Recipe: How to Train Your Hair to Not Need Washing

Let me preface this post with two important disclaimers: I am not a hair expert and I see how the title of this sounds really gross, especially to men who may be unaware that hair looks its best when it’s dirty.

I’m just your average person with a really thick head of hair and I’ve mastered the art of not washing it to the point where on the fifth day without wash it looks its absolute I’m-a-model-fresh-off-the-Victoria’s-Secret-runway-with-the-body-of-a-professional-donut-eater best.

So here’s my advice on training your hair to not need washing for at least six days. Note: not all hair types are the same, obviously, but I have suggested this method to other women who have different hair than mine and it has worked for them as well.

This is my hair after five days without washing. Seriously.

INGREDIENTS

• Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Unscented Refreshing Dry Shampoo
• A haircurling wand or other hot tool to mask the fact that you haven’t washed your mane in days (straightening seems to make hair look greasier)
• An invisibobble hair tie for the days where you really aren’t sure whether your hair can be let down it’s so greasy but you also don’t want to ruin your progress

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash your hair. Yes, I know this sounds silly but the only way to know how many days you can go without washing your hair is to first wash it so you have somewhere to know where you’re starting from. Make sense? Yea, I think so too.
2. Let one full 24-hour day go by and don’t wash your hair. It doesn’t matter if you go to the gym and feel your sweat stinking up your scalp. Don’t wash it. Do not do it. Now you have dry shampoo if you need it, and a “magic” wand. Do what you need to do to make your hair look presentable without washing it.
3. After a full day has gone by and you’ve gone to sleep again with dirty hair, wake up the next day and take a look in the mirror. If you think your hair can go another day, do it. If it looks like you took a shower in EVOO then wash it. But know that you will not be washing again for at least TWO days next so choose your own adventure wisely.
4. If you didn’t wash it—GREAT! Keep resisting the urge until you’ve reached that olive oil head look I was talking about. If you did, then mark your calendar and know it’s going to be at least two full days until you even think about squirting shampoo onto those strands again. And just like giving up sugar, it’s going to be hard but you’re doing this for your self esteem, your time management and your selfies.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 and continue adding on days until you just can’t even anymore. Everyone has their own maximum number of days they can go. You will reach a day where you turn your head quickly and catch a whiff of your own hair despite how much dry shampoo you’ve used and that + your ponytail being slick enough to sled on will be your tell tale sign it’s time to give it a wash.