The Case For Not Washing Your Hair

Today, as textured locks and full hair begin to eclipse the ironed and Japanese-straightened styles that were previously in vogue, weekly visits to salons are more common among women who were born since the Eisenhower administration. Women say it cuts down on bathroom time by eliminating daily blow-drying and is an excuse for more pampering when everything else has been polished and waxed.

Read the entire New York Times story here.

Experts have been advising that we skip the shampooing since... uh, probably since the invention of shampoo. Read more arguments here and here and here.

And, really, not washing your hair is so on-trend because blogger Verena von Pfetten just recently declared frizzy the new fabulous.

Check out a woman who has not washed her hair in 11 years.

Tell us in comments below: how often do you shampoo? And, please, be honest. We're not here to judge.

Comments

[MyCatSnores]

I shampoo at least every two days. My hair is thick and fine with weird cowlicks and random wavy parts, but mostly straight. If I go too long without shampooing my skin starts breaking out.

That no smapoo rule might work for the curlyheads, but unwashed hair on me looks just dreadful.

[JMEB]

I LOVE shampooing. And I have a full head of hair.

[kotexbarbie]

Have you ever seen a bald homeless person? Think about it.

[hollyo]

This totally cracked me up. A rare event indeed.

[OneWoman]

Astute observation! LOL Actually, that could be because they are outdoors and need the hair for warmth. I've wondered if baldness is an adaptation to living indoors...

[ampay]

This is really interesting. I live in NYC and no, I've never seen a bald homeless person. Definitely something to think about...

[jennylens]

I urge everyone with naturally curly hair to spend $10 on the book, "Curly Girl," written by a NY stylist with curly hair and curly clients.

Her advice is AMAZING! My hair is soft, shiny, bouncy and frizz-free for the first time!

My hair is growing below my shoulders, for the first time and I'm 57! My hair ALWAYS broke off in the past!

The secret: wash with conditioners and don't rinse it out. Or sometimes rinse close to the scalp, but leave some on the rest. She lists ingredients found in most shampoos and conditioners that are very drying to one's hair.

These synthetic chemicals are in MOST shampoos and conditioners, except a few I found in the health food store. She has a chapter on home-made remedies as well.

Curly gals need moisture in our hair! And this helps preserve hair color from fading!

Any idea how much money I have saved in the last year? No shampoos, and no anti-frizz styling stuff that usually left my hair sticky if I put a tad too much on.

So for all of you who are disgusted with this concept, don't knock it til you try it! I can't speak for those not blessed with naturally curly hair. But having lived through the straight 60's and years of frizzy hair in photos, I am finally proud of my glorious mane of hair!

I only wish I knew this all my life! Soft, shiny, sexy hair and no smell.

[Vanska]

got the book and also got it for my neice who has the most hair Ive ever seen on a person. I dont use shampoo anymore, just condition once a day. ...hot water and lots of it. no smell, great texture and I find that if I massage my scalp using conditioner no flakes either. A good clear gel is all that I use as a styling product. I have curly hair and its fabulous. Shampoo producers would like you to believe that you cant live without it but thats a lie.

[LoRiseAntlers]

I haven't used shampoo in ages.I do wet it thoroughly every time I shower,tho­ugh.My hair is not oily,nor do I have dandruff.

[lyingtruth]

A handful of Pomade does it for me but I have to wash my pillow cases and headrests a lot!

[isis]

Every day. If not I feel allergic.

[Jane]

When my daughter was ten, she had long thick hair and hated to have it combed, so I gave up in disgust. She went without coambing it for four months--did do a lot of swimming in a clean lake over that summer. When school came around and I insisted she let me brush it, it was soft, sweet, and easy to brush. So I believe this. But I still wash my hair every other day because of helmet head.

[eShirl]

The people who tell these never-shampooers that their hair smells great? They're just being polite, while they try not to gag. Stop deluding yourselves.

[jaschrod]

The people who think their hair smells good have just become accustomed to the smell. I do not want to be around people who do not maintain good hygiene, and I do not want to be around people who smell bad. If for no other reason, the hair picks up odors that are prevalent in the air.

[Economike]

I never use shampoo but rinse with hot water every morning. I've work in an office where people are real picky about hygiene for 12 years and nobody's ever said anything. There isn't any odor. There just isn't a shampoo smell. Shampoo is a rip off it's useless.

[rini]

I work out and get drenched in sweat, daily. Also, my scalp gets intensely itchy after about 48 hrs if I don't wash my hair. Then I'll get flakes. Needless to say, I don't let this happen. How do people go without washing their hair? When my kids were little and refused to wash, their scalps would actually smell. Maybe it's more natural, but then, so is living in a cave.

[degjack]

Once a week washing or once every 2 weeks is fine. Hair looks better, though scalp can be bothersome. This is also difficult to do in the summertime. Though I agree, hair not washed too often looks better and has great body.

[fcsakes]

I stopped washing my hair every time I showered several years ago (on the advice of a dermatologist who told me it was very bad for my hair and, not incidentally, also very bad for my skin to bathe every day or even every other day). Now I wash my hair every 7 to 10 days with Dr. Bonner's Castile soap...mor­e often if I do something sweaty like working out, gardening, whatever. In the winter I follow that with a light conditioner and I never use a blow dryer. My hair and scalp smell good - how do I know? I asked someone for the first several months to give me feedback. "You smell clean," was the only response I ever got. My hair feels good and I'm saving bunches of money...ya­y!!!

[jaschrod]

yuk

[vegimomo]

No matter what these women think, unwashed hair looks oily, collects dandruff, and reeks. It smells on subways, on pillows, and in the gym. Although you might have beautifully-styled hair for one day, remember that we can smell your scalp the rest of the week. Please wash.

[Economike]

Who goes around smelling strangers scalps?

[NYCBear]

How do you know that unwashed hair looks oily, etc etc? Do you check everyone you meet, to see if they shampoo?

No - you just assume that if someone's hair is clean and nice that they shampoo it. And those with oily, flaky hair don't use shampoo.

If you actually CHECKED, you'd find that neither assumption is dependably true. But you wouldn't check, would you? Belief is enough for you, facts just complicate things.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Every other day...unle­ss I work out or go to the beach... then washing is a must.

[Novelene]

Oh, just stop it already. Have you ever stood behind the smelly person in the checkout line? It's their filthy hair, one whiff of which can make you pass out. If not, you're probably the smelly one. Get a grip, people.

[jaschrod]

I agree, it makes you want to gag, and I mean that literally.