What do you consider a "wash"?

[JamieRose]

Maybe this seems like a silly question, but what do you personally conisder a "wash"? I run every other day for at least an hour, so not showering isn't really an option after the sweaty mess that I become. I'd feel almost guilty washing my hair that often, but I haven't tried WO and don't know how it would work for my hair. So I CWC every other time I shower, which is once every four days, and CO in between. So I guess what I'm asking is, would I say I wash my hair every other day? Or is it only considered a wash when I use shampoo? :confused:

I know many members are WO, CO, etc. etc.- so what constitutes an official "wash" for you?

(Sorry if there is a thread like this already, or is this question seems stupid :p)

[enfys]

Water constitutes a wash for me, regardless of what cleansing substance is used. I think the wet is what makes your hair a bit more fragile, so any time it's wet it's in that state.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I consider it a wash when I put anything other than water in my hair.. CO, CWC, or using a shampoo bar or clarifying shampoo.

[free_hug]

enfys, that's already a very interesting answer, since it approaches a "wash" from the side it might harm hair, and not for the more conventional understanding of what cleanses hair :)

When it comes to different methods, from CWC to CO to ACV to A to Z :) i still consider myself a newbie... but I can tell you, for me a wash is anything that makes my hair clean at the end, and just like in the case of enfys, it usually includes water - what ever the exact method may be.

[ButterCup02]

I consider it a wash when I put anything other than water in my hair.. CO, CWC, or using a shampoo bar or clarifying shampoo.

Ditto this :) I just CO right now though, so I consider every time I CO a "wash".

[enfys]

enfys, that's already a very interesting answer, since it approaches a "wash" from the side it might harm hair, and not for the more conventional understanding of what cleanses hair :)

When it comes to different methods, from CWC to CO to ACV to A to Z :) i still consider myself a newbie... but I can tell you, for me a wash is anything that makes my hair clean at the end, and just like in the case of enfys, it usually includes water - what ever the exact method may be.

I just find that after any all-over water contact I need to be careful with my hair for about four hours while it dries totally, and if I soaked my hair everyday it would go through that annoying stage everyday which is the only inconvenience of a wash.

I don't ever get a dry scalp so I don't worry about over drying my hair through too much washing. The length is always oiled.

For the record I CWC two or three times a week.

[patience]

I would say you wash your hair every other day. If it's getting clean then it's a wash in my book.

[thankyousir74]

For me a wash is considered the act of wetting it, Shampoo/Conditioner or not. If it has to get wet I just make sure I get the water to my scalp and make the most of a WO. My hair gets annoyed after washing...It usually looks its best DD1 or DD2

[Madame J]

I consider a wash anything that removes sebum, which, for me, water does not feel like it does. When I WO my hair, I can tell it feels cleaner in that it feels less sweaty, but it doesn't feel less oily. So what I call "wash day" is when I use soap or conditioner on my hair, and I consider WO an acceptable method of stretching time between "washes." When I go running, my hair doesn't get greasy, but it does get sweaty, so I can't go without wetting my hair on those days, but it doesn't feel like it removes excess sebum the way a soap wash does.

[eadwine]

The minimal wash is sticking my head in the sink, throwing shampoo over it, lather, rinse, and then conditioner over it, lather, rinse some more, done.

Just water isn't a wash for me. Needs poo and condish here :)

[freznow]

Not calling a WO a wash creates some confusion, IMO. WO as a method here at LHC started when a woman in an article "Didn't wash her hair for 11 years." She rinsed it in water a few times a month, and used mechanical methods to groom her hair. That's different from the NW method, and different from someone who WOs a couple times a week. How can people of all these methods be people who "don't wash their hair"?

If I say "I didn't wash my hair today," I mean that I didn't get it wet. If I say "I washed my hair today," it could mean a massage + WO or something involving product (I say, adding anything like product or herbs makes it a wash, even if it's more conditioning. Everything will remove some sebum and other particles, even if it adds something else.) Simply rinsing my hair with no active intention to make it clean kinda falls in the middle, and I would say "I just rinsed my hair today." I don't know if I'd count that as a wash or not, but I do that seldom enough to ignore it.

