How to Wash Your Hair Less Without Feeling Gross / dirty hair is pretty hair

by Alisa Hrustic

By now, you’ve probably heard that the less you shampoo, the healthier your hair will look and feel. That’s because lathering up frequently dehydrates the scalp and hair, making it really coarse, says Jet Rhys, celebrity hairstylist and owner of Jet Rhys Salon in San Diego.

But if you’ve been a once-a-day kind of gal forever, breaking the habit is easier said than done. For the first few weeks of less frequent washing, you might even notice that your locks feels a little grimier as your hair’s natural oils learn to acclimate—making you want to get your suds on even more.

Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to ease yourself into washing your hair less.

Go from Once a Day to Every Other Day

It’s all about baby steps. If you’re used to washing every day, Rhys recommends switching to every other day. If you really can’t part with your daily hair-washing routine (which is totally understandable, especially if you live at the gym), you can wet your hair without using shampoo. “The water is going to clean your hair,” says Rhys. “To help detangle it, use a little lightweight conditioner on the ends.”

klorane_dry_shampooEmbrace Powders and Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is about to become your new BFF. And second day hair mixed with a spritz or two of dry shampoo often makes things easier to deal with, because it soaks up excess oil. Depending on if your hair is fine, curly, or somewhere in between, it might take a few tries to find your best match. “There are so many dry shampoos, but they are not all the same—some are really dry, and some over do it,” says Rhys. She recommends starting with Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk because it adds volume, texture, and has a clean scent. Good ‘ol baby powder works, too. Section your hair, give it a light sweep of powder, and gently work it in to the roots as a quick touch up.

 

Change Up Your Style

“Containing your hair is the best secret weapon if you don’t want to shampoo and don’t have a lot of time,” says Rhys. Avoid lathering up your locks by pulling them into a high ponytail, top knot, or side bun, while keeping a few pieces out to frame your face.

Have bangs? Tuck them away with a hairline or milkmaid style braid. If you’re not washing as frequently, the braid will actually hold better because the strands will have more grip to them.

“Keeping the hair swept away will disguise not having super clean, fresh hair,” says Rhys. The day or night before your next wash, utilizing accessories like headbands or scarves can help keep any oiliness out of the spotlight.

 

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