You’ve obviously never heard of Lunapads- washable cotton menstrel pads.
It sounds kind of gross and is kind of gross, but not much grosser than paper ones and a good thing to have on hand in some circumstances (I find they are a good backup for the Diva Cup.)
My hair gets pretty gross if I don’t wash it every other day. Also, with the heat we have had here lately, my scalp has been sweating a lot and that just makes it worse. I don’t think I could go for very long without the shampoo/conditioning.
I tried to do this but after about three days my scalp itched so badly I scratched it until I bled. I think I probably would have attempted to scalp myself had I let it go for a month.
I wash my hair with shampoo very occasionally. I usually just run water over it in the shower. I’ve had no problems.
I’ve heard too many people swearing by this method to doubt that it works for at least some people.
It most definitely wouldn’t for me - my entire body is in constant oil production overload. It is largely responsible for my persistent acne issues, and my dermatologist tells me that there’s nothing that he can do to fix that. The side effect is that I must shampoo my hair daily, or around about the 36 to 48 hour mark I start to leave large grease spots on pillowcases.
You very likely wouldn’t be able to do this, but just the fact that you have very oily hair now, with daily shampooing, doesn’t seem like proof to me. The oil production slows WAAAAAAY down when you aren’t stripping it off all the time with detergents. Not saying you should try it, just saying that there is a chance that your hair would get less oily if you weaned it off the shampoo.
I knew the Diva cup would pop up–didn’t know about the Lunapads (cute reference to the cycle, there–what marketing geniuses they be) and I didn’t want to know. Yuck. IMO, all pads are nasty. YMMV.
Opal–nice pic and all, but combing over like that does disguise the oily build up at the part (if you have a part. It looks like you have one and then did a dramatic comb over for fun).
I’m not advocating shampooing your hair every day. What I’m saying is let each person decide what works best for them. I think most of us are on that page, no?
Plus, I think we need to keep in mind that hair and oil production changes over your life time, so what works at 20 may not work at 40 etc. Good to hear about the rinse out post exercise–I was squiking out here a bit about that.
I’d add a smiley here, but didja ever notice? none of them have hair.
Depending on your hair/scalp type/activity level and specific needs, it is possible to only need to shampoo a couple times a week. Older people, who are less active physically, may be in the “very few shampooing” category.
You’re a young woman. You only break a sweat once in a while? You say you shampooed a week ago, you’ve done nothing physical since that time? If so, I can see how it might work for you.
I certainly think people have a right to shampoo as infrequently as they choose. Like eleanorigby mentioned, it’s the attitude that bugs me from some (NOT you Opal) that seems to look down on those of us who choose to shampoo. I workout 7 days a week, there’s NO WAY I’m going without shampoo. It honestly makes me wonder about the activity levels of some of the people the OP is talking about who go months and months without shampooing.
For hair issues, I highly recommend any book by Philip Kingsley. Check your library for his books. He discusses hair types, scalp disorders, and just about anything to do with hair. He’s been a trichologist for longer than I’ve been alive, he knows his stuff.
Which is why I noted it’s not just my hair that is massively oily - it is my body. So, no go. 
No, I don’t have an oily buildup at my part. I don’t like my natural part, though (it’s not straight, and it’s in the middle. Bleah), so I brush it over to one side, and when I run my hands through my hair, I try to shove my hair over to one side to hide the part. I took another picture but you’ll have to excuse the dark roots. I haven’t had my hair done in a few months.
As for letting each person decide, obviously I agree. I’ve just said what I do to my hair, and explained that it actually works and no, my hair is not a nasty greasy smelly mess just because I don’t shampoo it every day. And I’ve stated the fact that if someone were to decide to stop shampooing, that their scalp’s oil production would eventually lessen. Which it would. Didn’t say that meant they should do it. I’m not advocating any regimen. I’m just saying that this one is a valid option at least for some people.
Even if you use shampoo daily, you can experiment with diluted shampoo. Even back when I had a greasy scalp, I could bring my shampoo down to a 50/50 dilution and it would work just fine.
