The hairy truth: An expert reveals how often you should wash your hair
By this point in your life, you've probably heard that when it comes to washing your hair, the less frequent, the better. But honestly, WTF does that even mean? My hair texture isn't the same as your hair texture, and you can't tell me that, say, dense coils should be treated the same way as flat, fine waves.
Here's why the differences matter, though: If you wash your hair too frequently, you could be stuck dealing with dryness, breakage, and split ends. On the flip side, not washing your hair enough could lead to clogged pores, inflammation, and even hair loss.
But don't freak out – we chatted with the best of the best experts to find out exactly how often you should cleanse your specific hair type (and which shampoos you should use) so you can have good hair days all year round.
If you have flat, fine hair
Pure Volume Shampoo 266ml
WASH IT: Every other day
Because fine hair tends to show oily roots more visibly than other hair types, you may be tempted to wash it every day (which, FYI isn't inherently bad!!). But try to refrain if you can – instead, cleanse your hair every other day with a gentle, volumising formula and invest in a really good dry shampoo for day-two grease.
If you have thick hair
Shampoo for moisture and control 250ml
WASH IT: Once a week
Thick hair doesn't need to be washed as frequently, since denser hair follicles actually disguise, and even distribute, oil better than thinner hair. "If your hair isn’t very oily, try to wash it only once a week," says Miles Jeffries, a celebrity hairstylist who works with Mariah Carey and Tinashe. And don't worry about the potential buildup; a shampoo filled with inflammation-calming and pore-clearing tea tree oil will keep your roots clean and happy, without feeling stripped.
If you have wavy hair or loose curls
Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Wash Shampoo 250ml
If you have oily hair
Maxi Wash
WASH IT: Every other day
Weird fact: The more you try to combat your oily roots, the more oil your scalp tends to produce. Why? When your scalp becomes dehydrated, it claps back by ramping up your oil production to make up for lost moisture. As tempting as it may be, try to avoid washing more than four times per week. Dry shampoos will literally become your new BFF—not only because they hide greasy roots, but because they can amp up the volume, too.
£20.00 at kevinmurphystore.com
If you have tightly coiled hair
Cantu Complete Conditioning Co-Wash 283g
If you have damaged hair
Don't Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo for Damaged Hair 473ml
If you have "normal" hair
Perfect hair Day™ Shampoo
If you have dry, frizzy curls
Hydration Wash
WASH IT: Every five days
Not all curls are the same. Unlike kinky coils and afro hair types, looser curls can become extremely dry, through heat styling and bleach. Over-washing will strip your already dry strands, so, if your hair is curly, but not THAT curly - more a pile of parched frizz, reduce your wash time to around every 5 days/once a week, opting for a sulfate free shampoo that provides deep hydration, without leaving residue on the hair.
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