Shampooing once a week (or longer)?

[Pixna]

If you use shampoo, do you wash your hair no more than once a week? Can you (and do you) go longer than that? I'm curious about only those who use shampoo (rather than CO, WO, or CWC). Thanks!

[proo]

I shampoo and condition once a week using cheapo suave, both very dilute. I've tried going more whole hog, using only conditioner or just water, but my scalp and hair got too greasy too quickly. This routine keeps things nice and clean for a good week, sometimes more. I also do alot of scalp massage and finger combing, so i feel like i have a good sebum base that the s&c doesn't eliminate. But both are very dilute.

[Rivanariko]

I CWC about once a week, depending on when I decide my hair needs it. I usually will WO a few times in between just to freshen up and the idea of not cleansing my scalp at all for too long, especially if I've been working out, just kind of makes me go "ick". I usually wait to use anything on it until it's starting to feel greasy and dirty, then I'll CWC. I've tried CO, but since I use cones, that didn't work out too well. I tried cone free and... that was a bad idea. My hair revolted in a rather angry fashion.

ETA: realized I didn't entirely answer the question. I aim for once a week, but occasionally go a week and a half or as long as 2 weeks in between washes, depending on my activity level and what my hair feels like. I pretty much wash it when it feels like it needs to be washed.

[Pixna]

Thanks, Proo and Rivanariko.

Anyone else?

[*Rose Red*]

I use shampoo and conditioner 2-3 times a week. I need this feeling of freshly washed hair after sports or before I go out. So I think twice a week is ok for me, I never use a blow dryer.

[kittensoupnrice]

I use shampoo bars once a week w/ no conditioner. Sometimes, I go a week and a half, or I wash a bit sooner, depending on how much I've been running around.
Once a month I try to do a deep conditioning w/ VO5.

[Aeltt]

I shampoo bar and condition once a week.

If I go longer without washing, my hair gets dry, tangles and looks frizzy..
Maybe i should try COing :D

[Speckla]

I shampoo (CWC) about every 10 days. I using conditioner if I need an inbetween wash.

[Othala]

I shampoo every 4th day with one of the Aubrey Organics shampoo (I have four types that I rotate) and follow up with a deep condition + baggy every time.

[Copasetic]

I shampoo 2-4 times a week. It really depends on how I feel, what I am up to, and what I feel like my hair needs. I work from home, so I don't really feel the need to have freshly washed hair. But I can't go too long without washing, otherwise I feel kind of gross.

[melikai]

I CWC or SC about once a week, sometimes less sometimes more, depending on how my hair feels. I've gone longer, but mostly my scalp gets itchy and that's why I end up washing. My hair still actually looks okay, maybe very slightly greasy at the scalp, but nothing a good brushing won't help.

Sometimes I do a WO rinse, to extend washes longer than a week.

[Feng-Shui]

I wash every 2-3 weeks once with diluted shampoo. (SLS shampoo, No cone product)

At some times I wash CO. (No cone product)

It does not play a role for my scalp whether I with shampoo or Conditioner washes.

The time between two laundry does not change for me.

I prefers most time shampoo because the laundry so faster goes.

My comfort is the only reason.:)

[Pixna]

Feng-Shui, if you don't wash for 2 to 3 weeks, doesn't your scalp get itchy or your hair feel greasy? I'm impressed that you can go that long!

[restourceful]

Hi Pixna!:waving: I'm a shampoo bar with vinegar rinse or no-cone conditioner girl. I typically wash every 10-14 days. Recently, I had to clarify and I intend to work that into the schedule every couple of months. Occasionally, when the weather is sweltering, I wet my hair between washes for a cooling damp bun.

[Pixna]

Hi, Restourceful! That's great to hear! It seems that you and Feng-Shui can go 2 weeks without a problem. I'm considering going to once a week, and it really is encouraging to know that this works out well for you. I'm using VERY diluted shampoo followed by a vinegar rinse and light oiling, so a seven-day wash plan seems like it could be a good match for me. Thanks so much!! :flower:

[restourceful]

You're welcome! :D

[virgo75]

For at least a year(probably much longer) I used to wash once a week, sometimes less than that using Pantene shampoo & conditioner followed by a spray leave-in strengthening conditioner they used to make. My hair was about waist length(longer actually) and I was lazy taking care of it. In between washes I used to spray it with the spray and it would still smell fresh. :)

Once I cut my hair off because I was sick of it(about 2 years ago), I started washing daily and have been ever since. Come to think of it, part of the reason I was sick of it was because Pantene changed their formulas and I couldn't find anything that worked the same in my hair. So I went through(and am still going through) countless products to find something that works for me. After nothing worked the same(or smelled the same :( ), I became interested in my hair's health and started trimming until I cut it down to a pixie to start over.

Now I'm trying to cut down on the washing, but it's weird because my hair feels dry when I wash it less. If I could find something that let my hair feel good beyond one or 2 days after washing, I would wash it less. Probably. But I love the feeling of warm water on my scalp and the massage that goes with it. :crush:

So far, the most success I've had is using Nature's Gate Herbal Daily Shampoo & Conditioner followed by some coconut oil. I might be able to skip more than a day, but I'm still working on the mental hurdle.

[CarolinaMaria]

I shampoo my hair and condition the ends of my hair 3-5 times a week depending on the weather and how much I work out that week. I wish I could go longer, but I have super thin hair and it gets stringy and dirty really quickly. :(

[Feng-Shui]

Feng-Shui, if you don't wash for 2 to 3 weeks, doesn't your scalp get itchy or your hair feel greasy? I'm impressed that you can go that long!

