How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

We have all been asked or have asked the following hot button question at least once in our lives:

“How often should you wash your hair?”

Well, perhaps, hot button is a bit much, but it is my experience that everyone is curious about the answer to this question. And everyone has their own opinion. Whether it’s your hairstylist, your friend or your favorite celebrity, everyone has a theory that they are ready to share. Well, I’m here to say there is no easy answer.

Let’s break it down a little so maybe we can come to at least a reasonable one.

First of all, the right answer is different for everyone. As my mama used to say, “There are many ways to get downtown.” We are motivated to wash our hair for many reasons: to remove debris, to make it smell good, to get a desired style, or simply out of habit. Mostly people tell me they wash their hair because of how oily their hair or scalp feels.

What people don’t realize is that these oils are actually very beneficial. The natural oils excreted from the scalp is what moves down and actually nourishes your strands, protecting them from our everyday environment. If you wash it away every single day, it has less time to do its job and therefore can knock this delicate balance out of whack. The longer your hair has time to soak up these natural oils, the better.

“But Danielle, won’t this give us all dreadlocks and a foul smelling scalp?” Au Contraire, ma soeur (that’s french for ‘On the contrary, sistah’), I am not saying you should never wash your hair. Please do and my goodness please brush it regularly. All I ask is that you find balance in your grooming.

You should begin by gauging your own personal timeline. If you currently wash everyday, push it to every other day. If this seems feasible, push it to every two days. Now let’s say you wait four days to wash your hair, and it starts to look greasy, limp and lifeless. Suddenly, it is hard to style! Well then, four days may be too long for you to wait. Scale it back a day and wash your hair every three days.

magic-group-shot

A girl I know shampoo’s her hair every three weeks. And guess what? She has great looking hair, every single day! Like I said, the answer is different for everyone. A little trial and error can be fun, so give it a try - your friends will definitely tell you when you err. You will begin to see and feel the difference between overwashing and a balanced washing regimen (especially if your hair is curly or chemically treated).

“But what if I like my scalp to feel fresh? And I want my hair to have that just clean feeling, every single day?”

Well, let me introduce you to your new best friend. Sidlab Hair Couture has just come out with a product called “magic spray”. It does just what it says: magic. This is a cold spray that you can put on scalp and strands, that feels refreshing without leaving an ounce of buildup. It adds a slight bit of volume while cleansing away odor and last nights pillowtalk. Its not a powder, its not a mist, and its not a figment of your imagination. It is real, and it works. Oh yeah, and its paraben free too. Use it on those days you’re not shampooing, and try to stretch your “non shampoo days” even longer. Hey, it’ll even give you more time to relax in the mornings before work, now that you don’t have to spend all that time washing and blowdrying!!!! Trust me. Your tresses will thank you.

Danielle Prahl
Specialties: Color, Blondes, Highlights, Women and Mens Cuts, Brazilian Blowouts, Being Awesome in General
Studio(s): Beverly