How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
Photo by Clean Wal-Mart
I’ve received a few emails recently asking about how often a girl should wash her hair. I did a little research and it’s an interesting topic because there really seems to be a big divide in what people recommend.
Personally, I was always taught to wash my hair every day. Over the years, however, I’ve learned that daily washing really dries my hair out.
These days, because I get highlights and my hair is damaged, I only shampoo 3 or 4 times a week. This has definitely helped my hair a lot: it’s much less dried out without the constant shampooing and blow drying.
Celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves, who does Eva Longoria and Jessica Simpson’s hair, agrees that you shouldn’t wash your hair every day. According to Oprah.com, Ken says that “certain hair types and textures only require washing once a week, where others work well washing 2 to 3 times a week.”
Thursday’s New York Times style section had an article about hair washing frequency, only to the extreme. Of Course I Washed My Hair Last Year (I’m Almost Certain) talked about how lots of women wash their hair just once a week and some only wash once a month! Apparently it’s trendy to spend less time on your hair.
As someone whose hair gets oily after just a few days, I can’t imagine only washing your hair once a month, but maybe it would work well for those with dry hair? The idea does sound tempting – who wouldn’t want to spend less time doing their hair each week? I just don’t know how it would really work for the average woman.
What are your opinions on this? Do you wash your hair every day or do you think once a week is best? Leave a comment and take the poll below! I want to hear what you think!
[poll id="12"]
Posted on on February 22, 2008 / Filed Under: Beauty & Hair / Tags: Hair, Hygiene, Ken Paves, Shampoo
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Lindsay
I always wash my hair every day becasue it gets sooo greasy! If I dont wash it I just hate the way it looks. Any tips to make your hair less greasy?
kendra
well it really does depend on your hair….i know black women are advised wash hair only once a week or every two weeks depending on the style. Its really just the diefference in texture. whereas people with a certain texture of hair wants to get rid of grease, black women with nappy hair want to keep as much as the natural oils in our hair that we can. too much washing strips our hir of those essential oils. people wearing natural hairstyles tend to condition between shampoos however…but for the most part, washing our hair every day is a big”no-no”
Cadi
I REQUIRE washing daily. Honest to goodness, if I don’t wash daily, it SMELLS, and the slightest touch leaves yuck on my fingers. It’s quite nasty. It’s a royal pain, too, because my mane is waist length. The ends get a really good leave-in daily to make up for the constant washing.
Meg from All About Appearances
My hair gets yucky quickly — especially in summer. I wash it when I shower every morning (though sometimes I take a weekend day off). Even now, though, my bangs start looking greasy by the afternoon if not sooner, and my part looks greasy at night and definitely by the next day.
Cornstarch is my friend.
If I don’t have time to wash/rewash my hair, I sprinkle it in, then blow dry and brush out.
It works really well if you’re blonde, I hear. I have to make sure that I get it out, though, because it makes my brown hair look grayish. I’ve heard that bronzer works well. I have a container of it that I don’t use, so maybe I’ll try it (maybe even mixing the two).
Zephyr
Lindsay – I know what you mean; I definitely have that problem at times too! A few tips to make you hair less greasy:
1. Don’t run your hands through it (your hands have tons of oils and that grease rubs off on your hair)
2. Use a clarifying shampoo
3. Don’t use too many products on your hair
Ultimately a lot of it is hormonal but luckily that means it might level off in a few years. Hope that helped!
Kendra – That’s a really good point. When I was researching for this topic, I saw a lot of recommendations for hair texture and it really makes sense. Not everyone has the exact same texture and therefore not every washing schedule will work for everyone!
Cadi – Wow, waist long hair? I’m impressed! I’ve always wanted my hair really long but I totally don’t have the patience to deal with uber long hair. And good call with the daily leave in for your ends. What brand do you use?
Meg – Summer is the worst time for my hair too, and funny thing about bangs – they always seem to get greasy the fastest! I just got side bangs and was introduced to this phenomenon recently. I think maybe they keep getting greasy because you’re always touching them to get them out of your face, you know? And I’m with you on cornstarch idea, although I prefer baby powder or even translucent face powder (i’m a blonde.) Matte bronzer should work well for brunettes.
Cadi
Zephyr: It’s hilarious, actually, the length is a product of inertia. I haven’t found any styles that I’ve loved enough to make the salon trip for, so I just let it grow. I did my quarterly trim the other day, 2″ off and it’s still 28″ long.
Problem is it’s rather fine, so the roots get Pantene Volumizing mousse. Otherwise I use the Garnier Fructis Long and Strong stuff, and so far, so good. I dye my own hair too (Feria), so it should be a mess! So far so good, though :)
Marleah
I usually wash daily because my hair gets greasy after a day also, but if I know that I’m not doing much that day, like if I only have one class, I just let it go. My question is though, if you don’t wash your hair everyday do you still wet it in the shower and re-style? or do you put it up in a clip or cap while you shower or it doesn’t get wet?
kendra
to answer your question Marleah, for those that dont wash their hair everyday, we wrap our hair up. Shower caps are ideal, but even just a simple plastic bag will keep the water out. for those that wear the “wavy” look, there is an option to re-wet the hair, but a spritzer is ideal.
Zephyr
Cadi – Haha, I know what you mean with being indecisive about hairstyles. I always get scared that I’ll end up hating my new haircut after I get it done, but with the right stylist it’s always fine. And I’ve wanted to try that long & strong stuff, maybe I will now that I know it obviously works for girls with really long hair!
Marleah – I wash my hair every other day and usually I just kinda work with whatever style it’s in on the second day, maybe using some baby powder if it looks greasy. Sometimes I will put it up in a clip in the shower and other times I will just rinse it and condition the ends.
Sarah
I have to wash my hair every other day. If i wait longer my hair gets really gross feeling but if i wash it every day after 3 or 4 days it starts to feel really dry and brittle.
Chelsea
Good suggestions; as you guys said, we’re all different with our textures, preferences and daily activities. For those that run/swim daily, what do you do? I’m in the pool or ocean or running daily; I can leave the pool water on for a day but I worry it might do something funky to my hair dye. The ocean saltwater I have to rinse out, as with the running sweat. I’ve been rinsing/conditioning daily and shampooing about 2 times a week. Anyone else in a similar situation with suggestions?
Cadi
Chelsea, do you wet down beforehand? I started doing that before I swim, and it makes a big difference.
Nina
“….i know black women are advised wash hair only once a week or every two weeks depending on the style.”
This part of your statement is true I commend you on that but the rest, not so much.
“Its really just the diefference in texture. whereas people with a certain texture of hair wants to get rid of grease,”
Some hair types are pin-straight while other have thick & tight spring curls. Texture doesnt have alot to do with the amount of natural oils in your hair.
A girl with pin-straight hair can have twice the amount of oil in their hair as the girl next to them with massive natural curls and vice-versa.
“black women with nappy hair want to keep as much as the natural oils in our hair that we can”
Black women arent the only women with varities of textures. From what I know for sure, hispanics are also included in this category are those who I can speak for. “Nappy” hair – just to let you know theres many different types of hair textures to categorizes them all as “nappy” is just shameful.
Note famous people you may know: Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Lauryn Hill, Kat DeLuna, Jenifer Lopez, Vanessa Williams.
Just to name a few.
From my knowledge ethnic have different hair types, i dont know much about other ethnicities hair type but this is what I can speak on.
There are many black women out there with oil-filled hair just not most.
We usually need more hair oils helpers because of the styles, and procedures we do to our hair. Most ethnic women dont always have genetically straight hair so we apply heat, chemicals (relaxers, and such) which is not good for the hair instead of using natural-healthy styles like braids, puffs, etc,. Then on top of that, sometimes we do use chemically altering hair procedures without any counter-acting healthy hair procedures and we can be stuck with what seems like never-ending damage.Which causes to strip out natural oils to even a long-term basis.
Genetics & hair lifestyles(“preferences and daily activities.”)
for the most part, are what determines amount of hair oils not the texture.
Just spreading some knowledge. Ciao.
Zephyr
Sarah – That’s exactly how it is with me. Washing every day just makes your hair feel really dry and brittle after a while. Do you highlight your hair? I think that’s what makes mine so dry.
Chelsea – From what I read on this subject, you are definitely doing the right thing by rinsing/conditioning after being in the pool. Letting chlorine and/or salt water sit on your hair for any period of time is definitely a bad idea!