No problem with itch or fat on my Scalp.

At some times has I wash only each 4 weeks.

If I am very busy and forget to wash my hair.

In the 4th week I notice then it time absolutely am for a laundry because it begin to itch and becomes greasy.

Then I reminds a laundry is absolutely necessary.:lol:

There is before no problem for me.:)

[Pixna]

Thanks, Feng-Shui! :)

[Chiara]

I do a CWC once a week with shampoo, using an SMT as the final condition stage and letting the SMT sit for an hour or so. I usually oil the ends overnight beforehand. I used to wash every 2nd day, but now I just wash my bangs every 2nd day (the hair in my bangs absorb oils from my face, and my hair look stringy more quickly).

My hair really likes the low washing regime, it's in good condition despite being highlighted, and my scalp is pretty happy too. I would happily wash less then this but my hair does get stringy quickly, and I just don't like how it looks. I find that I can wear my hair down for around 4 days, and then it needs to go up to look OK, which I think is acceptable.

However, I may have to move up to washing twice a week once summer really starts here (I'm in the southern hemisphere).

[RitaPG]

Shampoo and conditioner twice a week. Oil the ends every day, my hair drinks it like crazy!
I can go longer than that without washing, if it doesn't rain or if it's not too hot, but I enjoy the smell of shampoo on my hair (been experimenting with different brands, since I'm new to hair care)

[Loreley]

I shampoo twice a week. I use a cone-, SLS- and SLES-free shampoo and condition with GF Triple Nutrition. I tried washing my hair only once a week but it's a bit greasy and my scalp was very itchy on the 4th and 5th day. :( I'd be very happy if I could do it, but I need to wash it twice a week.

[Phexlyn]

I wash mostly every 5 days, CWC method, with a no-cone shampoo (it does contain sulfates though). I'm on day 6 today and my hair still looks fine, so I guess I could even go for a whole week.

I have been able to shampoo & condition only once a week before (had to start washing more often because of scalp problems), sometimes there were 8-9 days between washes but my hair didn't look good anymore by then. It looked pretty for the first five days after a wash, I'd say, then it was just dark and no volume. I'm a natural medium blonde, and when my hair gets more oily, it seems to be darker and more brown, so I had quite a colour difference between freshly washed hair and hair at the end of the week just before the next wash. If you have darker hair, chances are it will not be as noticable. ;)

[Katze]

I alternate shampoo with CO or WO washes unless I am swimming, then I have to shampoo every time (1-2x a week, every 4 days or so).

When I am not swimming, I can get away with washing every 7 days or longer if I do not use conditioner. But I am a fine haired wavy, and I like some kind of conditioner or leave-in - otherwise my ends feel dry and I get frizz instead of waves.

However, I do occasionally wash with shampoo only, as I feel my hair and scalp need to be really clean sometimes. And I almost never put conditioner on my scalp.

I can stretch my washes quite long if I want, but I prefer having more volume from washing more often, and my scalp is not super happy after 7+ days without shampoo or WO.

[ktani]

I shampoo and catnip treatment every 5 -7 days and have I gone longer. It has no ill effect on my hair or scalp when I do so.

[Pixna]

I appreciate everyone's responses -- thank you! (And please keep 'em coming!)

[Monsterkitti]

I CWC once a week generally, occasionally more often or stretch it further than 7 days. I like to wear it down at the weekends so I time it so its freshly washed for then :) Works nicely :)

I dont really have an ill effects, I wear my hair up and covered during the week generally so it doesnt really matter if its not freshly washed. I dont really get itchies unless I stretch the wash way over 7days.

[dreamsofnorns]

I wash my hair with shampoo everyday. If I don't it just becomes an oily mess (i've tried doing every other day, and every three days, but it makes me feel dirty and makes me feel depressed). The longest I've gone without washing my hair with shampoo is about two weeks, when there was no power at my house and we were conserving water. At the moment I'm using Pantene, but when this bottle is finished I'm going to try organix for the first time.

[dreamsofnorns]

Now I'm trying to cut down on the washing, but it's weird because my hair feels dry when I wash it less. If I could find something that let my hair feel good beyond one or 2 days after washing, I would wash it less. Probably. But I love the feeling of warm water on my scalp and the massage that goes with it. :crush:


I understand what you mean. My ends get really dry and my scalp gets really oily when I don't wash and condition everyday. Even when I brush my hair forever to try to distribute the oils, it just stays nasty oily on my scalp and very dry everywhere else. It just makes me feel gross.

I also love just standing in the shower and letting the water pound on my head :)

[luluj]

I wash every other day with Burt's Bees Shampoo, followed by Burt's Bees conditioner. Twice a week I do a white vinegar and water rinse, usually followed by a deep conditioning. I like to go to Sally's and buy up those little packs of deep treatment conditioners and moisturizers when they are on for 99cents! I should add that my hair reacts very well to cones, without them it just gets all snarly and dry.( Sorry Pixna, I just realized that this thread was meant or those who only wash, and just once a week or longer......I should have paid closer attention.):oops:

[cubedcoley]

I would love to slow down exposure to water and wash less frequently. Right now I am at least every other day with CO or CWC. I like to work out and this seems to make the oilies more obvious. Wearing my hair up and avoiding SLS seems to help, however... how did everybody go 1 week or more with washing given circumstances like mine? :help: