I’ve received a few emails recently asking about how often a girl should wash her hair. I did a little research and it’s an interesting topic because there really seems to be a big divide in what people recommend.
So, how often should you wash your hair? Personally, I was always taught to shampoo my hair every day. Over the years, however, I’ve learned that daily washing really dries my hair out.
These days, because I get highlights and my hair is damaged, I only shampoo 3 or 4 times a week. This has definitely helped my hair a lot: it’s much less dried out without the constant shampooing and blow drying.
Celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves, who does Eva Longoria and Jessica Simpson’s hair, agrees that you shouldn’t wash your hair every day. According to Oprah.com, Ken says that “certain hair types and textures only require washing once a week, where others work well washing 2 to 3 times a week.”
Thursday’s New York Times style section had an article about hair washing frequency, only to the extreme. Of Course I Washed My Hair Last Year (I’m Almost Certain) talked about how lots of women wash their hair just once a week and some only wash once a month! The average seems to be around 3 times a week. Apparently it’s trendy to spend less time on your hair.
As someone whose hair gets oily after just a few days, I can’t imagine only washing your hair once a month, but maybe it would work well for those with dry hair? The idea does sound tempting – who wouldn’t want to spend less time doing their hair each week? I just don’t know how it would really work for the average woman.
What are your opinions on this? Do you wash your hair every day or do you think once a week is best? Leave a comment and take the poll below! I want to hear what you think!
julia what is dry shampoo?
About a year ago, I used to wash my hair everyday thinking that I *had* to because it would always be oily and nasty if I didn’t. When I read that shampooing everyday actually makes your scalp produce more oil, while shampooing daily dries out the ends, I figured that was surely the cause of my “combination” hair.. oily on top, dry on bottom ( I have really long, fine hair, damages easy, oils easy). I was dealing with a lot of damage on my hair so I went extreme and decided to try shampooing once every three days.. and it worked! It took a few weeks for my scalp to get used to it and produce less oil, but it eventually did, and now waiting three days is no problem. That coupled with putting coconut oil in my hair and leaving it in overnight once a week has made my hair completely different. I’m thinking about trying to shampoo once a week now.. The damage I’ve avoided it wonderful 🙂
I actually wash my hair everyday, but that’s only because I’m going to gym. My hair get’s greasy soo easily if I don’t wash it one day it looks like if I haven’t showered for months…
My hair is pretty weird. I have frizzy, thick hair and if I forget to wash it for one day, it will smell dirty. I hear about how natural oils are good for you, but I’m in high school so the thought of being smelly while surrounded by my peers terrifies me! I’ve tried sooo many things to get my hair to look right but it’s hard. If i leave it down naturally, I start getting that Hermione Granger type hair (triangle, thick and frizzy!!) Does anyone have any advice? I would be soooo grateful!!
i wash my hair every 10 days..and it doesnt even look bad or get greasy.
i have always wondered how college girls wear their hair.
my hair now is long, thick, and naturally wavy/curly and im still growing it out to my waist. plus i straighten it everyday.
im not sure that i will have time to do it anymore when i enter college.
are there any cute hairstyles that take less time?
i have permed hair and i wash my hair every two weeks.. its the way i was raised. and i dye and straighten my hair alot.. so washing it too frequently wud dry it out too much!!!
wat abt black gurls cuz some white girl wash their hair everyday becaus its soft and not nappy and cannot be breaded but blackwell some black gurls have nappy hair like me and my hair can get briaded oh and im nt tryin to be raciest
sorry for the typo’s!
I was taught to wash it every other day, which would turn out to be at least 3-4 times a week
I wash my hair 4-3 times a week, normally but when I get it straight (I have extremely curly and unruly hair) I wash it 1-2 times a week.
I wash my hair once a week, and it’s not about don’t wanna wash it or something, it’s beacuase I have curly hair, but the one with too much that looks all messed up. So I make it straight and it tooks lot of time and I get tired easily.
I have to wash my hair daily because I have thick, curly hair. Also, I use hair spray and the only way to get that stuff out of my hair is by shampooing it. And my hair doesn’t really brush well dry, so it’s daily washing!
I have to wash my hair every other day. If i wait longer my hair gets really gross feeling but if i wash it every day after 3 or 4 days it starts to feel really dry and brittle.
I REQUIRE washing daily. Honest to goodness, if I don’t wash daily, it SMELLS, and the slightest touch leaves yuck on my fingers. It’s quite nasty. It’s a royal pain, too, because my mane is waist length. The ends get a really good leave-in daily to make up for the constant washing.
Chelsea, do you wet down beforehand? I started doing that before I swim, and it makes a big difference.