Stretching washes finally paid off!

[LaFlor]

I've been "stretching" washes since I joined here in 2009, or atleast what I thought was stretching washes...

I was washing my hair everyother day instead of every day :rolleyes:

But after almost 3 years of 2nd day greasies, I decide to ignore my greasy hair and actually stretch my washes. After about 2 months of dealing with 3rd and 4th day greasiness I have finally made some progress. It's been really horrible and I'm happy I didn't have to leave the house often but I have managed to get my hair to where it still looks good and greasy free on the second day & part of the third day. :joy:

I'm really hoping I can one day join the ranks of those that only wash once a week with minimum greasiness!

[henné]

Congratulations!!!

I have the same goal - washing once a week without major bouts of greasiness and mainly ... itchiness :( I would have no problem with stretching in-between washes if it weren't for the greasy gotta-wash-it hair itchiness. I'm trying to find a solution for that one right now.

[Deborah]

Good for You! Keep at it, and I bet you will achieve your goal of once weekly washing. I do mine just once a week. My hair responds well, and it sure is nice not to have to fuss with my hair much.

p.s. Your hair is lovely.

[Littlewing13]

Is it possible for someone who used to wash once every 2nd day to make it to once a week? Does dry shampoo count for not washing? I want to too, but I wash every 2nd day & hate greasies.

[SerinaDaith]

I have been trying to alternate CWC with CO washes because my hair is too short to pull all back without flyaway frizz and I have two toddlers in the house, not a day goes by when some yucky baby hand does not end up somewhere in my hair. I still try to stretch my washing to every other day right now and my hair seems to be liking it, as my hair get's longer and the babies get older and less in my hair (literally) I hope to stretch to once a week CO washes.

[LaFlor]

Is it possible for someone who used to wash once every 2nd day to make it to once a week? Does dry shampoo count for not washing? I want to too, but I wash every 2nd day & hate greasies.

I hope so. I'm still trying to figure it all out myself. I would imagine ones scalp would get used to not being washed so much and would adjust grease production accordingly. Some people don't include dry shampoo as washing, but I would really like to get away from any kind of washing inbetween... if possible. I hate my hair when it's greasy, but I feel like if I can suffer with more grease now in exchange for less grease later, it's worth it!

[ladylowtide]

Hi there! I too started stretching my washes since joining LHC. It has been slow since I have very reactive scalp but I went from being a every three day hair washer, to every 6-7 days. 6 days in the heat. I would wash every 3 days and have very greasy hair on the third. When I first started 6 months ago I looked HORRIBLE. Like beyond socially acceptably dirty. Like just bad. But after the initial adjustment period around 3 -4 weeks I had stretched to every 5 days. Then after about two months of maintaining that I stretched to once a week. and it has been jolly since then until it got to be 108 degrees out. Then I decided every 6-7 would be fine because I might actually break a sweat lol.

It is definitely possible for certain people who have oil scalps and have been washing more frequently to stretch. I think people get foiled when they don't wait out the adjustment period. IMO

[afu]

I have found that oiling and brushing my hair really helps me to stretch washes. If im stretching I will typically leave my hair to naturally curl and after a couple of days when it starts to look bad I will oil the lengths with sweet almond oil and bruch through really well with a tangle teezer from root to tip. I can then wear my hair in waves or bunned for a few more days. Not exactly sure how adding more oil helps to combat the greasies but somehow it does! When i originally started trying to stretch my hair just got really dry and strawlike between washes (i hadn't discovered oiling at that point). I always CO, however much oil i've put in there

[kitcatsmeow]

Congrats!! I too have been working on stretching for years. I'm currently on 7 days and can even wear my hair down on day 5 or 6 and it looks and feels good! A trick I learned other than keeping it bunned almost always (which I prefer) is day 3 I dampen it with some of my favorite essential oils to give it a nice pretty scent and then smooth just a dab of baby oil on and wrap it again for an hour or so until it's dry. really freshens it up :)

Also using a wide tooth comb twice a day keeps it tangle free and nice and smooth. I BBB once in a while usually after day 4 though.

[juicy-glitter]

Stretching washes has really helped me..... when i was using shampoo :/ Now that I CO wash/CWC... I seem to actually benefit from everyday-every other day... Go figure.:shrug:

[Littlewing13]

Thanks guys thats really helpful. I think I've just been too grossed out by leaving it for more than a couple days. I'm gonna try this, just maybe give it an extra day at a time.

[Jing]

Congratulations!!!

