this lightweight pH-balanced conditioner. An Oat Lipids Complex helps reinforce the scalp’s natural protective barrier, helping to lock in moisture, while Shea butter nourishes, conditions, and smooths for supple and silky soft-looking strands, with 88% of users agreeing it leaves their hair and scalp feeling balanced*.
Reverse Washing – CHRISTOPHE ROBIN
Christophe Robin Hydrating Shampoo With Aloe Vera – RRP £26.00
This silky, refreshing shampoo invigorates the scalp and helps restore the appearance of dry, dull hair as it gently cleanses, leaving hair looking luminous and shiny. Aloe Vera soothes, while derivatives from plant amino acids help absorb and retain moisture for softer hair that feels silky smooth, and Flaxseed Oil helps illuminate.
Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting Mask With Aloe Vera – RRP £28.00
The Hydrating Melting Mask with Aloe Vera benefits from an ultra-light texture, which melts beautifully into hair, helping to enhance shine and reduce frizz so it feels soft, supple, and manageable. Aloe Vera Helps to provide a feeling of hydration. Combined with an oligosaccharide to create an intensely moisturising complex, it reveals plumper-looking hair. Flaxseed oil nourishes and instantly restores the appearance of dry hair so it looks luminous and revitalised.
Reverse Washing – ESPA
ESPA Optimal Hair Pro-Shampoo – RRP: £22.00
Our nutrient-rich Active Nutrients Optimal Hair Pro-Shampoo is packed with high-performance ingredients to help you achieve Hair Bliss. See and feel the benefits of naturally beautiful hair, as this gently foaming shampoo balances the scalp and infuses hair with lustrous-looking vitality from root to tip. Enriched with Inca Inchi Oil and Quinoa Protein, hair is gently cleansed without stripping its precious natural oils. A Plant-Derived Carbohydrate Complex locks in moisture, smoothing lengths and nurturing the delicate skin on the scalp to promote a fresh, balanced environment that creates the optimal conditions for healthy-looking hair.
ESPA Optimal Hair Pro-Conditioner – RRP: £22.00
Our nutrient-rich Active Nutrients Optimal Hair Pro-Conditioner has been expertly formulated to help you achieve Hair Bliss. The creamy formula is infused with supercharged ingredients, bringing a lustrous brilliance and revitalised appearance to your tresses, with improved manageability and a sleek, salon finish. Tung Wood Oil forms a flexible shield to help with frizz control, leaving hair feeling weightless and full of natural movement and bounce. An emollient-rich blend of Abyssinian, Sunflower and Avocado Oils helps to smooth so hair looks full of vitality and shine and feels touchably soft.
Hay fever friendly beauty products
