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View Full Version : I've taken the plunge .... to stretch my washes!



sarahthegemini
September 5th, 2013, 10:13 AM
I can cwc every other day, but I'd like to try to stretch that further, by just.one.day! If I could wash every few days, I'll be happy. Ive decided not to go down the dry shampoo route, and instead just wear my hair up on the greasy day. I don't know how long it will take for my scalp to adjust but I'm prepared to devote some time to it. I washed my hair on Tuesday, today is Thursday and my hair is a mess. I will wash it tomorrow, so that will be a 2 day gap between hair washes. This is a big deal to me! I started this thread mainly as a diary type thing so I can keep track :)

Current state: My roots look fairly oily, as does my length although according to my Mum, my length looks better than my roots.

sarahthegemini
September 5th, 2013, 02:49 PM
Merely hours after swearing off dry shampoo ... I changed my mind. I keep looking at my roots and they look appalling. I'm going to buy some Batiste tomorrow to use on my roots, I don't need it on my length as I can easily disguise that by wearing my hair up. My roots don't have the luxury of being hidden. I think using dry 'poo on my scalp will make stretching washes so much easier.

Vrindi
September 5th, 2013, 02:54 PM
I stretched washes very slowly, because it took a long time for my scalp to adjust. I would be intolerably greasy in 24 hours. So I switched to a sulfate-free shampoo, and adjusted to that. Then I stretched washes from around 24 hours to 36 hours. Took a month to adjust. Then it was 48 hours. I kept increasing stretching time by another half day every month. Eventually, my scalp just said, "alright, I'll stop being a pain." Now I wash 2-3 times a week, and can go a full week if I have to (like for camping.) So, don't be discouraged if it takes a while. It will happen. :)

Bronzepikzi
September 5th, 2013, 03:07 PM
I just switched to every other day and I feel your pain. I've been a daily washer for almost 12 years. It's definitely a hard habit to break. I wish you luck!

alexis917
September 5th, 2013, 03:25 PM
I stretched washes for a while, but realized it was making my scalp itch.
I'm back to 2-3 day stretching again, and seem to be doing okay.
Hopefully, I can keep this up!

Firefox7275
September 5th, 2013, 04:24 PM
Merely hours after swearing off dry shampoo ... I changed my mind. I keep looking at my roots and they look appalling. I'm going to buy some Batiste tomorrow to use on my roots, I don't need it on my length as I can easily disguise that by wearing my hair up. My roots don't have the luxury of being hidden. I think using dry 'poo on my scalp will make stretching washes so much easier.

Just dry shampooing the hairline around the face makes an amazing difference, sometimes I do the crown but often not necessary.

Jenny31557
September 5th, 2013, 05:14 PM
When my hair is greasy and I have to go out, I simply wear a cap. Is that maybe an option for you too to help you stretch your washes? :)

luster
September 5th, 2013, 05:44 PM
Corn starch has been a lifesaver for me on days I don't wash my hair. It helps me stretch my washes by 2 days.

jacqueline101
September 5th, 2013, 05:57 PM
Stretch washes is great dry shampoo your oiliness.

Hootenanny
September 5th, 2013, 05:57 PM
I found that switching to daily sulfate-free shampoos, and, after some time of that, to daily CO washing, trained my scalp to produce less oil and eventually enabled me to "graduate" to washing only twice a week, at the very most. Have you considered or tried sulfate-free shampoos (or CO washing)? You look like you could be a wavy, so this kind of washing might work well for you!

sarahthegemini
September 6th, 2013, 03:40 AM
Thanks for all the encouragement guys!


I found that switching to daily sulfate-free shampoos, and, after some time of that, to daily CO washing, trained my scalp to produce less oil and eventually enabled me to "graduate" to washing only twice a week, at the very most. Have you considered or tried sulfate-free shampoos (or CO washing)? You look like you could be a wavy, so this kind of washing might work well for you!

I have tried sulfate free 'poo once a while back, I didn't like it but tbh I never gave myself enough time to adjust to that! I'd quite like to try co-washing eventually, but I figured, if I can wash my scalp just x2 a week with sulfates, then when I make the change to Co or sulfate free, if my scalp rebels initially, I should still be able to go at least a day between washings. If I switched now, I think I'd have the greasies daily which would mean putting up with dirty hair for longer :o

Eta: I thought, "screw it" I'll try co-washing! :D I'm sat here with co on my dry - yet greasy scalp, gunna leave it for 10 mins then hop in the shower and really massage it. I suspect my hair will get greasier initially but will settle (that's what happened when I went co-only on my length)

RavennaNight
September 6th, 2013, 04:19 AM
I remember when I first stretched out washes back in winter '08 into '09. Mostly I took lots of advice from the NW/SO thread, and made sure to massage the scalp and distribute the natural oils down the length. I think that helped a great deal. It was really incremental, it took a few months and a lot of wearing hair up. First it was 2 days, then 3... I went as far as stretching to a week and a half. Now I wash about twice a week. In the drier winter, I might go back down to once. If your hair is a little "dirty" it holds buns better. ;)

sarahthegemini
September 6th, 2013, 09:44 AM
So, I co-washed. One word: Wow. My scalp, which was incredibly greasy, is now lovely and clean! Normally my scalp looks shiny afer 'pooing but now, it looks different I suppose moisturised is the word, I.e. not stripped. I really didn't think I'd get the technique down right away but I seem to have mastered it. Very pleased right now :) I just wonder whether my scalp will be oily tomorrow ....

Hootenanny
September 6th, 2013, 09:51 AM
So, I co-washed. One word: Wow. My scalp, which was incredibly greasy, is now lovely and clean! Normally my scalp looks shiny afer 'pooing but now, it looks different I suppose moisturised is the word, I.e. not stripped. I really didn't think I'd get the technique down right away but I seem to have mastered it. Very pleased right now :) I just wonder whether my scalp will be oily tomorrow ....