I have the same goal - washing once a week without major bouts of greasiness and mainly ... itchiness :( I would have no problem with stretching in-between washes if it weren't for the greasy gotta-wash-it hair itchiness. I'm trying to find a solution for that one right now.

Have you tried tea tree oil? Just a little bit in a mister bottle with distilled water works wonders against itchiness. Unfortunately my hair hates tea tree oil, and it's impossible to get the stuff on my scalp without getting some on my hair. YMMV?

[bouclée]

I am currently trying to stretch washes too and I have actually discovered cassia treatments help a lot! I've already gained two days since I've started using cassia (mixed with a tiny bit of henna) and I has only been about a month and a half!

[ravenheather]

I'd like to get to once a week too. I currently wash with 'poo 2xs a week. But I wo or co on day 3 inbetween.

[Indigostreams]

I'd like to stretch washes, but have any of you noticed if your scalp gets kinda stinky? It's hard to smell it yourself, but if I like whip my hair I can sometimes get a whiff of it. I can always smell it on other people too, like my boyfriend, if he hasn't washed his hair.

[LaFlor]

I'd like to stretch washes, but have any of you noticed if your scalp gets kinda stinky? It's hard to smell it yourself, but if I like whip my hair I can sometimes get a whiff of it. I can always smell it on other people too, like my boyfriend, if he hasn't washed his hair.

I've noticed that it happens to my children if I don't wash their hair for a couple of days, but I never thought to ask DH if he noticed mine smelling wierd. I've never noticed a wierd smell and no one else has mentioned it to me... Now I'm curious to ask DH to smell my scalp later today!

[Anje]

Is it possible for someone who used to wash once every 2nd day to make it to once a week? Does dry shampoo count for not washing? I want to too, but I wash every 2nd day & hate greasies.
I'd say so. I used to wash nearly daily (more because I thought I had to wash my hair when I showered than because it was necessarily a greasy mess). These days, I can go about 5-7 days in the summer without washing my hair, assuming I don't decide to jump in a lake. In the winter, my sebum production is a bit higher, so I can't manage it year-round.

However, not all scalps are as changeable as mine. YMMV.

[AutumnLocks]

I have never been a daily hair washer. The most I have ever washed my hair is 3 times a week. If I get the greasies then I will wash twice a week. Normally it is only once a week. Usually on Friday night and I go to bed with it damp. A couple weeks ago I decided that I wanted some waves so I did 8 small braids and slept that way. When I got up Saturday morning I took down the braids and had some really pretty waves. Love it like that!

[Changling]

Yay! I like stretching washes, if for no other reason than laziness! I was really happy to find out that it can be better for your hair (to handle it less, I mean, because washing is like EXTREME handling).

I had to wash my hair every other day when it was long or it would look bad, but that was over ten years ago, when I was just a kid. When I was doing ULTIMATE STYLING of my emo pixie, I was getting it all nice and straight, and voluminous and sticking up just right and everything, then just not washing for days after so I didn't have to style it again lol...so I guess that's when I started stretching washes.

Now that my hair is a *little* longer, I find ways to hide greasiness just so I don't have to wash it because I am lazy and I know it's not going to hurt my hair to go another day. I french braid it or wear a bandana on the bad days. Actually, my french braids look a little better when I haven't washed it in while, lol. Since I shower more often than I wash my hair, I'll often rinse it or maybe do a WO wash, that keeps a lot of the greasiness down.

Oh and I BBB and scalp massage every day. It has helped my hair not look greasy very well.

[akilina]

Yay!! Sounds nice.. wish I could do it.
Lately I feel I have to wash every day..and I know its because I AM washing every day.
About 8 months ago I was doing really good and stretching 2 and 3 days and doing CO but since I moved it hasn't been reachable yet. Im in a different climate completely. I was in the desert in Nevada before now I am in the redwoods of California.

[Zesty]

Miraculously I think I may have gotten myself down to twice a week washing. Just a year ago I washed my hair every day. I think braiding it has really helped me ignore the greasies, and I'm not sure if it's the vinegar rinses I'm doing or some other factor, but I'm not getting nearly as many flakes. Success is wonderful (and so low maintenance).

[Trivial]

What an inspiring thread! I used to wash my hair every other day, but since I dumped my SLS 'poo and started to use a milder ecocert 'poo on my scalp and CO on the rest of my hair I have succeeded to stretch my washes to atleast four-five days later. The first couple of days I wear my hair loose, he third in a ponytail or a half up, and the fourth and fifth in a bun. My goal is once a week!

