How I Trained My Hair to Need Fewer Washes + My Everyday Curls Routine

Welcome to a new week, everyone! I apologize for missing a posting day on Friday (last week was CRAZY), but I’m back! Today I wanted to share something I get questions about a lot online and in my everyday life: my hair. Whether in tight curls or loose waves, my hair is usually down, and over the years, I’ve tried lots of different hair products to achieve curls that are shiny, look healthy and stay all day. Also, 50% of people I talk to are shocked when I tell them how often I wash my hair. Keep reading for all the secrets on how I trained my hair to need fewer washes, as well as my everyday hair products that I use in the shower, when drying my hair and styling it!

To preface this, I think it’s important to touch on my hair history and overall maintenance routine. I never dyed or bleached my hair until a couple years ago when I started getting very light, balayage highlights — so my hair color is mostly natural, basically, and hasn’t had much color treatment. I also use heat on my hair daily, except for the occasional braid day.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR HAIR TO NEED FEWER WASHES

Alright, let’s get into the juicy stuff. 

Years ago, I had heard lots of people online say that you can train your hair to be less oily, and therefore not have to be washed as much. Sounds like a conspiracy or some weird fad, right? I’ve had an oily scalp since puberty (and a sweaty head since birth if you ask my mom 😜) and I never used to be able to go more than one full day without washing my hair until a few years ago when I tried this holy grail method in college. I can’t remember what exact year I gave it a shot, but I wish I knew and that I would have documented it!

As simple (and also, weirdly unrealistic) as it sounds, people claim you can train (yes, train) your hair to produce less oil by simply slowly going longer and longer between washes until your body learns to produce less oil, and you make do with the oiliness in the meantime. I know you’re thinking, “won’t my hair look gross?” Yes, it will until your hair and scalp gets used to it. It sounds too easy, but THIS METHOD WORKS! I swear by it, because now I only wash my hair every three days (i.e. Sunday night, Wednesday night, Saturday night, and so on — I can sometimes stretch it 4 days if needed) instead of every single night.

During the training process, there are great ways to get through that greasy stage without looking like a gross mess:

• Dry shampoo — It’ll be your best friend! I use the brunette one from Batiste that’s tinted brown (linked later on in this post) so I can avoid that white, powdery residue that can build up over a couple days of use. It’s my favorite and they have a bunch of different kinds & scents!
• Baby powder — I know, I know, kinda weird… but it’s a treatment I heard a bunch of girls talk about and I tried it out during my trial period. Beware, because a little can go a long way, but it does work!
• Braids — Hairstyles that conceal the front roots of your hair are a great way to get through the greasy days. I love a good set of classic French braids, or half French braids that I only do a few inches back, then secure with an elastic and let the rest of my hair be down.
• Hats — This is an obvious one, but go for a beanie or brimmed hat depending on the weather.

If you end up trying this method, please tag me on Instagram and update me on your progress! There are absolutely going to be days where you think “I can’t do this,” but I promise that it’s so worth it in the end! The amount of time I save a week washing and drying my hair has been so amazing over the years.

MY EVERYDAY CURLS ROUTINE

WHEN IN THE SHOWER

I don’t always use a particular shampoo and conditioner, but I must say that I think MONAT has done the most good for my hair in this department. This is the first high-end shampoo and conditioner that I’ve ever used on my own and the results really do look and feel like I just stepped out of the salon. My favorite products of theirs are

Alternatively, there are some drugstore shampoos and conditioners I love as well that I linked below. Another great tip is to keep a comb in your shower and brush through your hair with conditioner in it before you rinse it out. Your hair feels so silky instantly!

WHEN DRYING MY HAIR

I know lots of people choose not to use hairdryers in order to eliminate some heat from their hair routine, but my hair is so thick that it will never dry all the way on its own. After I get out of the shower, I spritz my hair with It’s a 10 (right now I’m using the keratin one) and gently comb it through with a Wet Brush. I mostly focus on untangling the ends before spraying my Tresemme heat protectant and drying it. I usually wash and dry my hair at night, so after I’m done, I put it up in a ponytail and go to sleep. I used to put my hair in a bun when I slept, but it crushes up my ends a ton, so ponies are better for me!

WHEN STYLING MY HAIR

I split my hair into three sections (bottom layer, left side and right side), spray heat protectant and curl my hair with a Conair wand. There are two different sizes that I use, both of which are linked below. I usually use the bigger one that’s purple, and that’s how I achieved the curls in the photo above.

When I’m finishing curling, sometimes I use a smoothing cream. Lately I’ve been loving the Love, Beauty & Planet below because it eliminates frizz and smells so good. Lastly, I do a light spray of the Chi Finishing Spray to lock in the style a bit and to tame any leftover flyaways. Hairspray can build up on your hair after a few days without washing, so definitely take it easy with the products and how much you apply to keep the curls light, soft and bouncy.

You’ll see I linked a Big Sexy Hair hairspray below as well, and this is one I use to lock in styles since it’s a bit more heavy duty. I wanted to include it for those of you who have hard-to-curl hair or are interested in achieving this look for just an event or something.

What are your favorite hair products? I’d love to check them out! Thanks so much for reading and have an amazing day!