Many of us are looking for ways to stretch our products and make them last longer, without compromising on effectiveness. The same goes for our beauty and hair care products. Depending on the formula, you can add water to your shampoo to make it last longer without making it ineffective. 

We asked board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin founder and CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger what he recommends to his patients:

"Especially in these challenging times, making products go further by adding water to shampoo isn't a terrible idea. But, it is very important to do this correctly or you could end up with a contaminated product. On the other hand, the characteristics of the actual shampoo can change significantly with the added water, so I wouldn't recommend adding the water in advance. I encourage my patients to start with a small amount of product in their palm and add the water at the time of washing their hair (or, in the case of cleansers, at the time of cleansing).

This way, the product in the tube remains the best version possible and doesn't degrade more quickly. Additionally, any preservatives are kept in the proper strength for the amount in question."

Many shampoos contain sulfates, which are the primary cleansing ingredients that create lather. If your shampoo generates a lot of lather like L'Oreal Professionnel Resveratrol Vitamino Color Radiance Shampoo, you can add a little bit of water so that it lasts longer. Most experts suggest a three-to-one shampoo to water ratio. Using this ratio will still allow the shampoo to properly cleanse your scalp and hair of oil and debris. 

Because sulfates can be drying, individuals with dry hair often switch to sulfate-free shampoos or skip shampooing every day. Because they do not contain sulfates, these products do not create a rich lather. If you are using a low lather shampoo such as VIRTUE Recovery Shampoo, you want to avoid adding water to the formula. This will dilute the product too much and it will not effectively remove oils. 

You also want to avoid watering down shampoos such as Surface Awaken Therapeutic Shampoo that are formulated to exfoliate and treat an itchy scalp. Adding water can dilute the active ingredients, making them less effective. 

Another way to make your shampoo last longer is to skip washing your hair every single day. On days when you skip shampooing, use Klorane Detox Dry Shampoo with Aquatic Mint to absorb excess oil. This formula adds a boost of volume and texture so your hair looks refreshed. 

Do you have any questions for the LovelySkin experts? Let them know in the comments!