How Often Should I Wash My Hair?

washing
Most of my teenage and adult life, I’ve washed my hair every day. My hair is long and fine and looks yucky if I don’t. But lately there’s been a trend to NOT wash your hair as often, and I must say I’ve jumped on the bandwagon. So is this a healthy trend for your hair (and mental wellbeing) or not?

According to the experts, there’s no one good answer to how often people should shampoo. It usually comes down to the kind of hair you have and your personal preference.

Shampoo washes away natural oils on your scalp, so if you do it too frequently, you may dry your hair out, leaving it prone to breakage. For the most part, you definitely want some oils (sebum) to remain in your hair to provide moisturizing and a protective barrier on the skin and hair.

Really only a small group needs to shampoo daily. Those with very fine hair, someone who exercises and sweats a lot (or someone living in very humid place), or people with very oily scalps may need to wash their hair every day.

The type of hair you have matters too. The thicker your hair and the less oil, the less you need to shampoo. People with dry hair or curly hair can wash much less frequently without problems.
For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. And it’s also recommended to never go longer than 14 days without washing.

In recent years, more and more products have become available to extend how long you can go between washes. And people are coming up with different methods to keep hair looking good. Dry shampoos are powders that work to absorb oil, so it doesn’t sit on the scalp as much. Leave-in conditioners can help to reactivate your hair style. Some people even choose to skip the shampoo, just wetting and conditioning between shampoos instead.

Aside from products, there are other measures you can take to extend your time between washings without looking frumpy. Try parting your hair in a different place. Maybe try the chic braids that are so popular on Pinterest. Opt for a fun ponytail or bun with cute hair accessories.

As for me, I’m still trying to figure it all out. I have found that our Alcohol Free Hair Spray can make my Day 2 hair look pretty darned good. It’s water-based, so it safely reactivates my hair style without harsh chemicals which could dry it out. By Day 3 I’m attempting some sort of pony tail or poorly-created braid. I can’t go past Day 3. I just can’t. I won’t.

I’m Having A Meltdown!



Yesterday the temperatures were in the 60s. Today, highs are in the 90s. Welcome to Spring in the Northeast. Having a heat wave in your area? If so, here are some tips to help you deal with the crazy weather.

Don’t keep lipstick/lip balm in car: This one seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many folks forget. Within an hour, the temperature inside a vehicle sitting in the sun can easily reach 120 or 130 degrees. High temperatures can cause liquids to separate and break down. It can affect the active ingredients in make-up. Plus you don’t want hop into your parked car, pop open the lip balm cap to apply and have an oily mess wind up on your lap.

So should I keep my make up in the fridge on a hot day? When it comes to making cosmetics last longer, lower temperatures are generally better. That’s because chemical reactions occur faster at higher temperatures. Makeup is prone to oxidation reactions since they contain oils that can turn rancid. Keeping them in the fridge can slow down that process. However, there can be a few potential problems with storing beauty products in the fridge. For example, you may see beads of “sweat” on your lipstick. These are drops of oil coming out of the wax and rising to the surface of the stick (it’s a phenomena called “syneresis”). If too much of this sweating occurs, the lipstick won’t spread properly on your lips. Also, you can’t let your products freeze, as too cold temperatures can also affect the chemical composition of a product. If it’s crazy hot in your apartment, stick your lipstick in the fridge until temperatures cool down. Otherwise, just be sure to keep your make up in a drawer or another location out of direct sunlight.

Frizzy hair on a hot day: My long straight hair starts to find its natural curl when the heat rises. Unfortunately along with the subtle waves comes unsightly frizz. So how do you control your hair if you know you’re going to be out in the heat? There are a few things you can do.

A. Put your hair up. Braids are HUGELY popular right now. Log on to our Pinterest board for some really cute up-do looks.
B. Moisturize. Condition your hair at least twice a week to help control its tendency to frizz. Just don’t overdo it, or you’ll wind up with limp locks.
C. Flat iron. Don’t even let your hair think about frizzing. Flat iron it in the morning and seal with our vegan Herbal Mint Hair Spray. I haven’t used any other hair spray (natural or not) that handles humidity as well as this product.
D. Be proactive. If your hair goes lank halfway through the day, apply a bit of hairspray to the roots. Hold hair up straight with a brush while the spray dries. Then gently brush off your face and slip on a headband.
E. Keep your head on straight. Don’t flip your head upside down to dry your hair. Sure it will add volume, but will also increase your chances of getting frizzy. Instead use a warm (not hot) setting and a large round brush to gently dry hair. Finish with a cool setting to seal the hair shaft.

Control the sweat: We’ve had some customers use our Deodorant Powder as a dry shampoo. Say you’ve been outside in the morning and now have an afternoon meeting, and no time to shower in between. Flip your head upside down (it’s okay in this instance) and sprinkle the powder over the top of your head, especially in the areas that tend to get oily, like your bangs and part. Use your fingers to distribute it. If you wish, brush your hair so the powder is distributed down the length of the hair shafts. Focus mostly on the roots, but if the rest of your hair needs freshening up, add a little more to the tips. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the powder to absorb the oil from your hair. If you have particularly oily hair, it may take a little longer. Turn your head upside down and brush out all of the powder. You can use a hair dryer to help the process along.

What is your hot weather make-up tip? Email me to share: melissa@honeybeegardens.com.