"Ewe, gross." That is typically the first reaction I get when I tell someone it has been a week since I washed my hair. Followed by a series of questions that vary from why I go so long between washes, what's the point of it all, and how greasy my hair gets by day five. I can't say their questions were off track though because that was my first reaction when my friend told me it had been seven days since she last washed her hair. I also followed with the same series of questions about, why, for what, and my grease factors.
I started dying my hair red, and the one thing my stylist warned me about was that it doesn't last and gave me a list of procedures to follow in order to make the color last as long as possible. Things like only wash your hair with cold water, use a leave-in conditioner, buy color treatment shampoo and conditioner, and don't wash your hair more than once a week.
Excuse me?! I've been bamboozled. I can only wash my hair once a week? She explained I could wash it as many times as I want but if I'd like to get my $130 worth of dye, it is in my best interest to wash only once a week. Thus started my new hair routine.
This was a hard thing to get used to. As a person who lives in 115-degree heat in the summer works out four (okay, two) times a week, and styles her hair with products and tools on a daily basis, washing my hair was second nature. Rest assured I do shower daily though. My hair is naturally thin, and I don't have too much of it. The only thing I could concentrate on was the fact my hair was greasy within two days. I thought to myself "Who lives like this?!" I did some research on others who practice these hair procedures and found a little more confidence in this ritual which I have now been able to capitalize on.
1. My showers are cut in half.
I'm capitalizing on the sheer laziness factor. When you work full time, go to school, have a side hustle and still want to have a life, you become a pro at cutting corners. Let me explain my shortened shower routine to you. I throw my hair in a shower cap (it's a real banger of a cap, with yellow daisies on it), wash my face, cleanse my body, a little trimming of any unwanted hairs, maybe I'll indulge in a body scrub, and hop out. Literally, a five-minute shower. Additionally, I don't have to wait for my hair to dry (the real kicker is because the hairdryer and I DO NOT see eye to eye).
2. It forces me to try out new hairstyles.
I avoid curling or straightening my hair every day because my hair will fall out of my head if I applied that much heat but also because that requires a product, and product requires washing. I'm forced to try some up-dos or hats since my hair does become slightly frizzy or greasy depending. The other day I tried a braid. I don't even know how to braid. I'm 24, and I'm letting the female race down because I can't strand three pieces of hair together to resemble a bakery twist, BUT IM LEARNING. Who said you couldn't teach an old dog new tricks?
3. Hello healthy hair
Talk about velvet. Now that I have been regularly practicing this ritual my hair has never felt so soft. Allowing my hair a little relaxation between shampoos has made my hair less prone to breakage and more susceptible to volume. I can see the split ends falling off and newer, stronger, baby soft hair growing in. My hair is typically very frizzy, and I never thought it was "naturally cute." Now, I have giant waves and rarely ever use a curling iron to achieve the look I want.
PAUSE: Please just scroll up to the beginning photo and check those locks. They look so full and full of life. That's 4 days into me not washing my hair. Now look below. This is what my hair used to look like on a GOOD day. Flat, couldn't hold a curl, stringy, and did I mention flat?
Okay, proceed.
4. It's a decent penny-pinching method
Science has proven that the scalp generates its own oils that would eliminate you having to buy them. Say goodbye to your Moroccan oil regimen. Depending on your genes, you could go up to 9 weeks without washing your hair because your scalp will do ALL the work. I don't recommend that, you know, for sanitary reasons, but you will indeed become in tune with your scalp glands and their oil producing levels. You won't need nearly as much shampoo and conditioner, well, because you won't be using it as often. I've been using the same bottles of shampoo for about a year now and I think they just met the halfway mark. You will also be using fewer hair products such as hairspray, gels, and mouses since you won't want that product build-up while you're not washing your hair.
I really hope you can see a difference in my hair due to my haircare otherwise its just me over here in my corner of the internet hyping myself up for nothing. I would love to answer any questions you may have about my routine! Drop me a comment below and we can chat!
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