I know it’s a pain to wash your hair and tbh, same. The struggle and amount of time it takes to dry and style it is way more than most of us are mentally (and physically) capable of in the mornings. However, unless you want an oily, smelly, itchy scalp or worse (like, hair loss), washing your hair every now and then is actually a necessity. How often you need to wash it is based on your scalp, hair type and what you do throughout the day. So before you join the “no-poo” movement (gross), here’s how often you really need to wash your hair so you don’t end up as hairless as a naked mole rat.
If You Have An Oily Scalp
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, how often you wash your hair should be based on how much oil your scalp produces. I know what you’re thinking: fucking duh, but it’s true. All of the dry shampoo in the world can’t cure a naturally oily scalp. Thus, those unlucky ones with greasy scalps may need to wash their hair as often as once a day.
If you were unfortunate enough to inherit an oily scalp, this means that your roots produce more sebum than the average person—if this is the case and you do need to wash your hair once a day, try reaching for a lightweight purifying shampoo like Christophe Robin’s Purifying Shampoo with Jujube Bark Extract. This way the shampoo works to soothe the scalp, reduce oil, and eliminate dandruff, but is light enough to cleanse your hair everyday and won’t cause buildup.
If You Have Thin Hair
Another group of people that may need to wash their hair pretty often are those with thin hair—especially the more active thin-haired people. If you have fine, straight hair and workout every day, suffice it to say you’ll probs have to cleanse your locks every day. The thinner your hair, the quicker it gets visibly dirty.
If You Have Thick Hair
The thicker, coarser your hair, the longer you’ll be able to get away without washing it. We’re talking like, once a week if you’re lucky. According to the geniuses at Columbia University, people with coarse, tightly coiled hair may only need to wash their hair once a week. One thing I do have to say to you lucky thick-haired betches is to grab a dry conditioner to keep your strands moisturized on those no-wash days.
If You Have Color-Treated Hair
For the betches that color their hair, you’ll only want to wash your hair 2-3 times a week to prevent fading. No matter how thick or fine your hair is, if you color your hair you should reach for a shampoo designed for color treated hair, like R+Co’s Gemstone Color Shampoo to help preserve and prolong the life of your shade.
If You’re Active
It may seem unfair that betches who take the time out of their schedule to work out also get double the punishment because they have to wash their hair more often, but it’s just the way it works. Every other day is the recommendation for people who work out every day, as excess sweat, oils and dry shampoo can cause major buildup.
Related: How To Get Away With Not Showering After A Workout
The Takeaway
In general, a good rule of thumb is that you can probably get away with washing your hair every 2-3 days unless you’re one of the unfortunate souls that has super oily and thin hair, OR you’re a psycho that works out everyday.
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If you’re one of those people that avoids washing their hair at all costs and dry shampoo is your bff, meet dry conditioner, the product that will soon become your soulmate. You know that third-day hair when, while it may not be greasy thanks to dry shampoo, it’s definitely dry, brittle, and dull looking? Yeah, that’s what dry conditioner is for: to enhance shine, moisturize, reduce frizz and soften your unwashed strands and bring them back to life. To put it simply, if your favorite hair serum and your favorite dry shampoo hooked up and had a lovechild, they would give birth to a dry conditioner. Another product to save you time in the morning and to help you preserve your overpriced blowout? We’re here for it.
So if you’re over that matted, dry, tangled look that you try to pass off as JBF hair but instead you just end up looking homeless, we rounded up five of the best dry conditioners you need to add to your routine ASAP.
1. Marc Anthony Refreshing Coconut Clear Dry Conditioner
If you’re obsessed with smelling like a coconut even when you’re not at the beach, Marc Anthony’s offering should be your go-to. The dry conditioner goes on clear, gets rid of frizz, and helps to put definition back into second- and third-day hair, all while making you smell like you’ve spent the day lathered in sunscreen. In the best way possible, obvi.
2. Drybar Detox Dry Conditioner
Your favorite blowout spot knows a thing or two about preserving your styled hair, so expect only the best from Drybar. The dry conditioner spray is packed with argan oil to hydrate and get rid of frizz, mango butter to restore softness, and tiare flower to detangle and leave hair polished. The best part? It smells like jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla, aka Drybar’s signature scent.
3. Eva NYC Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner
We’ll spare you the word play on girls with “knotty” hair and tell you that Eva NYC’s dry conditioner is perfect for those with manes that are full of tangles. Its main component is Vitamin B5, which softens and strengthens so you can actually get a brush through your hair. What’s more, Eva’s Forget Me Knot also gets rid of that annoying wintertime static so that you don’t look like you just got electrocuted.
