wish me luck! [stretching washing]

[freckles]

Hi guys, just jumping in for a bit of hair-moral-support and well wishes :D I'm normally a twice-a-week washer (CWC), most often Mondays & Fridays. I last washed on Friday, and it's now Monday night, and since I'm still off University and han hide at home for a little longer, I've decided I should jump on this opportunity to try to stretch my washes to once-a-week, at least for the next couple of weeks until I go back to Uni (I might have to stop then if it's not going so well, since I actually have to go out and see friends and lecturers and etc then :p).

So it's Monday night, and I have to admit -- my hair is feeling pretty manky already! My scalp is starting to feel gross, too :( I am also starting a month of updos in October so hopefully that will help somewhat. Wish me luck, guys -- and of course, any tips from those who have successfully stretched washes will be much appreciated!

[juliaxena]

Good luck!! I know how it is.

[kdaniels8811]

There really isn't anything wrong with washing more often, have you tried condition only inbetween washing? Or herbal washes? Shampoo bars? Water only? There is a ton of stuff to try. My normally greasy scalp is now happy with a wash every 4-5 days, I used to wash every day or every other day. It can take a couple weeks to adjust to a new routine, also. Good luck!

[freckles]

Thank you both for the well wishes :)

kdaniels: The reason I want to try to stretch washes even more is because my very fine hair seems to gather a ton of damage (and it is virgin hair root-to-top) - I had a trim about 2 weeks ago and even so, I am cutting off 20+ split ends a day :( It seems to be just very, very fragile! So since hair is most fragile when wet, stretching washes is just part of my moving to decrease handling, especially when fragile - hence why I'm not doing CO or WO instead :) Hope that clarifies things a bit!

[kmangus]

Hey :) I totally have the same fine hair as you, so what i do to stretch inbetween washes is:
A. Snowy's Massage Technique Before the shower, and during the shower. I basically act like there is some shampoo on my head and i smoosh it all around for about 3 mins twice.
B. Comb only in the shower
C. Updos are my best friend :)

Hope it helps!

[freckles]

Thanks kmangus :) I am definitely working towards more updos - but why do you find that A & B help you stretch washings? Any ideas? Are you talking about getting your hair wet in the shower when not a wash day? I was hoping to avoid that with my trusty showercap :)

[Aer]

Good luck, putting my hair up helps for those in between washing times.

[JamieLeigh]

Good luck! I find it so much easier to stretch washings after summer is over! :p

[freckles]

Thanks everyone :) This is my 4th day no washing so a day longer than my normal stretch in a week. I'm not sure I'll make it to Friday -- but this is longer than usual so I guess every day more than this is a bonus and I can stretch more next time :)

My hair feels very greasy near the roots. Down, it looks okay, but if I try to put it up it pulls into strands on my scalp that make it look piecy and unwashed, bleh. I guess updos, for some of us, don't actually hide greasies - quite the opposite! Still, I french braided today and still decided I looked 'good enough' to go clothes shopping. My standards for looking 'good enough' aren't very high :p

Hopefully I'll at least make it through tomorrow (Wednesday) without washing.

[jivete]

I really want to stretch my washings too for the very reasons you mention. I haven't had much luck mostly because the length of my hair tends to feel really bad after a few days. I think the damaged parts just need the moisture boost from a shower. I'd still like to stretch to at least every 3 days.

Have you tried corn-starch on your roots when they're looking less than fabulous?

[clairenewcastle]

Be patient with your scalp for the first month or so of not washing so much, with time it will stop producing so much oil. At the moment I wash with Faith In Nature cone-free poo every 7 - 9 days then follow with the same brand of conditioner.
Washing my hair less often has really improved it's condition. I find every time I shampoo I shed so much that I really had to space washes out more. Less shampoo = less hair loss = (over a year or so)much thicker hair. I found it helped if I combed my hair less, the more I comb the more sebum my scalp seems to produce therefore I've learned to handle it as little as possible. I only comb it briefly once a day now, after that I either pull it back or let it hang and do it's own thing. Putting your hair up would really help with this so good luck with your month of updos.
Don't worry about your hair looking greasy, few people when you meet them tend to stare at your scalp - the overall appearence of your hairstyle will catch their attention initially.
I'm so pleased about the effect not washing so much has had on my hair's condition I'm going to try and stretch my washings further. This should be easier in the winter for it's easy to pull on a hat and hide a multitude of sins.
Good luck with washing less! Stick with it - it'll be worth it!

