Asking how often you have to wash your hair?

[Teadrinker11]

My own can't go over a whole day before it starts looking like it needs a wash. Fuckin nightmare and feels like high maintenance. How often are you able to go between washes? How long does your hair stay looking clean before it looks like it needs a wash? How often do you wash it?

I have always had the same problem OP and I was trying all sorts of expensive shampoos and things to try and stop washing it every day.

But I ran out of shampoo and there's a Poundland next to my flat so I just grabbed some of this (see pic) from there and it's honestly a miracle - I only have to wash my hair once every other day now.

So happy about it and it's so cheap!

Twice a week, max, but I have thick and wavy hair so I do think I can get away with longer times in between.

About every 5 days but can go over a week. Thick, dry hair, never been greasy at all. If I want it clean for an occasion I do it the day before as it tends to frizz when I wash it.

Every other day, I've tried pushing to 3 days but it always feels awful. I'd love to be able to wash it once a week!

@user1469130450 This is exactly how I feel about face and ears!

Wash every day and have since a teenager. Long thick hair, between bra strap and waist length. Can dry and style in 10 minutes but don't straighten. Very good condition and I just like the feel and smell of clean hair.

@waterlego

Once a week. It’s thick, coarse and dry. It looks ridiculous for 24 hours or so after washing it because it’s so bushy. I don’t do straightening or use products (apart from shampoo and conditioner) because I am crap at styling and don’t care enough to learn how to do it.

I use shampoo and conditioner bars now so no plastic waste from my hair washing, which makes me happy.

Mines like this. Looks worse after washing and best after a few days so I normally wash every 4/5 days

Every other day. I occasionally leave it for three days but it looks like shit if I do.

Daily. I have tried not to but I feel horrible if not. It goes greasy and I can't style it if I don't. Plus I got teased for having greasy hair as a kid which doesn't help

@Chely

It was a daily need until I stopped dying it, now every couple of days is fine. I tie it up mostly though so doesn't matter of it has been washed or not.

Oh I just love dry shampoo! With the texture of my hair it actually gives alot of life to it. If I am going out and have washed my hair that day I sometimes use it to give a lift. Mind you, I have only tried batiste (and stock up big time when at Aldi at crazy cheap prices) and another brand I cannot even recall which did not work at all.

I've been really surprised though how the start of menopause has really affected my skin and hair. Went from greasy and oily (both skin and hair) to dry (both). I've struggled to come to grips with it actually. I only use cheapy shampoo though- might try some aragn oil types.

Mine used to be like yours then I had an accident that meant I couldn't wash it every day. Since then I started using dry shampoo on the second day and straightened it to sort out the bed hair and it's fine. My hairdresser actually commented that my hair is much thicker before she knew that I'd changed anything.

Dry shampoo is your friend!

I've got straight hair in a very short bob - quite fine in texture but quite a lot of it - and oily skin/scalp. I wash it every day with a silicone-free shampoo. My hair's in good condition and I only condition it once or twice a week. Now and again I give it a good old deep-cleanse with a clarifying shampoo. I'm sure I'd find daily hair washing and blow-drying a massive chore if I had long hair or had to do a lot of styling but the length and cut of mine means it's very quick to deal with.

Hair type and scalp type are a huge factor in how often your hair needs washing too - in stark contrast to me, my mum has very thick, wavy hair, which is also coloured, and a really dry scalp. She only washes her hair once a week these days, and even then it literally never looks like it needs it.

The more often you wash it, the more often it will need washing

It seems the more you wash, the more you need to wash it, which is why so many people claim "they need to do it every day".

This is a bit of a myth (and one that drives my hairdresser crazy, I recently discovered). It might be the case for some people, but it certainly won't be the case for everyone. It really depends on your hair type and on your natural, 'default' oil level. Some people have a naturally oily scalp, just like some people have naturally oily skin. You might 'restore its natural balance' with less washing, but if your 'natural balance' is oily, your hair will still be oily. If you've got very thick, curly hair then that oiliness is probably not a problem (or even beneficial) but if you've got fine, straight hair then any oiliness will be very noticeable.

