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We've all had this experience...

We look great after visiting the Hair Salon and even for a couple days after.

Then we wash and dry our new style at home and it never looks even half as good as the professional version!

Sometimes it's because the stylist gave you a cut that is too high maintenance and it will never look good unless it's worked by a pro.

But, most times it's because we didn't follow the same procedures at home that our stylist used in her shop to get the look.

Whether you're going for a touch-up or a radical new look, always pay close attention to the tools and methods the stylist uses on your hair.

Ask what they're doing and why they're doing it to your hair.

Then, print out this overview of the steps to great hair (including the real pros' secrets) and use it to recreate the professional look at home.

Apply the options below that work for your hair and your style and you will have a lot fewer bad-hair days between salon visits!

The Down and Dirty About Shampooing:

When to wash and when to skip it

There are three reasons to shampoo:

*First off, to remove the stuff your hair attracts from environmental dirt and pollutants.

Things like dust, smoke, chlorine or salt if you're swimming, and all the nasty things cars belch into the air if you live in an urban or suburban area.

*Then, there's the oil that your scalp produces.

You need those oils to protect your scalp and hair but after a few days (more or less depending on your skin type) they start to cling to your hair giving you that stringy look.

*Perspiration can also soil your hair.

If you're a gym rat, you're gonna have to wash more often.

Shampooing too often strips the hair of the protective oils so try to schedule as many days between washes as you can stand. If you have a choice between washing today or tomorrow, I recommend waiting.

But, there's no hard-and-fast rule of how often to shampoo. You have to pay attention to what kind of environment you're in, your activities' effect on your hair, and how much oil your skin type secretes.

We all know our busy schedules have to be factored in too - if you shampoo when you don't have time to finish styling correctly, you're not going to end up with great looking hair.

Types of products:

The #1 question is always...

"are professional brands sold in salons and beauty supply stores really any better than drugstore brands?"

Short answer: "YES"... and here's why:

Drugstore Brands of shampoo are made with the cheapest possible ingredients. Read the label of any shampoo and you're likely to find lots of stuff with names you can't pronounce. But the cheaper the final product, the cheaper the ingredients that go into it.

"Name" Brands come in two categories:

The product-only producers like Wella, L'Oreal, and such that you can buy in beauty supply stores (and online)...

...and the private label products commissioned by and for stylists and specialty salons like Bumble & Bumble and Paul Mitchell (which you can also buy online).

**You should know that many shops require the stylists working there to use their approved brands and that the stylists make a commission on product sales.

**You should also know that if you're going to a salon and a stylist that makes your hair look great, using their products is the easy way to keep your hair looking good between visits.

We'll get more specific, with recommendations for various hair types, in future articles.

Step By Step Shampoo Instructions:

Wetting Your Hair

It's important to thoroughly wet your hair before starting to apply product. Especially if you have long or thick hair, be sure you give it time under the running water to get completely soaked.

Use lukewarm water, probably cooler than you prefer to shower in.

Amount of Product

Pour enough into your palms to start a lather. You can always add more so start small - a quarter's worth - and use only as much as the volume of hair you're washing requires.

Application of Product

Start at your scalp and work down to the ends. Don't rub, just smooth the lathered up shampoo onto the strands.

When you have a light covering, which may require additional product, move onto the next step.

Working Product Through Your Hair

You don't want to create tangles or stress your hair with vigorous rubbing. Use your finger tips (not your nails) on your scalp to loosen any dead skin and oily residues. Gently rub hair strands between your hands, working from the head to the ends.

Rinsing

Tilt your head back and allow the water to run from your head to the ends of your hair. Gently run your fingers through your hair to be sure all the shampoo is rinsed out.

Start with the lukewarm water and gradually add colder water (or turn down the hot water) until your hair is cool through-out.

To Repeat or Not

Usually not. Modern shampoos are designed to wash with one application. Unless you are removing paint or some particularly stubborn substance, one treatment with shampoo should do it.

Next up: Conditioning...

See part 2 of my article series: "Great Hair At Home: Conditioners and Treatments".

Monica gives professional hair and beauty advice in person at her San Diego salon: call 800-789-8359 for an appointment.

Online, her website: HairByMonica.com HairByMonica.com serves up articles and videos on hair care, tools, and products that help you look and feel your best.

You'll also find links to top quality products at discounted prices on from HairByMonica.com HairByMonica.com

Go now and get your FREE report: 7 Tricks Great Stylists Use: DO Try This At Home!