How To Train Your Hair to Need Less Washing

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I knew that leisure shower time was going to be in short supply while I was at boot camp. Having to wash my hair every day was not going to cut it. I needed to learn how to train my hair to only need to be washed once a week.

Before this realization, I was an everyday hair washer. I knew I had a long way to go, but I did it! Five years later, I still only wash my hair every 5-7 days depending on the time of year. 

It is a helpful skill to have as a mother when trying to shower as fast as possible so I can get to bed at the end of the day. There is the added benefit of saving money on hair products and water. (If you are interested in more ways to save money on hygiene, check out this post.)

How To

Acceptance 

The first thing you need to do is accept the fact that you are going to have greasier hair than normal as you train it. The next is to accept that your scalp will probably itch more while you are doing this.

Training 

To train your hair to wash less, you need to start washing it less. It’s a novel concept, I know. 

Your hair gets used to how frequently you wash it and generates oils accordingly. I went from washing my hair every day to every other day. The first couple of weeks, that second day was quite greasy until my scalp figured out it didn’t need to create as much oil. When my hair corrected, I started going three days, continuing on until I could make it a week.

Washing

When I washed my hair, I found that a double wash helped. More specifically, I wash once with a regular shampoo, and then use a clarifying shampoo to get the extra buildup.

Extra Tips

Hair Styles

Certain hairstyles help to hide greasy hair better than others.

Half up half down, ponytail, and French braids are some of my go tos to hide that I haven’t washed my hair in a week.

Avoid Touching 

Avoiding touching your hair helps to prevent the transmission of excess oils from your fingers to your scalp. 

Whether you are going to boot camp, a busy mom, trying to save money on water and soap, or simply don’t like wet hair, I hope this was helpful to you. If you have any additional tips for decreasing the frequency of hair washing, I would love to know in a comment below.