That's great! Sounds like this might be a good option for you then. Don't be afraid to co-wash every day if you feel you need it; your scalp should start producing less oil over time once it adjusts to not having to overcompensate for having it stripped by shampoo. Once it adjusts, stretching washes should become easier! :)

sarahthegemini
September 6th, 2013, 09:59 AM
That's great! Sounds like this might be a good option for you then. Don't be afraid to co-wash every day if you feel you need it; your scalp should start producing less oil over time once it adjusts to not having to overcompensate for having it stripped by shampoo. Once it adjusts, stretching washes should become easier! :)

I'm quite excited about this new experience :p I'm a little wary about co-washing everyday, the thought of over conditioning scares me a touch!

sarahthegemini
September 7th, 2013, 05:39 AM
Day after co-wash: Scalp looks okay, I'm not sure if it'll still be clean by the end of today but so far so good. I was expected to wake up with a greasy head so I'm pleasantly surprised.

Firefox7275
September 7th, 2013, 05:45 AM
Glad that worked out for you! Conditioner only should not make hair more greasy unless your technique is poor, you are using products/ ingredients that build up, skin is reacting to one of the ingredients. Your co-wash step should not be conditioning or over conditioning, your hair should be 'squeaky' clean when done. Over time you should find your haur is healthier so needs less of your actual conditioner product IYSWIM.

sarahthegemini
September 7th, 2013, 05:57 AM
Glad that worked out for you! Conditioner only should not make hair more greasy unless your technique is poor, you are using products/ ingredients that build up, skin is reacting to one of the ingredients. Your co-wash step should not be conditioning or over conditioning, your hair should be 'squeaky' clean when done. Over time you should find your haur is healthier so needs less of your actual conditioner product IYSWIM.

I'm so pleased too! My hair did feel squeaky clean after washing yesterday, so I feel confident wih my technique. I thought there would be a transition period as i'm not stripping my scalp completely now, I thought it'd need to adjust but as my hair looks clean still today (as it would had I used sulfate 'poo) that must not be the case.

Leeloo
September 7th, 2013, 08:29 AM
You just got to give it time

martyna_22
September 7th, 2013, 08:50 AM
I'm happy for you :) I'm also trying to stretch my washes. To 3 days. So far, it's been pretty nice! Do not lose your spirit, it'll pay after a while!

sarahthegemini
September 7th, 2013, 08:54 AM
I'm happy for you :) I'm also trying to stretch my washes. To 3 days. So far, it's been pretty nice! Do not lose your spirit, it'll pay after a while!

Thanks for the encouragement :) Hope stretching washes is successful for you!

Firefox7275
September 7th, 2013, 08:57 AM
I'm so pleased too! My hair did feel squeaky clean after washing yesterday, so I feel confident wih my technique. I thought there would be a transition period as i'm not stripping my scalp completely now, I thought it'd need to adjust but as my hair looks clean still today (as it would had I used sulfate 'poo) that must not be the case.

People do seem to vary, my face and scalp were less greasy the first week I switched to co-washing. I suspect some of the transition problems are simply down to choosing the wrong product or poor technique, it is a change from shampoo. I certainly missed a patch a few times in the early days!

sarahthegemini
September 8th, 2013, 05:28 AM
Today is 'stretch day', I, e. The day I would normally wash. My scalp is a little greasy - strangely though not as greasy as the previous 'stretch day' Could be due to the fact that for my last wash, I co-washed. Also, my length doesn't look greasy as such, just not fresh It's still quite shiny.

sarahthegemini
September 9th, 2013, 04:43 AM
Yesterday, my hair didn't look too greasy, so much so that I didn't even bother with dry shampoo :) Today I should be washing my hair and doing a protein treatment but I don't have the time, damn! Will have to wait until tomorrow. For today, I think I will need to use dry 'poo. Ends feel a teensy bit dry too so I shall put a dab of coconut oil on them.

kitemera15
September 9th, 2013, 04:55 AM
It took my scalp forever to make the stretch from daily washing to every other day washing. Almost an entire year! I currently trying to stretch one more day as well, and hoping it won't take as long this time.
I never tried using dry shampoo between washes (maybe I'll give it a go), but I found that switching to sulfate free shampoo helped a lot in reducing sebum production.

Stray_mind
September 9th, 2013, 05:50 AM
I used to wash every third day. Now i'll do it every fourth day.

FuzzyBlackWaves
September 9th, 2013, 05:57 AM
Well done on your progress so far, I hope it works out well for you. :)

PamelaViktoria
September 9th, 2013, 06:46 PM
What helped me stretch out my washes was:
Spraying my scalp and bun with distilled water. This helps keep bad bacteria down.
And using teeny amounts of cornstarch.
I went from washing every 2nd day, to once a week

sarahthegemini
September 10th, 2013, 04:54 AM
Thanks lovely ladies! I appreciate all the kind words and tips that you're sharing with me :flowers:

sarahthegemini
September 10th, 2013, 10:16 AM
Co-washed again today. I followed up with a PT and a DT on my length. Again, my scalp looks great! So clean and shiny and healthy looking :) I could really get used to this!

Nadine <3
September 10th, 2013, 01:46 PM
I've been trying to stretch my washes as well. I've been washing everyday for so long and its so engraved into my brain that I get up, eat breakfast, and then go shower/shampoo my hair!I've gotten it down to every other day and now I'm trying to stretch to every three days but on the third day I get an itchy scalp :/ The grease can be hidden with a bun or a hat, its my scalp that drives me NUTS!

sarahthegemini
September 10th, 2013, 01:55 PM
I've been trying to stretch my washes as well. I've been washing everyday for so long and its so engraved into my brain that I get up, eat breakfast, and then go shower/shampoo my hair!I've gotten it down to every other day and now I'm trying to stretch to every three days but on the third day I get an itchy scalp :/ The grease can be hidden with a bun or a hat, its my scalp that drives me NUTS!

Would a scalp massage help? :)

velorutionista
September 10th, 2013, 02:19 PM
Glad you're having success with the stretch! I'm trying to stretch my washes out but having mixed results (will just have to keep plugging away--haven't tried co-washing yet...will look into that!). I'm up to 3 days between washes on a good week (I just henna'ed though, and that always seems to let me go longer between washes for a bit).

Nadine <3
September 10th, 2013, 03:00 PM
Would a scalp massage help? :)

I just did that :) I sat here for a good hour massaging and moving sebum down my to my ends. Feels A LOT better! :)

sarahthegemini
September 11th, 2013, 10:01 AM
So, I co-washed yesterday and my hair overall looks/feels great today. However, two 1cm sections right near my face look a little...stringy. They don't look oily just a little stringy. It's only noticeable when my hair is up though. Tomorrow will be 'stretch day', and I'm really excited to see how my hair will look.

eta: Just had a relevation....I suspect my stringy sections are due to the hair touching my face. I never thought my face was particularly oily but it has its moments :o Perhaps I should try gripping the front sections back, I'll need to buy some kirby grips though!


