Does anybody else feel guilty about washing?

[rose_in_bloom]

I do sometimes. :( I wash every other day, but I often find myself wanting to wash every day, especially during the summer when I get hot and sweaty all the time. But I can't get past that feeling of guilt! I feel like I'm destroying my hair. On the non-wash days I always feel dirty and greasy and a little self-conscious. I really love the feeling of freshly washed hair. Grrrr. Any tips for shakin' off the guilt?

Thanks!

[kam984420]

I do sometimes. :( I wash every other day, but I often find myself wanting to wash every day, especially during the summer when I get hot and sweaty all the time. But I can't get past that feeling of guilt! I feel like I'm destroying my hair. On the non-wash days I always feel dirty and greasy and a little self-conscious. I really love the feeling of freshly washed hair. Grrrr. Any tips for shakin' off the guilt?

Thanks!

I dont feel guilty at all. I wash everyday and have done so for years. Especially this time of year when ive been hot and sweaty. Dont feel bad.:cheese:

[Woven Darkness]

Hey! I have the same ambivalent feelings! I only wash a twice a week, but often wish I would wash more because I, too, really like freshly washed hair. But...my hair feels better with fewer washings.

WD

[prosperina]

I know how you feel, but just remind yourself that you are washing gently and with products that work for your hair. :flower:

[demitasse]

Not at all. This is my second time around growing out my hair. I do daily scalp washes with a diluted SLS shampoo. I have no damage, very few split ends, no dryness, no scalp issues, and my hair grows more than 1/2 inch a month. And I've never had a major shed. If some harm is coming of me washing my hair everyday, I don't see it.

I like clean hair and will continue to wash it until it gives me some kind of indication that it doesn't like being clean. Everyone's hair is different and mine is perfectly happy being washed. :)

[Fractalsofhair]

Try CO, a very gentle shampoo or WO. All of those might give you the clean feel you're going for but without stripping your hair of it's natural oils. I wash my hair daily, mostly to condition my scalp since it's soo dry. Oiling it just makes my hair look really dark until my next wash and it leads to really odd comments, and I deal with enough change in the texture of my hair, so I at least try to keep the color the same. The biggest issue with my hair is that I blew dry it for about a month, and I bleached it once. The daily washing does not seem to increase damage, but the blowdrying did.

[Kirin]

Nope, no guilt here.

Its about me, and how I feel about it. No hair police are going to arrest me in the shower so I'm good to go :)

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I don't feel guilty for washing :) I would feel guilty if I didn't give my hair what it wanted/needed.

[Quixii]

I feel guilty brushing, but washing? Nope. I love my clean hair. Every other day is fine. :)

[Longlocks3]

CO makes me feel less guilt! I have tried extending washes with little success. But I CO everyday, use a clarifying shampoo once ever two weeks and AVC rinses once a week.

[theshadowpuppet]

I do, especially hearing how some people can wash one a week or every two weeks. Then i remind myself that my hair is not curly and thick like theirs most likely is. I find that washing 2-3 times a week works best for me.

[wintersun99]

...........

[Dars]

A little bit. I CO, so I'm using more conditioner than before and I've bought a new one for this purpose ($$$).

[vindo]

I do!
I wash weekly to every 10 days...mosty I end up washing on day 8 or 9 though (going with hubbies police off day shedule)
But for special occasions I might wash in between and I feel so bad...not kidding.
I know exactly my hair loves the less frequent washes..it was in good condition when I washed daily..but boy did it improve since I started washing less...:)

[pdy2kn6]

i had thoughts like this a while ago too, but then i just told myself-we all need to wash our hair, so it should be fine. i wouldnt worry about it, your hair looks amazing in that picture you have up, the colours so nice

[GlassEyes]

No. Well, yes.

I CO wash, but I have to shampoo once a week. Which isn't entirely true, I don't HAVE to shampoo it, but I feel like my job means I have to.

I CO wash everyday, and I feel no guilt from that, however.

[RhainyC]

I was washing every other day for the longest time...I didn't feel guilt per se.

