There once was a day when this question contained a simple answer, "You should wash your hair every day," or "every other day." Even when interviewing our stylists, they all had different answers to this question. So how are you supposed to know how many times a week you should wash your hair? What if you get greasy within just hours of a wash? How often you wash your hair is completely up to you, but there are some things to be mindful of when focusing on your hair health.
1. Your products: What shampoos, conditioners, leave-in conditioners, and other products are you using? Are they quality products?
Some products can cause more buildup on the scalp instead of actually cleaning it and creating the harmony it needs to thrive. We recommend using a clarifying shampoo every three to four washes or however many times a week you feel you need to use one. A good one we always recommend for our clients is the Bumble and Bumble's Sunday Clarifying Shampoo. Do NOT use a clarifying shampoo every day; bad things could happen, especially for our color treated girlies.
2. How often are you touching your hair? We are all guilty of this -- the subconscious act of touching your hair without even realizing you are doing it.
Just like your scalp, your hands contain natural oils as well as build up from picking things up or touching different objects throughout the day. Odds are if you are touching your hair, you are creating oiliness, which results in washing it more often than you probably want to. More hair washes = more product used = more money spent.
3. Sometimes it's best to just let it be: It's hard to let your hair be when it starts to become greasy, but sometimes it's exactly what your hair needs. If you are washing your hair every day, you are stripping your scalp of the natural oils it needs. In order for your scalp to maintain a healthy balance, its best to slowly move away from washing your hair every day.
4. When in doubt, dry shampoo it out: On those days you are in between washes, use dry shampoo to control oil and diminish greasiness. We recommend using a high-quality dry shampoo that is in a powder form. Please do not use anything that contains butane, it is highly flammable. We recommend powder forms because you can have more control over how much you use. The Oribe Serene Scalp is one of our go-to products that we carry in the salon.
When it comes to the question of how often you should wash your hair, it really depends on your everyday lifestyle and who you ask.
Here is our advice for you: No matter how often you wash your hair, whether that is every day, every other day, or twice a week, start by implementing one more day in between washes. For example, if you wash your hair every day, start small by washing it every other day.
It will definitely be difficult at first, and you will want to wash the grease off, but leave it alone. Each time you extend the days in between washes, your scalp will start to slowly acclimate.
If you ever feel you need a consultation on what products we can recommend for your hair type, feel free to come down to Onyx and chat with one of our many educated stylists.
Happy washing!