Moisturizing & Shampooing

Long moisturized hair
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Q: Could you tell me if I should moisturize my hair before or after shampooing?
 
A: If you are speaking of using a rinse-through conditioner or a deep-conditioning treatment, these are designed to follow AFTER shampoo services. The shampoo removes excess dirt and oils and the conditioner adds back moisture and helps smooth the cuticle back down.
 
There are some moisturizing/conditioning treatments that need to be followed by shampooing, though. These are things like protein packs and hot oil treatments. Otherwise, the emollients and ingredients in these products can leave residues on the hair that can weigh it down, or may leave it looking and feeling greasy.
 
Typically, you want to shampoo the hair to remove any dirt, oils and product build-up that may prevent the moisturizers from penetrating the hair. After rinsing the hair carefully to remove all the shampoo from the hair, gently squeeze out the excess water from the hair and apply a liberal amount of conditioner. Allow the conditioner to sit on the hair for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on manufacturer's recommendations) and proceed to rinse the conditioner from the hair with warm water.
 
If your hair has been especially dry or seems porous, you should follow the conditioner application and waiting time with a cool water rinse, as cool water helps to contract the cuticle and seal in the moisture from the conditioning.
 
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See also:
 
Hot oil treatments
 
Deep conditioning for hair
 
The different types of hair masks
 
Homemade hair masks and moisture treatments