How Often Do You Shampoo?
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Long Hair Happenings
Forum Name: Long Hair Support
Forum Description: Growing it long takes commitment and support.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=600
Printed Date: July 29 2025 at 1:05pm
Topic: How Often Do You Shampoo?
Posted By: Karen Shelton
Subject: How Often Do You Shampoo?
Date Posted: May 15 2003 at 12:16am
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Hi all, About 1 year ago I totally changed the way I care for my hair. I used to shampoo every day. Then a couple of times a week and in the past year I have gone to one shampoo per week. My hair has completely blossomed in the new regime. I also limit the amount of blow dryer time to once per month for special occasions and use a blow dryer w/ a cold air stream ONLY. My hair has been so much healthier. So the question....how often do you shampoo your hair? And why? Best wishes, Karen ------------- That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger or drives you totally insane. :-) |
Replies:
Posted By: Isla Q.
Date Posted: May 15 2003 at 2:20am
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Up until just a few weeks ago, I shampood every day. Now it's every two days, and I'm working my way up to every three. Apart from saving time (and money), I am already finding my hair is less dry and easier to manage. And I have you guys, and the recent threads on the subject, to thank for it. I had thought about it before, but the recent threads inspired me to finally actually do it, increase the time between shampoos, I mean. Long hair support rules! Really!  ------------- |
Posted By: caro
Date Posted: May 15 2003 at 3:01am
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I have slightly oily hair ans have to shampoo every other day, I also live in a humid climat and get crazy by all the frizz I have sometimes but how longer my hair gets the better I can "control" it, time is on my hands! ------------- |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: May 16 2003 at 2:50pm
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About a fortnight ago, inspired by a poster on another board, I tried the WO (water only) approch to hair washing. I lasted 12 days without any substance other than water on my scalp (and a little coconut oil on the ends of hair). Won't be doing that again..  So, I'm back to my once a week wash with clay &/or herbs. I find that the condition of my hair is improved since I have reduced washing from ever other day to once a week. The hair strands are silkier, less dry and somehow stronger and more resilient to the elements. ------------- Uzi |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: May 16 2003 at 7:05pm
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First... pls excuse the absence, I have been unable to post to the board since yesterday morning... some sort of technical difficulties... anyway... To answer Karen's question, I generally wash my hair once per week. Why? Because I can "get away" with doing so and not gross out anybody (else or myself) in the process. Usually on the last day of that week the hair's getting kinda iffy but I'm working outside or playing outside or working out or doing chores... and after that, its ready to be washed before the beginning of the week. Plus, as Isla Q. mentions, it saves wear and tear on the hair (most importantly), time (second most importantly), and money (least important). I use ridiculously little shampoo and my hair gets very clean, thank you very much. If anybody wants to know my routine, lemme know and I can write it up. Like caro, I live in a hot and humid climate (Florida! 95 degrees today!)... I have discovered that washing less frequently retains more of the natural oils (it's plenty clean), but it's not so stripped that it gets frizzy... which is what the humidity does to hair that doesn't have enough natural oils. Something has to fill those shafts, and if it isn't oil, it's water (extracted from the humidity). And like all of you, my hair is in much better condition now that I wash it less frequently. |
Posted By: grenwich
Date Posted: May 16 2003 at 7:29pm
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I wash once a week as well. I rinse my scalp after heavy workouts, but shampoo only goes on once a week. For the same reasons Dave mentioned - wear and tear on the locks being the most important reason to wash less. Cheers! Gren ------------- 1bCiii between tailbone and classic (43.5inches) |
Posted By: Beatnik Guy
Date Posted: May 16 2003 at 7:52pm
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I've not reached the once a week thing yet, although I'm sure I'll be able to before too long - my scalp has a tendancy towards dryness which is always an advantage in that sense. I've been washing every 5 days for some time now - and recently I've been able to stretch that to 6 a few times (on account of tiredness or disinclination to stick to sked) without any great grossness. Chris ------------- |
Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: May 17 2003 at 3:27pm
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Hi Chris, What shampoo do you use? I am curious because you mentioned that your scalp tends to be dry. Do you use a leave in or other types of conditioners? Karen ------------- That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger or drives you totally insane. :-) |
