Achieving a thoroughly cleansed face is something most of us continually work hard on. Face scrubs, washes, makeup removers - the list of skin cleansing items for your skin goes on! And it's no surprise we do work so hard at it - how good does it feel to go to bed at night with bare, soft and smooth skin, free of makeup, oils and everything else? The answer: Amazing!

But do you work quite as hard at cleansing your scalp and hair? If the answer is no, don't fret. We can help turn that around and give you hair that same amazing feeling! But you might be wondering why this is so important...

You see, your scalp is just like any other skin on your bod, except that, more often than not, it is covered up by your hair! And being skin, your scalp is liable to find itself blocked up, oily, dry or irritated, just like your face. If you are finding your scalp in any of these predicaments, you can turn it around by finding the right cleansing ritual for your hair. A suitable shampoo and conditioner, as well as specific treatments can help you out. But you can also get it one step closer to thoroughly cleansed skin with a few simple steps next time you wash.

1. Shampoo your hair as usual. Kind of. Start by lathering up your shampoo, and rubbing into the strands that sit closest to your scalp (the roots). Don't forget to do the underside of your hair, close to the nape of your neck. Rub in firmly with the pads of your finger, but don't be too forceful or rough - hair is weakest when it's wet, so you don't want to snap your follicles! So skip using your finger nails to massage your head.

2. Rinse out with warm, but not scalding hot water. Not only is super hot water bad for your hair, it can also damage your delicate skin. Especially around your decollotage if you are standing front on in the shower.

3. This is probably where you'd reach for your conditioner... Instead, grab your shampoo again. This time, use a little less shampoo than usual (usually, around 1 teaspoon of shampoo is enough - so a little less this time). Rather than massaging it into your roots and scalp like before, concentrate on the ends of your hair. Whilst this isn't where sebum will build up, it is where product will. Nourishing oils and serums that help keep split ends at bay can also build up around the hair shaft after time. Washing and rinsing the ends of your hair, after your 'first' wash will help to really clean them! You may also find that the second time around you get a little more foam than you did for the first wash - this means less sebum and oils to stand in your shampoos way. After all, you probably got most of it the first time around. This is also why it's good to double cleanse very dirty hair, to really make sure it comes out clean!

4. Squeeze out excess water. Making sure your hair is damp and not sopping wet will help your conditioner to adhere to your strands better once applied. And as conditioner is designed to penetrate the hair, you want it to hold a little and not slip off your strands and down the drain!

5. Now, the conditioner. Conditioner does its job when applied to the lengths of your hair. It doesn't do too much for the roots. If you wash your conditioner into your scalp, you may find you have to wash your hair more frequently! So, when applying, run it through the mid-lengths to the ends of your hair. You can wash it out right away, or you can leave it in while you exfoliate/shave/wash your face. Leaving it for a couple of minutes will help it to really penetrate the shafts of the hair.

6. Now, take a deep breath in and turn the water on to cold. By rinsing your hair with cold water right at the end of washing, you'll help to close off the cuticle and keep hair looking sleek and shiney. Believe it or not, during my teenage ages I used to do this every single time I washed my hair - even in the depths of winter! For some reason, I gave it up. But my 26 year old locks could do with a pick me up, so I'm comitted to giving it a try again. Well, maybe every second wash. I want my teenage tresses back!

7. After towel drying, add a little oil to the ends of your hair. Using the slightest bit or moroccan or argan oil will help to keep your ends nourished and less likely to split, especially if you are going on to heat style your hair by blowdrying or straightening/curling it.

Now, three products to use...

Suigo Ultimate Control Shampoo

This concentrated shampoo strengthens your hair as it cleans, helping to prevent breakage and repair damage - perfect for all kinds of hair! With Keratin and Orchid extract to nourish your scalp, it'll help you achieve a thorough cleanse.

Suigo Ultimate Control Conditioner

Creating a protective barrier that puts all the good-for-your-hair ingredients on lockdown, to do their work efficiently, this conditioner is like a body guard, for the body and health of your locks. It increases smoothness and manageability with antistatic, moisture-giving ingredients.

Royal Moroccan Serum Treatment

This ultra light weight formula doesn't weigh hair down or impart the “greasy” effect that other shine products can. The added benefit of long term conditioning when you use this divine serum on a regular basis is another plus!

 Do you follow all these steps when washing your locks? Do you feel like your hair could do with a thorough cleanse? Let us know! - Lauren

(pic courtesy of grazia.co.uk)