Shampoo Every-Other-Day for Healthier Hair and Healthier Wallets

The first time I heard that washing your hair every-other-day was actually healthier for it and could reduce grease build-up I didn't believe it. For as long as I could remember I had been shampooing my hair twice during my daily morning shower to get it really clean. I would switch from one cleansing shampoo to the next in a never ending rotation and I went through bottles of shampoo like it was my job. Finally, it got to be too much and frugality made me give every-other-day shampooing a try.

I'm really glad I did. My hair is healthier than ever and I've cut my shampoo use and costs in half. My locks are shiny, not greasy like before. It turns out that all those super cleansing shampoos and double washes had back-fired over the years and created a mess of my scalp. Washing your hair every day can dry out the scalp, causing it produce more oil and make your hair look greasy very quickly.

To stop the cycle, switch to an every-other-day washing routine. Shampoo one day and simply rinse your hair the next. You may have tried this before and had disappointing results, but try again because you probably didn't give your body enough time to adjust. It will take a week or so for your scalp to notice your new routine and slow down the oil production. In the meantime, you'll have very greasy hair. There's no way around it; you've just got to live through it with confidence that things will be better on the other side. Trust me, it's worth it. A good trick is to try this when you've got a week's vacation and/or when you're travelling. This way you won't have to go into the office and you'll be unlikely to meet anyone you know so you won't be tempted to go back to your old over-washing habits.

Some things to note: On the days that you don't shampoo your hair you still need to rinse it. Water won't strip as much oil from your hair as shampooing, but it does remove some and it's just enough to keep your hair from looking greasy. If you skip showering all together, your hair will always be oily. Also, I always use conditioner, even on the days when I haven't used shampoo because my hair is very fine and brittle and tangles easily. However, I don't have to use as much on the days I've "skipped" because my hair isn't so dry.

It's hard to ignore all the smart advertising out there telling us to buy "daily cleansing shampoo" and "repeat, if necessary, " but those of us who manage to break the habit never look back.

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