How To Wash Your Hair Once A Week – A Complete Guide

Who would not want that second-day hair look that looks really stunning? But washing your hair twice or thrice a week to achieve this may only strip off the natural scalp oils. Worry not – as washing hair once a week could be the ideal alternative. Frequent hair washes also need heat styling tools to get the desired hair look. This may result in hair breakage due to heat damage and hair loss over time.

Quick Tip

Understand that factors like climate and water can influence how often you should wash your hair. Therefore, tailor your hair care routine to your unique requirements and needs and especially your living environment.

But how does washing hair just once a week suffice? We will tell you how. Keep reading to know more.

How To Wash Your Hair Once A Week

Day 1: Prepare And Give A Long Double-Wash To Your Hair

Wash your hair twice with shampoo to remove any build-up or excess oil. Ensure you use a deep cleansing shampoo. The first wash would remove the excess oils and product build-up from the scalp. The second wash would further cleanse your hair.

Why a deep cleansing shampoo: Deep cleansing shampoos usually contain avocado and argan oils that moisturize your hair. Ensure such shampoos are also free of sulfates to avoid unwanted hair loss.

In a study employing a community-based participatory approach, a personal care product usage survey was conducted among 321 women from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, including Black, Latina, Vietnamese, Mixed Race, and White participants. The findings revealed that 50% of Black and 42.3% of white women, and 53% of mixed-race women surveyed avoided certain ingredients, while only about 14-15% of Latina and Vietnamese women did the same. Parabens and sulfates were commonly mentioned as ingredients to avoid across all groups.

Remember not to use excess shampoo on your hair. Take a pea-size amount of shampoo and massage it into your scalp with your fingertips. After a double-wash, condition your hair (avoid your scalp as you do so). If you are using a thick and creamy conditioner, spread the product evenly with a wide-toothed comb. This also avoids product build-up.

What to remember: Comb your hair before washing to remove as much oil as possible. This step distributes any existing oil across the scalp and helps remove any product build-up. Remember to be gentle while combing your hair.

Day 2: Keep A Hair Spray Handy

It is important to keep your hair oil-free after a long double-wash. All you need here is a quick refresh to keep your locks fresh. Try spritzing a conditioning hair spray that will make your hairstyle look sleek. Ensure you do not overdo it. A small quantity of the conditioning spray on the ends will make a big difference.

Added benefits of hair sprays: These lightweight sprays will stop drying your hair out. They also protect your hair from the UV rays and will not add much weight to your mane.

Day 3: Add Extra Volume With An Easy Hairstyle

All you need on day 3 is some extra hair volume. You can maintain that bouncy hair look with the following trick:

Divide your hair into four sections and wrap each one around a tong. Holding for about ten seconds adds more volume to the top of your hair and makes your hair look less flat. Also, apply a finishing cream for extra shine.

Quick Tip

Flip your hair upside down while blow-drying and gently tease the roots of your hair for added volume and lift.

Tip: You can sleep with a wrap if you want this hairstyle for the next day too.

Day 4: Add A Dry Shampoo

Try to change your hair parting to keep it from looking greasy and flat. You can use a dry shampoo in the middle of the week. It soaks up the excess oil and will prevent it from spreading further down your locks. A dry shampoo also could enhance hair brightness.

Tip: Spray dry shampoo before you go to bed to prevent greasy hair and oil build-up.

Day 5: Dial-Up The Hair Texture

Brush your hair at night before going to bed. This distributes the natural oils (sebum) that the scalp produces. Use a bristled brush on thick, coarse hair and an acrylic brush on finer hair. These brushes help remove the dirt and debris from the hair.

Day 6: Try Different Hairstyles

Try different hairstyles to hide your greasy hair completely. On day 6, sweep your hair back into a French plait to hide the grease. Smoothen your hair length and endings with a hair oil before you start. This would make an effective hairstyle that will tame any strays and give you a sleek braid. It also will add shine to your hair.

Milena Ciciotti, a YouTuber, shared how she manages her hair and washes it only once time in a week. She uses hats and different hairstyles to hide her greasy hair. In her vlog, she says, “If I’m with my kids and sweaty and could not be bothered, I would do just a quick little half-up half-down (i).”

Day 7: Perfect Your Ponytail

Let your hair down so that it does not pull at your roots or put pressure on your scalp (because your scalp can feel heavy after a week of oil and product build-up). But if you are heading out and need one more day of trickery, embrace the power ponytail. Use a plastic coiled hairband for the same, as it is stronger than the fabric variant and will also elevate your ponytail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it healthy to wash your hair every week?

It depends on your hair type and needs. If your hair stays free of oil, itching, and dirt throughout the week, you can wash it once a week. However, most people wash their hair two to three times a week.

Does washing your hair less make it healthier?

It depends on your scalp condition. If you have an oily scalp that develops acne or flaking, you may have to wash your hair every other day. However, if your scalp is healthy, washing it less often can make your hair healthier and shinier as you expose it to fewer chemicals.

Is it good to wash hair with just water?

Yes. Washing your hair with just water can help you get rid of dirt and dust and retain your hair’s natural oils.

Does your hair smell if you don’t wash it?

Yes. Oil and hair-product residue may build up on your hair if you don’t wash it often, making it smell.

Unlock the secrets to healthier and shinier hair! The video below serves as a guide on extending your hair washing routine, maintaining natural oils, and achieving luscious locks with fewer washes. To know more, click play!

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Dr. Shruti ChavanMBBS

Dr. Shruti Chavan is a consulting dermatologist at Dr.Sheth's Skin and Hair Clinic since 6 years. She is a co-committee member of CDSI (Cosmetic dermatologist Society of India). She is highly skilled in non-surgical facial skin rejuvenation and face lift by the use of injection treatments and lasers.   Dr. Chavan is well-versed with dermatological and aesthetic procedures. Her special...more

Arshiya SyedaSenior Editor

 

Arshiya Syeda is a senior editor at StyleCraze with 7 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care. She holds a bachelor's degree in literature and psychology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a post-graduate diploma in psychological...more

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy. She has taken it upon herself to show...more

Swathi ESenior Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

Swathi has a postgraduate degree in English literature from The English And Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and over three years of experience in writing on beauty, health, and lifestyle. She also has a diploma in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Kottayam, and is a certified skincare coach. Her interest in staying updated on beauty and lifestyle...more