The age-old myth of having to wash one's hair with shampoo as frequently as possible to keep dirt away and your hair looking healthy is a practice that, for some reason, men have not been able to rid themselves of. Women, on the other hand, have learned to use natural alternatives to heavily chemical-containing shampoos when washing their hair.
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So were here to shed light on the importance of not overdoing it when it comes to keeping your locks (and scalp!) looking and feeling healthy.
Avoid shampoo if you can
As with any part of the human body, overly trying to keep it clean only strips it of its natural and essential oils, causing skin to become dry, irritated and even allowing bacteria to penetrate it more easily. And this is precisely what happens to your hair when you unnecessarily shampoo it more than you ever really should.
It becomes a never-ending cycle in which you constantly wash you hair thinking it is dirty when really the excess oil is solely due to the stripping effects of the shampoo itself. Thus, inviting you to repeat the process over and over until you've completely ruined your hair and damaged your scalp.
What are some alternatives to consider?
First of all, if you absolutely must shampoo your hair, avoid reaching for commercial brands that you find over the counter. Instead, go to a natural health store and invest in a pricier product that won't completely destroy your hair. As a rule of thumb, if you have a hard time pronouncing the ingredients on the label then chances are it's probably not very good for you. Look for only natural and plant-based ingredients.
Next, find a conditioner that is also natural and plant-based and try reaching for it more in the shower than you would your shampoo. Use a dime-sized dollop, rub it into your hair and leave it in for about two minutes before thoroughly rinsing it out. The better thing about a conditioner is that, much like shampoo, it can get rid of all the gunk in your hair, but unlike shampoo, it also replenishes it with moisture.
And as for how often you should be shampooing your hair, try not doing it more than twice a week. Progressively, allow yourself more time in between each shampoo-session and, instead, prioritize a conditioner when you can.