[freckles]

jivete: I haven't tried the cornstarch tip yet but I will pick some up when I do groceries :) Thanks :)
claire: thanks for the tips :) I find it SO DIFFICULT not to comb/brush/fiddle with my hair, but I'm trying :D

[jivete]

I find it SO DIFFICULT not to comb/brush/fiddle with my hair, but I'm trying :D


Me too. I'm sure that has something to do with the need to wash more often.

[Kris Dove]

I'm stretching as well atm- but only going from every day to every other day, and I'm finding that talcum powder is my best friend between washes (cornflour would do the same job though!).

I also find if I put it up on the first day I wash it as well it helps, because my fiddling with it if it's down does contribute to it getting greasy.

[kmangus]

Thanks kmangus I am definitely working towards more updos - but why do you find that A & B help you stretch washings? Any ideas? Are you talking about getting your hair wet in the shower when not a wash day? I was hoping to avoid that with my trusty showercap

hehe, yeah i get my hair wet in the shower. Its tecnically not washing, but i like to think that it smoothes the sebum all over the hair so the greasies arent concentrated in one place :)

[nyemelis]

Me too. I'm sure that has something to do with the need to wash more often.
Me too! Good luck on stretching the washes. Everytime I try it is a struggle, and as I type I'm resisting the urge to play with my hair and touch it all over. And the dirtier it gets the more I play with it! But I definitely notice a difference when I am good and put it up and away.

[elianne]

Good luck and keep us updated! I know how it is, too... I tend to have oilier hair so it's always such a temptation to wash every day, but when I do stretch between washes my hair condition is so much better. I bet your month of updos will be lovely though!

[sweetestday]

Funny, when I read the title (stretching washing) I figured it meant some technique while washing to stretch your hair and make it longer. That didn't sound very healthy, so I just had to check out the replies. :D

[InTheCity]

Be strong and do it!
The less you wash, the less your hair will need to be washed - you just have to get passed the initial reactions.

I washed once a week in high school and college and my hair loved it.

[freckles]

Thank you everyone. :D The only place I have to go today is the supermarket, so hopefully I'll be able to make myself look supermarket-presentable and manage not to wash today. This is day 5 but it's still the morning!

[Ally<3]

In the last few months, I have gone from 3 or 4 times a week, to 2 times a week. My hair has adjusted and doesnt get oily. It works! Good luck!

[SpinDance]

I've been at about 2 washings per week for several years, but the comments about corn starch and talcum powder have me wondering if these would work for me to reduce the scalp area oiliness to extend that even farther without that nasty feeling it gets after while.

I also need to keep my hands out of it, so I'm trying to put it up nearly every day now.

[freckles]

wow, I think I post in my own thread too much :p Maybe I should have just blogged this instead!

It's the nighttime of day 5 now. My hair feels a bit yuck at the scalp, but I wore it up today in a chinese bun, and the ponytail-base seemed to work well for disguising those greasies. Even my fairly picky kid sister didn't point out anything about my hair, so it must look alright :D

HOWEVER - I have a bald spot (that I've had forever) on the left side of my head, and as my hair gets greasy - it becomes visible. Urghhh. So embarassing. It's been alright today, but I have a feeling that tomorrow will be 'breaking point' without some serious creative styling! I'm so close to my goal of a week (I last washed last Friday morning, so if I can just survive tomorrow, I've been successful) that it seems silly to give up now, though. And I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, so I think I'll just make do, look grungy, and hang on. Maybe wear a hat :p

[eadwine]

I used to wash twice a week as well, and went to once ages ago. Honestly, the idea of icky dirty is mostly between the ears. I haven't had a single comment yet about my hair where its cleanliness is concerned *shrug* :)

Trick is to wash at the beginning of the week, then your dirtiest hair is in the weekends when it doesn't matter anyway ;)

[Katze]

There really isn't anything wrong with washing more often, have you tried condition only inbetween washing? Or herbal washes? Shampoo bars? Water only? There is a ton of stuff to try. My normally greasy scalp is now happy with a wash every 4-5 days, I used to wash every day or every other day. It can take a couple weeks to adjust to a new routine, also. Good luck!

