Wash your hair once a week if … your curls require heavier oils, gels that might flake after a few days, or hairsprays that leave hair stiff. This also may be what’s needed if you have an oily scalp. Piling product on top of the natural oils that your scalp produces, particularly if it’s in excess, can not only clog the hair follicle but also might lead to irritation, inflammation, itching, and in more severe cases, follicle damage or hair loss. (3)
Wash your hair twice a month if … you heat style your curls with a diffuser to dry, a curling wand to define, or even if you blow-dry your hair straight with any regularity. When you heat style your hair often, cutting wash frequency back to every other week can be beneficial. Even if you’re using a heat protectant (which you absolutely should be), there still may be some level of moisture stripping happening. When you do shampoo, use a moisture-boosting shampoo to help bring back any lost hydration.
Wash your hair once a month if … your hair is drier or if your scalp is more on the normal to dry side. Once a month shampooing will likely be ideal for you. Of course, you can always tweak this frequency if in between washes you’re feeling itchy or if you work out often and sweat a lot. If the latter is true for you, weekly shampoos may better suit your active lifestyle to keep hair feeling and smelling fresh. (3)
In general, there are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind. (3) Wash your hair when it’s dirty, has product buildup, if your scalp is itchy, if you exercise (even then, you can swap in co-washing), if you go swimming, or if you have an overly oily scalp. (3)
Step 1: Check your water temps. Hot water through your hair, the heat can strip your hair of essential oils. Wash with lukewarm or room temperature water instead, and finish with a cool rinse.
Step 2: Portion out the shampoo. Pour shampoo into the palm of your hands and not directly onto hair. This will ensure that you’re doling out the right amount and not overdoing it.
It’s better to start with working a smaller amount of product (about a golf-ball-size dose should be sufficient) through your hair and add more if needed, than to douse your head with it. It’s unnecessary. Shampoo should primarily be applied on your scalp and not the length of your hair.
Step 3: Work through your scalp. Start by massaging the shampoo into your roots. You want most of the product to be concentrated on the scalp as that’s where the majority of buildup, dirt, and oil usually settles. Work the product around the scalp in a back and forth motion, not in circles—this will tangle your curls and make it more difficult to comb through later.
Step 4: Cleanse and finger comb the hair. Use your fingers only and not any brushes or combs to gently work the shampoo through the length of your hair. Try to detangle a bit as you go. You want to start the detangling process while you have product in your hair, so that even if it’s not all the way knot-free before rinsing, you can at least run your fingers through larger sections.
Step 5. Massage as you rinse. Once you’ve worked the shampoo through to the ends, it’s time to rinse. How you do this is equally as important as how you applied and worked it through. Rub your hands all the way from root to tip as water flows through your hair. This will ensure that all of the shampoo gets out, and your hair is all clear for your conditioner. You don’t want any curly hair shampoo residue to get in between your strands and the conditioner you’ll be applying next.
Step 6. Follow with conditioner. Apply the formula to your hair, focusing it on the mid-lengths to ends rather than your roots. Let your conditioner sit a minute, then rinse it out.
Step 7. Use a leave-in. Dry your hair to prep it for a leave-in conditioner. Do your curls need a boost of definition? Is your mane dying for more moisture? Are you desperately trying to fend off frizz before your hair dries? Pick one based on what your hair needs.
Step 8. Dry your curls. Hair is most fragile when wet, so you typically want to avoid sleeping on wet hair. Give your hair enough time to air dry if you prefer to style it without heat. Use a satin bonnet and a satin pillowcase, to help avoid friction against damp or wet hair which might compromise your strands while they’re in such a fragile state. For this reason, many people with curly hair prefer to wash their hair in the morning to give it plenty of dry time. You should also take note of your hair’s porosity. This will determine things like how long it takes your hair to dry and even plays a part in how your hair absorbs and retains moisture when you wash it. (3)
Resource:
1. https://www.carolsdaughter.com/blog/hair/hair-care-tips/how-to-wash-curly-hair.html