Nina – I think what Kendra was saying is not that certain ethnicities of women have more oil in their hair but that in general, if you have rougher textured or naturally dried out or chemically processed hair, you might want to keep natural oils in there longer to condition your hair and reduce damage. I don’t think it had anything to do with texture being a predictor of amount of oil? Anyway, I don’t think it was meant to be offensive or anything.
Yola
I don’t know if this applies to everyone, but I find that my hair can adjust to how often I wash it.
When I was a kid I used to wash my hair everyday, but later on I read that that can really dry it out. So I started washing every 2-3 days. At first, my hair felt really greasy and gross the day after washing, but after about a week of this I found that it started to look better and better.
There was one period of time when I switched back to washing everyday and then switched again to washing every 2-3 days. My hair went through the same process of feeling gross to feeling fine.
Cadi
See, it’s that adjustment period that I just can’t hack. WAY too vain to go around with a lanky mess of stringy hair (and I’m not exaggerating, it really does get nasty QUICK). I may try the baby powder thing though. Can’t hurt!
Zephyr
Yola – That’s a really good point. I think most people’s hair will adjust to washing less frequently, although I’m not sure if it’s actually possible to make your hair produce less oil. The article I posted above says it’s not, apparently we just “get used to having greasy hair.” Idk if I agree.
Cadi – I know right? It definitely is a pain at first when you stop washing daily, but if your hair is damaged you just can’t always wash it every day unless you want to get tons of split ends and dryness. Baby powder is definitely a life saver!
Juls
I wash my hair 4-3 times a week, normally but when I get it straight (I have extremely curly and unruly hair) I wash it 1-2 times a week.
Stephanie
I wash my hair 3-4 times a week since I got bored and decided to cut my own bangs. My mom was so angry she went on the ‘your a minor and you gotta do what I say, college or not!’ rant.So now next week I’m going blonde, again. It looks natural even though my natural hair color is dark brown with reddish undertones. I’ve noticed that when my hair is light it’s almost never greasy, when it’s dark I have to wash it almost everyday. I know that there are certain shampoos for curly,straight and wavy hair, but I have a strange, catastrophic combination of all three, so I just end up buying whatever smells good. I’ve yet to find cherry blossom scented shampoo. I’d buy that in a heartbeat.
Mhazz
I definitely have problems with oily/greasy hair, especially in the bangs department. One thing I’ve noticed is that not only touching your bangs makes them oily, but your forehead has a lot to do with it as well. Having naturally greasy skin, it’s caused my fringes to look absolutely horrible while the rest of my hair may look great. And baby powder, etc never works for me. I have a strange hairline, so when my bangs get greasy, the hair sort of clumps together and my flawless “swoop” is ruined.
But most times, I’ve found what works best is to wet my bangs over the sink and add a little bit of diluted shampoo and work that in from the roots out, and then rinse and restyle with a hairdryer. It’s an extremely quick fix (as long as you get all the shampoo out, or it looks twice as dirty.) and it’s painless and easy. There’s my 2 cents away, =]
Danielle
I normally have super dry, unmanageable hair (that had been coloured every six months or so since the age of 12, and sun parched for years) which I was washing every other day to keep in check. When I switched to a better salon about two years ago, my stylist recommended only washing when needed. Figuring I’d give it a try, I realised I only need to wash my hair every ten days or so, depending on the weather. I recently had a chemical straightening to try and gain some control over the bonkers tresses and now I find I’m having to wash it about every week or so.
What I can suggest to those with super dry hair is not to be afraid to not wash your hair every other day. Believe me, it makes dry hair even worse to handle. I found the best way to handle dry hair is with shampoos containing fruit extracts such as Garnier or Naturals (they seemed to work better than those without) and the same goes with product. I found the best for post-flatironed hair to be Garnier’s Sleek and Shine serum; it’s a tad oily but does a world of good for keeping the hair straight and frizz free.
Also, if you are thinking of a chemical straighten, I would suggest it if you’re not afraid of the chemical part. It was a three hour process that lasts a good six months and can help with problem hair. Now, when I leave my hair to dry, it is more manageable (and straighter!!) than ever before. Used to take a good one and half hours to straighten it properly, compared to the fifteen minutes it takes now. It’s made second semester much easier to wake up, brush it out and not worry about walking up two hours before class just for a nice style.
Jenni
If a lot of shampoos are stripping to your hair, I’ve heard of women using conditioner to wash their hair on most days and only using shampoo 1-2x/wk. That way if you want to “wash” everyday you can still keep some moisture in your hair. This works for me, but I had to find a good moisturizing conditioner that didn’t cause too much build up.
Juls
I have big full, frizzy, 80’s hair! I could easily go a week or longer and it still be a huge poof.
The one thing I found thats GREAT for hair like mine… is:
JONATHAN SILKY DIRT
It comes in this tube… it smells like vanilla maybe? or coconut? or something like that can’t quite pinpoint the smell.
The trick is you barely have to use any… like not even close to a dime… usually I sqeeze the tube until it starts to come out like a milimeter (and i have really long full hair)… and just wipe that off onto my finger tip rub it in my hands and use that on dry hair (like you just need a little residue of it on your hands and thats enough)… it makes your hair shiny (the good shiny) and tames all the frizz… and gives the bottom just enough of a textury look.
But beware… you probably will use too much the first time cause you won’t be able to fathom how little it takes. The bottle will probably last me a decade… but I never found a product that works so well for my hair type.
laura
I used to wash my hair at least once a day otherwise it would fell greasy and dirty. Now i wash my hair every other day and it feels a lot healthier. this is sort of of topic but i have frizzy curly hair, would chemically straightening it make it more managible? would it be damaged and dried out? and if so then how often would i have to wash my hair
Florencia
I wash my hair once a week, and it’s not about don’t wanna wash it or something, it’s beacuase I have curly hair, but the one with too much that looks all messed up. So I make it straight and it tooks lot of time and I get tired easily.
Colleen
I have long, really thick hair.. so i wash it every other day (unless i work out or something). Since it’s so thick it doesnt get greasy. But sometimes if it randomly looks greasy, i put baby powder in it. it works so well. the powder makes your hair look really clean because it soaks up the grease i guess you could say… i know it sounds gross but it works!
Kim
I always felt bad about not washing my hair everyday…I just never needed to…it’s good to know I don’t have to embarrassed as times goes on :/
tissue
I have Asian hair (the naturally straight and long type)
and have to wash it every day or else it looks greasy/smells
However, I think it’s thinning on top. Any suggestions?
beth
I have to wash my hair everyday. It even gets greasy at the end of the day. I have brunette hair so it looks dirty when it’s greasy. I don’t color my hair either. (not anymore since a bad hair fry 2 years ago) I only use Burt’s Bee’s Shiny Graipfruit Shampoo and Conditioner. I always get compliments on how natural my hair looks. I guess all that hair coloring all those years (about 15 years I colored) really dried my hair. Going natural looks much more natural. Who would have thought.
stephanie
I have Asian hair of the thick (it’s too big for my head), dry and coarse variety and I find washing it every 4 days really helps to weigh it down, so I don’t have to wear it tied back all the time. It helps that I have dry skin (eczema), so not washing my head too often is really good for my scalp. Personally, I think it really depends on the condition of your scalp, and not so much your hair. My mom has the same hair as me, but she has a normal scalp that greases up after a couple of days, so she’s just invested in a good hair care system rather than letting her natural oils aid her hair.
victoria
(english is not my first language, but i hope you can read it)
im also asian, and i have thick hair in a medium lenght ;)
I usually wash my har at least every second day,
´cause i do alot of sports.
But I wanna start to try to wash it every third day, ´cause i´ve just been in the hair salon, and my hairdresser told me to try that
have tried it, but my hair looks so greasy the third day
i´ve just started, but i don´t know if i should continue
should I ?
mandy
I wash my hair every day because if i don’t it looks so greasy. even by the the end of the day my hair will start looking greasy. i wish i could wash my hair less. i don’t know what to do.