[Brianna]

I suppose I consider anything that involves water that leaves your hair clean, or at the very least cleaner, a wash. :) So for me, WO would apply, but not, for instance, a very brief rinse.

[Periwinkle]

To me, water is a wash.

[Buddaphlyy]

To me, water+something else makes it a wash. WO is just rinsing which is not washing IMO. That being said, I would not say that someone who WO doesn't clean their hair though.

[rose_in_bloom]

For me, anything that gets my hair clean is a wash. WO wouldn't be considered a "wash" for me because it doesn't get my hair clean at all. But for some people it cleans just fine, so for them it's a wash. :shrug: It all depends on the person.

[nowxisxforever]

For me a "wash" is when I use shampoo on my scalp.
I don't use it on my length.

EDIT: Or shampoo bar, or herbs, or whatever. Something that's intended to degrease my scalp.

[Anje]

For me, anything that gets my scalp wet that isn't rain, a swimming pool, or a body of water (lake, river, whatever) is a wash. Heck, if I break out the biodegradable soap and scrub my hair, I've washed mine in lakes and rivers, too.

[JKRBeloved]

A hair wash is anything that gets hair clean and fresh smelling. My current hair wash is water and conditioner with scalp massage.

[JamieRose]

For me a "wash" is when I use shampoo on my scalp.
I don't use it on my length.

EDIT: Or shampoo bar, or herbs, or whatever. Something that's intended to degrease my scalp.

This is pretty much how I see it. I asked a bunch of my friends this question for comparison (non-LHCers), and none of them said they would consider only conditioner a wash... funny how the LHC changes your perspective so much!

[Quixii]

I think anything with something other than water included is a wash. I shampoo and condition, so that's a wash. If I just wet it (which is never :P) then it's not a wash, in my opinion.

[JamieLeigh]

There are no stupid questions!!!! :p

I do CO, and I only wash twice a week. I shower every day, and sometimes between washings I will wet my hair, but I don't consider it a "wash" unless I'm massaging water or conditioner into my scalp. Other than that, it's just a "wetting", I guess.

If you were to call it a "wash" every time your hair got wet, wouldn't you be "washing" every time you sweat? Or if it rains and you get caught in it?

[JamieRose]

There are no stupid questions!!!! :p

I do CO, and I only wash twice a week. I shower every day, and sometimes between washings I will wet my hair, but I don't consider it a "wash" unless I'm massaging water or conditioner into my scalp. Other than that, it's just a "wetting", I guess.

If you were to call it a "wash" every time your hair got wet, wouldn't you be "washing" every time you sweat? Or if it rains and you get caught in it?

It would be really convenient if I was washing every time I sweat- I would never have to get my hair wet in the shower again! :D

[curls2grow]

I know many members are WO, CO, etc. etc.- so what constitutes an official "wash" for you? I consider a wash anytime I wet my hair and do even a bit of scalp massage -- with or without conditioner added. I guess it would really just be wetting my hair, since it rinses out some of the prior day's products used.

[Roseate]

I consider it a wash if I do anything to clean my hair. If I run water over it, that's just a rinse, but if I run water over it while doing a scalp massage and making sure to get every part wet, that's a WO wash.

[Copasetic]

I only really consider it "washing" when I shampoo my hair. I do CO most of the time, but I don't really consider that washing. I can't really get over the idea that cleaning your hair requires shampoo.

[Pierre]

If I run water over it and comb out the loose hairs and detangle it, it's a wash. But if I go in the shower with it up and don't take it down, it's not a wash even if it gets wet.

[EdG]

I distinguish between a length wash and a scalp wash. I do a length wash once or twice a week and a scalp wash in between length washes.

The length wash uses diluted shampoo, but the scalp wash is water-only. I suppose that may be more of a scalp rinse. :D
Ed

[Carolyn]

I consider any method of cleaning the hair that involves getting it completely wet as a "wash". I do not consider it a "shampoo". I think you have to use real shampoo for a wash to be a shampoo. WO, CO, CWC and the like are all washing methods.

