Wash day is the most important ritual in your hair-growth routine. It is the moment you cleanse the scalp, restore moisture to the strand, and set the conditions for healthy growth in the week ahead. Done consistently and correctly, it compounds over time. Done carelessly, it undoes what your other products are building.
As a licensed cosmetologist with 14 years behind the chair, 'Koriem founder Sarah Lewis designed the wash-day ritual around one principle: protect what grows, so length can be retained.
Pre-Wash: Prepare the Scalp Before You Cleanse
The pre-wash step is the most overlooked part of a growth-focused routine. Applying a scalp oil before shampooing protects the scalp from the stripping effect of cleansing, adds slip for detangling, and delivers nourishment directly to the follicle environment before water opens the cuticle.
Apply Vitality 11 Hair Growth Oil to the scalp the night before wash day. Massage in sections for five minutes to stimulate circulation and ensure full coverage. Pull any remaining oil through the mid-shaft and ends. Leave overnight. This primes the scalp and protects the strand before cleansing begins.
The Wash-Day Sequence
Cleanse: Use a sulfate-free shampoo suited to your hair type. Focus application on the scalp, not the ends. Let the rinse water carry product through the lengths — working shampoo directly into the ends causes unnecessary friction and dryness.
Condition: Apply conditioner mid-shaft to ends. Detangle gently with a wide-tooth comb while the conditioner is in. Rinse with cool water to seal the cuticle and reduce frizz.
Treatment (as needed): Deep condition or protein treat based on your hair's current needs — not on a fixed schedule. Assess after each wash and respond to what your strands are telling you.
Dryness vs. Structural Breakage
Dry hair feels rough, tangles easily, and lacks shine. It responds well to moisture — conditioners, leave-ins, and lightweight oils applied to damp hair. Structural breakage is different: the strand itself is compromised from heat, chemical, or mechanical damage. It requires protein support to rebuild the hair's internal structure before moisture can be retained effectively. Applying moisture to structurally damaged hair without addressing the protein deficit will produce limited results.
Protein vs. Collagen
Topical protein treatments — keratin, hydrolyzed wheat protein — temporarily fill gaps in the cuticle and cortex, improving the feel and manageability of the strand. Marine collagen, taken internally, supports the body's own keratin production from within. These are complementary approaches, not competing ones. Topical protein addresses the strand surface; internal collagen supports the strand from the source.
Individual results vary. 'Koriem products support a healthy scalp environment and stronger-looking strands with consistent use. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition.
Continue Your Growth Ritual
Put what you have learned into practice with a targeted 'Koriem ritual designed to support this step of your hair-growth journey.