6 Steps to Washing Your Hair Less

I’m not the kind of monster who will tell you that during this pandemic you should use your newfound “free time” to learn a language, or write a book, or be a boss babe (I hate that you made me type that out), or hashtag hustle, or even wear real pants (what even is “real” any more).  What I will suggest is that you wash your hair less.  Hooray for achievable goals!  Now is the perfect time to “train” your hair to need to be shampooed less!  Like who are you going to see in real life while you push through the greasies?  Oh, are you worried your houseplants will snicker at you behind your back?

Cutting down on shampooing is good for your hair!  Now this is not just me, a well-documented lazy person who hates washing and, more importantly, drying her hair, saying this just because I am a lazy person who hates washing and more importantly drying her hair, I have professionals to back me up!  When I talked to Patty Martin, stylist and owner of Love and Mercy Salon she told me what I already knew deep down in my soul, that over washing causes more harm than good.  My close personal friend and the only stylist I trust to take my hair from blonde to red and back again, Katie Marshman of Lisa James Salon breaks it down as such, “your hair follicles and scalp produce natural oils, oils that keep your hair hydrated”.  She explained that when you wash your hair you not only wash the marinara sauce out of your growing out bangs (just me?), you’re also stripping it of its natural oils.  And natural oils help keep your hair from looking like a musty old Brillo pad…this post is not sponsored by Brillo.

Lucky for us, our hair, and our natural sebum, Patty and Katie helped me put together six steps to washing your hair less, lazy hair washing and more importantly hair drying haters rejoice!

Wash Your Hair Less

I mean, duh, right?  If you wash your hair every day, go to every other.  If you wash it every other day, go every other, other day.  Get what I’m saying?  Basically, push it one more day.  Then after a couple days of your new washing cycle, add another day.  And so on and so forth. 

Use A Clarifying Shampoo

A clarifying shampoo deep cleans your hair and scalp, removing sebum (fancy word for skin grease if you didn’t google it when I used it earlier), oil, dirt, and the like.  Its like scrubbing bubbles but for your head, not your toilet.  The catch?  It can be really drying, so use it sparingly.  Like once a month if your hair is naturally dry up to once a week if your hair is naturally oily.

Use A Hydrating Conditioner On Your Ends

Listen, there is nothing I like better than slathering my whole head in conditioner.  As a matter of fact I would love to slather conditioner from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet, but if I want to get to a place where I’m only washing my hair once or twice a week I have to show a little restraint.  Conditioner on ends only, may it never touch your scalp.  Remember when conditioner used to be called cream rinse?  That was wild.

Brush It Out

Marcia Brady may have been on to something with all that hair brushing.  While working towards hair that needs to be washed less, you’re not brushing to get rid of snarls, you’re brushing to distribute oil.  I mean detangle first if you need to, then smooth fluid strokes from roots to ends, kinky.

Stock Up On Dry Shampoo

Ok, if we weren’t in pandemic times I would tell you to use dry shampoo your head BEFORE bed.  You wanna get that grease before it even starts.  But since we are in pandemic times I’m going to say don’t waste your dry shampoo.  Yes, it is a huge help in getting one more day out of a wash and dry, but who is even looking at you right now?

Accept The Oil

This is not just the shameful Catholic in me saying it, but the human body is disgusting.  Dead skin strands grow out of our heads, and sometimes these dead skin strands get a little oily.  Get over it.  When your hair is a little dirty it holds a curl or wave better!  When it’s a little greasier than ideal slick it into a ponytail, slide on a headband, fall in love with hats!  We’re all about hair’s natural oils in 2020, baby!

So that’s it, just six little steps to washing your hair less!  Oh, and you want a couple pro tips on top of that?  Ok, I got you.  Patty suggests you stop touching your hair with your greasy little sausage fingers, sleeping with your hair down so oil can move all around and not congregate where your ponytail is, and try a little self scalp massage to get your blood flowing.  Katie says that not all dry shampoos are created equal, so shop around, and though this is an “easy” process, you’re going to need to exercise your patience.  Patty and Katie both told me I could just rinse my hair and condition the ends, but as a lazy person who hates washing and more importantly drying her hair this does not sounds like a viable option for me.  Oh and I shouldn’t have to say this, but I am advocating washing your hair less, not skipping showers completely, ya grub.  Now go forth and skip shampooing!