Having said that, now I seldom wash more than twice a week...but now coming into summer, and menopause, with it's lovely (NOT!) hot flashes, I will be doing scalp only washes at least every other day. My scalp is oily, but my hair, due to being coloured is dry. I am probably going to try CO washes again as they worked well in the past. I got off track with them for a while, mainly due to massively heavy work schedule (70 hr weeks) and lack of energy.

I would say not to feel guilty if your hair is doing and growing well. If it is not...then try changing it up a bit, try the CO every other day, and regular shampoos on the other days, and see how your hair likes it.

[Dvips]

Nothing at all to feel guilty about!!!! It is your hair; treat it as you like!

Besides, we have many long-haired members who wash daily with shampoo and conditioner (and even some who do not use conditioner). To each her/his own!

:flowers:

[Carina]

I do feel guilt when my hair gets washed daily.But when I have days off I tend to leave it alone to grease up;).But no heat did the trick for me and a lot of deep conditioner twice a week.I wash less during winter and co more in summer.

[Shermie Girl]

Nope. I don't feel any guilt. I can't go more than every other day without washing and my scalp demands regular scrubbing with a good ALS shampoo on a regular basis. It doesn't seem to bother my hair one bit. :D

[blondecat]

Yes, I feel guilty for washing, but, I managed [after a long time] to get to the point I now only was once a fortnight.

And I still feel guilty............. Sighhh

[blondecat]

I do sometimes. :( I wash every other day, but I often find myself wanting to wash every day, especially during the summer when I get hot and sweaty all the time. But I can't get past that feeling of guilt! I feel like I'm destroying my hair. On the non-wash days I always feel dirty and greasy and a little self-conscious. I really love the feeling of freshly washed hair. Grrrr. Any tips for shakin' off the guilt?

Thanks!



I just realised your hair looks identical to what mine did, when I was 17 yrs old. :) :)

[longhairedfairy]

I dont feel guilty at all. I wash everyday and have done so for years. Especially this time of year when ive been hot and sweaty. Dont feel bad.:cheese:
See above.:D

[Tap Dancer]

I don't understand. Why would I feel guilty about washing my hair?? :confused: It beats having dirty, oily hair.

[LilyMunster]

I love washing my hair and never feel guilty because of it.

[BlndeInDisguise]

Yes, I feel guilty about it. I've been trying to stretch out my washes, and I feel terribly guilty if I wash every day or every other day. I know it's terribly unreasonable, but I do. Partly it's because I go through my conditioner faster, and use up more water when I wash more often.

[nayver]

I feel guilty everytime :( I don't know why, but I feel like I'm damaging my hair.


CO makes me feel less guilt! I have tried extending washes with little success. But I CO everyday, use a clarifying shampoo once ever two weeks and AVC rinses once a week.

Hi Longlocks! We've met in the CO thread, and I want to ask you something...if you wash you hair daily with conditioner, how do you dry it? Blower? Air dry? I don't like the process of my hair being dried, that's why I try to stretch out washes.

[Spike]

Mmmm . . . I think the bottom line is: What does your hair do when you wash every day?

Does it dry out and tangle? Does it break? Do you shed more?

I wet my head every morning because sleeping on it makes it lank and droopy. I wash with Diary Whip and condition three times a week. I oil on days when I don't shampoo. End result: hair is shinier and more tangle-free than ever before. I comb and brush only to arrange the strands; I have no snarls. I'm assuming this routine works just fine because I'm getting hair I love from it.

So--maybe WO and oil while damp, or CO to get that fresh-washed feeling. I mean, you're not corkscrewing it around and around on your head while it's wet, then yanking a brush through it, and scrubbing at it with a towel, right? Your hair should make YOU happy.

[Fethenwen]

I don't know about guilt, but I don't like mistreating my hair. I tip for summer months:
do a WO every now and then. I also feel the need of washing my hair almost every day now, doing a quick water rinse helps a lot!

