How often should you wash your hair?

Step away from the shampoo until you've read our guide
 

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How often should you wash your hair? Whether you prefer to wash your hair every day, or you like to leave it as long as possible in between shampoos, the answer may surprise you.  

Wash according to your hair type

How often you need to wash your hair depends largely on what type of hair you have. Fine hair is prone to oil build-up, so it’s best to wash this type of hair every other day. Clarifying shampoo can help gently clear your hair of excess oils, while a volumising shampoo can help restore your hair’s natural body. If you’ve got thick hair you can leave three or more days between shampoos and if your hair is coarse you’ll probably get away with washing your hair once a week with a moisturising shampoo and conditioner.

Take care with coloured hair

Washing too often can fade colour-treated tresses, so if you’ve got coloured hair try to shampoo no more than two to three times a week. To help maintain your hair’s colour and vibrancy, use a shampoo designed especially for coloured hair. If your locks are dyed grey or blonde, invest in a purple shampoo to keep your colour looking bright.

Texture matters

It may sound counter-intuitive, but washing oily hair every day can actually make it greasier in the long run, as this can over-stimulate oil producing glands in the scalp. Instead use dry shampoo on greasy roots for a quick fix in between washes. Dry hair should be washed every two to three days with a shampoo that hydrates and provides much-needed moisture.

There’s a large choice of shampoos for curly hair and unless it’s especially greasy, you’ll be able to go three or more days without washing, which is great news for those of you with tousled tresses.

Style icons take note

Regular styling can cause a build-up of product, so if you use hairsprays, mousses and heat protection products daily, you’ll need to shampoo more frequently. Although rinsing and conditioning does help to relieve the stress put on your hair, it’s still best to wash out styling products every other day.  Our top tip when shampooing is to lather, rinse and repeat - the first application will help to remove the build-up of product and oil while the second will treat your scalp and hair.

Show your scalp some love

The scalp is where living hair cells grow, so it’s important to look after it. Treating your scalp with some much-needed TLC will have great benefits for your hair, as massaging the scalp while you shampoo can help to prevent a build-up of oil in the long run.  If you have a scalp condition you may want to use a specially-formulated shampoo every other day until it starts improving. Anti-dandruff shampoos have been designed to tackle flaky scalps without drying out your hair. Of course, lifestyle and activity will also have an impact on how often you need to wash your hair (let’s face it, nobody loves post-workout sweaty tresses) but this guide gives you a rough idea of how often you should be snatching up the shampoo. One thing’s for certain though, when it comes to your hair you don’t need to be washing daily, so hit that snooze button, sister!