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I Tried It: Reverse Hair Washing

It’s all the rage, but does it work?

Last Updated on March 2, 2019 by Sarah - Penn State
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our links. Please read our full disclosure here.

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First there was the craze of not shampooing at all, then we switched over to cleansing conditioners. Now, we’re completely switching it up and doing reverse hair washing, i.e. conditioning first, then shampooing. 

When I first heard about the reverse hair washing method, my initial reaction was that it would probably make my hair dry and tangly. Normally when I just shampoo my hair, it feels dry and gross, so I feel that I need conditioner afterwards. 

Though I had low expectations, I was super curious to try this method, so I gave reverse hair washing a test for a week straight and I’m going to share my results, as well as my tips and tricks below.

Wella Brilliance Shampoo ($15.50) and Conditioner ($16.50)

I began by just using my usual shampoo and conditioner for the first few days. (I’m currently into the Wella Brilliance line for fine to normal hair, so those are the products I used.) I used conditioner from root to tip and scrubbed it into my hair like shampoo, then rinsed it out and shampooed my entire head. 

So how did it work out? Honestly, my hair felt like it normally does after conditioner, if not softer! I was so shocked. I usually blow dry my hair with a big round brush afterward, so I did that and I actually noticed that my hair had more volume and looked more clean than usual – really cool!

I was so impressed with this that I kept going with this routine for the next three days. A friend and I talked about this method and she suggested the Tresemme line for reverse washing. I love a good drugstore product, so I bought the pre-shampoo conditioner. It’s formulated for reverse washing, so I was definitely curious. 

I did the same routine as before, except I swapped the Tresemme for the Wella conditioner. The biggest difference I noticed is that I think the Tresemme required more product, but since you need more conditioner for this method than usual, I prefer using a less expensive conditioner.

TRESemme Reverse System Pre-Wash Conditioner ($4.99)

After a week, I have to say that I’m a convert. I’m actually loving this method! It’s perfect for my fine, colored hair that tends to get weighed down easily. The reverse hair washing method adds so much volume and keeps my hair from getting dirty as quickly. I definitely recommend that you give it a try if you’re curious.

What do you think?

Have you heard of this method? Do you think you’ll give it a try? Let me know in the comments if you try it!

Tags : conditioner, Hair Products, Haircare, Shampoo

5 Comments
Originally published on April 5, 2016
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Comments

  1. Lena says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Definitely going to try this, as my roots get oily and my ends kind of dry pretty quickly!

    Reply
  2. Kryptos says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    I actually already do this sometimes. If my hair is really tangled, I’ll condition first so that I can actually get the shampoo through my hair.

    Reply
  3. Ryan says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    I’ve been doing this for a while. Had no idea it was a trend- I’m hip and I didn’t even know it!

    Reply
  4. Kaija K says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Love the tresseme

    Reply
  5. Breigh Burns says

    April 15, 2019 at 11:41 am

    Thank you for trying this method! I read an article that recommended trying this and was skeptical at first but curious. I’m definitely going to try it now that I’ve seen a full review 🙂

    Reply

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