We’ve been in a drought here in Eastern Massachusetts, and I decided a few weeks ago that I would try to take very short showers with no hair washing and do minimal laundry. My hair has gotten long enough now that I can put it up in a clip and let it be messy and frankly, I have been liking it. I think I like it because I’ve been styling my short hair just about every morning for maybe twenty years now, and I’m dead sick and tirt of doing it.
Remember in “Friends With Money” when Frances McDormand’s character just stops washing her hair because she’s into menopause and she’s just had it? That’s kind of how I feel. But when someone finally says to me, “Vicki, that hair does NOT look cute and messy, it looks greasy and spinsterish and Girl you need serious help from Mr. Redken,” I can say, “I’m doing it for the ENVIRONMENT!”
I know I have advised us all against wearing hideous plastic clips in our hair and believe me, I wouldn’t DARE preach with one, or attend an ordination in one as I have seen some of my female colleagues do. I’m not that far gone. But I do at this moment have my hair pulled up into a plastic CLAW and I just want you to know that I am therefore egregiously violating my own beauty advice and counsel.
When I start wearing these, it’s time to stage an intervention:
And speaking of which, for the Love of God, please let us not let our sisters wear SCRUNCHIES in the hair.
On the other hand, wouldn’t this be pretty for a low, smooth Sunday morning ponytail?
I have one use for a scrunchie.
But really, it doesn’t look like a scrunchie.
For those of us with really long hair, you can do your hair up in a french twist, take a scrunchie, make a sideways figure-8 with it, wrap it around the french twist, stick a nice (short) hairstick through the two hoops of the figure 8, and you have a hairstyle that will stay for hours.
And really, it looks simple and clean. And not at all like a scrunchie.
I totally don’t have the coordination to even imagine what you just described, but COOL!!!
oy, now I miss my long-enough hair to do the scrunchie-twist! Peacebang, I’m fascinated by your non-washed hair because I’ve tried going up to 3 days without washing. I agree with you about the annoyance of just washing and styling it every day. I came across a tip in Real Simple that suggested just putting conditioner in the ends of hair instead of on the scalp where it’s not needed and can make hair greasy faster. I’ve noticed a minimal difference since I started doing that. Good luck with your new hair 🙂
Everything I’ve read from skin experts says washing the hair more than two or three times a week is unnecessary and not that good for the hair, and yet daily hair washings seem to be really common. You’re getting the word out!
We have a drought here in North Carolina, too. I am experimenting with different shampoo, trying to find one that will keep my hair from looking horribly limp and greasy for more than a day and a half (due to the curse of baby-fine hair and active oil glands), thus allowing me to save many gallons of water. So far Suave “Daily Clarifying” does the best job– does anyone have any other recommendations?
You wouldn’t want me around more than 48 hours after last washing my hair. Alternating days is the most I can stretch this part of basic hygiene. Beyond that point, the smell of the unwashed scalp wafts forth. I’ve tried it, camping, traveling, saving time. Not good. We do vary as people.
I recommend dry shampoo. Awesome stuff. Good for shut-ins, though I’m not sure where they buy it; I bought mine on the internet.
Also, for in between washings: powdering the roots helps. Shake baby powder on your roots, let sit for a couple of minutes, then brush out (over the tub). You’ll get a whole ‘nother day out of your hair before having to wash it!
(Mama taught me this, and we did it many times when I was a kid. Then years later, the tip showed up in Glamour magazine! Guess their mamas did it too….)
Peacebang, do you have any suggestions for putting long hair up without a plastic claw clip? My hair is very thick and heavy; I like the way it looks when it’s up (it makes mid-twenties me look a little more take-seriousable, for one thing) but I hear you that the plastic clip is too informal for a worship setting. I’ve never been able to make it stay up with hairsticks (no idea how people manage that). Any other ideas?
I wash mine about once every nine days or so.
Now, I RINSE it about every two-to-three. Warm rinse, cool rinse. When I do wash it, I use a long-nozzled squirt bottle to just apply the shampoo to the bit nearest the scalp, which is really the bit that gets all oily and dirty. The only time I use conditioner is when I dye my hair, and even then I very carefully use a silicone free one and apply it to just the last six inches or so.
Result: It used to take five to six hours for the waist-length hair to dry. It now takes an hour and a half. Doubled in thickness, much shinier and healthy looking, and less breakage. Who would have thought that less was more?