I just did that :) I sat here for a good hour massaging and moving sebum down my to my ends. Feels A LOT better! :)

Good, I'm glad :)

sarahthegemini
September 12th, 2013, 05:43 AM
Today is 'stretch day' My scalp looks okay. Not as greasy as it did on the previous stretch day. My length hower, doesn't look greasy but (as on the previous 'stretch day') not as fresh. It looks healthy but it isn't as shiny as it normally is. Strangely, although I bunned my hair overnight, my hair is now virtually straight - no waves whatsoever! I'm happy overall though, I feel like I could wear my hair down :) I will need to look into ways of refreshing my waves w/o making my hair greasy but I'll wait til I'm finished adjusting to this routine.

Firefox7275
September 12th, 2013, 07:43 AM
I've been trying to stretch my washes as well. I've been washing everyday for so long and its so engraved into my brain that I get up, eat breakfast, and then go shower/shampoo my hair!I've gotten it down to every other day and now I'm trying to stretch to every three days but on the third day I get an itchy scalp :/ The grease can be hidden with a bun or a hat, its my scalp that drives me NUTS!

Get your scalp issue formally diagnosed and address that, stretching is not for everyone some people are sensitive to their own sebum.

sarahthegemini
September 13th, 2013, 09:56 AM
So it would appear this thread has turned from a stretch washes diary to a "stretching washes and transitioning to co-washing" diary. Anyhoo, I co-washed again today (taking my grand total of co-washes to 3) I'd read a lot about how some people can co-wash successfully a couple times in a row, but then run into trouble so I was a little anxious that I would be in that camp. Lo and behold, my 3rd co-wash was ...... successful again! My scalp looks and feels wonderful. I'm going to grip the face-framing sections of hair back to try and combat the aforementioned stringyness that occurs the day afer washing. Hopefully this will improve the appearance on 'stretch day' too as I'll be keeping those sections off of my (sometimes oily) face.

Stray_mind
September 13th, 2013, 11:50 AM
So today was my fourth day without washing. My hair was quite oily, but i think my scalp will adjust to that in few weeks and maybe i'll be able to stretch to washing every five days. That would be awesome. My next wash will be on monday. I'm thinking of buying a small calendar to track my improvement.

sarahthegemini
September 14th, 2013, 07:06 AM
So today was my fourth day without washing. My hair was quite oily, but i think my scalp will adjust to that in few weeks and maybe i'll be able to stretch to washing every five days. That would be awesome. My next wash will be on monday. I'm thinking of buying a small calendar to track my improvement.

Why not :)

Today is only the day after washing so it isn't stretch day' but I've made some progress anyway .... the stringy front sections aren't stringy today! I had them gripped back yesterday and when I put my sleep cap on last night I made sure that all my hair was contained in the bun first so I didn't have to smoosh the stray hairs back up which helped avoid the cows lick I've been getting :)

Applegirl84
September 14th, 2013, 08:29 AM
I've been on a mission to stretch washes too as well as COing. I thought my hair would look way worse on stretch day, but so far it hasn't been too bad. Less volume, but more shine and with a little cornstarch not bad at all. The hardest part has actually been the physiological - washing is such a habit that I always feel like stretch day is grunge day :shrug:

sarahthegemini
September 14th, 2013, 08:48 AM
I've been on a mission to stretch washes too as well as COing. I thought my hair would look way worse on stretch day, but so far it hasn't been too bad. Less volume, but more shine and with a little cornstarch not bad at all. The hardest part has actually been the physiological - washing is such a habit that I always feel like stretch day is grunge day :shrug:

I feel the same. Even though I shower every day, on stretch day, I feel dirty.

Aingeal
September 14th, 2013, 10:42 AM
So glad you discovered cowashing! I've been cowashing for two months now. I use a non sulfate poo when I do coconut/olive oil treatments only. My curls have loved it!

longhairdesired
September 14th, 2013, 10:48 AM
Good luck! I went from washing every single day to twice a week. It really has made a difference.

sarahthegemini
September 14th, 2013, 11:00 AM
So glad you discovered cowashing! I've been cowashing for two months now. I use a non sulfate poo when I do coconut/olive oil treatments only. My curls have loved it!

I really never imagined my hair would agree with co-washing as it's so fine so I am very pleased. If anyone is interested, I've been using Asda Essentials Green Apple Co (89p for 500ml) for my wash :)

sarahthegemini
September 14th, 2013, 11:01 AM
Good luck! I went from washing every single day to twice a week. It really has made a difference.

Thank you! I feel better already about not having to wash/wet my hair so often :)

sarahthegemini
September 15th, 2013, 05:23 AM
Soooo, it is stretch day again today. Length looks ok overall although there are a couple greasy spots - I realised though, the RO I use has an oil listed as the 4th ingredient so this could be why my length doesn't look so fresh a couple days after washing. I'm waiting for my new GVN condish to arrive and then I'll try that and test my theory. My scalp looks oily, about as oily as last time. No better, no worse. Caved and used dry shampoo today. I really hope things change in a couple weeks. I'm thinking between me actively trying to stretch washes and transitioning to a much gentler wash method, my scalp has got to atleast adjust a little. I have hope!

sarahthegemini
September 16th, 2013, 11:54 AM
I co-washed today....yet again I am astounded at how clean my hair is! I didn't use my usual RO (in fact, I used no RO) I'm still waiting for my GVN condish's to arrive as they'll be my new RO conditioners, and I didn't wanna use my original RO - plus i'm testing my theory that it's the oil in it that's making my length greasier faster, so i'll find out this time around if that's the case. All I used was a leave-in conditioner.

sarahthegemini
September 17th, 2013, 08:00 AM
I feel like my ends are a little frizzy and dry despite me using coconut oil on them, I think it could be build up as I used a shea butter mix on them a few times. Next wash day I shall 'poo my ends and make sure from now on to use extra co on my ends (both RO and LI)

sarahthegemini
September 18th, 2013, 06:46 AM
Edit: I take back everything I wrote earlier.. my roots DON'T look better. As soon as I combed my hair, UH OH greasy roots there you are! I'm also feeling a little disheartened about how dry my hair is. It could be because of my lack of RO condish but on the other hand, what if it isn't, what if my hair IS meant to be washed more frequently or else it'll dry out. Hmmm. I'll try using a RO tomorrow and see how dry my hair ends up on the next stretch day. If my hair is still horrifically dry and frizzy, then perhaps I need to accept my hair NEEDS to be washed every other day. I will be using my new GVN conditioner so fingers crossed it'll do some good. I can handle my hair being a little oily with the assumptiin that the oilyness will decrease but not dry hair!!