[Ash]

I consider a wash of my hair to be anything using water and a cleaning agent (S+C, CO, CWC, etc.) If WO was able to actually clean my hair instead of making it a dull tangled mess then I would also consider it to be a wash. In general, a wash has to use water though.

[Natalia]

I say anything that gets hair wet and requires you to move it to loosen whatever is a wash. Anything without water is preening/cleaning to me.

[feralnature]

In hot hot Texas a wash means soap and water. CO in just conditioning and WO is just rinsing. I do not consider anything that does not strip dirt and grease from your hair a wash.

[Deborah]

I consider it a wash if I do anything to clean my hair. If I run water over it, that's just a rinse, but if I run water over it while doing a scalp massage and making sure to get every part wet, that's a WO wash.

Ditto. CO certainly removes dirt and oil, and WO removes dirt and oil as well, perhaps less thoroughly, but it does clean it. It is the thorough wetting and scalp massaging that make it a 'wash.' Just running water over it, or just applying and rinsing conditioner are not washing, they are just wetting and conditioning, respectively.

[paintedmuse]

I only consider it a wash if I use Shampoo.
Recently I've started doing WOs in between to stretch my washes, and I've been thinking of what damages hair more: using Shampoo more often but wet it less often, or wet it more and use Shampoo more rarely? What do you think? (As an example, if I wet my hair 3 times a week and use Shampoo, is that more damaging than if I wet it 5 times a week, but only use Shampoo once?)

[Niphredil]

I haven't read all responses thoroughly but I'd say this:
A wash is when one intentionally cleans their hair using water, whether or not other products are added to increase cleaning potential.
Cleaning methods without water I wouldn't consider washing. That is not saying that someone who doesn't uses water doesn't clean their hair.

For example, when it is very warm weather, I like to cool down taking a cool shower. I then usually don't clean my hair WO style, but I do wet my hair and scalp to help lowering my body temperature. So although I'm intentionally wetting my hair, I don't consider it washing since I don't do anything to actually clean it.

Hope that made sense!

[Rentlle]

I consider "a wash" when I put shampoo or co. in my hair.
only water is not a wash.. don't know how to call that, but not a wash ;)

[trolleypup]

A wash is when one intentionally cleans their hair using water, whether or not other products are added to increase cleaning potential.
Cleaning methods without water I wouldn't consider washing. That is not saying that someone who doesn't uses water doesn't clean their hair. Thanks! You save me from having to write exactly that.

Incidental wetting doesn't count, although standing under a waterfall with intent does. :)

I find that WO is most effective right after sustained (heavy) exercise, or rather after heavy scalp sweating. So WO after would be perfect, if I wasn't usually hours away from home at that point. *sigh*

[ericthegreat]

For me, the term washing is strictly reserved for using shampoo or a shampoo bar or any kind of soap to wash your hair. I almost never wash my hair anymore, as my hair is very coarse and quite thick and I've found that ANY shampoo with harsh detergents will literally harden up my hair and get it completely tangled up. What I do is CO rinse my hair every day. I will hold the showerhead over my head and water rinse my scalp for a good 5 minutes or more to get out any dust and oil that has accumulate over the day. Then I'll apply my desired conditioner(a coneless one of course!) and leave that in for 2-3 minutes before turning on the showerhead again and rinsing that out.

[Rivanariko]

I'm still pretty new around here, but I think I would consider anything that the intent is to clean your hair to be a wash.

I pretty much wash every day because I work outside in the heat and dust, so by the end of the day, my entire body - including my hair - is a grimy mess. I only shampoo once a week, though, and alternate WO and CO the rest of the time.

[Debra83]

I do not see how wo can be considered a wash. I wouldn't consider my clothes clean if I put them in the washing machine with no soap. I wouldn't consider my dishes clean if I didn't use soap in the dishwasher, or in the dishwater if I was doing them by hand. In order for me to feel like I've cleaned my hair, there has to be some sort of "soap" used.

I saw a kids show once on how soap actually binds to dirt and lifts it away. They washed a car or something with water only and half of it with soap and showed the difference up close. Big difference.

