The Official "Stretching Washes" Thread

[Kathie]

I'm currently washing every third day. But just over the last couple of weeks I noticed that on wash day I could probably go another. So I'm now hovering between every three-four days. I'd like to stretch washing to once a week.

[Igor]

When I first started stretching my washes I learned a little trick from anatomy that helped me a lot! I made an article on it here
Making washes more cleansing

[morecowbell]

When I first started stretching my washes I learned a little trick from anatomy that helped me a lot! I made an article on it here
Making washes more cleansing

Awesome! Thanks for sharing this! I think I'll add a cold rinse at the start of my shower, and see how it affects the 'grease factor'. I know it's geeky, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE stuff like this! Thanks Igor!

[Luna Lavender]

When I first started stretching my washes I learned a little trick from anatomy that helped me a lot! I made an article on it here
Making washes more cleansing

That sounds interesting! I'll have to try this next wash.

I'm not very good at stretching washes, I try it though... I wash once every 3 days, so 2-3 times a week. I would love to go to once a week, but my hair starts getting greasy already the day before I wash (sometimes even the day after the wash). Then the next day when I wash, it's usually a big greaseball. I hate to go out with greasy hair, because it really shows, no matter what updo's I do. *Sighs*

[Pixna]

I am now washing just once a week. I used to wash twice a week, so it wasn't a huge stretch. When I wash my hair, I do a thorough cleansing of the scalp (with VERY diluted Bronner's liquid baby soap) and finish with an ACV rinse (which I lightly rinse out). I oil ONLY from the ears down very light with jojoba oil while my hair is still wet/damp, and am careful when I comb it through to only comb from the ears down so I don't get the oil on the scalp or where hair tends to be oiliest. Then, I let it air dry and put it up every day in a bun. I found it to be a very easy transition to washing once a week by using this method.

[PrincessBob]

If my hair is starting to "look dirty" I might throw a scarf or bandanna over it, or at least dab my canopy and roots with said scarf or bandanna, which is usually cotton, to absorb some of the greasies.

[LouLaLa]

I wash twice a week but I must admit I can only wear it down on the day after I wash it (I wash of an evening so I can dry naturally). Then I have to rely on sock buns etc to get me through the rest. I do think its made my hair nicer and it also stops me obsessing with my hair. In an ideal world Id go to once a week but I like to oil my ends and at BSL I dont really have enough hair to really "oil distribute" to get rid of the greasy look.

When I used to have waist length hair I only washed twice a week and it was totally fine so I think that benign neglect/no dye/no heat is what my hair wants so im going to give it to it (I think it will be very happy)!

[bumblebums]

There's no place to discuss that article, but since you mention it... I seem to recall there was a thread a few months back that reported a reduction in shedding from washing in cold water. That certainly makes sense under the theory. Thanks for explaining!

As for stretching washes, I have found that when I massage the scalp, it makes it greasier. So now I don't touch it most of the week and only massage the night before a wash (I wash in the morning).

If my hair is getting unbearably greasy, I'll sometimes do a WO wash. It allows me to postpone a stronger wash by two to three days, usually. And, as many people in this thread, I finally managed to spread out washes only when I gave up shampoo. I use Indian herbs most of the time, with an occasional egg in-between. I think conditioner only attracts dirt to my hair, and it also seems to react with sebum to produce a horrible gunky mess. Obviously this varies from person to person; plenty of people manage to stretch out washes while using conventional products.

[morecowbell]

SNIP:
As for stretching washes, I have found that when I massage the scalp, it makes it greasier. So now I don't touch it most of the week and only massage the night before a wash (I wash in the morning).

Hm, I've been thinking about that lately. I notice that during weeks when I wear my hair down, it gets 'dirty' faster than weeks I wear it up most of the time... Maybe because the movement of the hair is 'rubbing' the scalp to produce more sebum?
I'm just wondering because I washed my hair Thursday evening (so this is day one and a half), and it's already kinda greasy looking... I'm thinking it's because I wore it down and played with it all day yesterday...

[alwayssmiling]

I've only being trying this for a couple of weeks (gone from washing every day to every third day). The second day is fine but the third day my hair is starting to look really awful (hoping this will get better with time).

I have done fringe only washes (brilliant for when my hair is tied back)

Dry shampoo (great for one use but any build feels waxy and horrible)

Brushing hair back into a ponytail using a large BBBrush (this smooths the hair neatly making it look shiny rather than greasy, normal brushes just seperate the hair and you can tell its greasy.)

Going to try CO washing for the second day..

Now the weather is getting colder my good old faithful hats are coming out for the days when I don't have to be anywhere important.

What I have noticed is that when I do shampoo my hair it feels FANTASTIC, very soft and healthy and no frizzes, even when I used a clarifying shampoo (anyone else noticed this?). I'm hoping this will help with the breakage problem along with no heat. Will watch this thread with interest.