Wash or let it be?

[skeletonous]

I have just discovered that since I started CO washing, my hair doesn't get greasy until the morning of the third day after. It's not super greasy, but it's noticeable on my short hair.

Should I wash every other night to avoid the third morning greasies for now or should I use some cornstarch and let it be? I'm assuming the latter; when my hair gets long enough I can put it in an updo and not worry about it, but for now I'm stuck with just hiding it with a bandanna or using the cornstarch as a dry shampoo of sorts.

[morrigan*]

Whatever you prefer. If you can't stand it then wash if you can, then leave it.

[skeletonous]

I think I can stand it :) it doesn't even feel greasy, I had a family member say that it looked greasy but to be honest it just looks really shiny so maybe that's why?

[Anje]

I tend to just stand it until it starts to look piecey on top. (Mine doesn't start to itch for at least a day or two past that point, so I assume washing isn't necessary for scalp health at that piecey point.) If you let it go just a little bit, a fair number of people find that their scalps adjust to making even less oil, so you can push the wash cycle out a little more.

Even slightly lengthening your wash cycle means (1) you don't have to deal with it drying as much! and (2) considerably less cumulative wear and tear. If you wash daily, that's 365 washes/year. Every other day = 183 washes/year. Every third day = 122 washes/year. If your ends are 4 years old, that's 1460 vs 730 vs 487 washes that they have to go through, which can make a serious difference in the weathering they've experienced. (All the same, I like the more immediate reason of not having to stand around with soggy hair as much.)

[sarahthegemini]

I think I can stand it :) it doesn't even feel greasy, I had a family member say that it looked greasy but to be honest it just looks really shiny so maybe that's why?

IMO there is a big difference between hair looking really shiny and hair looking greasy... Anyway, there is no right or wrong answer. If you want to wash it, wash it. If you don't then use dry shampoo/corn starch. It all depends on your preference. If you want fresh shiny clean hair - wash. If you are more concerned with water damage (and don't mind the hair looking slightly matte) then use corn starch.

[aztecangel]

I only wash mine once every week or two. So... I guess there's your answer from me, lol.

[SkyChild]

I'm the same just now - my third day is my greasy day, so I use dry shampoo. It looks very piecey (like it used to on day 2) but the dry shampoo (just a tiny bit) makes it manageable for me to push that extra day. I'm hoping eventually to stretch washes further, one day at a time

[martyna_22]

I wash every other day, and only leave it be for three days when I'm sure nobody except my family will see me. Yeah, it gets gross pretty fast. So I say if it's not too bad on you, let it be. It'll probably only get better soon :)

[Akville]

what a great answer!!! have never thought about that..
thanks..

[queenovnight]

I would just let it be. After a while of co-washing, the oiliness decreases. Just gotta give it time.

[skeletonous]

IMO there is a big difference between hair looking really shiny and hair looking greasy... Anyway, there is no right or wrong answer. If you want to wash it, wash it. If you don't then use dry shampoo/corn starch. It all depends on your preference. If you want fresh shiny clean hair - wash. If you are more concerned with water damage (and don't mind the hair looking slightly matte) then use corn starch.

I think there's a big difference too, I think that family member thinks the only way it could be super shiny is if it has started to get greasy :p also I think what I was noticing on the third day was a slight need to do some oil distribution, where my roots were looking a bit more shiny than the ends but not greasy to the touch.

Thank you all for your responses, I haven't used any cornstarch at all on it today and it still looks and feels great, I may even stretch my wash for one more day to see how long I can get away with it :)

[Larki]

I think there's a big difference too, I think that family member thinks the only way it could be super shiny is if it has started to get greasy :p also I think what I was noticing on the third day was a slight need to do some oil distribution, where my roots were looking a bit more shiny than the ends but not greasy to the touch.

Thank you all for your responses, I haven't used any cornstarch at all on it today and it still looks and feels great, I may even stretch my wash for one more day to see how long I can get away with it :)
Hm, do you use a BBB? It would help with the oil distribution.

[xoChesleyy]

I would stretch the extra day, but that's just me. :p I wash my hair 1-2 times a week. My hair usually starts looking oily on day 3 or day 4. On that day, I'll use corn starch which gives me another day without washing. Before I stretched my washes, my hair would be greasy the day after washing or even later on in the day that I did wash. I'm hoping to eventually be able to stretch my washes even longer!

[skeletonous]

Larki I do use a BBB, and I love it :p I think I should use it more though, since my hair is decently short right now I don't use it as much as I would if it was longer.

xoChesleyy that's awesome :) I think I may be able to do that even now, it's nice to know that if my hair does end up looking greasy after experimenting with stretching washes that the cornstarch can save the day ;).

I think my last CO wash was on Sunday night, so if my hair is greasy tomorrow I can go 3 nights without washing (4 days). When I used shampoo and conditioner I would have to wash every night :eek: loving the progress!

[Carolyn]

If it was me I'd wash it if I was going to be out in public. I would not if I knew I was going to be home all day. Let your plans for the day dictate what you do. I'm blonde and I think blonde hair looks worse than dark hair when it's starting to get greasy. So do what makes you feel the best. There is no harm in washing your hair every other day. Many of us do.

[Zebra Fish]

I'm mostly going with the "let it be". Dunno, I don't have problems with my hair looking a bit greasy. I probably should have washed yesterday (7th day), but I was lazy, today is raining hard, when I came to work I just casually mentioned that I got a bit wet from rain (I actually did a bit), I have a bun and none is looking weird. For me it is more about my scalp (if it feels sore or itches), than how it looks. Of course, if I have something I need to look neat, that's other story. But for "normal" life, I really don't mind the "one day more". And sometimes I think it is more me noticing because I know it, than others.

[spidermom]

Greasy = itchy for me, so I wash it.

[Vallena]

I'd leave it be, but I only wash 1-2x a week. Sometimes a little dry shampoo if I feel it needs it.