Shampoo for daily use: harm or benefit?

Lila Kovalevskaya , cosmetic chemist and brand technologist of the first personalized hair cosmetics For Special You (FSY)

Are there shampoos for daily washing?

Yes, but they are quite difficult to find. Shampoos for daily use should be much gentler than those for regular use every few days. To be honest, few manufacturers bother to carefully select formulas that will prevent excessive oily scalp. Therefore, often the inscriptions “for dry hair” and “for oily hair” on cans are just the names of ordinary shampoo.

Why is washing your hair every day harmful?

Washing your hair every day disrupts the hydrolipidic balance of the scalp and hair in particular. Hair becomes dry, volume disappears, allergic reactions occur, and hypersensitivity may occur. The sebaceous glands tend to “fail” in two directions: the hair either begins to become oilier more often, or hyposecretion occurs - the hair becomes overdried, itching of the scalp and dry dandruff appear. Therefore, washing your hair every day is really harmful.

Why do some people feel the need to wash their hair every day?

The scalp consists of three layers: epidermis (top layer), dermis and subcutaneous fat. The middle layer (dermis) contains hair follicles, sweat glands, capillaries, nerve endings and sebaceous glands. The skin begins to become more contaminated if it is not treated correctly, namely using cosmetics that are incorrectly selected for the type of scalp and hair or using a lot of styling products. All fixing cosmetics (styling products) are alkaline in nature, and the hair and scalp have a slightly acidic environment. And when alkali is added to an acidic environment, the hair cuticle opens so much that it is very easy to damage. Then they begin to break, pigment is washed out faster, and hair falls out more. A similar negative effect on hair, like styling, is caused by hot air from a hair dryer or hot water while washing your hair. All this disrupts the metabolism of the scalp and the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Actually, due to such violations, hair has to be washed every day, as it loses its aesthetic appearance. But washing your hair every day is not the norm. The classic norm is to wash your hair every 2-5 days.

Is it true that if you wash your hair more often, your hair will get greasy faster?

If there is a need to wash your hair every day, then this is a signal of a malfunction of the sebaceous glands. Thus, the more often a person washes his hair, the faster it will become dirty. To get out of this situation, you need to start using soft, sulfate-free cosmetics (it will be difficult to get used to for the first 2-3 weeks), but this must be done.

Also, you need to start trying to wash your hair every other day instead of every day. But if you washed your hair in the evening and woke up the next morning with an oily head, don’t run to repeat the procedure again. Use dry shampoo in powder form. It is better to use white powdered dry shampoo and apply it to the roots. It is a hypoallergenic and safe absorbent. Sprinkle it on the root zone, run your hand and comb. The powder absorbs fat and becomes completely invisible, and your hair will look neat and even have volume. Using dry shampoo, you can train yourself not to wash your hair too often.

Attention! I don't recommend using aerosol dry shampoos because they damage your hair. In addition, they will make your head get fat faster.

But if the need for daily washing still remains, it is better to use shampoos with sebum-regulating additives or sulfate-free ones. They will a priori be softer and safer, since they are made from safe plant materials. But sulfate shampoos should absolutely not be used daily.