Reverse shampooing: The way you wash your hair is about to change

Conditioner first, washing second might just be haircare’s new secret weapon.

File then polish, cleanse then tone, shampoo then conditioner – there are some beauty rules you never break. And why would you?

It’s an age-old tradition that we cleanse and rinse before applying a hydrating conditioner. But hair care brands are questioning everything we’ve ever known and believed to be true with their latest releases – which could literally change the entire hair care industry.

Brands including Tresemme and Kerastase have started rolling out lines that ask us to do the complete opposite: condition before shampooing. And, according to them, it's a pretty easy trick to achieving a killer mane.

Tresemme’s new Beauty-Full Volume Reverse Wash System is a two-part regime whereby the conditioner is used before the shampoo.

Far from a fad, there’s some pretty good reasoning behind the new reverse shampooing system, which might actually change the way we wash our manes forevermore.

Turns out, conditioning before you shampoo is great for adding nourishment to fine hair without weighing it down. It also promotes a longer lasting blow-dry and primes the hair before cleansing, allowing shampoo to distribute easier and more evenly.

Using conditioner after you shampoo can weigh hair down, which is why this game-changing idea starts with a Pre-Wash Conditioner instead. Used before washing with shampoo and hair will feel soft and silky - but still have plenty of bounce.

Kerastase’s Resistance Therapiste collection uses keratin-associated proteins to strengthen hair and when used in the right order, the duo helps smooth and hydrate even the most damaged hair.

But, you don't have to overhaul your routine to try this trick at home. Just take your normal shampoo and conditioner (or a mask), and reverse the order. If your hair is thick or coarse, you may benefit from a condition-shampoo-condition regimen.

Extra hydration sans-weight is never a bad thing, but it's especially amazing in the summer when our hair takes a hell of a beating. So, instead of trying to find a miracle formula to quench your thirsty strands, maybe just change up your roster order.

Aren't the best answers always the simplest?