Andeee
September 18th, 2013, 06:58 AM
Every 3 to 4 days is the norm for me, but now stretching to every 5 to 7 days. I think I'll dilute my shampoo as well. That serves a dual purpose, besides being gentler to my hair it will last longer and surely even at half the strength it is still quite strong enough to wash thoroughly.

sarahthegemini
September 19th, 2013, 07:14 AM
I co-washed today and used my GVN Smooth As Silk Condish as my RO. My hair is still drying so no verdict yet. I do remember something, a few days ago on stretch day, my Mum said my hair looked dry aswell :-/ I've also noticed on stretch day, aswell as my hair looking a little dry and frizzy, it also straightens. My natural waves turn into frizzy straight hair :(

samanthajenalyn
September 19th, 2013, 11:46 AM
I used to wash my hair with a sulfate shampoo every day, and by the end of the day my hair would be oily. I always thought that that was just the way my hair was, because my father has extremely oily hair and skin. But once I started college, I started washing only every other day,(I hated the dorm showers, and wanted to spend less time in there as possible) and my hair adjusted very quickly. Then I joined this site and learned about CO-washing, and I have been doing it ever since. I have to say I really didn't have an adjustment period, and that really surprised me because my whole life I thought that I had oily hair/skin. (the skin part is still true, unfortunately lol) But I have decided to stretch my washes even more to only Co-washing twice a week, every Sunday and Wednesday. I've been trying to do this for two weeks now, and I'm in the same boat as you on the dry ends.I just don't know how much longer I can last. The length of my hair has always been really dry, and I thought washing it less would help that. But now I just don't know, the ends feel and look frizzy and dry within the 2nd to 3rd day. So now I don't know which would be better, washing more or less frequently. :shrug:

Firefox7275
September 19th, 2013, 12:16 PM
I co-washed today and used my GVN Smooth As Silk Condish as my RO. My hair is still drying so no verdict yet. I do remember something, a few days ago on stretch day, my Mum said my hair looked dry aswell :-/ I've also noticed on stretch day, aswell as my hair looking a little dry and frizzy, it also straightens. My natural waves turn into frizzy straight hair :(

Either more leave in conditioner/ gentle styling product on day one, or a better overnight routine. Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase with your hair in a 'pineapple', don't brush or comb out the waves into frizz. Looking dry isn't the same as being dry, people associate frizz with damage or dryness when in fact it's very often inappropriately treated wavy hair. There are threads here and on NC where people comb out their waves or curls, it immediately loses any reflective properties (shine) and looks less healthy.

Tail Feathers
September 19th, 2013, 01:09 PM
I used to shampoo every day (with sulfate shampoos). Since I began using a sulfate-free shampoo (a formula composed almost entirely of castor oil),
and stretching to two washings only per week (with overnight, heavy coconut oiling the nighty before washings), my hair just suddenly started "speed-growing"...
Many, Many months now with no trim and I cannot even find a split end! (I used to trim inches off every three or four months!)
At first (maybe due to the castor oil ?), I did experience a little extra "shedding", but now have almost none: maybe five hairs in my comb at night...
so... maybe the castor oil made the less healthy hairs fall out ? Anyway, took about three weeks, and it stopped.

To manage, because it was difficult at first to give up washing every day, I've been keeping my hair up almost all the time.
That really helps. I feel 'orderly and neat' and not 'grunge'....

Also, I established "wash days". These are always Monday morning and Thursday morning.
I find that strictness and simplicity also keeps me on track.

Anyway, stretching washes has made an absolutely Huge difference in the overall health and
length of my hair. It grew maybe five inches in three months !

sarahthegemini
September 21st, 2013, 05:09 AM
Stretch day is upon us again! I got advice on naturallycurly to change my sleeping method so I pineappled and wore a sleep cap as opposed to bunning, and lo and behold, there is no frizz. There is no frizz whatsover, it doesn't look nor feel dry. I'm happy to report that my poor sleep method was the culprit of creating the illusion of dry hair. So I will continue to stretch my washes as I no longer have to worry about my hair drying out. Today, my scalp is oily, greasier than previously I think. Dry shampoo to the rescue! On a verrry positive note, I can't detect any greasy patches on my length.

eta: What I have noticed is that the majority of my length looks lovely and glossy but a small 2inch section on my top layer looks a little...less glossy. I suspect this is due to poor conditioner distribution - I put my leave in condish on in sections but I don't do this when putting in my RO so I could be missing that section. Shall have to remember this for my next wash

sarahthegemini
September 21st, 2013, 05:12 AM
I used to shampoo every day (with sulfate shampoos). Since I began using a sulfate-free shampoo (a formula composed almost entirely of castor oil),
and stretching to two washings only per week (with overnight, heavy coconut oiling the nighty before washings), my hair just suddenly started "speed-growing"...
Many, Many months now with no trim and I cannot even find a split end! (I used to trim inches off every three or four months!)
At first (maybe due to the castor oil ?), I did experience a little extra "shedding", but now have almost none: maybe five hairs in my comb at night...
so... maybe the castor oil made the less healthy hairs fall out ? Anyway, took about three weeks, and it stopped.

To manage, because it was difficult at first to give up washing every day, I've been keeping my hair up almost all the time.
That really helps. I feel 'orderly and neat' and not 'grunge'....

Also, I established "wash days". These are always Monday morning and Thursday morning.
I find that strictness and simplicity also keeps me on track.