4. Amika Silken Up Dry Conditioner
Amika’s products are made for literally every hair texture on the planet, so you can imagine that their products also aim to do a little bit of everything—and that’s definitely the case with their dry conditioner. Its B5 component works to strengthen, protect against breakage, reduce split ends, and smooth the strands in addition to adding moisture, shine, and eliminating flyaways. So if you have fine, fragile hair, get you some Amika.
5. Oribe Soft Dry Conditioner Spray
There’s something about using an Oribe product that makes you feel instantly cooler (yet more sophisticated), and that is definitely the case with the Soft Dry Conditioner Spray. Spraying the dry conditioner on is kind of like when you spray fabric softener on your clothes—your strands become instantly softer, better smelling, and all-around better looking, not to mention free of tangles to preserve your style for yet another day.
Image: Averie Woodward / Unsplash
Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
If there’s anything that’s disgusting, embarrassing, and a telltale sign that you’ve run out of fucks to give, it’s greasy hair. I get it, though. Showering, especially on hair wash days, is v time consuming. Sure, the amount of energy it takes to actually walk and get in the shower is a lot, but once you’re in there, you’re basically never leaving. Nothing amps up your mood for the rest of the week like freshly washed hair on a Sunday night, when it’s voluptuous, bouncy, and full of life for once. But there’s also nothing more frustrating than waking up the next morning to a fucking grease ball. Like, why bother having hair to begin with? YOU TRIED, DAMN IT. Unfortunately for you, it’s the little things you’re doing on a daily basis that are contributing to the oiliness. Stop doing this shit and maybe for once, you’ll be able to go *three* days without washing (and having it look obvious). You’re welcome.
1. You’re Touching Your Hair Too Much
Similar to what we do to our face, we touch our hair too much. IDK why we do things that we know are really fucking bad for us (like say, IDK weekly binge-drinking?), but we need to stop. Like, yesterday. More often than not, our hands are gross, dirty, and full of so much grime, it’s making me vom. If you’re constantly touching your hair, you’re obvs putting all of that nasty shit onto your hair. This including constantly fixing your part, twirling your hair, or tucking it behind your ears. If you can’t refrain, make sure to wash your hands at the very least beforehand.
2. Overusing Dry Shampoo
Find a happy medium with how often you use your dry shampoo. I know, it’s the best thing ever and since we’re all lazy af, we couldn’t imagine our lives without it, but unfortunately, too much of it works the exact opposite. Overusing dry shampoo leads to gross buildup since it absorbs both excess and natural oils and ruins our hair’s balance to keep it healthy. If you must, use only once a week max (WASH YOUR HAIR, PEOPLE) and use a spray that has little to no residue, like Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk.
3. You’re Washing Too Often
On top of making sure you’re washing your hair correctly, you can’t *over wash* your hair either. Washing too much ends up ridding your hair of all its natural oil (even the good kind), which in result makes your hair produce twice as much. FML. Reduce to washing it only every other day, or if you’re some sort of magical creature, 3-4 times a week.
4. Using Products That Promise “Shiny Hair”
First of all, why? Second of all, no. If you already suffer from greasy hair all the time, then steer clear from shit that promises shiny hair. Fucking duh. Shiny hair shit is only acceptable if your hair is super dry and probs never ever greasy, in which case, you probably have no need to read this article. These products usually contain an abnormal amount of silicones, which are really fucking bad for your hair and make it 10 times more oily. Instead, use a clarifying shampoo once a week like Bumble and Bumble Bb. Sunday Shampoo, or literally anything else.
5. Brushing Your Hair Too Much And Forgetting To Clean Your Brush
As much as we try to ensure our hair doesn’t end up looking like a rat’s nest by the end of the day, overly brushing your hair can cause your hair to produce more oil than necessary since you’re constantly stripping it of its natural oils. If you can barely remember to wash your makeup brushes, you def can’t remember to clean your hairbrush. If you can’t put time aside to hand-wash your hairbrush as often (and I don’t blame you), be sure to remove all of the nasty, dirty hair that’s piled up. If you don’t, you’re just putting that back on your head every time you brush. Fucking gross, dude.
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6. Over-Conditioning
We all love conditioner. We love it more than shampoo, which is why we probs always run out of it first. However, like too much of anything, too much conditioner is like, really bad for your hair. An excessive amount adds an extra layer of oil and product buildup so your hair is ultimately lame, limp, and lifeless like your Bumble fuckboy. While it’s good to leave conditioner in for a tiny bit more, make sure to rinse it out just after a minute. Instead of conditioning your whole head, because it’s honestly so unnecessary, only condition the ends.
