Why do we Americans shampoo our hair so much?

I shampoo every day, or every other day.
I hate the way my hair feels on day three.

I shower twice a day and shampoo once.
Why? Because if I don’t, I don’t feel clean.
And if I don’t feel clean, I don’t get things done.

I shampoo my hair every day when I shower. Believe me, I would NOT want you to see me if I didn’t!

I wash mine 3–4 times a week. I have thin hair with a natural wave and I straighten it if I’m leaving the house. I use product and it builds up. If you don’t mind having your hair in a ponytail then you can get away with washing less.

Advertising, the beauty industry.

I actually read a while ago that shampoo’s bad for your hair. It’s a detergent, which is cool for pans & stuff, but our hair has natural oils that keep it healthy that shampoo strips away.

Though it’s a bit less convenient than shampoo, after trying this much cheaper method of hair-washing, my hair is indeed healthier… (and it doesn’t smell like any of the household products used in place of shampoo, btw.)

Cheap shampoo is bad for your hair. The good stuff isn’t harsh.

I have recently started to use apple cider vinegar to wash my hair. It is just as soft and maybe a bit greasier than It would if I used shampoo. I recommend it!

I just rinse it every other day in warm softened water, and it always looks better then when I shampoo it. I think I do it because I have been brainwashed into thinking I need to.
Really, unless you are seriously active physically, or in a greasy or polluted environment; why would you need to shampoo it every day.

We’re indoctrinated (buybuybuy, needneedneed) to do so, it’s completely unnecessary as I’ve found out in the last year.

I haven’t shampooed it daily in years and years. When I go get a cut, though, the stylist always comments about what good condition my hair is in.

@ Rememberme consider using a tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a bit of water (work it in then let it sit a bit, wash it out the put in the apple cider vinegar) to cut down on grease. Apparently they work well together… every several washes, i use the vinegar – which doesn’t make my hair smell at all, shockingly – to neutralize any build up of the baking soda.

What is it with the questions about washing your hair? This is (I think) The third time I have see a question wondering if you should wash your hair. I guess it’s OK to ask, but I wonder what kind of people fluther to be so obsessed with not wanting to wash their hair!? Look at the suggested questions to the left (and up) You will see two other questions.

I wash my hair every second or third day on average. I brush is a lot in the mean time. My hair is incredibly thick and wavy. If I don’t it quickly because very, very oily. No amount of brushing the oils through my hair can help this. I use kind shampoo and condition, but I must wash the oils out to some extent. Because super greasy hair is gross.

I am 50 and still have very greasy hair so I usually wash 6 – 7 time per week. I just switched to vegetable based shampoo. I have started using baking soda and water as a rinse to clarify my hair when it starts feeling and smelling gunky. I am already using baking soda and vinegar for cleaning my house (along with borax, washing soda, and castile liquid). I should consider using on my hair.

@DandyDear711 ; The vinegar s probably better for your hair than the baking soda or the castle soap. You hair is more acidic and you could damage it with a “base.” (one of the only lessons I remember from Jr High science class.)

I realized after posting that my post could be confused. I don’t use castle on my hair though I have seen a castle shampoo recipe somewhere. I haven’t tried vinegar either – yet. Does it have to be Apple cider vinegar? I have a gallon jug of white vinegar. I have read that vinegar can take the finish off bathroom tiles so it would have to be diluted a bit before putting on your hair!

The clarifying rinse recipe only called for a small amount of BS and just quickly running through your hair. The website the asker referenced suggested a paste of BS and letting it sit! WoW!

I use a paste of BS and dish soup on my bathroom sinks. Works well. Vinegar on the mirrors is great! Borax in toilet bowls works well. Think of the money I am saving!

I shampoo every day when I shower and I KNOW why I do. Because years ago Hair Salons “taught” me that your hair comb won’t be right unless you wash your hair and blow dry it. It’s THEIR fault!

Prior to that, when I went to a barbers, they never washed my hair before they cut it.

@Judi Baking soda has a very tiny bit of base-ness to it (like a small % of the total bit of powder), and is fine if you only use a certain amount, and then rinse with apple cider vinegar every few washes.

In the 2 links i posted earlier, they mention the specific amounts that’s ok to use… it’s like 1 – 2 tablespoons for most hair, 3 if it’s long. And then the same amount of vinegar, i guess, to neutralize it. Apparently if you use too much, your hair will lighten, and possibly get stiff… which is how one can tell if they need to be using more vinegar (which, surprisingly, you can’t smell afterwards, even tho its’ smell is very strong). So definitely, too much is not good!

I haven’t shampooed my hair since 1996. that was the year I started shaving my head.

there’s nothing wrong with shampooing. i shampoo every day and i’m black lol. it’s the product you use that matters, but that’s a long story.

I have curly, dry hair. So it’s better if I don’ttt wash my hair too often. Ever other day at most.

It all seems rather excessive to me. I have never been one to wash my hair loads. Because it’s rather coarse and thick, my hair doesn’t seem to respond particularly well to a lot of washing – its first instinct is to frizz up, and it takes forever to dry after I wash it. I’m lucky that it takes ages to get greasy, so I can wash it about once a week and it looks good on that. I doion’t understand how anyone could need to shampoo their hair every day, unless their dayjob involves them getting constantly filthy from head to toe.

on a side note, you should do a side by side comparison of cheap shampoo and some household detergents… the results might scare you.

not shampooing daily is fine, it’s actually good to have some of your natural oils in your hair and on the scalp…

I don’t mean to incite an Euuw response but there has been a giant shift in hygiene behavior in the last 60 years. When I was a kid, it was a Saturday night bath and shampoo and only when needed in between. My parents both worked in environments, a refinery and a hospital, where they they bathed after work to get work smells off.

I remember the ads in the late 50’s calling for not only daily shampooing for shiny hair but also lather, rinse, repeat, which meant shampooing twice. Then you had to add conditioner and oil wraps etc to soften up the straw texture.

I use a product that is a combination shampoo/shower gel. I find that if you use just a little, not enough to get a sudsy lather, it cleans the hair without making it dry.

Our hair does not need to be washed repeatedly. I do recall bottles used to say you did.
I use shampoos full of natural ingrediants. Mainly essential oils. I wash my hair every two-three days, but shower more often than that. I rarely use soap on my son, he just doesn’t need his body to be cleaned with anything but water usually. I do a good scrub on him once in a while. But, babies don’t need all that lotion and stuff. People think they do, so there’s a market for it.

so we will have prettyful hair!!!

@casheroo Natural ingredients are the best. Though personally, i try to avoid even natural stuff if they also have parabens or too much alcohol or other bad stuff. Trader Joes’ has some great shampoo & conditioner that’s cheaper than what i’d get chock full of that stuff, and much nicer, if you have one near you.

But, am not using shampoo now. Do you know anything about making hair rinses out of natural ingredients?

@resmc If you want to make something simple, you can always mix honey with olive oil, a few drops of your fave essential oil, and some Xanthum gum.
or you could purchase Burt’s Bees and this brand is somewhat natural: www.backtobasics.com
You can also do this, which is what a friend of mine uses:
2 TBSP grated pure soap (I use ivory) dissolved in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 tsp pure vegetable glycerin and stir. Pour into recycled shampoo bottle (add essential oils for fragrance if desired).