Anyway, stretching washes has made an absolutely Huge difference in the overall health and
length of my hair. It grew maybe five inches in three months !

wow, that is so reassuring! I actually have castor oil that I thought of trying on my scalp, hmmm ...

sarahthegemini
October 11th, 2013, 08:56 AM
After what feels like months of stretching - when in reality it's only been what, 5 weeks? - I am finally seeing an improvement! Today is stretch day, I haven't been combing my hair so when I saw that my scalp looked ... normal, I tried not to get too excited as I thought the greasiness was simply disguised, I expected my oilyness to show throygh if I chose to comb so I held off. BUT I was so eager to see if there was actually a change or if I was siimply being hopeful so I combed my roots and OH MY GOD my roots are mostly oil free! Now all I have to do is figure out how tame my mass of straight messy 2nd and 3rd day hair :-/ But yay for my scalp! :)

sarahthegemini
October 11th, 2013, 05:07 PM
My scalp is perhaps a little oily looking now, which isn't too bad a problem as it is the end of the day! It's not greasy as such but not fresh and clean. I'm still thrilled at the improvement :)

Applegirl84
October 11th, 2013, 07:49 PM
I've been stretching washes now for 5 weeks and finally I love my day 2 hair and sometimes even day 3 hair! I would still say my hair is on the oiler side and being straight and fine it shows easy, but with some dry shampoo it looks fine. I add a tiny bit of coconut oil/argan oil to just the very ends of my hair every day to avoid dryness in between wash days. I've also been brushing with my bbb each night and my length looks better than ever on days 2 and 3. I don't think I'm going to try and stretch any further than 3 days though. For my hair, that's enough.

sarahthegemini
October 12th, 2013, 06:22 AM
So, today is wash day.....my hair looks greasy today, how it would normally look on 'stretch day' Yet yesterday (stretch day) my hair looked okay. Does this mean I have successfully stretched? :cheese:

Firefox7275
October 12th, 2013, 07:43 AM
Great news, well done for sticking it out!

sarahthegemini
October 12th, 2013, 08:02 AM
Thanks Firefox. I'll admit, I was starting to lose hope (I have zero patience :p) but I stuck with it mostly due to laziness. It is so refreshing, just 4 months ago I was shampooing and conditioning daily and now look at me, co-washing every 3 days :D

TearsInRain
October 12th, 2013, 12:35 PM
I usually would wash my hair every single day, then started just using a bad 2in1 every day, but now I'm getting back into good habits. I washed my hair carefully on Thursday, and while I am showering everyday and rinsing off my hair, I don't plan on washing it again until Monday night, and then Thursday night. I got places to go on Tuesday and Friday otherwise I would try for once a week.

I'm aiming for twice a week for now. My hair doesn't look greasy yet, but my length (what little fried bleached gross hair there is) feels dry. It's so damaged it makes me sad.

cranberrymoonz
October 12th, 2013, 01:16 PM
I usually would wash my hair every single day, then started just using a bad 2in1 every day, but now I'm getting back into good habits. I washed my hair carefully on Thursday, and while I am showering everyday and rinsing off my hair, I don't plan on washing it again until Monday night, and then Thursday night. I got places to go on Tuesday and Friday otherwise I would try for once a week.

I'm aiming for twice a week for now. My hair doesn't look greasy yet, but my length (what little fried bleached gross hair there is) feels dry. It's so damaged it makes me sad.

Maybe try a home-made mist on non-wash days? Mix up some water and conditioner in a spray bottle, spritz your length with it and you're good to go.

------
Some tips for everybody trying to strech washing:
- Stretching washes tends to be easier when you are using a shampoo that is just cleansing enough to remove grease, but not so hash that it stimulates oil glands to produce more. Diluting shampoo may work to.
- stretch one day at a time. If you are washing every day now, start washing every other day and keep it that way until the scalp adapts - than stretch more if you like to. Don't wait a week one time and a day the other - it confuses the scalp.
- hide greasy hair by putting your hair up. Dry shampoo works, but it may trigger acne.

TearsInRain
October 12th, 2013, 02:05 PM
Maybe try a home-made mist on non-wash days? Mix up some water and conditioner in a spray bottle, spritz your length with it and you're good to go.

------
Some tips for everybody trying to strech washing:
- Stretching washes tends to be easier when you are using a shampoo that is just cleansing enough to remove grease, but not so hash that it stimulates oil glands to produce more. Diluting shampoo may work to.
- stretch one day at a time. If you are washing every day now, start washing every other day and keep it that way until the scalp adapts - than stretch more if you like to. Don't wait a week one time and a day the other - it confuses the scalp.
- hide greasy hair by putting your hair up. Dry shampoo works, but it may trigger acne.

I like the idea of a mist for off days. Hmm. I'll have to find a conditioner to use because I'm currently using a bar shampoo and conditioner.

I've been sort of lazy with hair washing lately. I was going every day but it's sporadic lately. Every other day pretty much cuts it. Though I might wash tonight, then Monday, then Thursday.

My hair is currently too short to wear up. It's badly layered and doesn't touch my shoulders yet :(

Thanks for the advice!

sarahthegemini
October 12th, 2013, 02:15 PM
I usually would wash my hair every single day, then started just using a bad 2in1 every day, but now I'm getting back into good habits. I washed my hair carefully on Thursday, and while I am showering everyday and rinsing off my hair, I don't plan on washing it again until Monday night, and then Thursday night. I got places to go on Tuesday and Friday otherwise I would try for once a week.

I'm aiming for twice a week for now. My hair doesn't look greasy yet, but my length (what little fried bleached gross hair there is) feels dry. It's so damaged it makes me sad.

Perhaps try using a leave in conditioner on wash days? And sealing in moisture with an oil? It might prevent dryness.

Andeee
October 13th, 2013, 01:00 AM
Maybe try a home-made mist on non-wash days? Mix up some water and conditioner in a spray bottle, spritz your length with it and you're good to go.


That's a really good idea!

sarahthegemini
October 15th, 2013, 09:16 AM
So today is 'stretch day' again, and I think my scalp has successfully transitioned. It isn't 100% perfect, but I'd say it's about 90 - 95% less oily than it was originally. I'm going to be greedy/ambituous and try stretching another day. Ideally, I'd like to wash x2 weekly on set days, so Monday and Thursday for example (so, one wash will be 3 days apart, and one will be 4 days apart)

summergreen
October 15th, 2013, 01:51 PM
it sounds like youre doing really well :) I used to wash my hair every other day at one time but stretched it to once a week, it didn't take too long and I do think it partly helped my hair get thicker as well as all the other benefits. Hope it works out well for you!

sarahthegemini
October 15th, 2013, 02:21 PM
it sounds like youre doing really well :) I used to wash my hair every other day at one time but stretched it to once a week, it didn't take too long and I do think it partly helped my hair get thicker as well as all the other benefits. Hope it works out well for you!

