I Shamelessly Only Wash My Hair Four Times a Month
There's really only been one tiny era of my life in which I felt like washing my hair made a huge difference.
I was at an Eva Longoria charity event back in 2008, and because she was a L'Oreal brand ambassador, our gift bags at the end of the night were chock-full of L'Oreal swag. One of the items was none other than a particular since-discontinued shampoo. I had no intentions of using it, but when I ran out of whatever else I was using at the time, I decided to give it a go. This was back when people were still washing their hair every to every other day.
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I've never been an every other day kind of gal. I would usually wash my hair every three days. And as I mentioned, this magical L'Oreal concoction is the only thing in my lifetime of existence that I truly recall making a long term difference in my hair (there'd been instances of shampoos working for a week or two, but nothing was truly consistent). Now don't get me wrong, whenever I'm fresh from a salon, my hair looks ravishing. But that's everyone who comes from the salon. But then the minute you step into your at-home shower with water not blessed by a holy stylist, it just isn't the same.
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My hair has always (and continues to be) a work in progress. Born with a big, coarse, curly mane, it is quite the struggle. Once that L'Oreal shampoo was discontinued, it was incredibly difficult to wear my hair straight. I would flat-iron away, but my hair was left feeling either too dry or too greasy. I just couldn't get it right. Eventually I gave up, only washing my hair, letting it dry however it was going to dry and then curling it with an iron. When you use a curling iron, it's a lot easier to deal with any consistency of your hair. But my hair was pretty long, and after sweaty workouts and constant heat-styling, I eventually needed a good rinse.
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It wasn't until just this year that I got to the point of not washing my hair for 7-9 days at a time. I went to my incredible stylist Nic Flores at Sally Hershberger salon in West Hollywood, California, and he convinced me to chop my mid-back-length 'do and get a lob. This was right before everyone was doing it, so it was a little nerve wracking to think about chopping off so many inches of hair! But I went for it and also got a keratin treatment (which I recommend to everyone, by the way!).
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It took a lot to get used to my new look, but for all the best reasons. It wasn't the style that I wasn't used to—it was how infrequently I felt compelled to wash my hair! It was suddenly so much easier to go days and days without a wash. Now don't get me wrong, I certainly bathe plenty (in fact, I am obsessed with my bath and I find myself hopping in multiple times a day), but I really don't feel the need to give my scalp a good scrubbin' too much.
Let's face the facts: Washing your hair feels relaxing and purifying, but the aftermath is no fun. Waiting for it to dry or blow drying it and then spending an hour styling it (yes, it can still take up to that long even with shorter hair) feels like a huge chunk out of your day than can be put towards Starbucks runs or a quick AM workout. Even after a workout, it may seem absolutely necessary to wash that hair. Nope! When my hair is in a tight bun, it gets far less sweaty than in a casual ponytail. And then I generously spritz on the dry shampoo, and voila—good as new!
In addition, I have red coloring in my hair and seriously, after three measly washes, the hue is already down the drain (literally). So in order to maintain that rich shade, my locks have gotta steer clear from the shower.
So, there you have it. I only wash my hair approximately four times a month, and guess what? My coworkers can't even tell the difference and they see me the most. I certainly don't recommend this routine (or lack thereof) to everyone (or even myself a few years ago). But as of right now, it's working out and I have no plans to change it!
Regardless of your hair's length or washing frequency, there is one big misconception that a hair expert clears up HERE!