How often should you really wash your hair?
Contour Queen and Empress of the Selfie, Kim Kardashian, revealed to beauty blog Into The Gloss that she only washes her hair every five days or so. What?!
For those of us who are firmly stuck in the daily shampooing regime, this seems a little… impossible. But Kim broke down her routine and it actually seems pretty achievable, even if you don’t have an army of stylists at your disposal.
Day 1: blowout
Day 2: messier ‘do
Day 3: straight and sleek
Day 4: slicked-back pony tail
Day 5: wash!
Andrew Bidwell, hair stylist at Atherton Cox, told The Guardian, that “[Kim’s] regime is pretty solid, especially because it utilises the natural state of the hair.” For those with normal to dry hair like Kim’s, washing every five days might actually be more beneficial than washing daily. But those with finer, lighter hair might still find that they need to wash more regularly.
How often you need to wash your hair depends on your hair type, your scalp condition, how you generally style it and even where you live.
Most hair stylists and dermatologists agree that there probably isn’t any need to use shampoo every day, though. The longer, thicker, curlier and more processed (whether with dye or chemical treatments) your hair is, the longer you should be able to go between washes. Natural oils from your scalp are slower to reach the ends of your hair, so it tends to be drier. To combat this, only use conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends, and brush your hair every night to help redistribute the oils.
A daily shampooing routine is only really essential if your scalp produces a lot of oil and your hair is light and fine. If you must wash your hair every day, choose a lightweight shampoo. These contain milder detergents and won’t irritate your scalp as much. Thick, rich shampoos can weigh your hair down and leave it looking flat and limp after washing.
To freshen up your hair in between washes, you can use talcum powder or dry shampoo to absorb excess oil. You could also wash your hair just with water, conditioning the ends to keep them soft, or give yourself a scalp massage to help break up oils.