How often do you wash your hair? Do you have a rigorous hair washing routine? But how often should you ‘REALLY’ wash your hair? You might be surprised to know that many of us unwittingly fall into a rigid routine when it comes to washing our hair – and not because it needs to be washed instead it’s because we have always done it.
However, some types of hair require to be washed a little more frequently compared to others. But after years of messing up the natural oils in our scalp, how are we mean’t to know what our natural hair truly needs? Really, how are we meant to reset our hair and strip back our routine to reestablish what is best for our hair?
How often should you wash fine hair?
Fine hair tends to require daily washing days, as it’s the finest of all hair textures. The reason being, is that people who have fine hair has a lot more hair on their head compared to any other hair texture, and every hair follicle has an oil gland attach to it, meaning there are more oil glands on their head – this is why their hair becomes oily much quicker.
Those with fine hair should opt for a lightweight deep cleansing shampoo with volumising benefits, with thickening ingredients like; wheat protein – great for plumping strands, and making them look and feel thicker.
How often should you wash combination hair?
If you have a combination or medium hair texture, then it tends to get oil at the roots and feel dryer towards the mid-lengths to end, but can still achieve a good amount of body and volume. Those who have medium texture hair should look for a moisture-balancing shampoo that will cleanse the roots, but also deliver enough moisture for the mid-lengths to ends. Medium textured hair will require you to wash your hair every one-two day.
How often should you wash coarse hair?
Coarse hair type is often the thickest of all the hair textures – this is because it has the widest strand diameter and has plenty of natural body. Wide strand diameter means that it is prone to moisture evaporation and dry ends, and also tends to become oily less quickly – meaning they can go for longer without their hair looking or feeling greasy.
When it comes to washing your hair, look out for products that are labelled with ‘re-moisturizing’, ‘moisturising’ and ‘smoothing’ and those that tame frizz. Even if your hair doesn’t look or feel oily, frequent shampooing is still essential to keep the scalp clean and healthy.
How often should you wash coiled curls?
Curly or coiled are the most fragile of all hair textures due to their unique curl structure – similar to bending a straw, the coils create weak points that can be prone to breakage. This means that curls should always be treated gently, especially when it comes to detangling, as curls have a delicate and porous structure which means that they absorb and lose moisture much more quickly, leaving strands dry and brittle.
So if you have curly hair then you should introduce deeply nourishing and hydrating products into your hair washing routine – look out for ‘re-moisturising’, ’emollient’, ‘deep conditioning’, ‘moisturising’ labelling on hair products. But, how often should you wash your hair?
Well, it cos it has a very similar texture to coarse hair it won’t look or feel oily frequently, however for the importance of the health of your scalp, you should not go any longer than four days without shampooing. If you leave in between washing any longer than four days, it can lead to a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and scalp conditions such as dandruff (it’s an oily scalp condition and not a dry scalp condition), plus it can also lead to hair loss.
What sort of shampoos should you be opting for to prolong the time between washes?
Firstly, you should consider ditching drying sulphate ingredients from your hair washing routine, as these chemicals are added to the formulas as foaming agents to form a lather. Instead, opt for sulphate-free formula as believed that the pH level of your shampoo can also play a role in how well your hair reacts to frequent washes. As the more acidic formulas that sit further down the pH scale don’t strip the hair as harshly as more alkaline ones.
Here are some natural shampoos:
Sienna Naturals | Hapi Shampoo £15.21
Cantu | Shea Butter Cleansing Cream Shampoo £6.99
ESPA | Super Nourish Glossing Shampoo £24
Goldwell Dualsenses | Curls and Waves Shampoo £28
Does the technique affect how regular your washes are?
The short answer is yes, but the most important thing to keep an eye on when you’re washing your hair (after the shampoo you’re using) is the temperature of the water. Sulphates can indeed strip the natural oils from hair and scalp, but having a super hot shower, can also do the same. So by having a cooler shower when your washing your hair, the better shape your hair will be in afterwards.
