People with bangs and jobs w/appearance rules: how far can you stretch washes?

[Larki]

I'm curious if others with bangs and jobs with professional dress codes have trouble stretching washes very far. The farthest I have ever been able to stretch is washing twice a week - my hair just looks disgusting if I go any longer, even with dry shampoo and twisting my bangs back.

[Deborah]

I had a friend with very oily skin who washed just her bangs every day, washing the rest of her hair just weekly. Many on this list do scalp only washes when needed. This is an easy way to deal with a greasy scalp without drying out all of one's hair. Maybe one of these ideas might help you do a full wash only once a week, as it sounds like that is what you would like, and still keep up a clean, professional appearance.

[vampyyri]

I wash my bangs every day, it would not acceptable at my job to have piecey bangs due to my oiliness.

ETA: but I stretch my full washes by 3-4 days with scalp only washes in between!

[RavenRose]

I wash my scalp/crown/bangs every other day, and my length once a week. I have oily hair so even without bangs I would be washing my scalp/crown every other day. Sometimes when I am at home and have nowhere to go I will stretch washing it another day, but after that my skin gets irritated, so I would have to bathe anyways...

[OhSuzi]

If your hair is long enough just stick it up in a bun when it starts to get oily. Hair is definitely duller and More piecey when oily, but I think you notice it more than your colleagues cause it feels a bit gross so you're constantly aware. If you can bun it but wash the fringe so that looks soft and shiny you could prob get away without people noticing too much.

[maborosi]

I could not stretch washes on my bangs. Since I trim frequently, so I really don't care about keeping them perfectly healthy, I wash them with shampoo every morning, even if I only wash the rest of my hair 2 or 3 times a week.

[Wusel]

I have bangs again and since I have them, I wash them every second day and the rest of the hair twice a week. It's a lot of work having bangs unfortunately but they are cute and make you look younger, so, for me it's wort it.

[Wusel]

I could not stretch washes on my bangs. Since I trim frequently, so I really don't care about keeping them perfectly healthy, I wash them with shampoo every morning, even if I only wash the rest of my hair 2 or 3 times a week.

This. You trim bangs so often that there is no danger of damage or splits, so, I put heat on them, straightener, blowdryer, hairspray... everything bad. No prob.

[*Seraphina*]

I could not stretch washes on my bangs. Since I trim frequently, so I really don't care about keeping them perfectly healthy, I wash them with shampoo every morning, even if I only wash the rest of my hair 2 or 3 times a week.

I do the same thing! But I was the rest of my hair every other day.

[Kajzh]

I can go indefinitely. I've always had bangs, even as a child. Before I had locks, I would wash my hair ever 4+ weeks. Something happened to me hormonally now, and I have to wash once a week. But it's not because my hair looks greasy — it's just that my scalp gets plaquey.

[Flipgirl24]

I work at an animal hospital so we have to have our hair tied back. It's a physical job and I get peed and pooped on regularly. So I can get away with dirtier hair but I usually have to wash every 2 or three days because dry shampoo can only do so much. And it dulls my hair. One client actually complained about someone's hair (not mine) looking like it wasn't washed. With our meager pay, no one can afford to wash their hair every day!

[Upside Down]

I wash scalp only once a week and usually wash my bangs on wednesday. That looks perfectly clean with a bun. :shrug:

[CindyOfTheOaks]

I wash and blow dry my bangs using a round brush every morning.
If I don't they don't lay right after a night's sleep.
I am really picky about how my bangs look - the rest of my hair could look like a rats nest...but my bangs...nope !

[embee]

One client actually complained about someone's hair (not mine) looking like it wasn't washed.

Are you serious? That's amazing... unless that person's hair was not combed or brushed or in any way fixed for the day. I know some folks are into "messy hair" and to me that can look pretty unkempt which unfortunately often implies dirty. Sometimes gel can make hair look greasy which also implies unwashed.

As for bangs/fringe - I always washed mine in the morning after brushing my teeth, it was just routine. And if I were going out in the evening I'd wash the fool things again. Always looked greasy/piecey after a few hours, so annoying. When I wore my hair loose I had this same problem with all the scalp hair, but if I pulled it back in a low pony or put it up in a knot or twist, I could get away with stretching washes several days, depending on weather.

[josabeth]

Currently working with a bob with bangs and can't pull my hair back. Unless it gets totally messy from sleeping, I usually wash all of it every other day, and this is enough for my bangs.

When I had longer hair and bangs, I washed the length once a week and my bangs daily- mostly to keep them styled.

[Imalath]

I am fairly lucky in that my job requires me to wear my hair up and covered. Even though I am in a department that covers our head, company policy prohibits dying it anything 'unnatural,' which includes most shades of red and black, but not bleached blonde or stripey highlights. I can stretch my washes as far as my scalp allows, or until my hair gets a very strong sebum smell that my coworkers might notice. The only thing I don't like about the situation is that I don't get to choose my covering...our caps tangle my temple and nape hairs pretty badly; it can take me half an hour to detangle them after work!

[Flipgirl24]

Are you serious? That's amazing... unless that person's hair was not combed or brushed or in any way fixed for the day. I know some folks are into "messy hair" and to me that can look pretty unkempt which unfortunately often implies dirty. Sometimes gel can make hair look greasy which also implies unwashed.

I know right? Her hair was up and neat so what difference does it make?