5 Things You Could Be Doing Wrong On Wash Day

For some people, the so-called washed day seems to be a dreary experience where they spend long hours cleansing, detangling, masking, purifying, trimming, and what have you. If your wash day scares you or makes you procrastinate, then you might probably be doing something wrong. 

Keep reading to find out the 5 things you could be doing wrong on wash day

Wash day is simply a day set aside to wash your hair thoroughly. This can be once or twice weekly or bi-weekly (every two weeks) based on various factors such as your personal schedule, the climate of the region you are located in, and hair type as well as personal activities like workouts. If you work out often, we advise that you wash your hair twice weekly and we would shed more light on the wash day frequency below.

That being said, dear naturalistas, your wash day does not have to be complex and neither do you need loads of products to complete a good wash day.

Washing too frequently

In the natural hair community, overwashing is not a thing and we do not recommend and it as well. this is because when you wash your hair too frequently, you can strip your hair and scalp of moisture making it dry, frizzy with a high tendency for fungi to thrive.

Best practice would be to do your wash day every two weeks, in between that, you can do a regular wash with a conditioner. however, this frequency would be determined by the following factors;

• Lifestyle
• Hair type
• Work out / stress level
• Diet
• Hair/scalp issues

If you work out frequently, chances are that you would have sweat build up on your scalp. This is why in this case, you would have to wash your hair more frequently, at least once a week.

In the case of diet, some foods you consume with high levels of sugar do not do the scalp any good and can cause dandruff and itching. This would mean you might have to bring your wash day closer in order to incorporate the dandruff treatment into your wash day to tackle it. 

If your hair porosity is low, this means your hair needs more moisture more frequently, and we all know water is your best moisturizer. The best time to apply water in large amounts to your hair is on wash day.

Using too many products

Many new naturalistas don't believe their wash day can go smoothly without using multiple products. But truly, the fewer products you use on wash day, the better for your hair and scalp. This is because if a particular product is not good for your hair, it would be easier to identify and eliminate. Also, most of these products perform the same function, therefore, using different brands of the same conditioner would only be doing more harm than good.

On wash day, you can make do just fine with the products listed below.

• Clarifying shampoo
• Deep conditioner
• Protein treatment
• Leav-in conditioner
• Sealants

Having a new washday routine each time

There is a huge danger factor in using another person's wash day routine. What you need to do is find and adopt a routine that would work for you and of cause, this does not come without a few trial and error.

For example, some people find that pre-pooing works for them before the actual shampoo, however, it might not work for you if you try it.

Leaving products in beyond the required time

Many naturalistas are guilty of this. If the deep conditioner manufacturer says to leave this product in for 30 minutes, do not leave it for an hour or more with the idea that it would have a better effect. No, it does not work that way. Always follow the required time even when you are using herbal products you mix yourself. 

Not prepping adequately

So many people find wash day daunting, but do you know that if you prep adequately by making all products and tools within reach, mixed, and set, then it would come easily. Also, try adding your wash day to your calendar so you can mentally prepare for it days before the actual day.

Even if you are heading to the salon, prepping ahead and asking your stylist what you need to make a better wash day experience goes a long way.

Being inconsistent

When your wash day is inconsistent, you find out that your scalp has too much build-up which could lead to longer and a more hectic wash day. 

The solution is to have a consistent hair regimen tailored to you that you follow. You would be sure to see a change in your wash day experience.

Hope this has been helpful for you. Let me know in the comment section below what your wash day is usually like. I would definitely love to hear from you.