Also, even if you don't have a particularly oily scalp, there are other lifestyle factors that affect your hair and have nothing to do with washing it too often. For example, If someone's hair is greasy or dirty because they work in a particular environment, or because their hair is constantly in contact with a moisturised/heavily made-up face, or because they use a lot of styling products, or touch their hair a lot, or get sweaty in the gym, washing it less often isn't going to fix that at all.

Once a week. Used to have to wash it every other day but thanks to lockdown I have was gradually able to reduce the frequency of washes. Definitely worth doing this if you can put up with the grossness at the beginning! Have long, thick hair so really loving all the time I now save not having to wash my hair so frequently.

@incognitoforthisone

I've got straight hair in a very short bob - quite fine in texture but quite a lot of it - and oily skin/scalp. I wash it every day with a silicone-free shampoo. My hair's in good condition and I only condition it once or twice a week. Now and again I give it a good old deep-cleanse with a clarifying shampoo. I'm sure I'd find daily hair washing and blow-drying a massive chore if I had long hair or had to do a lot of styling but the length and cut of mine means it's very quick to deal with.

Hair type and scalp type are a huge factor in how often your hair needs washing too - in stark contrast to me, my mum has very thick, wavy hair, which is also coloured, and a really dry scalp. She only washes her hair once a week these days, and even then it literally never looks like it needs it.

The more often you wash it, the more often it will need washing

It seems the more you wash, the more you need to wash it, which is why so many people claim "they need to do it every day".

This is a bit of a myth (and one that drives my hairdresser crazy, I recently discovered). It might be the case for some people, but it certainly won't be the case for everyone. It really depends on your hair type and on your natural, 'default' oil level. Some people have a naturally oily scalp, just like some people have naturally oily skin. You might 'restore its natural balance' with less washing, but if your 'natural balance' is oily, your hair will still be oily. If you've got very thick, curly hair then that oiliness is probably not a problem (or even beneficial) but if you've got fine, straight hair then any oiliness will be very noticeable.

Also, even if you don't have a particularly oily scalp, there are other lifestyle factors that affect your hair and have nothing to do with washing it too often. For example, If someone's hair is greasy or dirty because they work in a particular environment, or because their hair is constantly in contact with a moisturised/heavily made-up face, or because they use a lot of styling products, or touch their hair a lot, or get sweaty in the gym, washing it less often isn't going to fix that at all.

AMEN!

It’s a myth that’s gained real traction in the last decade or so but it’s absolute bull.

Mine needs washing every day. I’ve tried to go longer over the years but nothing has worked so it gets done every day. It is fine, it is greasy, it is short so not much of an inconvenience.

@BalladOfBarryAndFreda it isn't absolute bull though is it? It's worked for loads of people on this thread. Me included. Just because it didn't work for you doesn't make it bull. I had to wash mine everyday. I don't anymore.

3-4 times a week: 2-3 are after I've gone swimming (my opportunities are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and once more to get me from Thursday to Monday

Once or twice a week. My hair is the only part of me in good condition!

Twice a week

I'm down to once a week now I'm retired but I have thick, curly and often dry hair. It looks good for about 3-4 days then I wear it up for a couple, then I wash it.

I have fine hair so can usually get away with every other day. Would love to be able to leave it longer between washes!

I wash my hair usually on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. I do a lot of exercise so it gets very sweaty and gross. If I don't exercise for whatever reason I usually only wash it twice a week.

Everyday.

I’ve tried leaving it for longer, but hate the feel of it. Sometimes I think I can smell it too. Some of it may be my imagination, but I also get spots on my scalp if I leave it for more then 36 hours, they are very real!

I have tried dry shampoo, but hate the smell, hate the claggy feeling & spend the whole time feeling dirty & lazy, wishing I’d just washed it in the first place!

I’m 50, & at peace with having to wash my hair daily. I’ve done it for probably 30 years. Not going to change now.

I wash mine once a week. I have very thick, long, Mediterranean hair and it just doesn’t do well being washed a lot. I get a dry scalp and it just goes floofy and flyaway. It’s in the best condition now and my curls are much better

The longest I’ve been unless really Ill was 10 days and a colleague said she loved how I’d done my hair that day

Twice a week. I bath more often bit dont wash my hair