How To Wash Your Hair Less & Still Look Awesome
Want to wash your hair less but hate the way it looks in between washings? Check out these tips and tricks that will help you wash your hair less and still look awesome!
Beautiful hair is something some people are just born with. I am not one of those lucky people.
Or maybe I was one of those people. A long, long, time ago. Long before I dyed my hair every color imaginable. And before I started using straighteners and curling irons on my hair on an almost daily basis.
Over the years I’ve done so much damage to my hair. And I regret it. A lot!
As a result of all the damage, my hair has become frizzy and unruly. It can sometimes be a real pain to deal with. I’m doing the best I can now to take care of my hair but it still has a long way to go.
(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)
Why you Should Wash Your Hair Less
One of the best things you can do to heal and repair your hair is to wash it less. Every time you wash your hair you strip it of its natural oils which causes your hair to become dryer.
And dry hair can lead to split ends. Read this post to discover more reasons why you should wash your hair less.
So I’m washing my hair less. But for a long time, a day without washing my hair automatically meant a bad hair day for me. I would have to run my straightener through it or curl it if I wanted it to look somewhat decent.
Which, yes I know, defeated the entire purpose of not washing my hair in the first place ?
I’m happy to share I no longer have that problem. Most days that I don’t wash my hair, I can roll out of bed, run a brush through my hair and that’s it. My hair is done.
So I want to share with you the different tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years that have helped me to wash my hair less and still manage to have a good hair day.
How To Wash Your Hair Less
1 | Use Sulfate Free Shampoo
Sulfates are foaming agents that are added to shampoos to make them….you guessed it……foamy. Sulfates also help to loosen the grease and sebum from your hair and scalp.
But sulfates can sometimes work a little too well at cleaning your hair. They strip your hair of the natural oils that are actually good for your hair and scalp.
If your scalp becomes too dry it will overcompensate by producing a tremendous amount of oil because that’s what it thinks you need. You then end up having to wash your hair more to keep the oil at bay. It’s a viscous cycle.
I recommend switching to a sulfate free shampoo. Some of my favorites are Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo, Acure Organics Natural Shampoo and 100% Pure Honey and Virgin Coconut Restorative Shampoo.
All the shampoos listed above are not just sulfate free but also free of synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances and chemical preservatives. When you first switch over it may feel as though the sulfate free shampoo isn’t cleaning your hair as well as your old shampoo but that’s because it takes your hair and scalp a little time to adjust.
Stick with it for a few weeks and everything should balance out. Overtime your scalp will produce less and less oil and you’ll be able to go more days without having to wash your hair.
2 | Wash & Condition Your Hair The Right Way
Shampoo and conditioner are not meant to be applied all over your hair. Shampoo only needs to be applied to your scalp. When you rinse, the shampoo runs down your hair which cleans the rest of your strands. Applying shampoo all over your hair can really dry it out.
Conditioner only needs to be applied to the bottom half of your hair and specifically to the ends. If you apply conditioner to the top of your head and scalp area, your hair will feel really weighed down and your scalp will tend to be more oily. And as a result you’ll feel the need to wash it more.
3 | Use a Boar Bristle Brush
Boar bristle brushes are amazing! These brushes actually disperse the naturals oils from your scalp to the ends of your hair. This prevents oil build up on your scalp which will enable you to wash your hair less. This is the one I use.
4 | Use Dry Shampoo
What did we do before dry shampoo? I mean honestly? I can not live without it. Not only does it make your hair less oily, but it makes your hair smell good and adds volume.
The secret to using it is applying it the night before. This is the main reason why my hair manages to still look good when I get up in the morning. If you apply it at night then when the oil starts to produce on your scalp the dry shampoo is there just waiting to suck it up.
Some of my favorites are Batiste Original Dry Shampoo, Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo and Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo. Unfortunately, these dry shampoos don’t have a very good rating on the Think Dirty App.
I’m currently on the hunt for a toxic free dry shampoo that works good (Done! Check out this post to discover 5 all natural dry shampoos that actually work).
And I’m even attempting to make my own DIY version. So bear with me. I’ll keep ya’ll updated! (Done! You can check out my all natural diy dry shampoo recipe here. It’s super easy to make and will cost you less than $1.25!)
5 | Use a Silk Pillowcase
Before I started sleeping on a silk pillowcase I would wake up with super frizzy hair which is why I would end up having to use my straightening iron. Because of the smoothness of the silk your hair stays so much smoother.
Cotton pillowcases are more likely to cause frizz and tangles. Sleeping on silk is also great for your skin as well. I use this one.
6 | Comb Your Hair
This one is kind of obvious but I felt it was still worth mentioning. It’s super important to comb your hair before you go to bed.
If you go to bed with tangles and knots, you’re going to wake up with even more tangles and knots. Always brush your hair before bed. Preferably with your boar bristle brush.
7 | Apply Oil at night
If you didn’t already know, I’m obsessed with oils. Especially this one. It has completely changed my hair for the better. And it’s completely toxin-free! It’s definitely one of my holy grail hair products.
Not only do I apply this on damp hair after I’ve washed it and again after I’ve blow-dried my hair but I also apply it at night if I plan on not washing my hair the next day. Just a few drops.
It helps my hair to stay super soft and silky. And it really helps to prevent frizz.
8 | Put Your Hair in a Bun, Braid, or Ponytail while you sleep
Depending on how you want to style your hair the next day, I recommend putting your hair in either a bun, braid, or ponytail before you go to bed.
Doing this will keep your hair from moving all around which will prevent knots, tangles, and frizz. Make sure you use fabric bands like these ones which won’t create dents or kinks in your hair.
9 | Unpart Your Hair
I don’t know about you but one of my biggest complaints about not washing my hair is it tends to look really flat the next day. Dry shampoo definitely helps to create volume but sometimes it’s not enough.
What I like to do now is unpart my hair the night before. I usually part my hair on the right side. So before I go to sleep I’ll either part my hair on the left side or down the middle.
When I part my hair on the right side the next day there is so much more volume. It works like a charm.
10 | Pin Back Your Bangs
This tip only applies to those with bangs, obviously. The bang area can get very oily and flat when we skip washing. This is because the hair is always in contact with the forehead which can get oily or sweaty especially as we sleep.
Pin your bangs back at night with a bobby pin. This will prevent the oil or sweat from coming into contact with your hair.
I really hope these tips help you as they’ve helped me. If you have any tips that I didn’t mention please share them in the comments below. And don’t forget to check out this post for the benefits of washing your hair less.
