How I Made the Switch to Not Washing My Hair Every Day

Like most people, I have heard for years and years that it is a cardinal sin to wash your hair every day. I thought of this as some odd ideal that could never actually happen to me, like eating bread without gaining weight or working out without sweating like a man.

I have thin, fine, oily hair. Sometimes I have bangs. Skipping a day washing my hair was a disaster- greasy and embarrassing. I heard that you just needed to wait it out. Try washing every other day for a few weeks and your hair will adjust. Nope. I just went around for a week and a half with greasy hair every other day until I cracked.

Next go around I tried washing my hair at night instead of in the morning, to ease in. This has the added bonus of having one less excuse to not work out after work (don’t want to wash your hair after? well, you were going to anyway!) and sleeping in a bit before work. This was hard too, my bangs would be gross before the afternoon.

That was when I discovered what it seems now that everyone knows except me. You want to put more products in your hair! I thought less is more, I was wrong. Here is what I currently use:

Lush Big Shampoo

Alba Hawaiian Conditioner, Cocoa Butter (Amazon affiliate link- I will receive a small commission if you buy from this link)

Bumble and Bumble pret-a-powder

Bumble and Bumble Straight Blow Dry

Bumble and Bumble Texture Hair(un)dressing Creme

Round brush and wide tooth comb by Sephora

I know I’m supposed to use matching shampoo and conditioner, but I am what I am 🙂 I am a huge fan now of Lush’s Big shampoo. It’s $26, but when they tell you it lasts for a long time they’re not kidding. I was skeptical, but I have medium length hair and one container lasts me 5-6 months. I just opened my third one of the year two days ago. I used to go through a bottle of the $4 stuff once a month, so it’s actually about the same price! I just use a tiny bit and rub it all over my scalp, then barely work the suds through the rest of my hair to not dry it out. This is how much I use every other day. Note- I have tried the matching Big conditioner. I hated it. I got so many tangles and the smell was way too much with both. It gets some great reviews, but it didn’t work for me.

I just condition like a normal person. I love the Alba Organics conditioner because it de-tangles but doesn’t weigh down my hair. Scent is also really important to me, and the cocoa butter smell is heaven to me. After the shower I de-tangle with the wide tooth comb and mix about a dime size amount each of the straight blow dry and texture cream. I apply it like my shampoo.The straight blow dry does a great job taming frizz, but it’s really heavy for my hair. Mixing it half and half with the texture cream gives it more body. I can really tell a difference when I use these products- just a little bit in my hair having body, but more in my blow out lasting more than a day.

The last part is the pret-a-powder. This stuff is the best thing that has ever happened to my hair, I’m not exaggerating at all. I sprinkle a little in my bangs at at the roots along the front of my hair line, and work it into my hair until it disappears. Along with it goes the grease! It is around $25 as well, but I have had my bottle for a year and it’s not even half way gone.

I still don’t love my hair, so if you have any styling suggestions for fine hair, please let me know! I am so much happier now that I have some clues on how to cut down on washing. It leaves my hair healthier and gives me more time to sleep!

Jillian