Nikhita
Well my hair is the most problematic thing ever. I have a nice face, nice features..and when I straighten my hair I feel like a model. However, my natural hair type is a huge bombardment of unruly and crazy frizzy curls. I love it when it’s just washed because it looks so nice wet, but I have tried every “wet look” product under the SUN and nothing works to keep that “wet look” for long. So I was reduced to straightening my hair right after I wash it, and then I would keep that style for 2-3 days {by wearing a shower cap while im showering} and then wash it again. So basically I straightened my hair twice every week, and I washed it 2-3 times every week {Sunday, Wednesday, Friday}. When I was younger, I used to wash my hair once every week {Sundays}. I never felt it was a problem, and I never felt gross and my hair was still frizzy, but I had no split ends. But then I learned that everyone around me {with straight hair, mind you} seemed to wash their hair everyday, so I, like a fool, started doing the same. Now I feel the grease in my hair if I don’t wash it atleast 2-3 times a week, and it feels gross, so I am not comfortable washing it once every week. However, because I wash my hair so much now, combined with having to straighten it, I have split ends, and my long, previously split end free hair is now riddled with split ends. Please help me. My hair type is crazy insanely curly {and not the good, Beyonce/Vanessa Hudgens/Alyssa Milano curls} and I just want some advice, or hair products to make my curls look NICE so I can finally get my hair cut and have it look nice without any straightening. Not only does straightening take so much time in the mornings, its the reason I have split ends and my hair is so dry and brittle. I hate the split ends in my hair and the dry brittleness. Please PLEASE help me. I need good curl products!
Sara
See, I’m conflicted because I am totally for not washing my hair daily, but I have curly hair and I use products in it every day after I get out of the shower. If i don’t wash my hair the next day, its usually flattened out and feels kinda gross. I can just put more product in, but I use mousse, which requires that your hair is wet… hence the conflict! Any suggestions?
Claudia
I’m of Caribbean descent from the Bahamas. When my hair is relaxed it reaches just below my shoulder blades, but just washed, it’s a thick voluminous puff like a lions mane. I was raised to only get it washed like twice a month. No routine. Just when it seemed like I needed it. My mother always did my hair because she enjoyed it and for treatments and special styles, I went to a salon.
I did not start to relax my hair until I was 11. Since I’ve started college I wash it about every 2-3 weeks. Sooner if I used gel in my hair or later if it was recently relaxed. I try to constrain my relaxers to at least every 2/3 months because it can damage my hair. Every time I relax my hair(at the salon only by professionals), I treat it at the same time to repair any damage.
Lately, I’ve been looking for some quick easy styles because I don’t really have the time between work and classes to style my hair. I’m also looking for some easy professional styles because at the end of each term at my college, we have to dress professionally and do group presentations for each course.
Any suggestion or tutorials?
Allie
For black women, washing the hair every day, is considered innappropriate. Since black women have more coarse hair, this leaves it to be less manageable. Thus, black women are advised to wash every second week or once a month – to stimulate the flow of natural oils to the tip of the hair. When wet, a black women’s hair will turn back to it’s natural state – kinky and afro-like. Alot of african-american women tend to put grease in their hair to aid in allowing the hair to grow. As a black woman, I wash my hair once every month, and make sure I comb out my hair while I have a leave-n condition to help with the breakage problem. It depends on the condition and texture of your hair, but in general, hair should not be washed every day – once a week or twice a week is highly recommended.
Marianna
I have nappy hair, and half Russian, half Hispanic. xD I like to wash my hair daily, because it’s so frizzy and the humidity is horrible where I live that if I get it wet, it becomes straight for the rest of the day, and it is MUCH easier to comb, but I’ve been trying to wash it less starting this week. I’ve gone two days without washing and am going to today. (:
Kelsi
I have thick wavy hair, and I try to avoid washing it because it’s damaged from dying and straightening, but I run every day and I don’t want to leave my hair sweaty and dirty. Any ideas?
Josie
Just to experiment, I haven’t washed my hair for 15 hours. I styled my hair this morning and it is a greasy mess. It’s heavy and I feel it weighing more than normal on my head. It has no body and the scalp is visibly greasy.
I thought about using just a “smidge” shampoo and ONLY scrubbing my scalp. And not “washing” the ends, which are damaged from coloring.
taylor
im african american and get my hair relaxed almost every two months. i wash my hair 2 or 3 times a week. i cut it in a bob and i find that if i wash it and do the works[blow dry and straighten] to it every few days, it says neat. if not, i have a flat afro on my hands.i use this really good namaste shampoo for now or the relaxed and natural pantene shampoo or dark and lovely. all work amazing. and for product, i use mostly garnier fructis stuff because it keeps my hair mositurized and smells great. the smoothing milk works great for frizz, the shine drops keep my hair shiny and smooth and the leave in conditioner i use almost every day, justa little.
Olyvia
I have to wash my hair daily because I have thick, curly hair. Also, I use hair spray and the only way to get that stuff out of my hair is by shampooing it. And my hair doesn’t really brush well dry, so it’s daily washing!
leah
right, im a teenageer and just recently my hair has started gtting greesy every day so i am washing my hair every night i used to be able to leave it 3-4 days before it went greese i know its probs hormoness but im scaRED becose everyone is saying washing your hair everyday is bad for you but i HAVE to at the minute well any way how long will this “greesy stage” last ????
Sw
I’ve got really curly hair that’s dry and find that it always looks better the second and third day after I wash it. Alot of times I just rewet my hair and gel it up and it’s good to go. My hair is just to curly to brush everyday it tangles from just drying it with a towel so there is no way for me to not wash it when I brush it out. So I leave it alone after washing it for 3 days to a week. depending on how the hair looks. I’ve been leaving in a condition and it has help alot with letting the tangles come out easier.
I like to use spray gel lately with leave in condition it gets my curlys to stay in place. Of course anyone who has curly hair knows that you’re hair from wet to dry gets smaller as the curly tighting up.
leah
anybodyy ????????? plz answer my last question
alicia
I am an african american female,and i have 12 inches of thick relaxed hair,i wash my hair everyday following cantu leave in conditioner,i stay away from heat styling.and my hair is free from split ends and not dry at all.i just cut my hair two weeks ago,it was 16 inches long .i have always washed my hair quite often.and i love it.I find that ethnic people are being miseducated.
Julia
I am quite shocked about how little you people know about your hair! You must be insane if you are washing your hair everyday or trying to kill it.
I have super fine blond hair and I only shampoo twice a week and very few people have fine hair. Most people have medium hair and really only need to wash once a week. If your hair is coarse or kinky your natural hair oils take extra long to get to the ends. I nice little board bristled brush can help you spread the oil from you roots to the rest of your hair.
My roots can get oily but that is what DRY SHAMPOO is for. Ever heard of this magical little product? I live in a little town in Wisconsin and even we have a store that sells it. Most brands carry a blond or brunette version but some even have ones for people with black hair. Check out drugstore.com I promise you there is a dry shampoo for you!
NO ONE needs to wash their hair everyday. If it is “smelling” funky most hair products now a days are scented….just a little FYI. Please become more educated about your hair. I am sure you are all fairly educated about your skin…at least I hope so. Spend the same time getting to know your hair and give it a reprieve from your daily washings.
Chelsea- It is called a swim cap I suggest you invest $5 in one.
lady3
julia what is dry shampoo?
Jessica
About a year ago, I used to wash my hair everyday thinking that I *had* to because it would always be oily and nasty if I didn’t. When I read that shampooing everyday actually makes your scalp produce more oil, while shampooing daily dries out the ends, I figured that was surely the cause of my “combination” hair.. oily on top, dry on bottom ( I have really long, fine hair, damages easy, oils easy). I was dealing with a lot of damage on my hair so I went extreme and decided to try shampooing once every three days.. and it worked! It took a few weeks for my scalp to get used to it and produce less oil, but it eventually did, and now waiting three days is no problem. That coupled with putting coconut oil in my hair and leaving it in overnight once a week has made my hair completely different. I’m thinking about trying to shampoo once a week now.. The damage I’ve avoided it wonderful :)
Diane
Im African American and I also use a relaxer every 3 months. I wash my hair 3-4 times a week. Years ago I was taught to wash my hair once every two weeks and my scalp was itchy, had dandruff galore, was unhealthy and smelled horrible. I then switched to once a week and some of the unpleasant side effects were diminished but my scalp and hair still were unhealthy. Finally, overcoming my fears of washing more than once a week, my dandruff is under control, my scalp feels great and my hair looks and feels a lot more healthy. I still trim my hair about every 8-12 wks, which is no more than I had to do before when washing my hair less frequently.
Each individual is different and has to find what works best for their hair.
Carole Heath
I wash my hair about 3 times a week when I have a bath or shower, I have quite short hair so it dries quite quickly. If I go swimmimg I shower and wash my hair too as it starts to dry out if I don’t wash it owing to the chemicals in the pool. I used to wash my hair more often but found it went very stiff and dry so I stopped washing it to often. My hair doesn’t get greasy at all but I like to keep it clean and looking nice, you have to find a happy medium really some people need to was their hair more often than others.
