Of all the many different kinds of hair product found on a bathroom shelf, it’s pretty likely that everyone will have a bottle of shampoo as a staple. But there’s a lot more to using shampoo properly than just massaging it onto your scalp and washing away; finding the right one and using it correctly will encourage hair to be more silky and lustrous and help it to retain colour for longer. These are the shampoo rules to live by to optimise the health of your hair – and lengthen colour life:

Think about how often you use shampoo

This is fundamental: you might not need to wash daily, and irrespective of how hydrating your shampoo is and how little you heat style after washing, simply putting your hair through the process of washing will tax it. Try experimenting with different styles when your hair is slightly less clean to eke out the life of your wash beyond a day.

Consider your hair type before buying

Much like cleansers for your face, shampoos have moved beyond just doing the work of cleaning and can now really help to affect how hair behaves. To find the right one for you, try isolating your biggest hair concern and treating it with a shampoo. If, for example, your hair is dry and frizzy, try an oil-infused shampoo (Schwarzkopf BC Oil Miracle Shampoo is great and will disperse oil to provide an even layer so hair doesn’t look greasy). If you’re worried about damage from colouring and styling hair, try something that’ll help to repair (for this, try Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Peptide Repair Rescue Deep Nourishing Shampoo).

Ace your technique

First things first: more shampoo does not equal a better wash. In fact, you want to use a little dollop about the size of an olive on short hair and slightly more on longer hair. The key is to make sure you apply it to thoroughly wet hair, gently – and that bit’s crucial – massaging it onto the scalp. Focus on this area, rinse thoroughly, and then do the same a second time. This time round, encourage the shampoo down the lengths more with your fingers (but remember not to rub at strands, instead always massaging with finger tips).