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How to Revitalize Your Hair Between Washes

revitalize-your-hair-between-washes

Many American adults shower or bathe every day, which is considered important as many of us spend time close to each other in office spaces. While there are good arguments for not showing each day, these habits likely aren’t going anywhere.

However, many hair experts agree that you should not be shampooing your hair at the same frequency. How often you should wash your hair depends on personal preference, your hair type, and what hair products you use. All scalps and hair types are unique, so the shampooing routine that works for someone else may not work for you. 

But most people probably do not need to shampoo more than 2-3 times a week. Those with dry hair may only want to wash it once or twice a week (some people manage on a schedule of shampooing only once every 2-3 weeks), while those with super oily hair may want to wash every other day. But no matter your hair type, every other day is the most anyone should be shampooing their hair.

Why Shouldn’t You Wash Your Hair Every Day?

While shampooing your hair every day may feel like the best, clean choice, it actually strips your hair of its natural oils. This can lead to hair that is dull, overly dry, and brittle. Those with naturally dry hair, color-treated hair, fine hair, or those with a sensitive scalp are most at risk. 

Whether you only skip one day of shampooing per week, or you go much longer between shampoos, you may be wondering how to keep your hair revitalized between washes. Here are some ways that you can keep your hair feeling, looking, and smelling fresh.

How to Revitalize Hair Between Washes

Use Heat

One trick to have hair that maintains a feeling of clean is to give your hair a great blow dry or heat styling treatment following your wash. Use products that help keep your style in place without weighing down your hair. This can make a good shampoo last for up to several days.

Heat Styling

Heat styling or blow drying isn’t possible every day, or for every type of hair. Another trick to revitalize your hair between washes is to use a dry shampoo on days you don’t wash your hair. 

A good dry shampoo product can help absorb excess oil on your scalp and roots, keeping your hair from looking or feeling too oily or heavy between washes. Experts recommend using only a dry shampoo every few days at most. Also, make sure to massage the dry shampoo into your scalp and brush it out to get the full effect.

Try Hair Water

If your hair looks great but smells like the restaurant you had dinner at the night before, give your hair a quick spritz with a hair perfume to get your hair back to smelling its best.

Dry Conditioner

Other spray options to help your hair smell and look fresh include dry conditioners, detangling sprays (especially if you wake up with matted, knotted hair from sleep), or hair water – plain water that’s fortified with oils or silicones and a light fragrance. Spray hair water on in a fine mist, and it will make it super easy to quickly reset or restyle your hair (especially for those with curly or wavy hair). 

Co-Washing

If you have oily hair, or are having a hard time getting used to the idea of not shampooing every day, try co-washing. When you’re in the shower, lightly rinse your hair with water and use a cleansing conditioner instead of a shampoo. Start with swapping out just one shampoo day a week with a cleansing conditioner, and once you’re comfortable with that, see if you can skip the shampoo for a conditioning co-wash two or three times a week.

Products Selection for Hair

Finally, check out these three great products from DermaE Natural Skincare, North American Herb & Spice, and Hyalogic. These personal care and beauty products work to help support hair and scalp health no matter how many days a week you shampoo 

Scalp Relief Conditioner by DermaE Natural Skincare

Scalp Relief Conditioner from DermaE Natural Skincare works in four different ways for your scalp and hair.

  • De-tangles
  • De-flakes
  • Soothes
  • Nourishes

Using Derma E’s proprietary Therapeutic Psorzema Herbal Blend helps to calm a dandruff-prone, itchy, and irritated scalp. This formula helps to lock in moisture to replenish the hair, from root to tip.

ScalpClenz Conditioner by North American Herb & Spice

ScalpClenz Conditioner from North American Herb & Spice supports hair and scalp health with absolutely zero petrochemicals, dyes, gluten, colors, iodine, glycols, pesticides, glycerin, sulfates, parabens, fragrance, or phosphates. Instead, it utilizes the power of oreganol P73, plus multiple spice oil complexes, in an organic hair treatment that protects against damage from hair styling products, the sun, and environmental toxins. All of this while still supporting and strengthening hair from root to tip.

Episilk Conditioner with Hyaluronic Acid by Hyalogic 

Episilk Conditioner with Hyaluronic Acid from Hyalogic is a naturally rich, luxurious conditioner enriched with super moisturizing hyaluronic acid to help maintain a healthy scalp and hair. A high quality shampoo that lightly cleanses while it moisturizes, this fragrance-free formulation is suitable for all hair types (even if your hair is permed or color-treated,) leaving hair and the scalp soft and healthy, without the use of harmful parabens.

