How often do you wash your hair?
We get this question A LOT!
From clients in-store and on our social media, it seems to come in two main questions.
1. Is it okay to wash my hair less frequently instead of every day?
2. I just have no clue as to how often I should wash my hair! Help?
So how often is enough then? And how much is too much?
Well unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer; So many other lifestyle factors will be the decider for whether you’re a daily person or a weekly person or even somewhere in between. Your hair washing routine may have to vary from day to day or week to week. Have you exercised? How will you be wearing your hair? Are you hormonal? Are you taking medications? What do you do for work? These will all impact your hair needs differently and change how frequently your hair is going to need a wash.
But let’s also not forget that different hair types have different needs!
So let’s look at the most common types…
Fine Hair
Dirt, oil and product build-up are easy to notice on this hair type and so you may find yourself reaching for the shampoo bottle every day – not a good move!
Daily washing can strip the hair and scalp of the oils it needs and end up damaging your precious strands! You may even end up with dry, brittle ends which in extreme cases can result in breakage. Your best option here is to try to stretch your washes to every two or, even better, every three days. The best results, however, will come from using the right shampoo. If you use something that’s too heavy, it will only worsen your ‘lifeless hair’ issue.
Here at Clarity, we would recommend you the Power Build range by Organic Colour Systems. It is packed full of protein and certified organic ingredients which will strengthen and add volume to fine hair – thankfully without weighing it down! And if you struggle on the days that you can’t wash? The Revive Volumising Dry Shampoo will be your new best friend!
Coarse; Thick Hair
Oil and dirt are less obvious for those with masses of mane. This means washing can be stretched out to just one day a week. This is a good thing because trying to dry and style all those strands can be a lengthy process.
What we see most often with coarse and thick hair types is a build-up on the scalp which can result in the dreaded hair snowflakes. We know you don’t want them settling on the shoulders of their favourite clothes! So, fear not, because our amazing Charcoal Shampoo by Organic Colour Systems will give your scalp and hair a full detox. Leaving you fresh and PH balanced to get through the week with locks fit for any occasion.
Curly, wavy hair
The trick here is that curls can be thick or thin, so you need to consider the density of your hair for this one. But let’s slow down for a second because curly hair washing comes with some discrepancies.
Some people believe that you don’t need to wash curly hair EVER! Curls can be dry and porous due to the fact that the natural sebum (oil) doesn’t travel down the hair shaft easily. So, washing too often will prevent this from happening and not enough washing will leave it dry and frizzy. This means the right product is super important here because while curly hair loves masses of moisture, it is also often lacking in protein.
At Clarity our curly girls just adore the Keep Curl range by Organic Colour Systems. It keeps curls defined but doesn’t create a build-up on the hair. Instead it packs each strand with the perfect balance of protein and moisture for lush curls that you will absolutely love!
Let’s talk about lifestyle now.
If you’re a gym junkie, you’ll know the sweaty post-workout feeling and how that doesn’t exclude your hair! The sweat attracts dirt to the scalp which can build up and start to cause issues. However, we still don’t recommend washing your hair daily. If you can, try and wash every second or third day and use Revive Dry Shampoo on the days in between. This will ensure the sweat is gently removed from your scalp and will leave your pores unclogged and your hair happy.
Another major factor to consider, is the ingredients in your hair products.
These are super important to be aware of!
Silicones and polymers.
Products packed with these can coat the hair and scalp which will suffocate your strands and leave them flat, heavy and lifeless. These types of ingredients create a film over your hair which can cover up what’s really going on beneath. This can lead to the dreaded breakage, hair loss and scalp issues that none of us want.
SLS and SLES.
These are aggressive detergents that you’ll find in many hair cleansers. Yes, they get in and clean the hair but at what cost? They are unnecessary ingredients that will strip all the natural sebum from your hair and leave you with dry, brittle, damaged hair. Not to mention the health consequences that are affiliated with them. People with sensitive scalps can get really irritated by these ingredients, plus they will strip your colour! We definitely recommend staying away from these bad boys.
Parabens.
These are commonly used as a preservative in cosmetics (as discussed in our Power Lash Blog) and a lot of research raises concerns about their absorption into the skin. They have also been recognised as hormone disruptors that can mimic oestrogen which has been linked to breast cancer.
You can rest assured that at Clarity Essential Wellness, we take the utmost care to research and select only the very best products! Making sure there are no hidden nasties and choosing the healthiest options for your hair and skin.
So, there you have it. There is no simple answer but, in a nutshell, washing your hair every two days to once a week will keep your follicles and scalp very happy. And if you’re feeling like you want to indulge in the best hair wash in town, come and experience our in-salon deep cleanse with our team here at Clarity.
It truly is like no other! At the very least, get in touch with us so we can hook your precious locks up with EXACTLY what they need to sparkle!