Alice
I went through a no-shampoo period and didn’t shampoo for about three weeks. Took a shower every day, and it never stank. It was crazy-don’t-leave-the-house-greasy for a few days, but after that it was thicker, softer and had this beautiful wave that my stick-straight hair never had before. I finally broke down and washed it and now it gets ultra greasy by the end of the day, so I may be going back to my no-shampoo theory.
Kimberly
I have to wash my hair everyday. I am blonde and my hair is a natural disaster, it curls around my face and then frizzes out everywhere else. It’s about halfway down my back too. I wash it every day because it starts to feel gross after awhile, especially the parts around my face because I never pull it back. So it’s daily washing and straightening for me. I haven’t noticed my hair being dried out or anything, but I do get split ends a lot so when that happens I just get it trimmed and problem solved.
Kimberly
my hair takes an hour to flat iron….if i had to wash it everyday id go nuts!! lol
But there is a product called rockaholic sold on amazon.com it is AMAZING it takes the oil out of you hair kinda like baby powder just less messy. : )
Kimberly
lady3
Dry shampoo is basically a powder spray, you spray it in your roots and it absorbs the oils.. its amazing rockaholic is a good brand : )
Its perfect for people who’s hair gets oily and they feel like they should wash it everyday (which actually washing your hair everyday makes your hair produce more oil, so they are just making it worse) these people should also try a light conditioner!!!!!!!
Janie
Although washing your hair is counted as bad; I have to disagree. I wash my hair every day and it has so much volume and shine afterwards.
If I don’t wash my hair everyday it becomes really greasy and I can’t do anything with it except put it up.
I use to wash my hair every other day but slipped into the habbit of washing it everyday but now I just can’t stop.
I feel dirty if I leave it!
I’ve tried leaving it for a few days then washing it then leaving it, but it’s no use because it just looks greasy and feels gross.
I refuse to go to class with unwashed hair because my hair is the one thing about me which I take probably the most pride in.
I am a brunette, my hair is quite long and straight; having straight hair it gets greasy quicker; i even read somewhere that straight hair reflects the light or something so it’s prone to grease? =/
I’m happy with washing it everyday; its never dried out – though I will admitt that I too, get split ends.
Nicole
I am a wash-a-holic when it comes to washing hair! I used to wash it everyday until I started researching on how bad it is to wash your hair everyday.
Since I have thin fair blonde hair, you can easily tell when it looks greasy and dead. I guess it doesn’t help when I used to straighten it at night and morning EVERYDAY. But I have cut down on the straightening, and I am starting to wash my hair “every other day” and yeah, it usually looks a little greasy on the 2nd day, so I just tie it up.
I might start the baby powder idea too, which is buying some baby powder and sprinkling some on your scalp/comb, and then brush it through your hair. I would also reccomend, if you don’t have dry hair and use conditioner, PLEASE DO NOT use conditioner if you have perfectly normal hair. It just makes it look even more greasy!!!
alli
My scalp was so dry from cheap generic shampoos that i decided to try washing it with conditioner only for 4 days. I t looked ok, but with ash blond hair thats fine, I needed a better product- figured it was tha wax in the conditioner that was yucking up my hair. I just bought something at sally’s beauty store called “Hair One” its sort of like Wen by guthy renker, only its cheaper and my hair has never looked so good! shiny/soft and not flat! Its something called a cleansing conditioner, and it does just that. I could use it every day, cuz it has no surfactants or sulfates, and does not strip your hair, but I might not have to, am waiting to see what it looks like in the morning.
megs
i have really curly hair, so i wash about every other day. I use this shampoo that smells great the day you wash it, and really nice the day you don’t. Sometimes, when i have sports, I wash every day. That’s when it gets gross.
Megan
well, i wash my hair everyday… but now i’m not so sure. My hair gets greasy if i leave it longer, and ever since i got side bangs they get the worst the fastest. However, i was listening to this podcast, and they said its bad for your hair. Makes my life kind of annoying, now i have no idea if i should try washing it less, because they said it might become better over time. <still, i have no idea since its summer, and i dont really want to walk around with disgusting hair.
ashley
Minimum i have to wash it 3 times a week because i have dragon boat practice (similar to crew for the east coast people) and the lake water gets my hair wet.. yuck :P
Hana
My mother is a hairstylist and has passed on some of her knowledge on to me.
How much you should wash your hair really depends on your hair texture and how oily it is. Our hair produces natural oils and depending on how quickly and regularly our hair produces this oil should affect how frequently we wash our hair. Washing it too much will strip our hair of necessary oils that keep our hair healthy and shiny. Not washing it enough will result in dandruff, greasy and smelly hair. For most people with straight or wavy or even slightly curly hair should wash their hair 4-7 times a week. Every other day works for people with these hair types.
People with very curly hair or black people should only wash their hair 1-2 times a week since we naturally have very dry hair. So when you’re taking a bath, be sure to keep your hair up!
meghan
I wash mine everyday except if I’m not going out of the house. I have thick straight (not pin straight though at all) blonde hair with a lot of volume. During the school year (sept-june) I straughten my hiar about 5 times a week and blow dry everyday. During the summer, I straighten it about 3 times a week and blow dry about 5 times. I know this may seem like a lot of damage but my hair isn’t dry and is very healthy and people who have flat-iron damaged hair always remark on how healthy mine seems. I have never had it dyed or highlighted. If I don’t wash everyday my hair gets greasy and very heavy so I can’t do much but put it up. I don’t use many products either, only conditioner (John Frieda Frizz-Ease Weather Works) and a serum when straightening or whatever I’m doing with my hair that day.
man
While i have bathing I washed my hair. So, I have washed my hair twice in a day. I know women watch a bit less time than men.
AkayaSzim
I actually wash my hair everyday, but that’s only because I’m going to gym. My hair get’s greasy soo easily if I don’t wash it one day it looks like if I haven’t showered for months…
Sarah
I wash my hair once every two days!
i dont think it is good to wash your hair everyday :/
but i suppose it just depends on what your hair is like!
Layla
Yeah, I relax my hair and I guess because of that my hair actually doesn’t get greasy. I wash it once a week if it’s straight and only because it gets kinda knotted. I can wash it every day if I’m just putting mousse in it and letting it airdry curly.
Ella
i used to wash my hair everyday, and secretly, i thought it helped my hair become glossier and healthier.
recently, i was told washing it once every two days works.
i do this, if it’s feeling greasy i use dry shampoo which works wonders and is pretty cheap!
xxxxxxxxxxx
Lauren
I used to have a problem with hair that became oily every single day, which means I had to wash it every single day. Then, after a little research, I realized over-washing means your scalp overcompensates and becomes even greasier. Now I wash every other day and it is SO MUCH BETTER! I rarely have a problem with greasiness.
I also reccomend buying sulfate-free shampoo because sulfates are very harsh. Companies only add it because it is cheap to mass produce – this doesn’t mean it is healthy for your hair!
morgan
i can’t not wash my hair everyday, i tried it for a while but i just hated the feeling of my hair the next day. i don’t know if it’s the fact that it’s really thick or what but i just didn’t like it.
Melissa
i usually wash my hair once a week.
Everyone produces natural oils, but the curl pattern of some people’s hair makes it harder for/prevents the oils from reaching all the hair. People with straight hair dont have to put as much care or oil/products into heir hair, and find themselves needing to wash it as often s daily because it gets too greasy. Very curly hair (like mine) is misinterpreted to be tough and able to withstand the chemicals, the heat, the combing. But really, this kind of hair is he most fragile. Scratching my hair with fingernails too much is enough to cause breakage. If you have very curly hair, no perms or relaxers, it is in its natural state where it can be its healthiest and most beautiful. You just have to know how it works, how to care for it.
Jodie
I have to wash my everyday because when I wake up in the morning my bangs have gone rigid and stick out to the side. I have fine hair but I have a lot of it so I use a de-frizz spray before I dry it in the morning.
My hair goes very greasy, very quickly because I am a teenager. I have been washing my hair for the past month and it sames and feels fine.
Jen
I wash my hair about twice a week, but I use sulfate-free or natural shampoo bars. I have naturally curly hair and I read the book curly girl and checked out naturallycurly.com and found that washing curly hair with harsh sulfates can do damage, dry out your hair, and create an oily scalp because your scalp overproduced oils to replace the oils that you keep washing out with sulfate. I never understood what was actually in hair products until I did my homework. There can be some seriously nasty stuff.
