Inconsistent washing

**Ylva** · January 19th, 2019, 04:33 PM

At one point I thought I noticed a difference in how my scalp felt when I went longer without washing, but in the end, I don't think there is a difference. I think that's just me focusing too much on how my scalp is feeling. I never, ever had any issues with my scalp washing randomly, so I feel like slapping myself across the face for allowing it to get to me like that.

For me, washing frequently is just a preference based on how I like my hair to look and feel. It also seems to get tangled more easily as time goes on, due to the ends/lengths becoming dry and it probably has something to do with sebum and other stuff making the hair dirty as well.

**Longlegs** · January 19th, 2019, 04:42 PM

I am quite 'random' on when I wash my hair. usually when it's convenient for me, it also depends on the weather and if I've been sweating a lot. I can always put it up if it looks bad. I sometimes wash just so I can deep condition the ends.

**MusicalSpoons** · January 19th, 2019, 04:50 PM

I used to wash every other day like clockwork when I was out of the house 6 or 7 days each week. When I was waiting but crashing on the weekends, again I had a schedule dictated by needing my hair to look presentable when leaving the house. Now I'm not working, and at most leave the house 2 days each week (or 3 days on rare occasions) so my washing schedule is still dictated by that, but the days I go out sometimes change (I might be well enough to go out on Saturday morning, or Sunday morning, or neither) so yeah, it varies.

On *average* now I'll do a full wash once a week, plus or minus a day or two, and probably do a scalp wash in between. If I'm not well enough to go anywhere for a week or so, I will wash when my scalp tells me it needs washing - if I have the energy!

I read a Twitter thread that made an interesting point about consistency. Over time, we tend to have consistent cycles, such as hormones (men and women), mood, seasons, etc. But day-to-day we are naturally fairly inconsistent beings due to natural fluctuations in our bodies and our lives, and the point was that expecting consistency on a daily basis is therefore unnatural. (Finally found it, but warning for language: https://mobile.twitter.com/FelicityM...27189074919426) Not sure whether I totally agree, but I thought it relevant to the discussion.

**Ylva** · January 19th, 2019, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by MusicalSpoons

I read a Twitter thread that made an interesting point about consistency. Over time, we tend to have consistent cycles, such as hormones (men and women), mood, seasons, etc. But day-to-day we are naturally fairly inconsistent beings due to natural fluctuations in our bodies and our lives, and the point was that expecting consistency on a daily basis is therefore unnatural. (Finally found it, but warning for language: https://mobile.twitter.com/FelicityM...27189074919426) Not sure whether I totally agree, but I thought it relevant to the discussion.

Getting used to too much consistency could also be rather devastating or at the very least inconvenient from an evolutionary perspective. But this viewpoint is hardly relevant to a modern-day longhair.

**MusicalSpoons** · January 19th, 2019, 05:04 PM

^ It did make me think about how at certain times in one's cycle, many of us find we're greasier/oilier, and also how many find a distinct difference between haircare in different seasons, which would all lend itself to inconsistent washing

**lapushka** · January 19th, 2019, 05:06 PM

I need to be on some sort of schedule (SD), so it's the easiest for me to wash on a Sunday, every Sunday. It's just what works for me.

**lithostoic** · January 19th, 2019, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by gustavonut

I always wear a baseball cap too!! I work with candy so having my hair up and out of my way is a must. I’ve also worn a bandana to cover 3-5 day hair when I couldn’t bother washing it.

I also work with food! I run the grill at a restaraunt

**HaMalka** · January 19th, 2019, 05:25 PM

I am very inconsistent when it comes to washing my hair. I theoretically wash it every Friday afternoon. In reality I wash it every 4 days to once a month. I will wash it on Thursday if I know I wont have time on Friday. I will wash it Saturday or Sunday or Monday if I ran out of time on the previous days. If it gets to Tuesday unwashed I'll just wait till the next Friday. If this happens several weeks in a row I can go a month without washing and I end up wearing a lot of headscarves. My scalp really does not like me not washing it for a month but if I get busy or sick I don't have the time/ability to wash it when I can just cover it with a scarf.

**peachyleshy** · January 19th, 2019, 05:39 PM

I'm sort of inconsistent lately. More like consistently consistent... my aim is tho wash in the morning and go three days in between the next wash. This way I have two days where my hair is clean and the last day I can use dry shampoo and it's still presentable. That's if I wear it up every day. If I wear it down it gets dirty faster. Then the inconsistency comes in when I don't want to wake up early so I wash it at night... Then my waking hours have dirtier hair. So I try to get back on track. I don't want to ramble on, but I am frustrated with not having a routine I can stick to and with my oily scalp.

**Dark40** · January 19th, 2019, 06:09 PM

I'm one that washes my hair whenever I feel like it. Or, every other day. If I go a whole week without washing it my hair and scalp looks and feels greasy, and I don't like using dry shampoos or powders.