How do you revitalize your hair between washes?

Healthy Hair Basics

Healthy Hair BasicsJacquie Eubanks RN BSN

The condition of one’s hair is often viewed as an outward sign of excellent overall health. Those seeking healthy, more lustrous hair might begin with simple dietary improvements, as sufficient daily intake of macro and micronutrients is necessary to maintain cellular structure and promote hair growth. Unfavorable changes of the hair and scalp can indicate underlying nutrient deficiencies, which can result in dry, dull or thinning hair over time. In addition to nutrient deficiencies, genetics, chronic illnesses, medications, hormonal fluctuations, prolonged stress, advancing age, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can all affect the health, strength, texture and thickness of hair, as well as the speed of hair growth and the rate of hair loss.

The average human head contains approximately 100,000 hairs and an equal number of hair follicles. Hair follicles cycle through stages that include growth, transition, resting and shedding phases. The growth cycle of a human hair typically lasts two to seven years, which determines the length of one’s hair. Normally, hair grows at the rate of one half inch each month or about six inches yearly. During the shedding phase, it’s common to lose 50 – 100 hairs daily with no visible effects on hair thickness.

Significant increased hair loss, known as excessive hair shedding, is a common often temporary condition. Non-permanent hair shedding can be a result of childbirth, rapid weight loss, extreme dieting, illness accompanied by high fever, a period of high stress or traumatic life event. With the exception of prolonged stress, which can lead to long-term excessive shedding, as the body readjusts, hair will often regain its natural fullness within six to nine months. Women who inherit a genetic predisposition for hair loss will generally experience gradual loss, while men will develop a receding hair line or baldness.

Healthy hair starts at the root, where hair follicles receive oxygen and nutrients. A diet that includes a proper balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidant nutrients can help meet the metabolic requirements of hair follicle cells to nourish and support optimal hair growth and maintain the health of hair and scalp. A nutrient-poor diet is frequently to blame for lack luster, thinning, easily damaged hair. Often undernourished, fast dividing hair cells are non-essential for life making them low priority on nutrient receiving list.

A well-balanced diet can potentially provide essential vitamins, including A, C, D, E, K and B-complex, that support healthy hair growth, as well as hair strength and thickness. A daily high quality multivitamin and mineral supplement can help ensure foundational nutrient needs are met. Supplements specifically formulated to provide the nutrients for healthy hair follicle function can make a noticeable difference in the look, strength and health of hair. Although improvements may not be evident for several months as hair takes time to grow, hair supplements support hair production and thickness, as well as improved hair quality.

Keratin, an insoluble structural protein comprising chains of amino acids, is the main component of hair. Dietary protein provides the essential amino acids required to produce keratin. Insufficient intake of amino acids can cause a reduction in keratin levels and lead to weakness and reduced hair growth. For lustrous, shiny, thriving hair, sufficient daily intake of animal or plant-based proteins is key.

As well, it pays to be prudent about daily hair care. Along with harsh chemical-based hair treatments, dyes and hair products, over-washing, over-styling, blow-drying and flat-ironing can damage and weaken hair, and result in dryness, brittleness, frizziness and breakage. Switching to more natural, nurturing hair care products, washing less frequently and allowing hair to dry naturally when possible can help to restore moisture and prevent breakage. As split ends travel the length of the hair when not regularly trimmed, removing dry split ends every few months helps keep hair healthy and strong as it grows.

Professional Supplement Center offers these and other high quality nutritional supplements in support of optimal health:

Hair ReViveHair ReVive™ by Ridgecrest Herbals®: This popular product provides a unique combination of synergistic vitamins, minerals, botanicals and phytonutrients that aid hair growth and fullness and help reduce daily hair loss. With continued use, these nutrients enhance circulation to the scalp and hair follicles, aid development and renewal of healthy active follicles and provide building blocks for strong, healthy hair. Free of gluten, wheat, dairy, nuts, corn, soy and yeast. Non-GMO formulation.

Hair/Skin/Nails...Hair/Skin/Nails Ultra by Pure Encapsulations®: This hypoallergenic formulation provides optimal levels of nutrients and cofactors that promote and support healthy hair, skin and nails. Specific ingredients support skin hydration and elasticity, supply building blocks for keratin and collagen synthesis and counter oxidative stress with antioxidant nutrients. Gluten free, Non-GMO formulation.