[JamieLeigh]

I generally try to wash only about twice a week, but down here in Alabama it's been 100 degrees all week long. I find myself washing nearly 5 times a week. But I only do my CO twice a week, and then just use water the rest of the time, and massage my scalp in circles with my fingers. I'm pretty confident it helps loosen any dirt and sweat that might have settled there, and I don't have to feel guilty for "extra" washings. :)

[nayver]

I don't mistreat my hair when washing. The thing is I don't like the wet hair sensation. Besides, it lasts hours to dry!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Darkhorse1]

Not me. In this weather, I'm still trying to go every other day, and it's making my scalp very unhappy. I just up my oilings to keep the ends protected and love my clean, soft, shiny hair :D

[enfys]

I'm increasing my washing because my hair hates me at the minute. I'm up to every other day instead of twice a week. It's important to feel good, and what kind of hair ambassador wants to feel self concious about their hair looking greasy?

[Dementia1013]

Don't feel guilty. A way to get around it is to just wash your body. I have 4 shower caps that get tons of use. One for when I bleach, one for when i dye, one for CO showers, and one for Body only showers. lol.. Just tuck your hair in a shower cap then you can wash yourself and not be sweaty and nasty ( I hate the summer) but maintain the routine you have for your hair. :D

[Arctic]

No guilt. I remember at the beginning of my membership, I did feel guilt, it felt like "everybody" was washing their hair once a week (which is not true, lol!).

[rose_in_bloom]

Thanks so much for the replies and suggestions, everyone! :flowers: I'm going to start washing whenever I feel like it and try not to feel guilty.

Wow, it feels so freeing to even TYPE that! :lol:

[rhubarbarin]

I did CO washing for years and never had a happy scalp. Now I use SLS shampoo and my scalp feels great and hair looks and feels great too.

Washing might be rough on some people's hair, but for mine: it craves water and nothing can re-moisturize it but being submersed, plus when I wash there is hardly any friction on the hair.

[Autumnberry]

Sometimes I wish that I didn't have to wash every day. I've tried all the LHC methods, but to have clean hair, I need to wash every single day (regardless of the consequences!). Otherwise, I feel miserable, and it starts looking very oily. Putting it up doesn't cover the grease. I think using gentle and natural shampoos most of the time helps a lot, and for me, staying away from heat and styling products has made a difference. Yes, yes I feel guilty sometimes for a second, but it's not rational, since I'm not going to walk around greasy with my extra fine hair strands hanging down in yucky strings. It's amazing that there are so many different hair types out there and that each type needs to be dealt with differently.

[florenonite]

I feel guilty because I love the ease of washing once a week, but I know that as soon as I start washing it more often that that it will take me ages to get it back down to washing once a week. However, given that you prefer washing your hair more often, I see no reason to feel guilt about it. What's the point in having marginally healthier hair (for I really see little difference in the health of my hair if I wash every other day or weekly, though admittedly YMMV) if you don't like it half the time because it's not a wash day and you feel greasy?

To make your washes gentler, try 'poo bars, diluting your 'poo (with water or conditioner), CO washes, using sulphate-free 'poos, etc. Particularly if you're washing daily, the gentleness of your washing method probably won't make much difference with regards to how clean your hair is, but it will make a difference in the overall health of your hair over an extended period of time. Also, treat your hair gently whilst it's drying and you're good to go!

[Moonstruck]

I feel guilty too, haha.

But I justify it by saying that I'm using 'poo bars. Aren't you, right now, testing them out? xD Testing them AND using mild shampoos are both great reasons why you shouldn't feel guilty.

[cowgirltresses]

Hi I'm new to LHC! I do feel sort of guilty washing my hair everyother day... Sometimes even everyday. But only because I'm trying to grow out some damage and I don't want to dry out my ends further. But I never blow dry anymore and my hair feels amazing just from that change alone! I've never noticed a problem with my CWC routine several time a week.

[hennaphile]

Enjoy your freshly washed hair ;)

I wash everyday, and don't feel a bit of guilt :)

[Honey39]

I wash most days - I CO-wash only, but I love having fresh hair every day. Sometimes I leave it a day, and it's fine, but because I have wurly hair I have to soak it with water from the ears down to get it refreshed.

I never brush or comb my hair when it's dry, so to me, daily co-washing is my way of grooming my hair.