Images: freestocks.org / Unsplash; Giphy ( 6 )
Hair can truly make or break you. You’re either a candidate for L’Oréal’s next hair commercial, or you just look ratchet. This is why my professors from college should be glad I took as many bad hair mental health days as I did to skip class once a week in a while. Anytime my hair isn’t on point, I’m as upset as Kim was when she lost her diamond earring in Bora Bora.
Even though our sacred blowouts and keratin treatments are v important to us, they’re expensive AF. Since I’m neither rich nor famous, I have to pay for like, rent and shitty wifi so unfortunately, I can’t make an appointment every time I get split ends. That’s why I pay more than I’m willing to admit on my shampoo and conditioner. But you shouldn’t spend hundreds at the salon only to destroy your hair with the shampoo and conditioner you use at home (duh). Some brands we love are actually way harsh and ruin your hair rather than help it, so here are sets you should toss in the trash and sets to use instead.
Beware Of The Plastics:
1. Pantene Pro-V
Pantene was under fire (figuratively and in a way, literally) last year when one hairdresser in Maryland claimed his client’s hair started smoking when he began his usual ombré process. Uh, WTF. He says it was because the client used Pantene’s Moisture Renewal Shampoo and Conditioner for over a year. After an amount of research I haven’t done since college, several Pantene Pro-V shampoo and conditioners contain unhealthy ingredients such as sulfates and long-ass words that end in “-cone.” Silicones are what make you feel easy, breezy, beautiful with shiny hair, BUT over time they act as plastic coats that cause build up, making your hair look greasy and lifeless. Sulfates cleanse your strands, but too much rips off your hair’s natural oils and dry the fuck out of it. Cue why we need sooo many keratin treatments.
2. Organix
Not only are all of them not 100% sulfate-free, but some of them also contain salt and silicones. We all know that salt can give us great natural waves, but realistically, how does our hair feel after being in the ocean? Like a fucking haystack. With the combination of the big three no-no’s, long-term use of OGX products can leave your hair feeling unmanageable, brittle, and frail. If you’ve used this after a keratin treatment, you most likely wasted like, $300. Sorry to break it to ya.
3. TRESemmé
My once go-to shampoo and conditioner has been placed on my shit list. It has been for sometime, honestly. During my visit to the salon for my first ever highlights, my hair dresser scared the shit out of me by telling me my hair took the dye too quickly. When I told her I used TRESemmé, she basically said if I want to have hair, period, stop using it. Some of their harsh ingredients (sulfates and salt) take a toll on your poor strands, making it hard to receive coloring and volume after a period of time.
Sooo, before you say, “But I’ve been using this shit for months and my hair is perfect,” the thing is, you won’t see these long-term effects right away. Hence, fucking long-term. Since most of these ingredients are basically in all shampoos, they’re not terrible to use once in awhile or, simply in moderation. But everyone’s hair is different and reacts differently. So if you’re wondering why your keratin treatment isn’t lasting as long as it should or you’re finding it’s getting harder to style your hair, I’m just saying you should probs check to see if these life-ruiners are in your shampoo. If they are, ditch ‘em for these guys.
The Greatest Shampoos You Will Ever Meet:
1. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo And Conditioner
For healthier hair that lasts, this duo works wonders. It’s both sulfate- and silicone-free so there are no risky chemicals to harm your hair. Formulated for all hair types, it features a weightless formula that promotes hair growth and prolongs the amount of the times you have to wash your hair for lazy bitches (so like, all of us). Its ingredients include a healthy hair molecule that reinforces the strength of both of your hair and cuticles. This is even waterproof which no longer makes frizzy hair an issue. Ugh, thank god.
2. Aveeno Pure Renewal Shampoo And Conditioner
Regardless of your hair type, this is def a clutch choice for a new shampoo and conditioner option. The formula remains sulfate-free and still balances your hair for a natural, healthier, flawless look. It’s infused with seaweed extract to provide minerals and protein and happens to be a fab set if your hair is color-treated.
3. Verb Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
These are like, cruelty-proof all around They’re vegan, as well as gluten-, sulfate-, and silicone-free. So they’re good to animals and good to your hair, win-fucking-win. The ingredients retain your hair’s natural moisture, prevent color fading and dryness, and infuse keratin all throughout. So, basically, this stuff is bomb.
