Less washing = dull, matte, older looking hair?

[DarleneH]

I've been experimenting over the past few weeks with washing less. I've noticed that my hair looks dull, not shiney, and more aged. Is this normal???

[daaisychains]

I don't know what you use/what your washing methods are. But it could possibly be that whatever you've been using has just been regularly coating your hair so it looks super glossy.
Try a clarifying rinse maybe to get rid of build up if your hair is dull. I bet you've got tons on shine hiding underneath.


Good luck X

[luthein]

New routines can be so difficult! Changing routines can have an adjustment period. Until your body reaches an equilibrium with the routine, you may get the itchies, or the greasies, and for some...the new washing routine never works out.

A few things I did to stretch washings without feeling greasy: condition from the ears-down only, only oil the last 8 inches or so, stop touching my scalp, use a milder shampoo (or dilute harsher ones with water) and use dry shampoo on the scalp. I powder cornstarch on my roots with a makeup brush on day 3 to soak up a bit of shine.

[Carolyn]

My thought on this is stretching washes is not always all that it's cracked up to be. I've been talking about this in my blog recently. Some people/some hair does not do well with less washing. If you are one of those people, accept it and wash your hair as often as you feel the need. My hair looks much worse with less washing.

[MiamiPineapple]

I wash everyday, sometimes with shampoo, sometimes CO wash and my hair has never looked better. I think you need to do whats best for your hair. I think my scalp is healthier when I wash too.

[jojo]

My hair does much better with washing it, by day 6 its less shiny but feels stronger some how. I also BBB twice a day and this probably helps me keep the shine and attributes to the stronger hair as it spreads the sebum along the hair shaft to the ends.

[oktobergoud]

I have the same, I guess. Plus it looks darker as well, which annoys me because I already find my hair too dark :P

[charalito]

The dull matte hair thing happens to me if I forget my daily BBB

[Sundial]

Not everyone gets good results by stretching washes. My ends get dried out and crunchy if I don't wash at least every other day.

I think most people combine stretching washes with scritching or BBB to help distribute the sebum along the lengths. Perhaps you can give yourself a period of adjustment, maybe about two weeks, and if it really doesn't work out then at least you know that stretching washes is not for you.

You don't have to beat yourself up over it, stretching washes doesn't work for everyone :flower:

[Madora]

I wash my hair every 4 to 5 weeks and have never had trouble with dull hair.

But I brush every day, 100 strokes in the morning, with my pure boar bristle brush. THAT makes all the difference!

If you do not brush, then the scalp is not envigorated, nor the dirt and stuff removed from your hair. Consequently, the hair will look "dead", "dull" with no life to it.

If you find stretching washes isn't working for you, then try to stretch your wash for a shorter period of time. If your hair is oily, then more frequent washings will be necessary. The important point to remember is this: too frequent washing of your hair will eventually strip it of its natural oil, and your hair will resemble straw. If you need to wash it every day (because of oily hair, or strenuous exercise, or a poor environment, then you'll need to restore some of the oil so that the hair stays looking healthy and moisturized).

The thing to remember is to brush to keep your hair as clean as possible from shampoo to shampoo..and keep your hairbrush squeaky clean too! A brush filled with yesterday's fallen hair will not be effective when you go to brush again! And if your brush is dirty, and you don't clean it, every time you use it, you're just distributing the dirt from the brush back on to your hair! Is it any wonder your hair doesn't shine? Brushes should be kept squeaky clean! Wash 'em every other day!

[archel]

Madora, you have inspired me to go wash my BBB - *whoosh*