If you stop washing hair every day, it will have some benefits to your hair’s health that you may not have thought of.

I have really curly hair, so trying to make it look nice without washing my hair every day is a nightmare.

While styling your hair when it’s dry is best, it just makes my hair look like frizz. So I wash, dry, and then add heavy amounts of mousse and fixing serum etc. I know this is not the best route for my hair.

So when I heard that many are starting to just not wash their hair, I was intrigued. The constant washing natural oil out to put oily chemicals it is a waste of time.

So what would happen if you just stopped washing hair every day?

1. Cuts out the chemicals

The main three chemicals are Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES), and Parabens; but they are among a long list of other chemicals. It’s difficult to find a shampoo without these 3 chemicals in, even with the proven risks.

SLS, for starters, is a detergent also used in laundry and car wash soaps. It is used to strip oil away but prolonged exposure can result in irritated, dry, flaky skin. Its effects have even been linked to a condition like dandruff – strange when so many shampoos advertise that they stop dandruff…

SLES is a close relation to SLS, but this particular chemical is thankfully on the way out. While it is still found in shampoo, many have stopped using it. The US Environmental Protection Agency has listed them as a probable human carcinogen, while the State of California has classified them as causing cancer.

And parabens? Studies indicate that it reacts with UVB light to increase skin aging and DNA damage. Parabens are also an allergen, causing contact dermatitis and rosacea.

2. Your hair will become healthier

Your hair is coated in natural oil or sebum. This comes from your scalp and coats the hair as it grows. The sebum coating helps maintain the best environment for the scalp, by keeping it dry and warm. The lack of oil messes this up and the body will produce excess sebum to make your hair greasy again; so the more you wash it, the more oil your body will produce.

Cutting down on how many times you wash your hair can allow your scalp to reach the ideal level of oil. This conditions your hair over time so it doesn’t become dry and brittle. It also adds a natural sheen to your locks. By not washing hair as often, you also save it from the punishment of blow drying!

Companies sell heat protection products year-round, but you can protect your hair by just not using hair dryers as much – I let my hair dry naturally for the same reason.

3. Hair color and highlights

Now coloring your hair can be damaging enough, but it can be fun. The damage to your hair makes it porous and fragile, so washing hair strips away the sebum that can protect it. Not only can you protect your hair by not washing it, but the color will also last for long.

That means you can rock your unicorn hair for even longer. For those reasons, it seems like washing can just be a waste of time, doesn’t it? Think you want to try it out? Just be aware; for the first few days, your hair may overproduce oil as it gets into the new routine.



This is your body having a panic reaction, like when over-pack a suitcase in case you might need a bikini AND winter boots. This will settle down and your hair will stop looking oily. It’s even easier if you phase out shampoo instead of stopping completely.

If your hair starts to feel dry, or your curls turn to frizz without those chemical conditioners, use an organic scalp tonic. So spend that extra half hour a day on something you enjoy, and feel happier for it.

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com

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