There s nothing we love more than picking our hairstylist s genius mind for tricks of the trade—whether it s how to keep a blow-out bouncy (pin curls!) or fight oily roots (only apply conditioner to the ends, skipping the top half of your hair). Our newest lesson? The shampoo sandwich, a technique born in New York salons and now rising fast on TikTok.
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What is a shampoo sandwich?
A shampoo sandwich is just what it sounds like: the process of sandwiching your application of shampoo between layers of treatment. It’s a way to maximize color retention while still looking after the hair. Here’s how to do it:
- Apply a reparative or protective treatment or conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends of dry hair.
- After leaving it on for the allotted time, rinse the treatment out.
- Shampoo as you usually would, either once or twice.
- Reapply the treatment, mask, or conditioner again
- Rinse, and you re done!
Why try a shampoo sandwich?
Applying a treatment, mask or conditioner before shampooing helps protect the parts of your hair that are more damaged. By coating the hair fiber, the subsequent shampoo cycles stop the lengths and ends from drying out while allowing the scalp to still be effectively cleansed. The result is shinier, less damaged hair.
What are the benefits of a shampoo sandwich?
A shampoo sandwich achieves two goals at once: effective cleansing and deep hydration. It is particularly well suited to anyone with naturally oily roots, and mid-lengths and ends that tend to skew drier. It’s especially beneficial to anyone with color treated hair, as the pre-treatment will help to limit how much colour is lost during the shampoo cycle. For people with wavy and curly hair, a shampoo sandwich helps to retain moisture in the hair, which, down the line, boosts shine and definition.
Who should avoid a shampoo sandwich?
This approach can be too product-heavy for people with very fine hair. If you do want to try it, seek out a lighter, silicone-free pre-treatment for your shampoo sandwich.
Below, some of our favorite hair-care products to create your own shampoo sandwich.
Have a beauty or wellness trend you re curious about? We want to know! Send Vogue s senior beauty wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.