This is good advice. For my formerly 'greasy' hair and itchy, sensitive scalp, I alternate CW or CWC washes with WO or CO every 5 days or so. This seems to help my hair get clean (when I use shampoo, I often use sulfates) and then the WO gets it clean again without stripping.


Hey :) I totally have the same fine hair as you, so what i do to stretch inbetween washes is:
A. Snowy's Massage Technique Before the shower, and during the shower. I basically act like there is some shampoo on my head and i smoosh it all around for about 3 mins twice.
B. Comb only in the shower
C. Updos are my best friend :)

Hope it helps!

This is how I do WOs. My hair is also mostly fine (except for a wiry M underlayer at the nape) and massaging under the hot water, while running my fingers down the length under the warm water, helps a lot.

I think the best reason to stretch washes is to get used to the feeling of healthy hair. It helped me a lot and changed my hair completely. However, there is no sense in stretching your washes just because you feel you 'have to' - your hair should get enough moisture, but you should also be able to enjoy it.

hth! and good luck! :)

[freckles]

I used to wash twice a week as well, and went to once ages ago. Honestly, the idea of icky dirty is mostly between the ears. I haven't had a single comment yet about my hair where its cleanliness is concerned *shrug* :)

Trick is to wash at the beginning of the week, then your dirtiest hair is in the weekends when it doesn't matter anyway ;)
Thanks for this comment :) Although - for me it matters more that it's nice on weekends :D I'm a Friday washer because, well, the weekend is when I see DBF -- and he's really the only person in the world who I care if he finds me pretty :D Everyone else can bugger off! :lol:


However, there is no sense in stretching your washes just because you feel you 'have to' - your hair should get enough moisture, but you should also be able to enjoy it.
I think I really needed to hear that :) I want to see if 'once a week' is good for me, but ultimately, I will move to twice a week again if I can't love my hair most of the time on 'once a week' :) Thankyou :)

[Elettaria]

I'd stretch the washing by a day at a time, rather than seeing how long you can manage right from the start. Do it gradually so that your scalp can adjust. Are you washing your hair with the best technique to avoid damage?

You could also try changing your products. A friend of mine (knee-length hennaed hair) has managed to stretch her washings to once a fortnight, and she reckons a lot of it is down to using Faith in Nature shampoos and conditioners. I used to mist my hair with very dilute cider vinegar in water when I'd been to a smoky pub to get rid of the smell, and I've a feeling that may help with the greasies too.

[Maddy25]

Good luck <3

[freckles]

In case any of you are wondering - I made it the full 7 days! I'm proud of myself :D I'm going to try it again this week, but not as obsessively, I might wash earlier if it's a bit icky. I'll see :) been two days since wash day so far :)

[LaurelSpring]

I started using Cocoa Powder in between washes because I am brunette. This works pretty well and smells great! It gives me lots of body also. I just have to be careful not to use too much or I get a total caffeine buzz, though this might be a good thing.

[Centifolia]

ohh, good luck! I'm trying exactly the same since two weeks ago.
I wash my hair on the Monday's evening. I usually wear it down on tuesday and up on another days. My hair doesn't fell greasy at the front at any moment, althought by day three/four the scalp behind my ear is itchy and a bit oily. I can hide the greasies with up-dos until before the weekend. On Monday, I just have morning classes, and I use baby powder and then I wear my hair in a braided bun.
I'm just beginning this routine, but I've already seen that my scalp is becoming gradually less oily and my hair, more healthy-looking.

[colibri]

good like.i think i am starting stretching washes too

[GlassEyes]

I actually just started this too, though for differing reasons--I CO wash, and if my hair isn't washed everyday, it gets horridly dry.

However, I've started sealing my hair after washing with oil/butters and then braiding, so I can stretched my washes out from everyday to once every two days (if I want to, anyway), maybe even longer if I start misting. I also do shampoo washes about once a fortnight now--used to be once a week, but that was more due to my job than anything. If it wouldn't damage my hair and skin, I'd bathe in freaking disinfectant after being there. BLEGH.

But I cut my hours so I'm less worried. :D