Hair, Skin and Nails...Hair, Skin and Nails Plus by Douglas Laboratories®: This science-based formula offers nutritional support for hair, skin, nails and connective tissue health with a synergistic blend of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, botanicals and gelatin. Free of wheat gluten, dairy, corn, sodium, starch, yeast and artificial coloring, flavoring and preservatives. Non-GMO formulation.

Hair, Skin and NailsHair, Skin & Nails by Now® Foods: This clinically advanced formula is designed to nutritionally support full lustrous hair, strong nails, skin elasticity and a healthy youthful appearance. Bioavailable ingredients include solubilized keratin, hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid, as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and biotin. Free of wheat, gluten, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish and tree nuts. Non-GMO formulation.

Skin, Nails HairSkin, Nails & Hair™ by MegaFood®: This farm-to-table supplement provides FoodState™ Nutrients sourced from wholesome food grown in healthy soil by farmers committed to organic and regenerative agriculture. These guaranteed potency, health-promoting compounds support the health of hair, skin and nails with nourishment the body recognizes as whole food. Free of gluten, dairy, soy, glyphosate-residue, herbicides and pesticides. USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Certified Kosher, vegan formulation.

References:
Nutrition and hair. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20620758.
The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6380979/
Do You Have Hair Loss or Hair Shedding? https://www.aad.org/hair-shedding

NOW® Foods – Featured Brand

NowSusan Brown Health and Wellness Editor

 

 

Owned and operated by the Richard family since 1968, NOW® Foods remains committed to providing affordable science-based, high quality, effective natural supplements and health products. Since their inception, NOW® has met or exceeded natural product manufacturing regulations and operates in full compliance with FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) introduced in 2007. Raw ingredients sourced worldwide undergo extensive testing in state-of-the-art, in-house analytical laboratories to verify identity, potency and purity, as well as to ensure the absence of adulterants, allergens, pesticides, heavy metals and contaminants. All finished products are inspected and approved by quality control to verify label accuracy and proper manufacturing. NOW® assures that their sourcing and quality checks ensure consistency, safety and efficacy of every product, supporting their commitment to enable people to live healthier lives.

In alignment with their focus on environmental and sustainability initiatives, NOW’s Sparks, Nevada facility is GMP-certified green. As an organic and natural products manufacturer, NOW® is keenly aware of their potential impact on the environment and is committed to the reduction of their own carbon footprint. Through their partnership with the non-profit Conservation Foundation, NOW® helps to promote water conservation and is dedicated to protecting open space, natural land, rivers and watersheds.

To see the full line of products from Now Foods, please visit professional supplementcenter.com

Berry Dophilus Extra...BerryDophilus™ Extra Strength: Formulated for children and adults, BerryDophilus™ chewable tablets provide 10 billion CFU from a blend of 10 clinically validated probiotic bacterial strains. The multiple strains in this product diversify the microbiome, thereby providing support for healthy gastrointestinal and immune function, as well as creating a favorable environment for nutrient absorption. Gluten, wheat, soy, dairy, egg and tree nut free, vegan formulation.

Glutathione 500 mgGlutathione 500 mg: Found and synthesized by every bodily cell and in high concentrations in the heart, muscle tissue and the liver, glutathione is critical for healthy immune and liver detoxification functions. As an antioxidant recycler, glutathione neutralizes free radicals to reduce cellular damage. To enhance glutathione’s liver supportive properties, this formula includes milk thistle extract and alpha lipoic acid. Gluten, wheat, sugar, salt, starch, yeast, soy, milk, egg, shellfish and preservative free. Non-GMO vegan formulation.

Hair, Skin NailsHair, Skin & Nails: This clinically advanced formula provides patented, bioavailable solubilized keratin to support healthy youthful skin, strong flexible nails and full, lustrous hair. Additional supportive ingredients include hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid, critical nutrients for healthy skin maintenance. Wheat, gluten, milk, egg, fish, shellfish and tree nut free.

L-Theanine PowderL-Theanine Powder: Found naturally in the tea plant, L-theanine is a unique amino acid that supports healthy cognitive and vascular function and promotes relaxation while maintaining alertness. Wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish and tree nut free. Non-GMO vegan formulation.

Vitamin D-3 5000 IUVitamin D-3 5,000 IU: These high potency softgels supply 5,000 IU of highly absorbable vitamin D-3 as cholecalciferol per serving. Adequate vitamin D is necessary for healthy bone maintenance and normal growth and development, as well as brain, immune and nervous system health. Gluten, wheat, soy, milk, yeast, egg, fish and shellfish free. Non-GMO formulation.