A Hair Expert Told Us to Condition First, Then Shampoo

Myth: You don't need to wash your hair if it's in a protective style, like braids or a weave.

Fact: A braid or a weave is a great option when you don't want to deal with managing your coily hair every day, but that doesn't mean you can skip cleansing entirely. Not only can bacteria build up—potentially leading to dandruff and other scalp conditions—but also your natural hair can dry out. That would be particularly damaging since protective styles can stress it, says Wilson. To keep your hair moisturized, use shampoo and conditioner (you may want to dilute the formulas with water so they rinse out easily) or a co-wash at least once a week.

Myth: Split ends can be repaired with products.

Fact: Once hair is damaged, it can't repair itself. Split-end menders and treatments—formulated with Band-Aid-like polymers—can hold your frayed ends together, but the effect usually lasts only until your next shampoo. The only permanent solution for split ends is to cut them off.

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