[Niphredil]

I do not see how wo can be considered a wash. I wouldn't consider my clothes clean if I put them in the washing machine with no soap. I wouldn't consider my dishes clean if I didn't use soap in the dishwasher, or in the dishwater if I was doing them by hand. In order for me to feel like I've cleaned my hair, there has to be some sort of "soap" used.

I saw a kids show once on how soap actually binds to dirt and lifts it away. They washed a car or something with water only and half of it with soap and showed the difference up close. Big difference.

You are right, but I personally don't clean my hair the way I would dishes, filthy clothes or my car. When I clean my hair, I like to remove excess grease and sebum, but not all of it, unlike things like dishes, clothes etc. The antique lace theory seems to be appropriate here. You probably wouldn't dare to wash that 100yr old piece of delicate fabric at near boiling temperatures with a harsh detergent.

[Pierre]

Incidental wetting doesn't count, although standing under a waterfall with intent does. :)
You must have a very strong tent to stand under a waterfall within it!:D

[WritingPrincess]

I consider it a wash when I put anything other than water in my hair.. CO, CWC, or using a shampoo bar or clarifying shampoo.
This is what I have considered a wash, but since I'm contemplating WO, I guess I would say a wash is when I get into the shower and I emerge with hair that is noticeably less oily than when I began.

[nowxisxforever]

You are right, but I personally don't clean my hair the way I would dishes, filthy clothes or my car. When I clean my hair, I like to remove excess grease and sebum, but not all of it, unlike things like dishes, clothes etc. The antique lace theory seems to be appropriate here. You probably wouldn't dare to wash that 100yr old piece of delicate fabric at near boiling temperatures with a harsh detergent.

Agreed.

The idea makes me shudder.

[julya]

I do not see how wo can be considered a wash. I wouldn't consider my clothes clean if I put them in the washing machine with no soap. I wouldn't consider my dishes clean if I didn't use soap in the dishwasher, or in the dishwater if I was doing them by hand. In order for me to feel like I've cleaned my hair, there has to be some sort of "soap" used.

I saw a kids show once on how soap actually binds to dirt and lifts it away. They washed a car or something with water only and half of it with soap and showed the difference up close. Big difference.

It has taken me many years to convince my mom that dishes should be washed with soap, she used just water for a long time.

[ladylibra]

Hmmm... I guess anything that cleans my hair and/or scalp, not just water though. That is a "rinse" to me. Conditioner-washing does get the greasy grime off my scalp so I count that. :D

[zen_oven]

I consider it a wash if I get my hair completely soaked and put conditioner on it. Shampoo is debatable.

[Amara]

I consider it a wash if I get shampoo or conditioner on the scalp (length optional) or water on the whole thing. Not sure why scalp only water doesn't count, but it doesn't. :p

[Dyan]

I've been experimenting of late to see if clothes would come "clean" without soap, and they do. What I have found is that for everyday dirt and normal sweat, washing without soap works very well even for undergarments. But if the clothes are heavily soiled, then I feel better with a bit of soap. Although even then, I used less than half of what the detergent bottle calls for.

And the other day, I tried a load of dishes without soap. They too came out perfectly clean. The heat generated by a dishwasher seems to be more than enough to kill off any nasties that the eye can't see, and the force of the water removed all the leftover food particles.

So all in all, I've begun to wonder if we're not using far more soap than necessary. Yes, there are times that soap is called for. For example, I certainly wouldn't simply rinse my hands after handling raw meat or using the bathroom. But there are many other times that I think we've been taught by advertising to reach for soap when it's not necessary.

To answer the original question....... to me a "wash" is any time I stick my head under the shower and scrub my scalp with my fingers. :)

[Flynn]

Anything where you try to get your hair "clean" using water. So, I consider SO'ers non-washers. WO is washing, but just getting your hair wet isn't.

I don't feel on my hair that a "wash" is sufficient unless it involves some form of decent surfactant -- so far, CO don't cut it, but I do do a rushed version of it (two to five minutes, tops, of conditioner sitting on my hair, not forty-five like some people seem to!) I'm open to the idea of CO, though.