11/14/20
The Art of the Infrequent Hair Wash Day
Liz Eike
Which do you value more: sleeping or looking good in the morning? When it comes to hair and makeup, one usually has to sacrifice an extra hour or two of shut-eye in exchange for the time it takes to look presentable for the day. Some of this schedule can be adapted: while it is never a good idea to sleep in a full face of makeup, outfits can be laid out ahead of time, and hair can sometimes be preserved overnight as long as it is dry and carefully prepped for pillowcase friction by bedtime.
On any given morning, the shower tends to be the most hassle. While the act of showering itself does not have to take very long, the next step – namely the hair drying process – can be obnoxious and time-consuming. There are a few options for this step: air dry, towel dry and then air dry, or blow dry with varying degrees of heat. These options are listed in descending order by time requirement, which unfortunately doubles as ascending order of damage risk. My personal choice is to gently absorb most of the water with a towel and air dry the rest of the way. Unfortunately, this can take a good few hours, hence the hassle.
While there is no way to completely avoid this step – regular showers are a necessity – there is a way to cut back so that it needn’t happen every day. All you need to do is refrain from washing your hair every day.
Training your hair to cooperate between washes can take a while to adjust. Start by washing every other day, and after a few weeks, add another day between washes. Keep doing this to mold your hair wash schedule to fit your fancy.
It may take a while for your hair to stop overproducing oils between washes, and depending on its thickness, this may never even happen. However, if you can get it to work for you, it’s definitely worth it. Washing less frequently is better for your hair, as you are not stripping your scalp of its oils as often. This method also saves money on shampoo and conditioner, and – my personal favorite – it allows for another couple of hours of sleep.
Mind you, you can and should still shower. Just keep your hair out of the water via shower cap or tying it out of the way.
Edited By Emelyn Ehrlich
The Art of the Infrequent Hair Wash Day
Liz Eike
Which do you value more: sleeping or looking good in the morning? When it comes to hair and makeup, one usually has to sacrifice an extra hour or two of shut-eye in exchange for the time it takes to look presentable for the day. Some of this schedule can be adapted: while it is never a good idea to sleep in a full face of makeup, outfits can be laid out ahead of time, and hair can sometimes be preserved overnight as long as it is dry and carefully prepped for pillowcase friction by bedtime.
On any given morning, the shower tends to be the most hassle. While the act of showering itself does not have to take very long, the next step – namely the hair drying process – can be obnoxious and time-consuming. There are a few options for this step: air dry, towel dry and then air dry, or blow dry with varying degrees of heat. These options are listed in descending order by time requirement, which unfortunately doubles as ascending order of damage risk. My personal choice is to gently absorb most of the water with a towel and air dry the rest of the way. Unfortunately, this can take a good few hours, hence the hassle.
While there is no way to completely avoid this step – regular showers are a necessity – there is a way to cut back so that it needn’t happen every day. All you need to do is refrain from washing your hair every day.
Training your hair to cooperate between washes can take a while to adjust. Start by washing every other day, and after a few weeks, add another day between washes. Keep doing this to mold your hair wash schedule to fit your fancy.
It may take a while for your hair to stop overproducing oils between washes, and depending on its thickness, this may never even happen. However, if you can get it to work for you, it’s definitely worth it. Washing less frequently is better for your hair, as you are not stripping your scalp of its oils as often. This method also saves money on shampoo and conditioner, and – my personal favorite – it allows for another couple of hours of sleep.
Mind you, you can and should still shower. Just keep your hair out of the water via shower cap or tying it out of the way.
Edited By Emelyn Ehrlich
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