Nina
I wash my hair everyday. My hair is more on the dry side, however, i live in a big city with lots of air pollution and i spend a lot of time out. So every night when i clean my face the little cotton pads really turn GRAY because of the filth i take off! So imagine what gets in my hair! And im supposed to go to sleep like that, with it rubbing in my face all night and smelling like smoke and petrol? No way.
paris
i wash my hair sunday night. then i starighten it.
most of the time i leave it lyk this all week. i am mixed so my hair is differnt. if you are black you kno what im talking about…
paris
except in teh summer. cause i swim everyday and thats when iwashed everday to get teh chorlie out. but i dont straighten my hair int eh summmer
Sara
I have very curly hair that is dry. I can only wash it once a week, max, like most people with curly hair like this:
http://www.lifamilies.com/chat/p/1045603_1.jpg
Since most people have oily hair (straight or wavy) they don’t really get this, but my mother’s a hairstylist and so I’ve learned it’s so damaging to wash your hair so much. It will damage it.
Aly
I wash my hair everyday but now i must stop! i made myself a schedule [which you should do] and im washing my hair 4 times a week cause if i dont wash it for too long, it smells bad and looks kinda greasy. im OBSESSED with making my hair smell good :) lol but yeah, 4 times a week is good :)
anastasia
i wash my hair every day cause i play soccer every day of the week very competitive and i am in high school i am dominican so i have some native american blood and my father is irish german polish he is a mutt so my hair is very smooth and i straighten curl and blow dry everyday for 2 years now and well my hair has not been damaged yet it is i perfect condition and it is also naturally curls and still curls beautifully i only use 2 heat protecters one when its wet and one when dry before you you use heat and i do not pt and conditioner on my scalp and i use clarifying shampoo once a month
elizabeth
I wash my hair every day because I’ve always felt that not washing it the next day makes it look gross and greasy.. it’s more so on my bangs, though. The rest of my hair looks fine but my bangs look extremely greasy because of shine they way the strands clump together.
I’d like to try washing my hair every other day but I’d be a bit hesitant at first.
Also, I’ve heard you should shampoo your hair everyday but NOT condition every day as it weakens your hair. It all depends on hair type, I guess.
brit
I have course, wavy hair with dry ends so I usually only wash my hair once a week. That helps keep my hair more manageable or else its just a frizzy nest. I’ve also stopped using conditioner for the last month (I ran out and kept forgetting to buy more) I thought I couldn’t live without it, but I’ve found my hair is healthier, softer and the roots are not nearly as oily after a few days without washing (especially when I’ve straightened my hair)
Isabelle
I used to wash my hair everyday because when I was not they were greasy but then I began to wash it less time and my hair got used to that rythm… Now I wash I think if you have the same problem I had you can try to just wash your hair a day and the other no. And if it’s not working, maybe you are not using the right shampoo, maybe you are using one that hydrate too much your hair.
Well good luck !
Isaaa
Bradshaw
I wash my hair every 4-5 days,
I have naturally really curly hair but i chemically striaghtened
it which made my hair all dry and unnatural.
i am growing it our right now and going back to curly hair, but its just so hard to do when half my hair is striaght and the other half is curly
so then i wash it less so i dont have to worry about styling it so often
and i can just wake up in the morning and be on my way.
Its so much easier not waching your hair daily.
tasha
i have waistlength indian hair washing ot everyday is a big no no for me,,otherwise it wud start dropping, i wash it evry sunday wednesday and friday and i also give it a hot oil treatment once a week because of straightening and stuff.
anne
my hair gets very oily too without washing it every day.
but i discovered dry shampoo! & it gets rid if the oily-ness.
but anyways, even if i do wash my hair everyday, it doesnt dry it because i havnt dye my hair, and i rarely use my ghd.
but it does suck because it gets oily everyday =(
Amanda
I have somewhat thick, wavy, kinda frizzy hair. I found a big change when I stopped putting conditioner on my roots. I could wash my hair every other day after that. Then I found I was allergic to something in most soaps and shampoos so I switched to Free and Clear shampoo and conditioner. Now I can go 4 days between washes. I still use a little leave in and heat protectant after washing before straightening, and I play with my hair a lot so i’m pretty surprised. Not having to wash my hair so much really helps the frizz, and I get to sleep in since I can get out of the shower quicker ;-)
Sarah
If you wash your hair everyday to prevent it from being greasy, you’re actually doing the opposte. By washing it everyday, you’re teaching your hair that it needs a daily washing, so that when you don’t wash it it gets greasy faster. Try going a couple days in between washes, and after about a week you’ll notice it doesn’t get greasy as fast.
Samreen
Recently, I’ve started washing my hair more often. Usually I only did it two or three times a week but then my hair got yuck oily the day after I washed. It’s gross. So I started washing my hair every other day and my hair tends to be less oily, look like it has more volume. Hahaha, and something I just tested was “Olive Oil Conditioner”. I gotta tell ya, my hair has grown long lengths since I started using it. Anyways… personally I think every other day is a decent to wash hair. :D USE OLIVE OIL CONDITIONER!!! (dont literally use olive oil itself… not sure what that’ll do to ya, use the actual conditioners for em)
Liz
I wash my hair every 3 days, but on the days in between I still rinse it in the shower. I find that helps stop it from getting greasy.
Jessie
Hi ladies – Whn I was at uni, I used to wash, dry and straighten my hair all before my first lecture! Because I got into the swing doing it every day, if I didn’t do it, my hair would look terribly greasy! Also, I’ll point out that at that point i wasn’t using any heat protector!
Anyway, my hair got into awful condition – naturally – when you’re washing it drying it and straightening it without any spray!
So I went to the hairdressers for a new style, bought some new straighteners and some nice heat protection. I started off doing it every other day after that and then every three days.
Now, I wash my hair on say, a Wednesday and a Saturday and it’s SO much better! I normally have it down for two days and then up for another two and then wash it. It’s so good not having to wash it and dry it etc etc
My advice to you ladies would be to just leave it – like wash it on a friday, have a chillout weekend at home and put your hair in a french plait or up or something, and then wash it sunday night, or monday morning. Remember that the longer you leave it, the less you’ll have to wash it!
It’s really helped me! I would also suggest going to the hairdresser and having a good cut, and even some new straighteners wouldn’t go a miss!!
Good luck Girls! x x
Jenn
I only wash my hair twice a week, and i thought before that it got to greasy, but then i noticed that it actually looked fine, you may think you’re hair looks gross, but trust me no one will notice if you don’t wash it everyday, and you will notice in a month how much healthier it is
Erica
I have thick, straight hair, and I usually wash 3-4x a week. what I do to keep from getting a greasy look, is that when i sleep I pin back the front pieces of my hair. It keeps them off of my face so that my skin’s natural oils won’t “rub off” (for lack of better term) onto my hair and make it look greasy. I have an oily complexion, and I’ve definently noticed that my hair around my face gets greasy the quickest. Kinda gross, I know, but just keeping it off my face helps!
veronica
my hair is black, but after many times’ washing it turns brown or a little yellow. I’m really worrying about that. I think I have to wash hair per two days, that will be better.
Ash
I usually wash my hair every other day,so do you thinks that good?
Also my hair isnt thin but its not thick so its in between.
Stef
I’ve got long, straight brown hair. I used to have bleach blonde with black underneath when I was feeling a little daring. However, the second time I bleached it was a huge NO! The platinum blonde hair on top was extremely damaged, and I’m pretty sure you could have pulled it out haha! However, after treatments and dying my hair back to normal brown (slightly darker underneath due to the black) and about 6 months later, my hair is pretty much lush again.
I’ve never, ever been a fan of washing it every day. I wash it every second day, or every third day, because having that little bit of extra oil there before a wash makes it feel really healthy. I use Garnier because it makes my hair smelling really nice and it’s so soft! I generally let it almost fully dry naturally, then use the hair dryer on medium heat for a minute, just to finish it off. It does no damage whatsoever. I then use this awesome stuff that’s used to sleek your hair down and hold it’s shape, which I got from the hairdresser’s. (It’s called Absolut Repair by Loreal Professional) It is AWESOME! My hair stays poker straight with no straightening and is so smooth to touch.
However, I do have a friend and school who washes her hair every single day, and claims that she can “feel the oil on her scalp” and feels gross. What I would actually recommend to her is that if she left the washing to every other day, she wouldn’t have grease problems. The oil is actually healthy and to what I have experienced will promote growth. On the other hand, I have an Asian male friend who washes his hair twice a day (yes, twice). His hair doesn’t appear damaged, as he doesn’t straighten in etc, but it feels kinda like really strong straw. I’ve noticed that his hair doesn’t grow very fast too.
