Have we been washing our hair wrong all this time?

Robe: Anthropologie (old) but I also love this one, this one and this one! 

It seems like there are always new and intriguing beauty trends popping up here and there, but I have to admit, it takes a pretty unique one to pique my interest. However, there are always exceptions–and one of those is called “reverse washing.”




Have you heard of it? I first came across it while perusing a magazine, and at first thought it sounded silly–the concept is essentially to reverse the order of your shampoo and conditioner. Apply conditioner first, and rinse it out with shampoo. I then came across “reverse washing” again and again on my favorite websites like Refinery29, Glamour and XO Jane. 

Now, for a girl with super thick hair that often gets tangled without enough conditioning, I wasn’t sure if this process was for me. But among further investigation, I thought it might be worth giving a try. 

Here’s the theory: Conditioner weighs your hair down, and leaves behind a residue that can make your hair dull, less shiny, and lacking “oomph.” By reversing the order, you get the conditioning effects, but wash away the dulling residue that can cause it to look lackluster. 

Okay, I’m officially intrigued. 

Then, I got the opportunity to partner with CVS to try out TRESemmé’s new Reverse Wash System, and I figured it was fate. 

I’ve always been a fan of TRESemmé (their products smell THE BEST and I think they’re one of the highest quality drugstore brands out there) so I was hopeful that this new shampoo and conditioner (or should I start saying, “conditioner and shampoo?”) wouldn’t disappoint. I also really liked that this system was specially formulated for reverse washing!

Here’s how it works: 

 

Step 1: Apply TRESemmé Beauty-Full Volume Pre-Wash Conditioner all over your hair.

Typically, I recommend only applying conditioner from the mid-strands down to the ends, but since you’ll be washing away the conditioner, feel free to go wild! 

Note: Since my hair is thick, it did require more conditioner than the recommended amount, so if you’re in the same boat, add a few extra pumps of product. I used slightly more than usual because this was covering my full head, instead of just the ends. 

I left the conditioner on as long as I normally would (just in a different order), by putting it up in a bun to soak in. Then I went about doing everything else (body wash, shaving, etc). 

 

Step 2: Follow with TRESemmé Beauty-Full Volume Shampoo

After I wrapped up everything else and had let the conditioner fully soak in for a few minutes, I applied shampoo DIRECTLY to my hair. (Do not rinse out the conditioner first, I think this makes a big difference!) If you rinse your conditioner out completely before applying shampoo, it will be harder to brush afterwords. 

By using the shampoo to rinse out the conditioner, it gently cleanses and removes excess weight, leaving hair more bouncy.

(Also worth noting: for those who dye their hair, this formula is supposed to be completely color safe!) 

 

Step 3: Style as usual 

Voila! There you have a successful reverse washing session!

A couple things I noticed after the first time doing the reverse wash:

When my hair was wet, it definitely felt different after a reverse wash than after a regular wash. It was also still easy (just slightly less easy) to comb out when wet. I typically don’t blow-dry my hair, so I let it air dry as usual, and did notice that it was sleek and straighter than usual (vs my usual waves with some minor frizz). 

Overall, I think this product would especially work well for those with fine, thinner hair, which gets weighted down very easily, or thicker, corse or curly hair that tends to be particularly unruly. In my opinion, Reverse Washing is a great addition to add into your beauty routine to help reduce buildup and residue that your conditioner leaves behind! 

Will it work for you? I’m not sure–you’ll have to give it a try for yourself! 

If you want to pick up your own TRESemmé Reverse Wash shampoo and conditioner, head to CVS! You can get 2 for $10 on select TRESemmé  products, as well as $5 ExtraBucks Rewards when you spend $15 on participating TRESemmé products now through 2/6! 

Would you be up for trying the “reverse” hair washing system? 

This post has been sponsored by Lunchbox, but opinions are 100% my own.