When it comes to haircare, washing raises many different opinions. Frequency of washing, even more so. In my experience, how often you wash your hair depends on what type of hair you have and how oily your scalp is. Some people say wash it every few days, others say wash it everyday but it really depends on your type. Now that you know the basics of what your hair is like you should be able to make that decision pretty easily. People with drier hair should prob not wash as much because shampoo and even water itself is actually drying to the hair. People with oilier scalps should prob wash more often. For me, washing my hair every third day has been working well.

*A note about shampoos*

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about sulfates, and most shampoos now say “no sulfates” on the bottle. Just be sure to double check that because I have looked at the ingredient list on the back before and have surely found “lauryl” or “laureth” sulfates. Sulfates basically make your shampoo foam up. But they tend to strip the hair of it’s oils, leaving hair rough. It’s somehow been engrained in us that unless it foams up, it’s not cleaning. That’s simply not true. There are many essential oils out there that have antiseptic properties that will actually wash away oil and keep the skin oil-free. Some include  peppermint, rosemary, and  sage. Sulfate-free shampoos will not lather like normal shampoos so it does take some getting used to. But if you remember that you just need to be cleaning your scalp and that the essential oils will wash the oils away without stripping them, it should ease any doubt.

There are a few basics to know while washing. I’m mainly talking about shampooing, conditioning will be another post. When you are shampooing, try to make sure that it is applied to the scalp only. As you rinse, the shampoo will run down your hair so you don’t need to wash it an extra time. Let’s just forget about the “rinse and repeat” thing altogether. Also make sure that you are not scrubbing with your fingernails but the pads of the fingers. To keep tangling at bay, wash in zig-zag motions with the fingers instead of circular motions and make sure to rinse well.

Recap:

• Frequency of washing totally depends on the oiliness of your scalp
• Use a  non-sulfate shampoo
• Use zig-zag motions and wash the scalp only

What do you think of this washing routine?