Molly
My hair is thick, rib length, and brown. It takes about 5 hours to dry completely on cold days, and 3 hours on warm ones. I wash it everyday because it gets greasy and even gets a little dandruff, which is pretty disgusting. My hair has never been dry, it’s always very moisturized, so once a day works well for me I think.
Sophie
Helloo someone? ,
I need help seriously ?
I wash my hair everyday as i think my hair the next day will be greasy and i dont wanna be laughed at do i ?
I have tryed everything like leaving my hair and not washing it when im at home and not doing anything but it dosent work , i see it dunt help as i push my hair across my face but i dont want to stop doing this as i really do like it :).
Any tips how to make my hair not look greasy ?
please reply as soon as …thankss sophie x
Mike
I’m here to talk about Hair Growth really quick. try only DNC Spectuarl for hair and the shampoo dnc.. you will see big changes.. also we will have stem cell grow hair for good in 2010… last headach we need. please if any doctor or anyone states of hair not growing back if your fully bold. thats a full of b.s crock. take raw vitamines the vitamine code. nothing else.. take women’s or men’s dht blocker. in studies of dec 5th 2009 recent studies have just found that it’s actually proceia which shocked most people. which is a good thing. but dht blocker is aslo something the helps stop the hair loss, we are thrilled about the stem cell research thats been so popular and so happy that we have finally found a cure to rebuild the body. more information on this soon. thank you
Nicole
I usually wash my hair every other day, depending on whether I work out or if I’m being lazy, I have really thick hair so this might be part of the reason I can go a day or two without washing, I’ve als found that f you brush your hair into the right place and dont mess with it or lett it move on it’s own it tends to look less greasy.
Sohpie: My friend has the same problem, and since she has red hair it really shows if its greasy, she washes her hair every morning and uses plenty of shampoo and blow dries it so it wont look greasy!
also I’ve heard that there is stuff you can put in your hair to make it look less greasy but I’m not sure what it is?
yhon..
i have a big problem in my hair. i have a kinky, oily, dry hair. i use a lot of chemicals but it doesnt work.. can you help me or give me an advice??
please!!
Ash
I think you should wash your hair every other day and dont brush it after you wash it and dont put anything in your hair and dont use the flat iron or any other irons.So you should do this routine for 1-2 weeks and after thats over if you use the flat iron or anything heat related use a heat defendant.
Chris
This is a great question. Maybe 2 – 3 times a week at least. You don’t want to go around people with your hair smelling sour or stinky.
Monica
im 15 and im a cheerleader so i put my hair up alot and use LOTS of hairspry and gel
my hair stylist said when your in the shower do this:
1.wet hair with cold water
2.shampoo(gets oils out)
3.shampoo again ( actually cleans)
4.condition only use alittle and barely on roots and brush it in
out of shower.
1.dont play with your hair
2. when you sleep at night use a new pillow every so often
on saturday i have all this hairspray in my hair and when i took it out of a HIGH ponytail my hair looked so pretty and i didnt wash my hair the next day it looks wonderfull still
so i shower 3 times a week
its disgusting at first but it gets better wear it up if you have to the 2ed day
Izzy
My hair is pretty weird. I have frizzy, thick hair and if I forget to wash it for one day, it will smell dirty. I hear about how natural oils are good for you, but I’m in high school so the thought of being smelly while surrounded by my peers terrifies me! I’ve tried sooo many things to get my hair to look right but it’s hard. If i leave it down naturally, I start getting that Hermione Granger type hair (triangle, thick and frizzy!!) Does anyone have any advice? I would be soooo grateful!!
sop
I wash my hair every 3rd fay. The firstday i wash…i allow it to dry natuarally rather than blow dry. Blow dry almost causes split ends and damages the hair cuticle. Just towel dry for 2-3 minutes. It takes couple of hours to dry completely …but it looks like i applied gel or something for a while. After it dries, i just comb it and style it. The second day it looks more awesome . I just wait for the second day… the 3rd day…it gets a bit greasy and then I wash it. Always conditioning after shampooing as the weather is dry. if its humid…conditioning is not required.
For too greasy hair…avoid too much conditioning , or just try not conditioning.Also using a herbal shampoo will help
lauren
i wash my hair every 10 days..and it doesnt even look bad or get greasy.
Chrissi
Just wanted to share my experience especially after seeing so many people say they HAVE to wash their hair every day…
I’ve always noticed that my hair looks and feels best the day AFTER I wash it. Or even the day after that. The day I wash my hair, it is always a little frizzy (Yes I do use conditioner, and GOOD conditioner too, but it still does it). The day after, it is softer, more manageable, and the frizzies disappear. But when I was a child and teenager, I never really took it past noticing that, and still continued to wash my hair somewhere between every day and every other day.
Lately, however, I’ve been really noticing that I can go quite a while longer without washing than I’ve been told I should wash. I can even go a week without washing and my hair looks great. It starts to feel disgusting after that though, so I think a week is about my limit for how long I can go. I have been pushing it longer and longer so now I’ve come up with 1 week for about how long I should go between washings.
You would never guess, because my hair is pretty thin, but I have a lot of it. That’s what my hairdressers always say. They’re always very surprised, because the texture of my hair is thin, but I have lots of hairs. I think it’s because I’ve stopped washing my hair so often. Ever since I cut down on washings, my hair’s texture has improved and I get compliments.
Anyone with frizzy or dry hair should try washing it less often. It really helps.
mileyyy
i swim most days, so i have to wash my hair every day that i swim.. but otherwise i leave it for 2 days. so i wash my hair about 5/7 days a week :)
Anonymous
I wash my hair once a week for two reasons:
1. It takes me four hairs to completely do my hair (I wash, deep condition, dry in rollers, than flat iron).
2. My hair gets dried out quickly and I need all the moisture I can get, especially since my hair is relaxed.
I rarely experience my hair getting too greasy, and if it does, it is usually because of too many moisturizing products. However, the next day my hair looks normal because my hair quickly soaks up all of the moisture instead of producing more.
With different hairstyles, such as braids or twists, girls will go for as long as two months without washing their hair because, there is no greasy buildup, and also it makes the style last longer and is actually healthy for the hair.
It all depends on your hair type and texture. I know people who won’t go one day without washing their hair because it looks greasy.
Anonymous
^I meant four hours not four hairs.
kelly
i have natural curly hair so i have to wash it every day and if i dont it gets frizzy and puffy but i heard that washing it every day makes it worser what do i do???
Rachelle
should we wash our hand before touching our hair or does that not make a difference?
Alisha
i have always wondered how college girls wear their hair.
my hair now is long, thick, and naturally wavy/curly and im still growing it out to my waist. plus i straighten it everyday.
im not sure that i will have time to do it anymore when i enter college.
are there any cute hairstyles that take less time?
mags
i wash my hair everyother day it seems to work. my hair looks great. i get a lot of complments on my hair
Izzy
I wash my hair every other day. I’ve got fine, moderately oily blonde hair. I’ve created a system. Wash my hair in the shower, next day put it in a bun and take a bath. and i alternate. On second day if I look a little greasy I tap a tiny bit of baby powder into my blow dryer and just blow it onto the roots then i straighten my hair being really careful to touch my roots as little as possible. if its too greasy to wear down I’ll tease the roots and wear a bumped pony. *this is especially great when i cant be bothered with the flat iron) lol
Isobel
I have to wash it every day because even though my hair is moderatly thick, it miraculously gets greasy over night. It doesn’t particularly bother me, taking me only about 10 minutes every morning to crouch over the bath tub and shower my hair alone. Another bonus is that i’m quite lucky as my hair drys into ringlets meaning that i dont have to bother with any hair products or blowdrying.
To be truthful my hair did look very nice for the first 6 months since the start of my daily routine, but when we when the winter hit and it was time to take out the scarves and hats, i started getting absolutely terrible tangles and the base of my head, hidden under a layer of hair. They were so impossibly tangled that i could have teased them into thick dreadlocks if i wished and i started shampooing and conditioning over the tangles! After painful hours spent de-tangling my hair felt so frizzy and brittle i realised it was the abusive washing that had made my hair very susceptible to tangling (plus constantly putting on and removing my scarf). My dad (of all people) told me to brush my hair regularly, not to detangle it, but to spread the natural oils all around my hair. Hopefully with doing this i wont get greasy roots and all of my hair will be hydrated.
Eddie (ima girl)
i have permed hair and i wash my hair every two weeks.. its the way i was raised. and i dye and straighten my hair alot.. so washing it too frequently wud dry it out too much!!!
