Stinky Job - Can't stretch out washes

[TangledUpInBlue]

My routine used to be to shampoo once or twice a week followed by a vinegar rinse in winter and deep conditioning in summer. Stretching out washes really helped in terms of avoiding frizz and tangles. I just started a job as a cook, and I come home every day reeking of frying oil and animal fat. That means I'm going to need to wash my hair nearly daily!

Is there anyone else here for whom stretching washes isn't an option? What do you do to keep your hair looking and smelling nice?

My hair is below-shoulder and medium thickness and coarseness. The curl is between 2b and 3b depending on length, weather, and how long it's been since I washed.

[lapushka]

You could try a refreshing mist in the evening & morning instead of washing your hair. Distilled water, a squirt of a nicely scented conditioner, (glycerine), (aloe vera), EOs. ( ) = optional

[Anje]

If you need to wash more, then you need to wash more. Not the end of the world. Have you tried CO (conditioner only) washing? Your curls might benefit from that, if your scalp is cool with it.

Do you cover your hair at work? I'd think in that environment, I'd want to bun my hair and cover all of it with a cotton cloth (no microfiber Buffs for this, I'm guessing, as something in my gut says that oily stink would go right through synthetics).

[Wusel]

Do you cover your hair at work? I'd think in that environment, I'd want to bun my hair and cover all of it with a cotton cloth (no microfiber Buffs for this, I'm guessing, as something in my gut says that oily stink would go right through synthetics).

Exactly. When I cook something stinky, like fish, I wear a shower cap. Cover it with something. :)

[andrea1982]

I worked at a fast food restaurant as a teenager, and I remember coming home smelling like a french fry, and feeling physically greasy. My hair was in a hair net under a hat, but I did wash it most days when I came home. If I was going out after work I sometimes would get away with misting it with some sort of refreshing spray. I don't think it's so bad to wash your hair everyday if you need to to get cooking oils/ grease out of it, but maybe CO would be your best option?

[pailin]

I remember shifts cooking in a deep fat fryer when I was a student. That gets into everything.
Anyway, I don't stretch washes because my scalp stays happy if I wash it daily. I just go heavy on the moisturizing. Try heavy-duty conditioners, rinse-out oil, leave-ins. My scalp doesn't tolerate CO washing, but yours might; it's definitely worth a try and it's great for dealing with frizz.
Also since washing is more wear and tear on your hair, work on avoiding all the other things that can be hard on your hair.

[SaucyWench]

Why can't you just wash it daily with a diluted shampoo or conditioner only?

[Eastbound&Down]

Why can't you just wash it daily with a diluted shampoo or conditioner only?

I second this, diluted shampoo may be a good route to go, or CO washing every other day or so.

[Kaya]

I think there is a saying/phrase/philosophy that floats around here:

It's about what your hair wants, not what you want for your hair.

Basically despite having followed a certain routine in the past, that doesn't mean it will still work when you get into a new life situation, such as this. If your hair needs to be washed daily, so be it. Consider it a chance to try out some new products! :o

I'd definitely look into alternative daily wash options, like those stated above: diluted shampooing, or CO-washing. A leave-in moisturizer might not be a bad idea either, especially if it smells nice!

[julee]

I'm a cook too, I CO wash every second day :)

[lithostoic]

I highly suggest cowashing!

[Anje]

It's about what your hair wants, not what you want for your hair.


This is sooo true. I've tried a zillion things, tried hard to make a lot of things work. No amount of wanting it is going to make things work for you that your scalp/hair won't accept. That's OK, and sometimes what your hair likes will change over time and with good care and the replacement of damaged hair with healthy hair. But you have to pay attention, admit when something just isn't working, and do what works best now. :)

[EdG]

You are not alone. Whenever I go to a restaurant or cafeteria, I smell food odors in my hair afterwards.
Ed

[julee]

I just wanted to add too, that keeping a clean scalp has been key for me, since (TMI) I sweat a LOT and it gets crazy hot in the kitchen. In summer I can't wear a hat or I get heat stress, so headbands and ficcares are my best friends.

[Carolyn]

I have said for ages that stretching washes isn't always all it's cracked up to be. If your hair is greasy and stinky from work then wash it! CO washing is great. It will get your hair clean, take away the stink and moisturize your curls. Do what you need to do for your hair. We have our fads here at LHC but not every person can benefit from every fad.

[Loktra]

I worked around a fryer last year. I had clothes I only wore to work, and after many washings, they still smell like stale grease, haha.
It definitely gets in your hair. I still didn't wash my hair daily. Every other day or every third day, but I could stand the stink. Between the grease in the air and the sweat from my scalp, it got dirty faster, but I still didn't wash it unless it was going to be totally unpresentable. I was living alone and was more or less noseblind to the smell, so I didn't worry about it day-to-day.
I would occasionally end up with daily washings or twice-daily (oops!) if I NEEDED clean-smelling hair for an event, date, whatever.

I second the CO idea. If your scalp can take it, that is. Just CO everyday and shampoo as needed.

Keeping my hair up definitely helped. We weren't required to cover our hair and were actually not allowed to wear hats and such. If I could have, I would have. I have a number of tichels and short snoods I wear to cook and do housework in. I also wear the more durable ones when I'm out camping/hiking/etc. They're really great. Honestly, I think a black tichel looks very nice and not at all inappropriate for foodservice, even for workers who deal with customers as well.

[Petulia]

Keep your hair in braids! I can't emphasise enough how easy it is to stretch washes when you keep your hair constantly braided. I do any type of French or Dutch braid, or even just a normal side fishtail braid. The more strands you use (e.g by doing a fishtail braid or a 5 strand braid), the tighter the braid is. Regular 3 strand braids usually feel loose in my hair no matter how tight I do them, and I can feel my hair getting greasy. In the morning, I brush the top of my hair along my roots, and then finger comb the rest of my hair. Then I put my hair into a braid and leave it like that until nighttime, when I braid it again. When you shower, clip the braid up to avoid getting water on it.

When you keep your hair out or in a ponytail, all of those hairs are exposed and it's so easy for dirt and smells from your surroundings to stick onto your hair. Also, sweat from the back of your neck and grease from your face are more likely to get into your hair when it's out or in a ponytail. But by keeping it braided constantly, you'll definitely notice it stays cleaner for longer. The important thing is to braid tightly (not from your scalp obviously, but the actual braid of hair from below your ear should be tight) and don't leave your hair out for too long - it should be braided most of the time. When I open my braids, my hair still smells of shampoo and it stays like this for about 5 days after I wash it.

This works really well for me and I can stretch up to a week usually without a problem!