How Often Should I Shampoo My Hair

All of us wash our hair but we often struggle to find the right and perfect schedule to shampoo our hair.

Wash it too often and it will become dry, wash it too little and it’ll look dirty and lifeless. Here we discussed the factors you should remember while figuring out a proper hair straightening shampoo routine for yourselves.

1. Hair Type & Condition

Every hair type and condition requires specific treatment and your shampoo routine is no exception. As there are many hair types and conditions, there is a variation in how often you should wash your hair too.

• Fine, flat hair: Fine hair tends to show oily roots more visibly than other hair types, you may be tempted to wash it every day. But try to refrain (it will only make the situation worse). Instead, cleanse your hair every other day with a gentle, volumizing formula.
• Curly hair: Curly hair benefits from the natural oils produced by your scalp, which is why you need to be careful about how often you shampoo your hair. For medium-thick curly hair, wash your hair every two to three days, for fine curly hair, shampoo every day or every other day and for thick curly hair once a week is enough.
• Thick hair: Thick hair does not need to be washed every day, since denser hair follicles actually disguise, and even distribute oil better than thinner hair. So, washing your hair once a week will be enough to keep your roots clean and your hair healthy.
• Wavy hair or loose curls: Wavy hair types can get weighed down by heavier shampoos. So, washing it every other day is ideal so that it does not get weighed down and make your hair look thinner.
• Tightly coiled hair: Scalp oils cannot make their way down curly hair shafts as easily as they can with straight hair shafts, which is why curls can feel drier than other textures, so you should try washing your hair every three days for moisture.
• Damaged hair: Our hair can be damaged by way of relaxers, coloring which can make our hair rough, dry and dull. Washing the hair every three days is just enough to give the hair roots a proper process to recover from the damage and to keep the hair healthy.
• Oily hair: Wash it every other day. The more you try to combat your oily roots, the more oil your scalp tends to produce. Because when your scalp becomes dehydrated, it claps back by ramping up your oil production to make up for lost moisture. This is why washing it every other day is enough but try to avoid washing it more than four times per week.

2. Seasonal Effects

The change of seasons also changes how we take care of our hair. Using shampoo based on the atmosphere is important because in seasons where there is a massive change in the temperature or humidity such as Summer and Winter, times you should shampoo your hair changes. As for Fall and Spring, you can say these seasons are like the middle ground for atmospheric changes, where you can follow the suggestions stated above. But it is different for Summer and Winter.

• Summer: The humidity, sea salt, and powerful UV rays affect our tresses in the summer. It makes the scalp and hair dirty and sticky. During summer, you should wash your hair more than you do based on your hair type and condition. If you wash your hair 3 times per week, during summer make it 4.
• Winter: During winter our hair becomes withered and causes dandruff very easily due to the absence of moisture in the air. In cold weather, you can shampoo your hair two or three times a week. Also, showering with cooler water in the winter helps seal the cuticle, which prevents static.

3. Scalp Condition

The condition of the scalp will affect the condition of your hair.

• People with very dry scalps tend not to produce as much sebum. Washing the hair less often can help the scalp remain healthy, prevent itching and flaking, and keep the hair soft and shiny.
• People with very oily scalps may develop acne on the scalp or along the hairline and may need to wash their hair more frequently to keep their hair looking clean.

READ MORE: Is Shampoo or Conditioner More Important?

4. Choosing the Right Shampoo According to the Hair Type and Condition

Choosing the right shampoo according to the hair type and condition will bring a change in your shampoo routine too. You cannot use the same shampoo for both curly hair and straight hair. By doing that, even by following the suggestions mentioned above, you cannot get good results. So, if you choose the right shampoo for your hair type and condition, you can easily follow the routine stated above and get proper results.

• Select a moisturizing shampoo for coarse or kinky hair (TRESemmé Moisturizing Shampoo)
• Try a volumizing shampoo for fine and/or thin hair (It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Volumizing Shampoo)
• Choose a shampoo with silicone if you have curly or wavy hair (Silicon Mix Hidratante Shampoo)
• Pick a shampoo with keratin for dry or damaged hair (OGX Anti-Breakage + Keratin Oil Shampoo)
• Use vitamin-rich shampoo for colored hair (Nourish Beaute Vitamins Shampoo)
• Try a shampoo with tea tree oil for oily hair or to cleanse hair (Pure Tea Tree Oil Shampoo)

5. Whether You Should Rinse & Repeat

If you’re wondering if you need to rinse and repeat, the answer is it depends. When it comes to shampooing your hair, you should consider your hair length and just how dirty it is. The longer the hair is, the more washes it may need and the number of washes also depends on the dirt level of your hair. But remember, if you use your shampoo correctly, you may not need to rinse and repeat, because by shampooing correctly, your hair is properly being washed. Therefore, there is no need for another wash.

6. The Correct Way to Shampoo

There is actually a correct way to shampoo which you can follow to maximize the shampoo effects. So that your hair is properly washed and you will not have to wash your hair more or fewer times than your shampoo routine.

• Soak your hair first. Rinse for a minute with hot water, this allows the water to properly reach your scalp and start rinsing the gunk out.
• Use the right amount of shampoo. Adjust the amount of shampoo based on your hair type and length. For example, long and thick hair needs a little more shampoo than thin and short hair.
• Don’t scrub your hair. Try to avoid circular motions. Use an up-and-down motion with the tips of your fingers and massage your scalp.
• Rinse in cold water. Just like you use hot water when you first rinse your hair to help open the cuticles and prepare your hair for shampoo, you should do your final rinse in cold water.
• Condition from mid-hair to ends. If you condition your hair after you shampoo it, do it from about the middle of your hair to the ends.

7. Lifestyle Matters

Lifestyle is something that many people do not consider thinking about while coming up with a proper wash routine. The kind of lifestyle you’re leading also affects your hair doesn’t matter the hair type or the season. A simple fact is that the more active you are in your lifestyle, the more you should wash your hair. If you hit the gym often or go sports training in the field, the number of washing the hair should also increase as it will keep your hair out of sweat and keep it cool.

Verdict

So, how often should you wash your hair? Generally speaking, once every three days at maximum. Dive into the specifics to come up with a proper routine. There is also a trend called the “no-poo movement” which is basically washing your hair without shampoos. There are some people who mentioned this method worked but it isn’t a scientifically proven method where using shampoo is. So, why should you bother with this method? Rather make your own shampoo routine by considering the mentioned facts and have clean and healthy hair.

Sources

• Quora, How often do I need to shampoo my hair?