When the Wash Must Wait

by Amy | May 17, 2017 | Hair

You’ve heard it everywhere – from your stylists, your friends, your trusted websites: Do not wash your hair every day. While that sounds easy, many people struggle with how to skip shampooing for one day, let alone two or three. How can you go the distance between washes? These tips can help!

First, get a good cut. Shampooing too much strips your hair of essential oils and promotes split ends and breakage. It also takes significant time, and increases the wear and tear on your precious locks. A good stylist can account for this by giving you a manageable, quality cut that doesn’t require daily washing and styling. When you’re in the chair, be honest with your stylist about how often you wash – or want to wash – your hair.

Invest in dry shampoo. This ingenious product comes in spray or powder form and is designed to soak up oil, boost volume, and make your hair smell clean. But all dry shampoos are not created equal. Some work miracles, while others can leave a sticky residue and make your hair feel greasy. Our favorites at Nixon & CO are Unwash, Seven, and Unite.

Bobby pins are your best friend!

Make friends with your bobby pins. Putting your hair up doesn’t have to mean elaborate up-dos and tutorials on YouTube. On the second or third (or fourth) days, pull up (or back) sections of your hair, twist, and pin. Bobby pins are flexible and forgiving, and they let you get creative without a lot of know-how or fuss: Just position your hair where you want it and let the bobby pins hold it in place.

Hide it with style. Wearing a hat to hide day-two or day-three hair is popular advice. But for more style, take it a step further by adding a side fishtail braid. Just as easy as a traditional braid, the fishtail creates a casual but classic look. (Here’s how to do it.)

Add a fishtail braid to your favorite hat

Just rinse and condition. Finally, if all this isn’t enough for you to put down the bottle, consider just skipping the shampoo. Wet your hair as usual, then add conditioner, and rinse. You’ll be left with refreshed tresses, but you won’t experience the drying, stripping effects of the suds.

Following these tips can have you looking great in no time, but it is important to still stay aware of your hair. As day two, day three, and day four give your locks plenty of rest from styling, make sure to watch for dry, flaky, itchy, or oily scalp, which can be a reaction to build-up of dirt or dry shampoo. Then, by all means, lather away and add a deep conditioner.

For more information on hair that can go the distance as long as you want, make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon!