You’re probably wondering why anybody in their right mind would choose to go 17 whole days without washing their hair. First, let’s get this off the table I care profoundly about hygiene, and I know it may seem a bit backwards. But if you stick with me, I will tell you how I learned that going longer between washes is better for you.
There is this beauty that I follow, her hair is like Rapunzel’s hair, and no she doesn’t wear extensions she is just naturally that beautiful. Her name is Jasmine I shared a little more about her in my hair blog post. She recently did a thing- she went 33 days between washes. Her goal was to talk about proper scalp treatment during those days.
This had me thinking, I love a good challenge. I am a brunette and have been able to stretch my hair washing days. The longest I have ever gone is eight days. I was up for seeing what I can do to change my hair game.
Some important things I have learned in these last 17 days:
1. Having a good boar bristle brush along with a detangling brush
I use the L’ange brushes that Jasmine herself helped create! Once I arrived on day 8, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it 9 more days without looking like the biggest grease ball. These brushes helped a ton! Nightly brushing my scalp with the boar bristle brush and then brushing through the knots with the detangling brush helped me to get to day 17 with ease.
2. Stronger and better smelling dry shampoo
I use and love L’ange’s dry shampoo its light, applies clear and significant for those who go 5-7 days between washes. But, I needed something stronger around day 10. I tired Hask Chia Seed dry shampoo, (which you can find on Amazon or at any drug store) and I was nervous at first because I have sensitive skin/scalp so I wasn’t sure how this would go. It smells delicious, and it works wonders, it’s honestly what helped me get to day 17! It helped cut the grease tremendously. I applied at night and not every night and made sure I brushed through my scalp to avoid build up on my hair follicle to continue to help with healthy hair growth. That’s super important when going longer between washes!
3. Changing my pillowcase and sleeping with dirty hair
When stretching your hair washing days, it’s essential to change your pillowcase frequently. Our hair collects a lot of dirt, dust and yucky things that float in the air outside. If you don’t believe me check out your brush. See all the nasty stuff stuck in the bristles? To avoid breakouts, you want to keep your pillowcase clean as much as possible. I change mine every three days. I also sleep with my hair laying up and above my pillow, to avoid laying on it when sleeping. If you move a lot when sleeping, I suggest loosely tying your hair with a coil hair tie, and still placing your hair over your pillow.
4. When to apply products to your hair
I have learned that it is important not to apply dry shampoo or any other product on my scalp when my hair is clean. Your hair produces natural oils, and when you use certain products, you can give your scalp a mixed signal. Your scalp will then overproduce oil or not provide enough depending on your routine and then it won’t grow like Repunzles. I apply dry shampoo on the fifth day after washing, sometimes the sixth. If you wash every day or every other day, I would try to push it to the very last day to apply your dry shampoo.
5. Hydrating your ends
I made significant errors while going 17 days and one of them is I did not apply enough hydration to my ends. Dry shampoo is lovely when used correctly! But, hydrating your ends are essential. Dry shampoo helps cut back and slow down your oil production. Which is great for when you are going longer between washes but not great for your ends. I applied L’anges Marula oil in my hair when I was going out, but I should have been using it daily. In conclusion, hydration is essential for your body and your hair!
6. Wanting to give up
You may have noticed a pattern as you read that on day 10 I doubted wheater or not I could make it to day 17 without looking or sounding like a total failure. I wanted to throw in the towel, but I am so glad I didn’t because my hair looked better on day 17 then it did on day 10. Going longer between washes helps healthy hair growth, so if you are stuck and can’t get your hair to go longer try some of these tips! On the days you feel like giving in, push through, be patient and it will be worth the risk!
Would I suggest going 17 days between washing? Not necessarily. I might stretch my hair washing days to 10 after this. Was it gross at times? Absolutely! Either way, I am so glad I tried this experiment. It was an excellent opportunity to stress test L’ange’s products. I now have an even more significant appreciation for their products. Are you ready to stretch your hair washing days? As Jasmine would say, “dry shampoo and push through!”
Leave a Reply