Thank you :)

sarahthegemini
October 16th, 2013, 07:59 AM
Today would have been wash day but it is now officially going to be my new stretch day :)

hellucy
October 16th, 2013, 01:30 PM
Sounds like you are doing really well.
I used to wash my hair everyday purely because I loved the feel of freshly washed hair and when my hair was shorter it would either be flat or have bits sticking up the next day. When I started washing every other day I hated it - my hair just didn't feel as nice to me (it still looked fine), it has taken me a long time to get used to not having freshly washed hair everyday.
About a month ago I started to stretch my washes an extra day at 1st my hair felt (and looked - to me anyway) icky by early afternoon.
Now however it has got so used to it that once or twice I've even stretched my wash an extra day without it feeling bad until the evening!

Applegirl84
October 19th, 2013, 09:55 PM
Ugh sort of fell off the wagon and have been washing every 1.5 days because of social events. Getting back on track now.

bunzfan
October 20th, 2013, 09:02 AM
I'm trying this again i did it before but going more than 5 days just made me feel un clean stupid really i guess that's how society has conditioned to make us feel, anyway today my hair was really greasy at the roots and as it was only day 3 i put talc on my roots yuck wont be doing that again the rest of my hair feels disgusting :eek:

sarahthegemini
October 22nd, 2013, 05:18 AM
Arrrrr I feel like I've taken a step back. Today is day 3, and my hair does not look 90% less oily as it did before, it is probably only 50% less oily, which whilst that is still an improvement over what my hair was like originally, why is it not looking as good this time? Damn it.


eta: I checked my hair last night at about 11pm and my hair looked squeaky clean. Yet 12 hours later, it's a little greasy. Is there anything I could do at night to minimise greasies the following morning?

Also, does anyone have experience with refresher sprays? I've heard that a lavender spritz on the scalp can work wonders.

Also as my hair has improved a fair bit after 5/6 weeks, do you think it will continue to improve? I wonder the state of my hair in another 6 weeks ...

Applegirl84
October 22nd, 2013, 07:29 AM
I'm trying to get back into this by not washing (maybe I'll rinse with water though) until Thur night (that will be 4 days). Honestly my hair already looks greasy after just 2.5 days, but I'm stuck at home with sick kids so it doesn't matter. Company us coming Friday though, so I'll wash before that.

sarahthegemini
October 25th, 2013, 07:29 AM
I'm totally confused as I'm on day 3, and my hair is less oily than it was previously. Wth is going on?! Also, my crown area is a little piecey, whilst the bottom section of my hair is shiny.....major confusion here as my hair is so unpredictable.

Flor
October 25th, 2013, 07:57 AM
eta: I checked my hair last night at about 11pm and my hair looked squeaky clean. Yet 12 hours later, it's a little greasy. Is there anything I could do at night to minimise greasies the following morning?

Mine seems to get significantly greasier overnight as well. I figured it's just from being pressed/rubbed against the pillow. Same thing happens when I wear hats, so...

Oh, and having a natural fiber pillow case seems to help. So if you're going for satin, get actual silk, not polyester.

Flor
October 25th, 2013, 08:03 AM
I've tried stretching washes by just adding days between washes, but it goes nowhere past day 3. I've tried water-only in between actual washes, didn't like it either - it doesn't really wash sebum off at all for me and it's only more work/time wasted. I'm now trying diluting shampoo a lot, maybe that would convince my sebum-production to slow down.

sarahthegemini
October 25th, 2013, 10:18 AM
Mine seems to get significantly greasier overnight as well. I figured it's just from being pressed/rubbed against the pillow. Same thing happens when I wear hats, so...

Oh, and having a natural fiber pillow case seems to help. So if you're going for satin, get actual silk, not polyester.

I wear a satin sleep cap, so my pillowcases aren't a problem. I do wonder what happens to my hair overnight though, I'm convinced grease fairies visit me!

Flor
October 25th, 2013, 10:52 AM
^ I presume you still rest your head on the pillow or do you sleep geisha-style? ;)

höpönasu
October 25th, 2013, 01:07 PM
Meh, my scalp got itchy when I stretched my washes to once a week. I think I have to go back to old twice a week washing method. Shame, because I felt I was accomplishing something and I was pretty proud for being able to not wash my hair more than once a week.
:ponder:

sarahthegemini
October 25th, 2013, 05:03 PM
^ I presume you still rest your head on the pillow or do you sleep geisha-style? ;)

Oh haha yes I do still rest my head on the pillow! :p

long&blonde
October 25th, 2013, 11:29 PM
Once my hair got longer than tailbone, it became easy to go from an every other day washer-to once every 7-10 days. And the 10th day I often have to talk myself into it. My hair's to my bum now, not quite classic. For me at least, once past tailbone, washing affects your hair's appearance & how it lays less. But it's sure a project. Lol

nakima
October 26th, 2013, 01:39 PM
In the past year I started washing every other day and then recently went every two days and once in awhile I stretch it to 3 days depending on whats on the agenda:)usually on the 3rd say if I go to the gym I wear a ball cap. I cant go any longer than 3 days or my scalp itches and starts to breakout. Since starting this my hair seems to be doing alot better and feels and looks healthier. yay!

Andeee
October 27th, 2013, 12:42 AM
I washed my hair this morning after a week and two days--it definitely needed it! Flat, horrible, didn't smell nice, getting itchy. It felt almost slightly waxy--I wonder if that was sebum? Yucky.

sarahthegemini
October 31st, 2013, 09:34 AM
Ok, so after my brief set back of day 3 hair being extremely oily again, it's oilyness has decreased - It's back to only being slightly greasy now (90% less oily than when I first started stretching) However, it is still somewhat greasy, enough that my bf noticed and commented :(

Chamomile betty
October 31st, 2013, 02:32 PM
I do so much better since I've only been washing my hair twice a week. Now in the Summer I will alter that due to sweat and activity. However, as a previous wash/condition dry person I mush say it does help the health of your hair. It just take time to get used to.

