Should I Wash My Hair More in the Summer?
We've all heard that we shouldn't wash our hair daily, but what about when it's hot outside? We're more active outdoors in the summertime, which means more sweat and grease on our scalp. It feels good to take a nice, cool shower after being outside on a hot summer day. But how often should we wash our hair in the summer?
The answer hinges on a couple of factors. How many times a week you should wash your hair in the summer is dependent on your hair type and your activity levels. If you're doing a lot of high-intensity cardio outdoors, you may need to wash your hair more frequently than someone spending most of her days indoors.
We put together a guide to help you determine how often you should wash your hair in the summer, along with some pro tips to help you get by between wash days no matter your hair type! Read on to learn more about the ideal shampooing frequency for your hair type and summer activities!
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair in the Summer?
If You Have Fine or Thin Hair:
Those of us with fine or thin hair tend to deal with flat hair when the mercury rises. It's tempting to reach for the shampoo bottle every time humidity hits, but this can make things worse. When we wash our hair too often, we strip our scalp of its natural sebum. This prompts the scalp's sebaceous glands to produce more oil to make up for the oil that's been stripped away.
Shampooing schedule: Every other day—provided you’re spending time outdoors and not holed up in air conditioning 24-7. Washing your hair in the summer with a volumizing shampoo and adding a volumizing hair thickener are essential for gorgeous summer hair for fine locks.
To pump up second-day hair, try a weightless hair thickening spray like Lift Me Up Hair Thickener that wraps around thinning strands to help thin tresses appear fuller while lifting hair at the roots. This gives us the illusion of thicker, oil-free hair—perfect for extending the time between shampoos!
Pro tip: Try a new style to get you through to your next wash! Something as small as changing the part in your hair can make a difference and add oil-camouflaging lift at the root. For more summer hairstyle inspiration, check out our recommendations for 7 gorgeous summer hairstyles!
If You Have Oily Hair:
As we age, our hair tends to get drier, but that's definitely not the case for all of us! If you're dealing with greasy hair, the hot, humid days of summer can take a toll on your tresses. It's important to cleanse the scalp properly to minimize oil and product buildup that can interrupt follicular activity and make our hair appear greasy and dull.
Shampooing schedule: Wash your hair in the summer every other day, if you can. Using a buildup-fighting scalp cleanser will help deep clean the scalp and clear away the oil and debris that weigh your hair down. Try a formula with activated charcoal, like our New Dawn Activated Charcoal Scalp Cleanser. It comes with a massaging brush applicator, and the activated charcoal absorbs excess oils and dirt from the scalp, pores and hair for deeper cleansing.
Pro tip: Avoid touching your hair! When we mindlessly run our hands through our hair, we're adding the oils from our hands to the existing oils on our hair and scalp. Only touching your hair when styling it will help keep extra oil at bay!
If You Have Curly or Color-Treated Hair:
Maintaining the moisture barrier is essential for these hair types, even when the weather gets warmer! Shampooing curly and color-treated hair too often can result in dry, frizzy, color-faded locks.
Shampooing schedule: 1 to 3 times per week. To amp up the hydration after you wash your hair this summer, try adding a luxe, ultra-moisturizing butter mask in place of your regular conditioner. We love our Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque to replenish moisture and seal cuticles, which boosts vibrancy in curly and color-treated hair.
Pro-tip: If your hair is a silver or blonde shade, banish brassy, yellow tones by adding a purple butter mask like our Silver Lining Purple Butter Masque to your summer hair-care routine. It contains D&C violet 2, which reduces the intensity of yellow tones and brassiness to help brighten and add vibrancy to lighter shades!
If You're an Outdoor Exercise Enthusiast:
If you love to move your workouts outside in the summer, then you’re probably dealing with more sweat, more often. Not to mention, the sun's damaging UV rays—your hair needs protection, too! Too much sunlight can fade your hair color and cause damage to the hair shaft.
Shampooing schedule: If you're outdoorsy, start by washing your hair in the summer 2 to 3 times per week and see how it goes. You can increase this frequency to every other day as needed, especially if you’re dealing with fine, thin or oily hair. When you’re spending more time outdoors, products that add vibrancy and shine and that protect your hair from the sun and heat are essential!
Our new hypoallergenic Full Transparency Pure Revitalizing Shampoo is a fragrance-free option that adds shine, vibrancy and liveliness to dull tresses using natural ingredients like yuzu and chia seeds.
For heat protection, reach for a dual-acting heat protectant and frizz-fighting spray like our No Remorse Heat Protection & Taming Spray. Packed with vitamin E, argan oil and avocado oil, No Remorse helps shield hair strands from heat damage and breakage while smoothing the cuticles and taming frizz.
Pro-tip: To salvage sweaty hair between wash days, try rinsing your hair with lukewarm water. This helps prevent the hair cuticle from lifting (which reduces frizz and dullness) and clears out any dirt or debris your hair might have collected while you were outside. Water alone, though, won't wash away oils, so it isn't a replacement for proper shampooing and conditioning. But it's a great way to extend the time between washes!
If You've Spent a Day in the Pool:
One of our favorite summer activities is spending a lazy day at the pool, but the chlorine in pools can wreak havoc on our hair. And chlorine and copper together make a film that turns lighter locks green.
Shampooing schedule: How often you'll need to wash your hair in the summer depends on how often you're in the pool. Chlorine should not be left in your hair because it dries hair out, leaving it brittle and more susceptible to damage. After each exposure to chlorine, we recommend that you wash your hair with a hydrating, repairing shampoo and conditioner like our Second Chance Repairing Duo to help re-moisturize dried-out tresses and thwart any greenish hue from developing on lighter hair.
Pro tip: Avoid exposing your hair to chlorine entirely! Tuck your hair into a cute swim cap before pool time to save excess stress on your locks. Be sure to look for a swim cap for long hair regardless of your hair length to give your hair more room in the cap and to minimize friction!
Tell us: How often do you wash your hair in the summer? Share your favorite tips for extending the time between shampoos in the comments below!
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Better Not Younger knows that over-washing your hair can lead to dry, brittle, damaged tresses, especially for mature hair. Our entire product line is formulated to address the unique concerns of mature tresses, including environmental factors like heat, humidity and sun damage that can take a toll on our hair. Let us help you find the right products to keep your aging hair looking its best this summer!