The shower mistake we're all making

We're not here to discuss your hygiene habits. It's your haircare ones I'm worried about, writes Rebekah Scanlan. Photo / 123rf

They're a part of your daily routine, but according to an expert you're probably doing it wrong. Here's how to make sure you're showering right.

Showers. We take them daily, unless you're totally gross but we're not here to discuss your hygiene habits. It's your haircare ones I'm worried about.

Chances are you're making a major mistake when you step under that stream of warm, inviting water and giving your tresses a wash. So brace yourselves people as what I'm about to say next is going to surprise you — it totally shocked me.

For as long as I can remember, I've been told to only apply conditioner to the mid-tips of my hair. In fact, a quick Google on "how to condition my hair properly" will bring back hundreds of results telling you the same thing.

"Do not apply conditioner to your scalp," they all read, rather terrifyingly.

But Anthony Nader from RAW in Surry Hills — a renowned Australian hairstylist with over 30 years experience — told The Beauty Diary it is just one great big fat fib.

"The conditioning process can be complex, which is what has created confusion here, because you need to understand what your hair texture is to prescribe the right conditioner for you," Anthony said.

This step in haircare is specifically to help behaviour and longevity, he said, adding most people want to "last the distance" between washes.

"The biggest myth is that when you apply the conditioner to your roots that you are automatically weighing them down," he said, explaining the entire hair strand — root, mid and tip — is made from the same core ingredients, the cortex, how the protein particles that make up the hair is held together, the cuticle, which is the outside coating we all see, and the medulla which is an empty section in the centre of each strand that helps insulate it.

"Even the roots — which is typically considered the 'healthier' part of every strand — can benefit from some love," Anthony said.

I have to admit, over the years I've had some awful incidents with conditioners, mainly ones that leave my fine hair super limp and greasy looking.

So when I first heard this myth, I scoffed. There was no way would I be putting conditioner onto my roots.

But the more I dug deeper, the more I realised there was a lot of truth to this. Celebrity hairstylist and Pantene ambassador, Remington Schulz told Whimn.com.au earlier this year, you should "apply the conditioner from the roots to ends".

"When your hair is cleansed with the hair shaft wide open, it's the optimum time to condition from your roots, so you're giving an added boost of hydration," he told the publication. "When you're not conditioning properly that's when we see a lot of scalp concerns."

Anthony explains the best person to discuss and determine your hair type with to make sure you have the right product for the job is your hairdresser.