09robiha
October 31st, 2013, 03:58 PM
I washed my hair this morning after a week and two days--it definitely needed it! Flat, horrible, didn't smell nice, getting itchy. It felt almost slightly waxy--I wonder if that was sebum? Yucky.

My hair has a slightly heavy, waxy feeling when i get to about day 3...if i massage a little and bun it overnight sometimes this goes and it will be fine by morning, sometimes not. 4 days is about enough for me, I actually miss washing my hair on non-wash days!

lapushka
October 31st, 2013, 04:15 PM
Stretching washes, I find, got easier with length. The longer your hair gets, the less you'll have to wash it. At least, that's been my experience, and my washes got stretched from washing 2 to 3 times a week to once a week (I'm waist right now). Don't remember at what length it actually became easier, though.

sarahthegemini
October 31st, 2013, 05:17 PM
Stretching washes, I find, got easier with length. The longer your hair gets, the less you'll have to wash it. At least, that's been my experience, and my washes got stretched from washing 2 to 3 times a week to once a week (I'm waist right now). Don't remember at what length it actually became easier, though.

That's encouraging! :)

ProverbsGirl
October 31st, 2013, 05:55 PM
I'm glad I found your thread!
I have been stretching washes since January(I think). Took forever to get to 2nd day without a wash..then one day it just clicked. So about a month ago I pushed for every third. It was ok..and seemed to adjust quickly..so this week I decided to make the next push to every 4th day. But, I was having trouble keeping track of how many days it had been. lol
Then this week it dawned on me that it was to the point that i could pick two days a week to wash. So starting this week I'm washing Monday's and Friday's ..which is actually 3 and 4 days. I Today is day 3 and I'm itching to wash..but going to push through for tomorrowr night. :P
I think this routine will work well, once I get used to it. May stay here for a little while before I push forward to the ever wonderful goal of once a week washing. :)
Dry shampoo is my best friend right now though. ;) But I'm hoping to wean off of it eventually.

*sorry didn't mean to write a book. Just excited to find a thread about stretching washes! :D*

09robiha
October 31st, 2013, 06:12 PM
I'm glad I found your thread!
I have been stretching washes since January(I think). Took forever to get to 2nd day without a wash..then one day it just clicked. So about a month ago I pushed for every third. It was ok..and seemed to adjust quickly..so this week I decided to make the next push to every 4th day. But, I was having trouble keeping track of how many days it had been. lol
Then this week it dawned on me that it was to the point that i could pick two days a week to wash. So starting this week I'm washing Monday's and Friday's ..which is actually 3 and 4 days. I Today is day 3 and I'm itching to wash..but going to push through for tomorrowr night. :P
I think this routine will work well, once I get used to it. May stay here for a little while before I push forward to the ever wonderful goal of once a week washing. :)
Dry shampoo is my best friend right now though. ;) But I'm hoping to wean off of it eventually.

*sorry didn't mean to write a book. Just excited to find a thread about stretching washes! :D*

I think picking two wash days a week is a great idea, and I found it really helpful! It's great if you dont want to go out with wet hair in the winter, you can choose your least busy days :)

ProverbsGirl
October 31st, 2013, 06:44 PM
Good point!
I'm still 'new' to not blow drying. I quit in the last 10-12 months. I'm adjusted to it now, but have realized I have to be a bit creative and make sure to plan ahead to not have wet hair by mistake. That happened a couple weeks ago. Thankfully it was a bit warmer outside. Can't have that happening this winter. :/

Almendra
October 31st, 2013, 06:49 PM
I started to stretch washes to once a week. Now I'm in twice a week. I used to wash twice in a week and then three times in the other. My scalp is itchy sometimes and I'm worried because the last time I wash my hair (monday) I lose more hair than usual and I'm afraid that my greasy scalp could be the reason. Anyway I know the last week I tried to not brush my hair more than once a day (I'm addicted to do it) and I wore my hair up all the time... Maybe all this have influence in the '' hair loss'' but I'd like to know, anyone have this problem while streching washes?

sarahthegemini
November 1st, 2013, 04:53 AM
I'm glad I found your thread!
I have been stretching washes since January(I think). Took forever to get to 2nd day without a wash..then one day it just clicked. So about a month ago I pushed for every third. It was ok..and seemed to adjust quickly..so this week I decided to make the next push to every 4th day. But, I was having trouble keeping track of how many days it had been. lol
Then this week it dawned on me that it was to the point that i could pick two days a week to wash. So starting this week I'm washing Monday's and Friday's ..which is actually 3 and 4 days. I Today is day 3 and I'm itching to wash..but going to push through for tomorrowr night. :P
I think this routine will work well, once I get used to it. May stay here for a little while before I push forward to the ever wonderful goal of once a week washing. :)
Dry shampoo is my best friend right now though. ;) But I'm hoping to wean off of it eventually.

*sorry didn't mean to write a book. Just excited to find a thread about stretching washes! :D*

Hi there! Wow it seems that as soon as your scalp went through the difficult stretching by one day, the rest came so easily! I also want to be able to be able to wash twice a week on set days so fingers crossed I can :)

sarahthegemini
November 1st, 2013, 04:59 AM
I started to stretch washes to once a week. Now I'm in twice a week. I used to wash twice in a week and then three times in the other. My scalp is itchy sometimes and I'm worried because the last time I wash my hair (monday) I lose more hair than usual and I'm afraid that my greasy scalp could be the reason. Anyway I know the last week I tried to not brush my hair more than once a day (I'm addicted to do it) and I wore my hair up all the time... Maybe all this have influence in the '' hair loss'' but I'd like to know, anyone have this problem while streching washes?

If you wore your hair up a lot and brushed less than you usually would, then it makes sense that you would lose more hair in the shower because the hairs that would have come out throughout the day - but couldn't because your hair was up - are coming out at once. I hope I haven't misunderstood you. I lose quite an alarming amount of hair when I wash, but then I remind myself that I wear my hair up more, I comb less, and I wash every 3-4 days as opposed to every day, so of course the amount of shed hairs is going to increase.