It’s just like using half of whatever is recommended for laundry detergent. We need a lot less soap/cleaner/whatever than is recommended most of the time.
Of course, now my skin is super dry, and sometimes I go for days only using soap on my stinky bits (pits, crotch, feet) in the shower. My husband, an oily man, does not get this.
Unless I have visible dirt on my body (or have used repeated sun screen), I never use soap on my arms and legs–I only use soap on my face, pits and crotch as per my dermatologist’s instructions. I tend to have very dry skin, though.
Opal–it’s all good. I wasn’t saying you were the zealot, just that that attitude seems to be percolating through the thread.
Surely you…'re joking. Me, too. I’ve picked saturday as the night to wash my hair and do my contacts. On that day, I lather, rinse, repeat, condition. I use Suave, and get compliments on my hair. After conditioning is when it’s wildest, especially if I blow dry. Serious RockStar hair, then. Usually I keep it tied back, sometimes gelled.
Your temerment, experience, product and technique may produce results unique to you. That’s just what I do with my hair.
Hmmm, I can see where the no shampoo thing could work for some, but I get heavy and little greasy at the nape, where it’s usually tied back. I personally don’t think dirty hair smells bad, but it’s just a mammal thing, we do that.
Yes, I know Lizards aren’t mammals. Maybe I’m just their regent.
I’m sure the no-shampoo thing works for some people, particularly if they have dry or curly hair. It wouldn’t work for me.
I’ve gone down to washing my hair every other day, and that does seem to keep it ‘clean’ enough for me, but just using conditioner makes my fine, straight hair very limp and dirty-looking.
Also, I have a scalp-dermatitis issue (i.e. cradle cap) that would get VERY gross, VERY quickly without the benefit of modern medicated shampoos.
I don’t sweat much, it’s true. If I do sweat, it’s usually just a slight dampness, and not an all-out trickling runny deluge. While I haven’t been massively physically active in the last week, I’ve gone for a few 30-45 minute walks, and I’ve gone out and juggled with my boyfriend (passing clubs is a very tiring and energetic activity). I live in a pretty cool climate at the moment but I grew up in Arizona (25 years) and I lived for 3 years in Atlanta, so I know how my body reacts to heat as well. I definitely think that my body has an unusually low level of sweat production compared to most people, though I don’t know why*. When I do something that does make me sweat, I rinse off in the shower afterward. For example, two weeks ago I went out dancing and after a couple of hours of solid dancing I had definitely worked up enough of a sweat that my hair was damp. It was fine after I rinsed it off.
*I suspect I may be somewhat dehydrated a lot of the time. I forget to drink.
Is your name from “'Til We Have Faces,” by C.S. Lewis? That’s one of my favorites! Sorry for the hijack, but I had to know!
Thanks!
It is indeed.
Mine too. I very rarely meet a C.S. Lewis book I do not like.
Am I going to get smacked for saying I do the “lather-rinse-repeat” routine every day? My hair is babyfine and extremely oily. I’ve had times when I had to go without washing it for a day-never again.
(I also have it cut chin-length. When it was longer, even with the same routine, I still could have negotiated drilling right with Exxon).
I mean, if that works for you, by all means, go for it. But for me? Ugh.
Those of you who don’t shampoo - do you use many hair styling products?
I’d be willing to try shampooing less often, but I have light and fine hair that requires several styling products if I wear it down. I use mousse or other voluminizing product, then blowdry, then use a very light styling wax or a bit of hairspray. If I didn’t shampoo, and only washed with water, I don’t know if it would be enough to clean the other stuff out of my hair.
I’m willing to use less styling products if I wear my hair in a ponytail or something. But that’s really not an option if I want it to look at all decent when I wear my hair down.
I said earlier I shampoo my hair 2 times a week (sometimes I increase it to 3 but that’s it). I have a lot of hair but it’s very fine; I use a liquid spray mousse, usually this ‘thickening cream’, a titch of smoothing spray and some hairspray for my bangs.