Posted By: Beatnik Guy
Date Posted: May 17 2003 at 7:51pm
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Hi Karen, I use Body Shop products, pretty much exclusively. Love their banana flavor conditioner... ;o) I don't use a leave in, or certainly not regularly, but my hair is coarse, laps up jojoba like there is no tomorrow and my scalp is much less oily than some. I'm not unhappy with any of this - I just wish it'd grow a little faster...but then, don't we all? Chris ------------- |
Posted By: sasha
Date Posted: May 18 2003 at 10:02am
| I'm weird. My hair is in much better condition now that I wash it every day instead of every 2 or 3. I oil every night, though. |
Posted By: Nicole Z
Date Posted: May 18 2003 at 3:07pm
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I used to shampoo every day, then every other day, then twice a day, then...I learned. Nowadays, I wash my length once a week or longer, my scalp 1-2 times between. Occasionally I'll go a whole week between shampooing my scalp and I have to be extra dilligent about spreading the natural oils down, otherwise I look like a greaseball. Typically those weeks I've done that I must keep my hair dutch braided or up somehow by the fourth day to the end or it looks really bad. I've got mildly wavy hair that has these annoying frizzy curly strands that stick out everywhere, and when I let the natural oils build up those frizzies are tamed down alot. I like how my hair looks best when those frizzies are tamed down. It ends up making my hair look quite wavy and very voluminous. ------------- My hair is almost to my knees (~50") and continues to grow longer. Rather slowly these days, but that's ok - it's still *growing*. |
Posted By: Karrinne
Date Posted: May 19 2003 at 10:59am
I wash my hair every 2 to 3 days. If I don't it looks like a 50's ducktail, all greased back. I can go longer in the winter than I can in the summer. I usually only use shampoo every other time, doing a conditioner only wash the other time. ------------- hair today/hair tomorrow/hair always ??/37/52 See my hair at http://karrinne1960.tripod.com - http://karrinne1960.tripod.com |
Posted By: sheryl soleil
Date Posted: May 21 2003 at 12:03pm
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I wash my hair twice a week. It has made a huge difference in how my hair looks. Before, I washed my hair everday and it looked dry. I highly recommend less washing. ------------- 21/33/38 2cCiii If you can't have the best, make the best of what you have~unknown~ |
Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: May 23 2003 at 11:34pm
| I too used to wash my hair every day. I am now up to once every three days and am glad to find out I'm not the only one. I tell my friends, and they get these horrified looks, like "how gross" but they don't have the long, dry course hair that I have. Although, I do work in a cafe, and it tends to absorb the smells, usually airing it out after work is okay. I am interested in the oils that you guys use. Perhaps that will help with some breakage problems I've been having (from putting into a ponytail everyday for work). I'd love to hear suggestions! Thanks, Allyson |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: May 24 2003 at 7:35pm
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Hi Allyson, In my opinion, jojoba oil is best because it is most similar to your natural sebum. A few drops in the palm of your hand, rub your palms together, and work into detangled hair. As for the ponytail breakage, maybe start a braid, just the first few "nodes," and tie off there. This should help alleviate the stress at the point of the ponytail holder. ------------- |
Posted By: Josie
Date Posted: May 29 2003 at 8:31pm
I'm not gutys enough to do the once a week thing...my hair is pretty oily, and I can only go about 2 days before it looks grungy. 
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Posted By: Jennifer
Date Posted: June 02 2003 at 12:08am
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I shampoo twice a week, although with hotter weather, I may shampoo every other day, because when I exercise, my head sometimes is just soaked with perspiration, and I just feel better. However, I also have oily hair, and my hair became LESS oily when I went from every day to once every three days! When the hair near the scalp started feeling and looking oily, a bit of cornstarch (I'm a natural blonde) was all I needed to "freshen" it up a bit. I'm a firm believer in not washing every day. I'm sure it would be fine for very short hair, but I don't have short hair, and I don't want short hair! ------------- |
Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: June 02 2003 at 7:50am
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Cornstarch! I wondered if anyone else knew about that little oil-reducing secret! ------------- Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: June 02 2003 at 8:55pm
Hi Josie! It's not about holding out for a week, it's about washing only as frequently as you individually decide to be "necessary." If it's every 2 days for you, then it's 2 days. These days I'm at about once every 5 days. There are lots of factors, which may or may not apply at any time, that can affect the grunge-free period...------------- |
Josie wrote: