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Original poster

If you don't wash your hair every day...

71 replies

JuniorMint · 28/02/2015 08:51

If you don't wash your hair every day, what do you do if your non-wash day falls on a special occasion that you want to look your best for?

I wash my hair every day, but have often been told (by friends, hairdressers and most frequently my sister) that I shouldn't, would be better condition if I didn't etc. It isn't in bad condition generally, but if I don't wash it, it is very lank, stringy and greasy by mid-morning.

However, as I am returning to work from maternity leave in a couple of months I am looking for time saving ideas for work mornings! So thought I'd give it a go.

Thursday- went to hairdressers so had good wash and blow dry
Friday- left it; was just going to soft play and outdoor walk (hat on) so not too much of a problem but it did feel disgusting by the end of the day!
Today- have washed it, lovely and soft and clean
Tomorrow- meeting 12 frievds for Sunday lunch at nice restaurant! But if I wash it I will break my cycle!

Do you just break the cycle and wash it and then leave it the next day?

Another question- how do you keep feeling fresh and clean on a non-wash day?! I mean I had a shower and washed my body and face but my head and hair just felt so dirty, do I just have to get used to that?!

I am also trying to stop touching my hair throughout the day and have started rinsing it in cold water, any other tips?

I have a feeling I'm overthinking all this... TIA!

OP posts:
Mrscog · 28/02/2015 08:57

It sounds like you might just have hair that needs washing every day... Some people do. I only wash mine every 4 days (that's the day it starts feeling lanky), nothing would stretch it out once it gets to that stage.

MrsHende · 28/02/2015 09:00

On the days I don't wash my hair I use dry shampoo, it often looks better on those days because of it!

MrsBungle · 28/02/2015 09:05

I think everyone's hair is different. I have greasy hair and skin (nice!). Occasionally I don't wash it on the second day, I spray with dry shampoo and put it up but I mostly wash it everyday. It needs it and I don't want greasy hair. My scalp also itches like buggery toward the end of the second day.

When I was ill for some months I didn't wash it very often at all. It was absolutely disgusting! Grin

I would definitely wash it on a special occasion.

SoMuchForSubtlety · 28/02/2015 09:09

If you wear it out and touch it a lot then it will need washing every day. I wash my hair every second day but I wear it up. You could try a mild sulfate free shampoo - it will be less drying for your hair and scalp.

slugseatlettuce · 28/02/2015 09:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DigApony · 28/02/2015 09:10

My hair goes terribly greasy, has helped that I've gone from past shoulder length to an inverted bob which I hate. So now I use batiste on non wash days and it does help. I also spray some Aussie miracle hair insurance first and give it a quick go with the babyliss big hair. I can't believe how much more hassle short hair is than long.

DesperatelySeekingSanity · 28/02/2015 09:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
JuniorMint · 28/02/2015 09:20

Hmm I have long thought I just don't have the type of hair to leave a second day! When I got married the haidresser told me to not wash my hair that morning as it would help hold the style... I was horrified and couldn't bear it! I knew I would feel all itchy all day (whether psychosomatic or genuine!) plus I had bits out at the front that I knew would go stringy! In the end I washed it and felt a lot better and the style held fine!

Perhaps I could move towards washing the night before and leaving it the next day, as a first step and to save time on busy mornings.

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 28/02/2015 09:23

Dry shampoo is fab,but if you're having a shower in the morning anyway, I can't see that washing your hair will add much extra time.

BetweenDogandWolf · 28/02/2015 09:27

I wash mine about twice a week and if I've got a special occasion I'll save the next wash for then.

DH has to wash his hair everyday and even then, it looks greasy by the time he washes it again. We have very different hair types.