Almendra
November 1st, 2013, 06:43 AM
If you wore your hair up a lot and brushed less than you usually would, then it makes sense that you would lose more hair in the shower because the hairs that would have come out throughout the day - but couldn't because your hair was up - are coming out at once. I hope I haven't misunderstood you. I lose quite an alarming amount of hair when I wash, but then I remind myself that I wear my hair up more, I comb less, and I wash every 3-4 days as opposed to every day, so of course the amount of shed hairs is going to increase.
You totally understand me (even with my poor english skills). That's what I thought too. If I wear my hair up all day and I don't brush my hair to often I will lose more hair in every wash, but these are the ones I don't lose when I was being careful with my hair. I'll try to not freak out the next time I have to wash my hair. I guess it's a natural thing, but I'm paranoid with this because my sister suffer hypothyroidism and she loses a lot of hair

sarahthegemini
November 1st, 2013, 07:09 AM
You totally understand me (even with my poor english skills). That's what I thought too. If I wear my hair up all day and I don't brush my hair to often I will lose more hair in every wash, but these are the ones I don't lose when I was being careful with my hair. I'll try to not freak out the next time I have to wash my hair. I guess it's a natural thing, but I'm paranoid with this because my sister suffer hypothyroidism and she loses a lot of hair

I don't think your English is poor :) It's hard not to freak out, I totally understand. Try to think of it this way: How often were you washing before trying to stretch? And how many hairs would you lose in each wash? And how many when you used to brush a lot? Add this up, and work out whether the amount you lose in the shower now is around the same as what you were losing in your old routine. For example, I used to wash every other day and I would lose about 15 hairs per wash, plus I was combing a lot each day and losing about 10, I was also leaving my hair down so I would lose hair throughout the day. I'd notice about 10 hairs during the day but it could have been more. So over the course of a week, I would lose approx 192 hairs. Now I wash x2 a week and lose around 80 hairs during each wash (sounds alarming I know), I lose a few hairs when combing daily, and other than that, I don't notice any shedding during the day as my hair is usually up. But if I do wear it down, I notice a few hairs shedding throughout the day. So that works out as 181 hairs lost during a week plus a few here an there if hair is wore down.

I hope that makes sense, I ramble a lot!

ProverbsGirl
November 4th, 2013, 09:04 PM
Hi there! Wow it seems that as soon as your scalp went through the difficult stretching by one day, the rest came so easily! I also want to be able to be able to wash twice a week on set days so fingers crossed I can :)
It really did. Today starts my second week on this schedule and my second four day stretch. I'm loving it and ironically...day one after wash is quickly becoming my least favorite day. lol go figure. :rolleyes: :eek:
I'm planning to stay with this for a while before pushing to once a week. If I ever do. Maybe when it is much longer. Maybe not..either way, I see twice a week going well for quite a while.
Let me know how your stretch to twice and once a week goes, please. :)

0xalis
November 5th, 2013, 12:14 AM
My hair is only a bit longer than collarbone length and I only wash my hair once or twice a week, something many people don't start doing until their hair is long. It works for me, too! My hair doesn't start feeling dirty until like day 5.
Honestly... I'm not quite sure how I got my scalp to adjust. Maybe it's that I just don't really care about what other people think, and so I just got by the days of greasy scalp on apathy. I remember back in December my hair was chin length and I wore my Santa hat all the time so nobody really saw my hair except the ends. I had sworn off sulfates but hadn't been able to get ahold of baking soda yet [I wanted to do the no-poo method] so I was water-only for a while. It was honestly very greasy and gross but I didn't care because nobody saw anything~~~ I'll probably do the same thing this December! :D

Almendra
November 5th, 2013, 03:56 AM
I don't think your English is poor :) It's hard not to freak out, I totally understand. Try to think of it this way: How often were you washing before trying to stretch? And how many hairs would you lose in each wash? And how many when you used to brush a lot? Add this up, and work out whether the amount you lose in the shower now is around the same as what you were losing in your old routine. For example, I used to wash every other day and I would lose about 15 hairs per wash, plus I was combing a lot each day and losing about 10, I was also leaving my hair down so I would lose hair throughout the day. I'd notice about 10 hairs during the day but it could have been more. So over the course of a week, I would lose approx 192 hairs. Now I wash x2 a week and lose around 80 hairs during each wash (sounds alarming I know), I lose a few hairs when combing daily, and other than that, I don't notice any shedding during the day as my hair is usually up. But if I do wear it down, I notice a few hairs shedding throughout the day. So that works out as 181 hairs lost during a week plus a few here an there if hair is wore down.

I hope that makes sense, I ramble a lot!

Yes, that make sense to me :) It exactly what I thought. Anyway, the monday, when I washed my hair I didn't notice to much shedding like the last time. Maybe because I brush my hair before the shower, and I didn't see many hairs in the brush.
That reminds me...
One of the things that was worried me a lot was the fact that my oily scalp could ''asphyxiate'' my hair follicles and cause the shedding. I start to massage my scalp with my hands very clean to avoid this :) I think it's working.

Lippytoes
November 5th, 2013, 04:21 AM
Since no one has mentioned this yet: something that really helps me stretch my washes is using a Tangle Teezer from day 3 onwards. It helps smooth my hair down, and because the tines are so close together, it helps my hair look sleek. If I comb hair that's getting dirty, it'll get all piecey, but a TT really helps smooth it all down. When I have rather dirty hair, it just looks like I have awesomely sleek hair. :D I used to use a BBB for this, but I find a TT works better for me.

Also, complex braids are my stretching-washes friend. For instance, yesterday I realised that it was day 7 of not washing (YAY!), and just put my hair in Dutch lace braids wrapped around my head. I got compliments on my hairdo all day at work, and no one noticed that my hair was dirty. Also, around day 5, my hair actually starts feeling less dirty. Dunno why that is, but it's handy: if I manage to get past day 5, it's pretty easy to do a couple of extra days.

freesia
November 5th, 2013, 12:45 PM
Last month I stretched my washes from every 2 to every 4 days. My scalp used to get oily the second day, but after 2 weeks of stretching it happily adjusted.
Currently trying to make it once a week.

Today is day 5 and actually, just like Lippytoes, using a BBB I put my hair in an up-do (bun or dutch braid) and it looks neatly sleek.

I don't know if it's related at all, but the time I started stretching, also started deep conditioning with EVOO and castor oil before washing.