# Lather, Rinse, Repeat -- Why Repeat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2000, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880 "2000-09-12T13:13:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bramsicle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bramsicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramsicle)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/1 "2000-09-12T13:13:22Z")
Why do the instructions on many kinds of shampoo bottles tell you to apply the shampoo twice – you know, the “repeat” part of “lather, rinse, repeat”. I’ve long suspected this is a scam to get you to use up the shampoo faster. (I admit I ignore the “repeat” instruction.) ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/2 "2000-09-12T13:15:47Z")
IIRC, CONSUMER REPORTS did a study a few years back that concluded that shampooing twice did, in fact, get your hair cleaner… but not so much so that it was worth using up the extra shampoo, compared to a THOROUGH scouring the first time. ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/3 "2000-09-12T13:24:54Z")
More importantly, if you repeat you use more product, which means you’ll have to buy more product, which means the shampoo manufacturers will make more money… ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/4 "2000-09-12T13:49:09Z")
I have very oily hair, and I have found that unless I really use a lot of shampoo, the first wash will not clean all the way to the scalp. The first wash will clean the outside hair, and then leave the last half-inch or so still greasy and yucky. Since that’s the part that actually involves skin and sensory nerves, it is rather important to get clean. The second shampoo will not be weakened by the outside oil, and will clean all the way down to the scalp. That’s my experience, anyway. Your mileage may differ. ---
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/5 "2000-09-12T14:41:43Z")
I heard a story a long time ago(possible UL) that one of the manufacturers had hired an ad agency to come up with a way to boost sales. One of the ideas was to add the word ‘repeat’ at the end of the instructions. Made sense to me at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/6 "2000-09-12T15:51:59Z")
I heard a similar story, Aglarond, with one minor twist – one shampoo manufacturer did this during the Great Depression. While sales of all other personal-care products declined sharply during that time, this shampoo manufacturer’s sales actually increased 30 percent (because people ran out of the shampoo more often, you see). It’s been on shampoo bottles ever since. Dunno if it’s true, but it makes a good story. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/7 "2000-09-12T16:06:32Z")
It’s a logic trap. Lather Rinse repeat lather rinse repeat lather rinse repeat lather rinse repeat… It goes on forever. Your trapped in the shower for eternity. You try to be in compliance with the instructions but it’s impossible. lather rinse repeat lather rinse repeat lather rinse repeat lather rinse repeat… …until you die! ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/8 "2000-09-12T16:13:27Z")
Exactly who _are_ these people who pay so much attention to the instructions on shampoo bottles? If you already know how to wash your hair (as I hope most of us do), why would you even bother to read the instructions – let alone change your technique just because the bottle says so? ---
**Author:** ![Timothy\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Timothy\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timothy_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/9 "2000-09-12T17:04:06Z")
While I can’t comment on the efficacy of repeating, I can comment on the psychological reward. Most people seem to think that “lather” is important, even though it has no effect whatsoever on how well a product works. When you first wash your hair, the surfactants in the shampoo are so busy glomming up the oil that they can’t go all frothy. On the repeat, however, most of the oil is gone and you get a head covered with foam. (The foam arises, in part, because the surfactants are trying to get the hell away from water.) You may not BE much cleaner, but you FEEL cleaner. All that lovely lather. Yup. ---
**Author:** ![niveous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f4b2a3/32.png) [@niveous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/niveous)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/10 "2000-09-12T18:25:27Z")
I don’t know, I’ve seen quite a few bottles nowadays that say, “Repeat, if necessary,” which to me leaves the choice up to consumers. I never repeat anyway. No sense in stripping away all the natural oil produced by my scalp, only to try to put it back with conditioner or hot oil treatments… ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/11 "2000-09-12T18:57:31Z")
What I want to know is why the shampoo people feel it’s important to describe to you how to wash your hair, but the shaving cream/razor people never describe the process of shaving! When I started using a mug and brush in my daily shaving ritual a year or so ago, I had to come HERE to get help figuring out the new routine. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/12 "2000-09-12T19:42:30Z")
It’s obvious, isn’t it. The first time is to clean all the dirt and oil out of your hair, and then you repeat that to wash away all the shampoo left from the first time. ---
**Author:** ![etgaw1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ed655f/32.png) [@etgaw1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etgaw1)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/13 "2000-09-12T20:03:48Z")
I repeat and I don’t use any more shampoo. On first rinse I use a little less than I used to when I didn’t repeat. On the second rinse I use what I would have left over. I don’t know why but my hair turns out better. I also use shampoo with conditioner that might have something to do with it. I suggest try repeating just once and if you don’t like the results don’t repeat. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/14 "2000-09-12T23:14:37Z")
“Exactly who are these people who pay so much attention to the instructions on shampoo bottles? If you already know how to wash your hair (as I hope most of us do), why would you even bother to read the instructions – let alone change your technique just because the bottle says so?” But if you believe the version of the story that some shampoo manufacturer did this umpety-umph years ago (the Great Depression, etc.), then maybe lots of people were using shampoo for the first time\* and would read the instructions because it was a NEW PRODUCT, either generally or to them as individuals. \*Of course, people washed their hair before shampoo. They rubbed a bar of ordinary soap on their hair. Just like people used soap to wash some clothes before modern detergents were developed and sold. ---
**Author:** ![timmar68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@timmar68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timmar68)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/15 "2000-09-13T01:23:21Z")
You don’t have to repeat. If you feel the first time didn’t do a good enough job then before you rinse re-wet your head and scrub. That will make it lather up more. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/16 "2000-09-13T01:26:19Z")
I think we just found our “oldest” member! Check out the date opposite the dude or dudette who posted: > [@](#): > > I don’t know, I’ve seen quite a few bottles nowadays that say, “Repeat, if necessary,” which to me leaves the choice up to consumers. > > I never repeat anyway. No sense in stripping away all the natural oil produced by my scalp, only to try to put it back with conditioner or hot oil treatments… He even predates Unca Cece!😃 ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/17 "2000-09-13T01:42:02Z")
That post reply right after Timothy Cambell is vely vely intelesting… ---
**Author:** ![bramsicle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bramsicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramsicle)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/18 "2000-09-13T13:09:20Z")
The “ghost poster” is being discussed [elsewhere](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=38248) on the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat-why-repeat/32880/19 "2000-09-13T16:28:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scylla \* > \*\*It’s a logic trap. > > Lather rinse repeat… > …until you die! > \*\* I first heard this as a joke about a computer programmer found in the shower dead of exhaustion with his fingers rubbed raw and an open bottle of shampoo. 🙂