How do people wash their hair only once a week?

Question

I constantly see how washing your hair less will make it more shiny and healthy. And yes, I totally understand the whole thing about allowing the natural oils to keep the hair healthy and how over-shampooing strips the oils away making it dry.

However, I have fine wavy hair and the most I can go without shampooing is every other day or else my hair gets very limp and oily and stringy and disgusting looking. Not only that but it seems to pick up odors and by the end of the second day I cannot stand it.

So I would like to know how people only wash their hair once or twice a week? Does it get very oily? How do you deal with it? Are you using something other than shampoo? Does your hair pick up odors? I want to stop washing mine so much but I don't know how to deal with the "non-washing" days.

Answer 1

I've been washing mine everyday for 46 years and always get compliments on how healthy and shiny it is.  I never understood how people can go for days without washing their hair.  Your hair picks up odors of everything you've done that day.  Also everything you put into your body shows up in your hair.

Answer 2

I can't go a week now, but I can go 2 days in between washings.I use a "dry" shampoo. My hair never looks or smells unclean, and I also don't have all the added damage from having to blowdry it and straighten it all the time. This one is my favorite, but there are cheaper ones at drugstores that work really well too.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jh...

*EDITED TO ADD - Just because I only wash my hair every couple days doesn't mean that's how often I shower, people. It's called putting your hair up or in a shower cap.

Answer 3

I have many black female friend who only wash their hair about once a week....but black hair is so much different and can take so much more work to style.  

Answer 4

i too have fine wavy hair. i used to wash it every day because i have no sense of smell and i smoke so i was always paranoid that it smelled. lol but with all the straightening and coloring i  was noticing more and more irreversable damage so i switched to once every other day. the thing is when you hav hair like mine and yours the last thing you want is extra oil! it takes almost nothing to weigh my hair down and even excess oil from going that extra day without washing makes it limp and lifeless. i suggest you stick with every other day. your still retaining the good oil and youll still have a little body. id focus more on finding a good shampoo for the days you DO wash :) ......just my opinion.  

Answer 5

The less you wash your hair, the less oily it gets. Constantly washing ends up over-drying the scalp, and as a result, it overcompensates by producing more oil than is necessary.

Yes, cutting down can be a gross process if you've been washing every day. If possible, wait until you're off school / work for at least a week, and just go for as long as possible without washing. Avoid using any hair products, and over brushing. It will get gross, but it's totally worth it in the end.

If that's not possible, tie your hair back and / or wear a hat. Spray some body spray to mask the scent (although not directly on your hair -- that'll just add to the problem). Again, avoid the hair products and over brushing.

Baby powder or similar powders, I've heard, work wonders. I haven't actually tried this myself, but apparently if you work it into your scalp, it will suck the oil right up -- without drying your scalp. Plus, it can really help with the smell. (Make sure you get it all out, though, or it will probably look like you have dandruff!)

If this doesn't work for you, you could look into dry shampoos. Again, I haven't actually tried this, but I've heard they usually work quite well. I believe they follow the same kind of idea as the baby powder.

Good luck!

Answer 6

ugh i have that same problem, unless i put my hair up but its still a bit noticable. different people have different hair, use a boar bristle brush to help bring the natrual oils from the roots to the tips and in between, and try putting some leave in conditioner to help it smell better, and washing your hair 1ce a week is disgusting, most of the time that means that they only shower once a week too.

Answer 7

I wash my hair only once or twice a week and it doesnt do any of the things some of the people have said like it doesnt pick up odours they must just have weird hair i think if you only wash it once or twice a week for a while it wont get greasy as easily i think you just have to get into a routine!!!

Answer 8

ewwww thats gross i wash it evryday

dont wait a week!

Answer 9

I guess it depends on what kind of hair you have. I have really thick curly hair, and I've never had a problem with oilyness or odours. For me it really helps NOT to wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner too often, and plus I use styling products in it. But if your hair looks and feels terrible after a few days without washing it, then just keep shampooing your hair every other day. Apparently washing it EVERY day *can* cause it to be limp, under-nourished and oily.. So every other day gives your hair a little bit of a break..