C.Moses
Well, it all depends on your hair type and ethnicity. I’m half black, and I only wash my hair once a week. People say “eew, thats nasty” but really, thats only how often I can wash my hair! and it’s nice to be able to skip days flat ironing my hair, considering it takes 2 hours to blow dry and straighten it.
Jennifer730
I used to wash my hair everyday and I would immediately get the greasies by the next day. This frustrated me.
Then when I got older, I didn’t want to wash my hair everyday. I put my hair up and ignored it and started washing it every other day… then it was every three days… then it was every other week. It never looks oily now unless it is the summertime. In the summer I do need to wash it once a week.
Scalp massage and patience helped me a great deal, hands might be greasy but it felt good and my hair started to look great. It takes a little while for your hair to normalize, I think. My hair was so used to being stripped of oil that it would try to replace what ever I took from it right away. Now I am much kinder to my hair and it’s finally behaving. I don’t have to fight it to style it and I’ve gotten a good idea what length works for me.
Now I just wash and condition it. I use VO5 hair conditioner on the ends after my hair dries. At first it looks greasy but my hair soaks it in – in about an hour or two. It smells good and I use it even if I haven’t just washed my hair. It keeps the frizzies away and keeps my hair from getting tangled.
I find if I don’t use the VO5 conditioner, my hair dries out badly in winter even if I wash it every other week. In the summer I don’t have to use it but I think it helps me avoid drying due to sun damage so I still use it only on the ends but then I wash it once a week.
I have thick hair and a lot of it. Brunette. Semi straight – waves in certain temperatures and humidity and straight without styling or blow drying in dry weather.
Lisa
I definitely need help.
My ends are always split, even with my consistant trims.
I wash my hair every day, sometimes every two days, i rotate days that i air dry and blow dry, i use a heat tamer… and still i’ve got split ends, thin but long hair, and random inch long sections of hair that stick up…
I’ve tried deep conditioning, but it doesn’t do much but make my hair shinier…
I’ve already got shiney hair- just horrible ends…!?
vawshi
I guess it depends on a few factors the climate, texture and the products you use on your hair. I wash my hair only once a week, I do not use any products on my hair or neither do i like to blow dry it so i try to wash it in the weekend so i can air dry it. I have straight long black very healthy hair and i get a lot of compliments on how my hair looks. I am most certain that you should avoid stripping your hair of essential oils and i am sure daily washing will do that to your hair when done over a long period of time. For somebody that is just now getting introduced to this concept must observe their hair and wash it when they start finding it too greasy.
vawshi
Hi Lisa,
I would recommend getting a trim and immediately starting a regime of massaging coconut oil or hair oil leave it on for atleast an hour before you wash with shampoo you may have to wash it twice to all the oil out. make sure the ends get a generous application of the oil.Oil usually cools your head so if you live in really cold conditions, you would not want leave it on for more than an hour.I would restrain form blow drying as well until i get back the healthy hair.
Kitty
I recommend for the ladies with wavy and volumized hair, put hair conditioner in it. it’ll make it less frizzy and keep it healthy at the same time :) an anti-humidity milk works too. i use the garnier fructis line of hair products because some other brands are too concentrated for my hair and make it too dry.
also i wash my hair at night so that when i sleep, it doesn’t put on as much volume as it does if i air dried it in the morning :)
but somehow, i sleep in a way that doesn’t put an obvious cowlick x] but try it! it might work for you :)
Meghan
Oh wow, that baby powder thing sounds cool. Does it really work that well? I’ll have a go.
I have a shower every night before bed, my hair looks fine though but sometimes it looks gross so I wear it in a pony tail to bed, it somehow looks less greasy when I do that. I went without washing my hair for 3 days using that method. But yeah, I’ll use your idea :) x
Reymie
Actually i dont wash my hair anymore . i just use conditioner and my hair is better than ever. i was skeptical at first but it doesnt get oily or smell. try it!!
Zoppini Charms
About me This completely depend on your hair type and/or lifestyle? I go to the gym for an hour in the morning and another hour in the evening. Two showers, two hair washings every single day.
Zoppini Charms
Alara
I have dry hair, so I tend to wash only 2x’s a week. But i’ve been working out lately and I sweat so I’ve had to wash everyday, and add leave in conditioner’s. Now, my hair is thinner. Comes out alot in the shower. What can I do to fix this problem?
Discombobulated D
I’m Hispanic and I have very long, light blonde -brown (naturally black), super straight (almost Asian like), thick hair. Whew… Anyway, I used to wash my hair every single day, but it being half a foot below my waist, it began to be a real hassle. Well, one day I was just too tired to wash it (I usually wash my hair in the evening) so, feeling bad about it, I skipped a day. Well, since dying my hair lighter-I always had a problem with dryness at the tips of the hair and being terrified of what a salon would do to it, I rarely ever wanted to get it trimmed. I’m pretty scared of salons, I had a friend who went in with nice, pretty hair and came out with the most atrocious mullet looking do ever, poor girl cried her eyes out and terrified me. Well, anyway after I had skipped a day of washing I noticed the tips of my hair weren’t so dry. Now, I had been using those salon “professional grade” shampoos and products, but none had balanced out the oily scalp and the dry tips. Well, now that I had skipped a day, it seemed a whole lot better, so being daring- I skipped another day, and oddly enough, my hair looked even better – not dry, not oily, but nicely balanced. Long story short, I only wash my hair once a week, any more than that and I will have alot of dry hair to deal with. Oh, and I also don’t use styling products AT ALL- I’m unsure of the reason why, but my scalp gets all icky with them, and it doesn’t matter the brand, cheap or expensive my scalp reacts the same way. My hair may be a straight, and sometimes flat- but not oily, dry, or icky.
lucy
arrrrrr i hate my hair it gets really greasy so i wash it bout ever 2-3 days but it also gets really frizzy becasue i use greasy hair shampoo. WHAT SHALL I DO?
zoey
wat abt black gurls cuz some white girl wash their hair everyday becaus its soft and not nappy and cannot be breaded but blackwell some black gurls have nappy hair like me and my hair can get briaded oh and im nt tryin to be raciest
reymie
this is to zoey. i know ur not racist girl. im a white geilr and i oljy wash once i a whiel, like every few months. i take a shower daily and use conditioner on my hair but no shampoo. it doesnt get greasy or smell. i have fine curly hair and it works well for me. i have some black gf’s that wash their hair every day. it just depends on you hair.
emspfaery@yahoo.com
reymie
sorry for the typo’s!
Lizzie
I’m a Lifeguard so during the summer my hair can get washed three times in a single day, its extremely hard on it and I never get to grow it out cause I always have to cut it at the end of the summer. I put conditioner in it before getting in the pool so that protects it a little but only lasts for so long, because of that though my hair is pretty dry even during the winter. If I wash my hair more then about once a week I have to actually put grease into it on the first day in order for it to even look appealing and I always have to but leave-in conditioner in. The worst part though is my hair is curly, so when I wake up in the mornings, even if it was straightened the day before my hair is crazy!
Melissa Trail
I used to wash my hair EVERY DAY because it got so oily if not. However, my stylist told me that it gets this oily BECAUSE I wash it everyday. So I started washing every other day and sure enough, it took a couple of weeks, but the oily-between-washings stopped. Now I can go two days in between without an oily mess.
Lynn
I would always wash my thin straight hair every day because it was so oily. I finally took my hair dresser’s advice and started only washing it every other day. Eventually the grease was not as noticeable. I have bangs and since they look greasy faster, will sometimes just wash the bangs in the morning when washing my face. It gives the illusion of freshly washed hair. Now I go 3 to 5 days between washing my hair and it is much healthier. I don’t use conditioner any longer either, just a natural shampoo and sometimes an oil treatment for my ends. It works great. Oh, and for hiding greasy hair- ponytails and hats always are great options!
Kerry
I have read alot of the comments on this page and i cant understand why most are complaining about dry hair and then in the same sentence they are saying how much they straighten or bleach their hair? The discussion shouldnt really be about how many times you wash your hair but how many times you use heat to style your hair.. There are alot of good shampoo’s, conditioners and treatments available to help you while you are washing your hair. The trick is to find the one that is designed for your hair type. Also i would reccomend changing your shampoo ever once in a while as your hair can get used to the same thing and it doesnt look as good as the first time you used the one you are currently using!
I reccommend leave in conditioners and shine serums as they can make you hair look alot healthier.