When I joined here, I made loads of changes - no heat, no brushing, no shampoo etc. But I do have one thing in mind, which is that I want to ENJOY my hair, and not let it impact my life. I hated calculating when I would have a 'good' hair day (ie wash it) when I was washign every few days. I love the liberation of washing it every day, and btw, my hair has never ever felt or looked so good! :)

[nayver]

I wash most days - I CO-wash only, but I love having fresh hair every day. Sometimes I leave it a day, and it's fine, but because I have wurly hair I have to soak it with water from the ears down to get it refreshed.

I never brush or comb my hair when it's dry, so to me, daily co-washing is my way of grooming my hair.

When I joined here, I made loads of changes - no heat, no brushing, no shampoo etc. But I do have one thing in mind, which is that I want to ENJOY my hair, and not let it impact my life. I hated calculating when I would have a 'good' hair day (ie wash it) when I was washign every few days. I love the liberation of washing it every day, and btw, my hair has never ever felt or looked so good! :)

Honey, I totally understand that feeling of enjoying freshly washed hair...but how do you dry it? That is my main problem, I hate to have my hair wet :( it lasts ages to dry naturally, and I don't like to blow dry.

[Lamb]

I wash most days - I CO-wash only, but I love having fresh hair every day. Sometimes I leave it a day, and it's fine, but because I have wurly hair I have to soak it with water from the ears down to get it refreshed.

I never brush or comb my hair when it's dry, so to me, daily co-washing is my way of grooming my hair.

When I joined here, I made loads of changes - no heat, no brushing, no shampoo etc. But I do have one thing in mind, which is that I want to ENJOY my hair, and not let it impact my life. I hated calculating when I would have a 'good' hair day (ie wash it) when I was washign every few days. I love the liberation of washing it every day, and btw, my hair has never ever felt or looked so good! :)

This, especially the bolded part. For me, it`s usually cwc or s&c though, but that every day, and I am positively brazen about it. :p

[Carolyn]

No I don't feel guilty at all. I want to enjoy my hair. Clean freshly washed hair is what I like.

[natt i nord]

No. I love washing my hair and wash if I think it's needed. I know my hair likes the products I use, so there's no guilt at all.

[windinherhair]

Since I have been putting off my washes for up to a week at a time, I don't feel guilty anymore. Since I wait so long now, it actually makes my washes a better experience... Ok, does that sounds strange. :) I used to wash every day to every other day though, and I think that was too much for my hair. I would feel more guilty if I was doing that again. Putting my hair up on my work days and leaving it down on my days off has helped me to hold off washes.

[RoseRedDead]

Yes and no. I wash probably every 3 days... so twice a week. I typically CO wash, but I'm trying out CWC, so I know I'm not being harsh to my hair.

I love the feel of freshly washed, WET hair. I despise my hair with a violent passion when it's dried - first day hair is terrible for me, very frizzy and rough-feeling. I have no idea how to get it to be otherwise - it's always been like this. My hair starts looking/feeling good about halfway into Day 2. And then it looks good until about Day 4.

But I also work out, so I get sweaty, and my hair (from scalp to like 2-3 inches from the ends) typically gets soaked with perspiration. Blah.

It's like I can't enjoy my hair if I don't wash it, can't enjoy my hair if I do wash it (except on weekends).

Oh well.

[free_hug]

Well, yes, i actually do, but thanks to this thread i don't feel like i'm a bit nuts anymore :D

So yes, i'm CO experimenting, but since it's short & i sport side bangs i also have to try and style my hair a bit even when its wet, and i do sort of feel a bit guilty, or more precisely, anxious. But then i'm trying to go through a no trim year without looking all awful and ragged at the end, so no on (including me) should be surprised if i get anxious about the state of my hair easily!

Well, if it goes on good enough for say half a year, maybe my hair worries will ease up a bit :)

[free_hug]

Oh and i usually CO, but switched back to normal shampoo once recently. Well, i had to look very obviously pretty, for a date (i usually wear it in its naturally wavy and a little greasy way, but tried looking more "socially acceptable" that one occasion). And that really made me feel guilty :D looking back on it, it feels funny enough.

But still, i understand anyone feeling uneasy about doing stuff that might harm your hair if overdone. On the other hand, the non-worried are right too, the problem is not doing, but overdoing it.