Grooming 101: How Often Should I Wash My Hair?

A popular question among our clients is how often they should wash their hair. As simple as this sounds, it comes up frequently. Really, this question comes down to your lifestyle, hair texture, and the style or look you rock on a daily basis. It is, however, typical that most people can reduce their shampooing because washing your hair daily is not always necessary, but most people do it!

For example, lessening the use of shampoos has been shown to reduce the frizziness of hair, make it easier to apply products (and get the results you want), lessen breakage, and generally keep your hair healthier and more polished looking than those who excessively use shampoo in the shower. This doesn't mean you don't wash, scrub, and possibly use a little conditioner; but we are just talking about reducing your shampoo use. We will break it down a bit here based on hair texture below. Exfoliating with your fingertips in a hot shower will help remove excess dead skin, dirt, and excess oils that have built up in your hair on your scalp as well.

So, we all have different hair texture! And we want to make it clear, there is no definitive 'right' or 'wrong' way to wash and condition your hair! You may get different recommendations from different people. The most important thing? Finding the right balance for your hair! It is also okay for there to be some oil and grittiness in your hair, it is no big deal, and sometimes that makes it easier to work with, and easier to get the style you desire.

We will also say that washing your hair daily (if that is what you like to do) is not necessarily a bad or terrible thing! People with fine hair, people who work out and sweat a lot, or those who live where the air quality is not so great, may need to wash their hair more often than those who don't fit into those categories.

With all that being said, let's break down each particular hair type and our rough and tumble guide to what may be the most balanced regimen for you! This is all assuming you know your hair texture, if you aren't sure consult your hair professional next time you are in for a visit.

Fine hair means you essentially have a smaller diameter of hair than somebody with thick or curly hair. Fine hair sometimes leaves itself feeling oily more often than those with thicker strands of hair on their head. The other challenge is fine hair doesn't typically have the volume that many people are looking for, so they may use more product to compensate. Both of these challenges can leave you feeling like you need to wash your hair frequently. Basically, a finer hair strand means the natural oils produced by your scalp have less surface area to cover than a thicker hair strand. The volume issue is related to your hair weighing itself down based on product use and such. We recommend fine-haired individuals who use styling product wash their hair with a light amount our of 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner daily. The goal is to remove any buildup, and any grime and oil from the day. If you don't use product daily, and didn't sweat a lot? Maybe you can skip that day!

Thick, straight hair may seem easier to manage or style, but many clients we talk with love how it looks, but find their hair more likely to be frizzy than their fine-haired contemporaries. Also, volume is never an issue when you have thick straight hair. It naturally wants to do its own thing because it is able to stand up on it's own, so you may have to use less product which is a perk! This texture of hair is easily able to withstand a few extra days of oil, grime, etc. So, if you skip a wash or two, you should not have an issue. You want to use a nourishing shampoo and conditioner like our 2-in-1 as mentioned above to really condition the hair and add what you need to keep your hair looking and feeling great. With this thick, straight hair, feel free to try washing every 2 to 3 days. The goal is always to prevent removing too much of the natural oils from your hair, while also providing the nourishment and restoration of moisture to have great control and that well-groomed look.

Onto the curly or wavy hair! So, with the most surface area of all the hair types, allowing an extra day or so between shampooing is even easier. It takes the natural oils that occur on the scalp the longest to distribute on this texture of hair. This is basically a "maximum surface area" situation. If you dry out your hair too much with shampooing you will constantly have uncontrollable, frizzy hair—which leads to damage. If you decide to wash every 3 days, or twice a week, you will have very healthy hair. This may even be the key to removing your challenges with your curly or wavy hair if you do currently shampoo everyda.

With this blog we truly aimed to provide you some straight-forward, easy to follow advice regarding shampooing and conditioning your hair. A 2-in-1 makes life a lot easier, and if you are unsure of your hair type, don't forget to ask your professional as mentioned above. It is always important to have the right facts about your hair and grooming regimen to make the right choices. If you are typically frustrated with how your hair looks or feels, this guide may be a place to start. And as we said, it is most important to find a balance, and find a schedule, that works best for you and your lifestyle! That means experiment, and don't be afraid to go outside the guidelines when seeking that easy to manage hair routine. If you come upon a great system that works, go with it!