Why dont you try a good quality leave in conditioner and let your hair dry natually? Only use heat styling products when you need to if your “damaged hair is bothering you that much?…
Lizzie
That’s easy to do for someone who’s hair looks good when they let it dry naturally, sadly some of us aren’t that lucky! I’d love if I didn’t have to spend hours on my hair all the time, and I do use serums, leave-in conditioners, change my shampoos and conditioners every 6months or so, deep condition once a month, and every other special care you can possibly think of! During the summers I never straighten my hair, for one it isn’t worth it cause of how often I’m in the pool, and two my hair is already undergoing a lot of damage no need to add to it. However during our off-season my curly hair takes up a ridiculous amount of gel in order for it to dry naturally which can get pretty expensive and it is kinda nice to straighten it for a change.
Lizzie
Oh and Meghan, wearing your hair in a ponytail to bed (or when it is wet) breaks it, unless the ponytail is very loose.
Nicole
Izzy: Try Aveda Light, Elements smoothing fluid, it has lavender so it smells amazing, helps your hair before straightening, and ive been told its keeps away bugs such as lice(ew!)
Lisa: Try Neutrogena Split-End Mender liquid balm, Ive heard its fantastic, also try to keep your hair moisturized and only straighten it when it is completely dry, and try to refrain from blow-drying. Also try Pantene ProV breakage defense.
Alara: Be sure to eat plenty of nutrients, especially Nuts, as these aid in Hair growth and strength. Try to keep your hair un damaged and when possible take a shower without washing your hair. If your hair is greasy and dirty enough to really need that wash, it wont dry out
Discombobulated:You may aso want to try using products ONLY on your tips, since your hair is so long, the oil from your scalp probably isnt reaching those tips!
Lizzie:make sure you are washing the chlorine out of your hair at the end of the say with a chlorine removing shampoo! Chlorine does major damage.
Also, Ya’ll, I’ve noticed that people often think their hair looks and smells worse than it actually is! If you are unsure, ask a friend or someone you trust to tell you the truth.
Nina
I was taught to wash it every other day, which would turn out to be at least 3-4 times a week
G J Mott
Commercial Shampoos and Conditioners are made to be very powerful oil removing chemicals (called surfactants). These surfactants work by making dirt and oil soluble in water — they also make the outer layers of your hair and skin on your scalp dissolve in water. For this reason Shampoos and Conditioners damage your hair and scalp. This damage stimulates oil glands in your scalp to overproduce oil (in a futile attempt to repair the damage).
You could get by without ever washing you hair with surfactant shampoos again. If that sounds gross try using clay based shampoos or making a one to ten dilution of your favorite shampoo in water and wash you hair every few days (you can rinse your hair every day). It will take a few weeks for the oil glands on your scalp to reduce oil production, but your hair will look and feel healthier for it.
Catherine
It May Sound Dirty But I Wash My Hair Twice A Week I Have Naturally Cury Hair Bt It Also Tends To Frizz To And I Find My Hair Benefits And Becomes Less FrizzY The Less I Wash It , And Just So You Know Whenever I Wash My Hair I Shampoo And Condition And Every Now And Again I Use A Hair Mask. :)
AShLeY
PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!
Ok so i wash my hair every other day because it tends to get a little greasy.But is there anything that i can do to make my hair softer without damaging it????
Remie
Ashley: try not washing ur hair at all. it sounds gross but i just rinse my hair out with water and apply conditioner and rub thru like u would a shampoo. ur hair will not b greasy and ur hair will be healthier!!
AShLeY
Thank you so much 4 the advice. Even though im gonna wash my hair 2day im still gonna try not washin it starting 2day
danielle
A lot of you guys are probably making the oil situation worse by washing your hair once a day with commercial shampoos, which are actually detergents. The shampoos strip your hair of its natural oils and so your hair works about 5 times as hard to replace the oil. This means your body amps up the oil production which means you get oilier faster. Your hair is also negatively impacted by the chemicals in shampoo. If you ever wonder why there’s so much hair down the drain–that’s one of the best reasons: you’re hurting your scalp with too much shampoo. I personally don’t even use shampoo to wash my hair. I use organic bar soap (Olivia Care) to wash my scalp. It’s the same stuff I wash my body and face with. The result? Great skin. Great hair that is super soft and feels like what my sister’s hair felt like after she was just born. I don’t have to wash my hair hardly ever. I wash it once a week just as a matter of decorum, but the fact is my hair is NEVER greasy and it never really needs washing. Showering is so easy now.
Just for reference, I’m an Asian woman with straight, undyed hair.
Lauren Murphy
I do not think it is a good idea to wash it everyday. This makes my hair a lot dryer. I have noticed my hair looks so much more healthy if i wash it every couple of days. My hair does get greasy fast. If your hair does too you can get a dry shampoo from Sephora or Ulta. Or even a grocery store around you. But if that is too expensive for you, you can also use baby powder! run a little at a time on your hands and run it through your roots. it soaks up the extra oil and it makes it look clean. I also stopped using heat on my hair. I let it air dry everyday, and if i do decided to style it i use a heat protector first. If someone likes to do their hair a lot try wearing it up in a bun or ponytail every other day so you are not styling it as much. My friend’s hair has grown an incredible amount in the last few months and I ask her what she does and she said she barely ever washes it and does the baby powder thing! she also goes for runs a lot. excercise helps it grow too. hope this helps!(:
Jennifer
I don’t wash my hair, actually compared to hair being washed, my hair looks shiny & some say it might look greasy but it feels soft and wonderful!!
Sure it takes about a month or so for the natural oils to get back into your hair and wearing a hat will help you deal with not seeing the changes, but once the hair gets back its natural oil, it looks great!
My mom B*tches at me for not doing it, and I am 22 years old, her hair looks like i could pull on it and it’d crumble off because its so dry and it looks gross. She even buys me the super expensive natural shampoos (which i don’t use) if you HAVE to wash your hair, use a cup of hot water and a little bit of baking soda once a week and there is your shampoo, if your hair gets to dry use hot water and apple cider vinegar, Also many people who wash their hair daily mm I have seen anyway, have more of a chance of getting lice because they like to be in clean areas. So rock on Anti-Shampooers!
I am going on a year now, the only time I have gotten my hair washed is by hairdressers when i get it cut, which is like once a year possibly twice. Have any other questions about it feel free to ask! Thanks
Aimee
my hair gets greasy all the time, i washed it only last night and it looks and feels greasy now, what happens when you wash your hair with water, what does it do to the greasyness?
Megan
I know there are some people who wash their hair 2-3 times a DAY but my hair seems to be the best washing only every other day. sometimes, mostly during the winter, when its especially dry air my hair will be fine for three days. I still shampoo and condition twice. I wonder if thats a good thing or not? would they really put it on the directions of use if it wasn’t actually good for your hair?
Natalia Dawn
Hey! I’m Jamaican, British, and Puertoguese, i have the texture of a white person’s hair, and I wash my hair everyday, shampooing and conditioning 4 times a week, and conditioning all 7 days a week. All of my friends, and sometimes random people, love my hair. b/c it doesn’t dry up when i wash it everyday, i have the most ahhhhmazing secret, and it keeps my hair really soft, and NOT dry! I have mildly curly, thin hair, and i wash it with any shampoo and conditioner from the Matrix brand. They have shampoos and conditioners for dyed hair, straight, curly, damaged, etc. then once its shampooed and conditioned, i wait till my hair isn’t soaking, but wet. Then i put in my secrettt!! PAUL MITCHELL ‘THE CONDITIONER’!! It is the best thing that will happen to your life! I have all different hair types in my family, and this works on EVERYONE! i love it with alllllll of my heart. so, i squeeze about the size of a dime. (i have really thin hair, and use a lot more then a dime if ur hair is thick), then rub it in, really good, and comb/brush thru. I do this after every time i wash my hair, and my hair is NEVER DRY! (unless i 4get to use Paul Mitchell ‘The Conditioner’ haha)
Natalia Dawn
Lizzie: During the summer, use a chemical stripping shampoo once a week. I swim every single day during the summer, and that really really helped a lot!
Austin Arnold
I wash my hair every single day and even twice a day sometimes because I have an very oily scalp. If I don’t, my hair looks greasy and nasty because my scalp gets oil happy lol so if you have a very oilp scalp like me, wash it every day or more and if its dry, cut back to 3 or 4 times a week
Yamile
I wash my hair every 3 days, i’m latino-white mixed and my hair is long, straight and kinda thick, so i’m too lazy to style it myself, so i go to a beauty salon every 2-3 days to have it styled… i don’t even have to re-styled home because if it gets some waves if i tie it up they go away after 20-40 minutes… what gets greasier faster are my bangs so sometimes i just wash them and dry them and that makes the rest of the hair looks wonderful!!