How Often Should You Wash Curly Hair (And How to Wash It)?

I have to be honest – there is no one answer to this question. It depends on multiple things: are you exercising every day? What is your skin type? What products are you using at the time? Is your hair on a drier side? As you can see, there are a lot of factors that can influence how frequently you have to wash your beautiful hair.

However, you may be washing your hair too often. Curls tend to be drier than other hair types, and shampooing your hair too frequently might lead to breakage, dullness, and even texture disruption!

So, how often to wash curly hair?

As mentioned above, it depends on quite a few factors, but the general rules are as follows:

Wash your hair twice a week if you have wavy hair and oily scalp. If you use lots of products, such as hair gel or dry shampoo, you might need to wash your hair often as the product build-up clogs your scalp pores and irritates your skin.

Wash your hair once a week if your hair is curly, but you have an oily scalp as well. If your routine consists of various products, your roots might get oily quickly, so don’t hesitate to wash your hair as frequently as needed. If your hair follicles are clogged all the time, it can lead to severe damage and even hair loss!

You can’t magically “train” your hair to be less greasy
@subjectcurls

Wash your hair twice a month if your scalp is neither oily nor dry and you have type 3c/type 4 curls. Don’t listen to others: washing your hair twice a month is totally normal! If your scalp is healthy and you don’t see the reason why you should shampoo more often – that’s fine.

Of course, this is just a recommendation. If you are physically active, have a very oily scalp, your hair is dirty, or the scalp feels itchy, wash your hair and don’t even think you are doing something wrong.

“Hair training” is a myth, and it’s not working. You cannot magically “train” your hair to be less greasy, and Dr. Trefor Evans from TRI-Princeton says that this is just another beauty trend with no scientific proof. So don’t bother and wash your hair as often as needed.

DIY hair refreshener recipe

diy lavender spritz for curl refresh natural dry shampoo

Doesn’t matter if you are washing your hair once a week or once a month – you can refresh your hair with a DIY water & lavender spritz if needed.

The recipe is as follows:
1 cup of water
4 drops of lavender essential oil.

Shake well, grab a mist spray bottle and spray your hair roots. It works as a dry shampoo but has no nasty stuff inside.

Works wondersfor all hair types as well!

How to wash curly hair?

After all my research, I still believe that curls need shampoo. At least once in a while because it helps get rid of a product buildup. I agree that Co-Washing is a great thing, and I swear by it, but cleansing conditioner is not designed to remove excess oil and product buildup altogether. That’s what shampoo does.

You don’t have to use shampoo every time you wash your hair, but it won’t do any harm if you use it once a month. Use sulfate, silicone, and paraben-free shampoo and wash your hair with lukewarm water.

Step 1. Wash your hair It doesn’t matter if you are using shampoo or a cleansing conditioner; the most crucial part is to massage your scalp very well. You can even use a scalp massager as it helps with hair growth!

Step 2. Condition your hair Then, condition your hair for a few minutes. Apply the product from the mid-lengths to the ends if you don’t want your scalp to get greasy in like ten minutes after washing your hair. You can comb your hair in the meantime. It’s easier to detangle your hair while there is a conditioner in your hair. I’m always using my fingers as I feel that it is gentler to my curls than a wide-tooth comb.

You don’t have to use shampoo every time you wash your hair, but it won’t do any harm if you use it once a month
@subjectcurls

Step 3. Rinse your hair Once again, rinse your hair with lukewarm water. You can finish this process with a cool rinse as it helps to close the hair cuticles.

Step 4. Use a leave-in Yes, it’s the leave-in time! Use it on soaking wet hair. The dime size of the product should be enough. How to choose the right leave-in? Well, first you have to target the main problem. Is your hair too dry? Too frizzy? Do you need more volume?

Step 5. Dry your hair If you have time, let your hair air-dry but use a diffuser if you are in a rush. First, soak up the excess water from your hair with the microfiber towel, and then dry your hair with cool air. It takes more time, but it also doesn’t damage your hair, so be wise!

BONUS POINTS: Deep condition your hair on your washday! I even prepared a list of the best deep conditioners. Not sure how to incorporate this step into your routine? Read this article.

Conclusion

Don’t listen to all the people shouting that it’s a bad practice to wash your hair often. I mean, I want to be comfortable in my skin (and hair), and if I’m not feeling okay with greasy hair, I’m going to wash it even if doing it twice a week is “unhealthy.”

The sweet spot is washing your hair 1 to 3 times a week, so if you are physically active or just don’t feel comfortable with the itchy and greasy scalp – wash your hair but use sulfate-free shampoo or conditioning wash.

Get the hair you deserve!