Original poster
JuniorMint · 28/02/2015 09:29

It's the blow drying that takes the time TheFallenMadonna

OP posts:
bagelfiend · 28/02/2015 09:34

I used to wash my hair every day and hated leaving it unwashed. It may take a while for your hair to get used to it but it should stop getting so greasy on the off days. I use a brilliant dry shampoo called klorane which you can buy in john lewis and lots of places online.
I actually now find my hair a lot easier to style on the day that I haven't washed it!

Eliza22 · 28/02/2015 09:36

I use Ohillip Kingsley Dry Shampoo (£13.50 fro M&S). Best there is. Without it, I'd HAVE to wash daily and now it's long, that'd be too much faffing around. I had short hair for years and two years ago, decided to grow it "one last time". My short hair was washed daily and I never dried it, just left it to fall into place. That's what I miss about my short hair.

Eliza22 · 28/02/2015 09:36

Phillip. PHILLIP Kingsley.

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2015 09:39

I have quite greasy hair naturally, and used to wash it every day. I started washing it less because daily washing was knackering the colour - tbh, for the first couple of weeks it will look a bit less than awesome by the end of day two but it adjusts. I now only wash it about every 3 days, using some dry shampoo on day 3.

The exception to this is my fringe, which can look lank quicker so often gets a quick shampoo over the sink to freshen it up. I think this helps make the rest look better too.

Could you maybe start with every day and a half - so morning one day, evening the next, skip a day, morning, evening.....

MollieCoddler · 28/02/2015 09:40

I wash my hair every fourth day. The fourth day it doesn't look good so if I'm seeing people I bring my wash day forward. I work at home mostly so am ok with feeling a bit greasy on day four. I have long and very thick hair so washing it does take a lot of extra time. I think washing every day is an incredible waste of water and energy for hair drying. I think my system has done my hair good. It is my best feature.

TheFallenMadonna · 28/02/2015 09:40

Ah. I never do that Blush

I have short hair, in my defence....

Guyropes · 28/02/2015 09:49

I think it might be the process of washing it so regularly which makes your scalp so itchy and u comfortable. Your body is overproducing oils to compensate for those that are washed away every day, which is causing the itchiness and lankiness.

I recommend eucerin shampoo, it's fantastic for itchy scalps and contains dermatologically proven ingredients for improving a dry scalp. I found it so good at making my scalp comfortable that I only need towash my hair about once a week

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 28/02/2015 09:51

sorry if this is obvious but do you shampoo twice when washing? I found that made a real difference to being able to go a day between washes.

ememem84 · 28/02/2015 09:53

I'm currently on day 3 of not washing hair. It'll get washed tomorrow. Day one it was washed blow dried and left loose ( falls just below my shoulders). Day two was half up half down. Today it has been dry shampooed and is pulled into a loose pony. I could probably get away with not doing it tomorrow as am not going anywhere but will probably wash it tomorrow morning.

Pointlessfan · 28/02/2015 09:55

I wash mine about twice a week but will do an extra wash if it needs it or if I have a special occasion. I often just wash and dry my fringe in between as that is the part that usually starts to look a bit rubbish. I also do hair washing in the evening, no way I'd have time in the morning.

stripytees · 28/02/2015 09:55

I use dry shampoo (Batiste volume one) and often wear my hair up on a bun on the non-wash day.

Zebda · 28/02/2015 09:56

I wash every 2 days. Second day is not great, but I usually go for an up do so it doesnt matter to much. I would break the cycle and wash on the second day if I had a special occaision

Original poster
JuniorMint · 28/02/2015 09:57

Thanks for all the tips- some things to do and new products to try Smile Good idea about trying day-and-a-half to begin with. I don't shampoo twice, so will try that. Any thoughts on whether or not to use conditioner? I have tried the bastiste dry shampoo in the past but found my hair was still stringy, just with a powdery coating! Will have a go with the one recommended.

OP posts:
MNHQ
TheOnlyOliviaMumsnet · 28/02/2015 10:00

I also read somewhere (can't remember the legitimacy of the source) that you should put dry shampoo on the night before....