[Amber_Maiden]

Glad to hear you've made progress!

[BrightEyes]

That's wonderful! Actually, this gives me hope. Since I have stopped heat styling I've had to start washing my hair more (I haven't figured out why...hopefully it's because my hair isn't as dry). But I loved washing 2-3 times a week instead of every day or every other day. Maybe I just need to ignore the greasies and give my scalp time to adjust.

[henné]

Following a friend's example (with amazingly gorgeous long and thick hair), I have decided to WO between washes. She shampoos once a week and then WO's as much as she needs to. I WO'ed yesterday for the first time in mah life and 24 hours later it still feels great. I was surprised how wavy my hair was after WO! I also found a few loose curls! :eyebrows: I'm also planning on trying scritching to help me WO and alleviate the itchiness I have when my hair gets greasy.

Here's to stretching those washes! :)

[dwell_in_safety]

:D I've stretched my own washes from every other day to once a week. This began in October, when I became CO. I washed twice a week until it adjusted to that (along with not using shampoo...). Took about 10 weeks. After that, once a week with WO rinse halfway between, and for the past few months it's been just the CO wash once a week. That rinse was absolutely necessary in the adjusting stage, though. It really freshened my hair.

[jacqueline101]

I've done stretch washes for a year and my hair feels better. The benefits are great.

[Bedhead]

Good for you! It's amazing what can happen if you give your scalp an abundance of patience. :)

[Logi Bear]

A while ago i gave up shampoo and used baking soda paste when washing my hair, it worked wonderfully (providing that I actually washed it all out... lol Better than shampoo most of the time, and BOY was my hair SOFT. And after a while I noticed I did not need to wash my hair every other day anymore like I used to. I started washing once every 3 or 4 days. I also tried a natural shampoo from Aubrey Organics, and a natural shampoo and conditioner from Herbal Naturals.. and I still usually only washed my hair 2 or 3 times a week. But now I am giving water only washing a try, but I can't decide whether or not to try and wash every day with water, or to keep up with my same routine...???

[PrincessofCups]

I never thought stretching washes could be something I could do. I always thought I was one of those people who had greasy hair. At first I realized that washing my hair EVERY day was way too time consuming, so I tried every other day. Once I started reading LHC I've been washing every three days. My scalp is looking better and better the more I have been doing it.:D

Unfortunately it's extremely hot in the south right now and my scalp sweats more than me. I will just have to keep cool.:cool:

[dollyfish]

To everyone who gets an itchy scalp from stretching washes: when I shower without washing my hair (WO) I flip my head upside down under the water and scritch and scratch away at my scalp like crazy. The angle allows for better access (especially with thicker hair). This helps to not only spread/disperse oils, but remove all the dead skin build up that causes that itchy, something's-not-quite-right feeling.

I've gotten to the point where I use a shampoo bar maybe once a week (sometimes less!), getting the suds on my hands and getting at the scalp via the upside down scritch method, followed by an ACV rinse. Every other day I either WO or just do an ACV rinse, with the occasional baking soda rinse to combat my hard water. Plus frequent between shower oilings... Though I have *very* dry hair!

[buttercupmcgee]

I've been "stretching" washes since I joined here in 2009, or atleast what I thought was stretching washes...

I was washing my hair everyother day instead of every day :rolleyes:

But after almost 3 years of 2nd day greasies, I decide to ignore my greasy hair and actually stretch my washes. After about 2 months of dealing with 3rd and 4th day greasiness I have finally made some progress. It's been really horrible and I'm happy I didn't have to leave the house often but I have managed to get my hair to where it still looks good and greasy free on the second day & part of the third day. :joy:

I'm really hoping I can one day join the ranks of those that only wash once a week with minimum greasiness!

Hooray! Apologies if this has been mentioned, but...have you tried dry shampoo? I recommend Klorane, works wonders.

[EndlessSunshine]

I am trying to stretch washes, currently on day 5 since my last CO wash. We are going out tomorrow night so I am doing a rosemary and tea rinse to help with the greasies, static, and sebumy smell. My husband doesn"t understand what I am doing but as long as I am happy. LOL

[LaFlor]

I will have to try the WO wash and see if that helps stretch the days a little more. I've been sweating a lot lately too, which doesn't help my efforts, but I'm just trying to push through it!! I've been looking into hats/gypsy bandanas to help cover the greasies on the bad days :)

[catamonica]

I wash my hair once a week. And do one or two scalp washes. Otherwise my scalp would itch.