How often should you wash your hair? It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves at one point or another, and there’s no answer that’s right for everyone. For many women, the idea of washing their hair less often seems like an impossible dream, but it turns out it might not be as farfetched as they thought—according to many hair pros, washing your hair less can actually cause it to grow longer, faster.
How shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils
Our hair is coated with natural oils to protect it, which shampoo strips away. This can cause many issues like dandruff and dryness, but the most notable side-effect is the fact that it stops hair from growing past a certain point. But studies have found that washing your hair less will actually make it grow longer faster, as long as you use quality products such as low-suds shampoos and conditioners designed for every day use.
This means that regular daily washes are actually doing more harm than good, so swap your shampoos for ones specially designed for people who wash their hair less often.
What are the benefits?
One of the most common causes for hair loss is over-washing it. This excess washing can strip the oils from your scalp, drying out your hair and making it brittle and more prone to breakage. For many people, reducing their frequency to once every four or five days does wonders. The less you wash your hair, the better it will look.
Hacks for washing less
If you are looking for ways to cut down on your shampooing routine, there are a few techniques that could help. Try using dry shampoo on second- or third-day hair, invest in a good quality conditioner (to use instead of washing your hair), and experiment with the oils from your scalp by massaging them through to the ends of your strands. All of these can give you long, shiny, healthy-looking locks without spending every weekend soaking in a tub.
When should you wash your hair?
Most people would say that we should be washing our hair about every two to three days. And this is a good rule of thumb for most of us. However, the reality is that some of us don’t want to wash our hair as often and in fact might feel like it makes it dry out more when we do.
Do you really need conditioner?
Everyone uses shampoo and conditioner, right? Wrong. I used to think that I needed it, but my hair actually benefits from the ‘less is more’ approach! It might sound crazy at first (especially if you’re a woman with short hair), but hear me out: * Shampoos strip away natural oils * Conditioners add artificial oils * Certain combinations of these can leave your hair looking greasy. Using both products means that you need to wash your hair more often.
DIY recipes you can use instead of commercial shampoo
There’s been a lot of talk lately about using dry shampoo, which actually makes sense because it helps combat greasy hair and can work to refresh your style. But did you know that some people are skipping commercial shampoo altogether? It might sound like an odd idea at first, but there is research behind the method: one study found that washing hair less often (or even not at all) may actually help it grow longer faster.
Hair pros say that drying your hair with a towel after showering instead of combing or brushing it through can also make the strands stronger, shinier and healthier.
