You may have read somewhere that the best hair wash frequency is doing it less regularly as it benefits hair health. You might have pondered how often to wash hair and even considered changing your shampoo or switching to other hair wash alternatives for the sake of your hair health.
Shampoos help cleanse the scalp of dirt, grime, product build-up, and pollution. However, the constant use of chemical-laden shampoos can make your hair dry and frizzy, leaving it looking & feeling damaged.
Some believe that shampooing your hair less is the only way to keep them healthy & ‘train’ them to be less oily. But this process is hormonal; it acts from the sebaceous glands at the roots. If you want to stop washing your hair as often, use dry shampoo in between washes, as dry shampoos can help with slightly oily-looking locks in between washes. Brushing the hair also distributes natural oils down through the strands, lessening the oiliness at the roots.
For now, let's see in detail the role of shampoo in our hair care routine and how often should you use it.
What does Shampoo do?
Shampoo tends to strip the scalp of its natural oils, making your hair and scalp feel dry & damaged.
Natural oils produced by the scalp are referred to as sebum. In simple terms, the use of shampoo is to clean the scalp and hair of oils, dirt, and product buildup without stripping away the natural moisture.
Furthermore, the presence of natural oils helps moisturise and protect our scalp, resulting in healthier-looking hair.
Using Shampoo according to Hair Type
Experts indicate that daily shampooing is a practice to be followed only by a selected few individuals, like ones who have thin or fine hair or indulge in regular physical activity that causes excessive sweating or individuals who live in humid climate zones. If you tend to have an excessively oily or itchy scalp with visible flakes, then you may want to consider washing your hair more often than most people.
If you have thick hair, which is not very oily, you can set a hair wash schedule. Individuals with dry or curly hair may tend to wash their hair less frequently than other hair types.
Different practices are depending on individuals. Some require shampooing every alternate day or even twice or thrice a week. Schedule hair washes depending on the texture and requirement of the hair.
It is advisable to wash hair at least, once a week or every other week, condition it regularly, indulge in a hot oil treatment twice a month, and employ protective measures while applying heat, as well as take caution while relaxing the hair.
No matter what your hair care ritual looks like, using good shampoos for hair helps maintain it healthy.
It should cater to specific needs such as hydration, nourishment, or scalp care without stripping natural oils.
Extracts, proteins, and essential oils give nourishment and texture while bordering on promoting growth and leaving your hair shiny and manageable. A good shampoo alongside your hair type is imperative for good long-term hair health. Lastly, top conditioner for hair keeps it looking & feeling soft and shiny.
Some Alternatives you can opt for
The following alternatives to conventional shampoo have been recently touted by many beauty bloggers and magazines:
- Dry shampoo helps soak up the oiliness and prevents clumping. Dry shampoo does have its uses, in cases where someone can't wash their hair or wants to go a day longer between washes.
- Known as "co-washing," this method of washing is establishing itself and becoming more popular. It refers to conditioner-only products that do not contain conventional detergents. It is especially effective on curly, wavy, or dry hair.
- Last of all, there's washing the hair with only water, which has given rise to water-only enthusiasts who go wild about what great results it yields in terms of beautiful shine and clever texturing on curls. Upon reviewing the research, the pros and cons of washing using just plain water appear to need to be developed. Besides, there is no way to get the moisturizing effects one could obtain through conditioner use or even shampoo.
The Takeaway
There's nothing like a good daily hair wash to give one the satisfaction of feeling clean & fresh. Nothing beats the look of fresh-looking hair, unlike hair that looks dry, brittle & damaged even after a wash.
How your hair looks depends on your hair type & texture, and the care routine you offer it. And while washing hair and how clean it is matters, what matters equally is the frequency of hair washing, so ensure you don’t overdo it in your quest to get cleaner hair everyday.
