This is my hair story: I regularly use heat on it, try to avoid excess product on it, and often receive compliments on it. I’m good with a curling wand, and I recently added in some blonde balayage that has seriously given me new life (but in these photos is long overdue for a touchup, TBH).
Perhaps the most notable part of this story, however, is how little I wash my hair – on average, about once every six or seven days.
In the photos for this post, my hair is five days old, and has not been styled since the first day!
I get questions about washing my hair on almost a daily basis, and I respond to almost every compliment I receive with “Thanks! It’s __ days old,” just for laughs. Yes, I do shower daily (shout out to my pink shower cap) and yes, I am a religious dry shampoo spritzer. No, I don’t think waiting a week to wash is for everyone. But if it is for you, read on for my tips about how to make your hair look good all week long, as I take you day-by-day through my routine.
A few of my haircare holy grail essentials.
Day 1: Wash & Natural Shape
I usually wash my hair either the night before Day 1, or the morning of. I wash with a purple shampoo and conditioner to protect my color, and occasionally toss in a deep treatment hair mask. Afterwards, I brush my hair (God bless the Wet Brush) and blow it dry to its natural texture, which is a mostly straight look with some natural wave and (very little) body. I spritz a little dry shampoo (Elizabeth and James when I'm bougie, Batiste when I'm broke) on the roots as a preventative measure, and to add a bit more texture. Lots of people think dry shampoo is only for when your hair is already dirty, but I find spraying a bit on newly washed hair gives it a more lived-in look, and stops some of my excess grease before it even starts.
Day 2: Style & Curl
On Day 2, I curl my hair for the week. I use styling clips to make two sections, one lower and one higher up on the crown. I sometimes curl with a clamped iron and use it like a wand, but for beginners I recommend using a standard wand, something 1¼inch and conical, which is similar to but slightly larger than the one I'm currently using. I curl all of my strands in the same direction – away from my face – and catch each curl in my hand before I let it drop, leaving out the last half inch of my hair out of the iron, to give the illusion of longer locks. When I’m fully curled, I simply shake it out and go; I never use hairspray.
Days 3-5: Waves & Spray
Now that I’ve set up my style, I’m good to go for most of the week. I sleep in a ponytail every night to preserve volume, and in the morning I let my hair down, spritz dry shampoo in my roots if necessary, and go! Occasionally, I’ll use the curling iron to touch up my crown for more shape, or add in a texturizing spray for a little something extra. By now, the curls are loose waves and my front pieces are pretty straight, and the overall look is more undone and less formal. This is my ideal style for the rest of the week.
Days 6-7: Dad Hats & Lather
If baseball hats hadn’t recently become so trendy, it’s possible that Day 5 would be my grand finale, but the week continues! It’s too late in the week to keep dry shampooing my hair – after a while, this stops cleaning and starts creating product buildup, which leaves hair looking dull and feeling even dirtier – so I am resigned to my least clean and most limp look yet. To make it work, I opt for a dad hat with a fun saying to keep things cute (don't splurge on these, I've found a bunch with cute sayings at Forever 21!). At the end of Day 7, I’ve successfully made it a week, and can finally lather, rinse, and repeat!
Hope you guys enjoyed this little week in the life of my hair (and aren't judging me too hard for my unconventional washing routine). Refraining from the use of excess product (hairspray, shine serums, and tons of styling sprays) is my number one secret to avoiding oil, but I know that for some girls these are products that completely elevate the look of their locks, so to each is own! Like I said, my approach isn't for everyone, but as someone with thick, highlighted hair that can hold a curl for days, this is the routine that suits me best!
