It may sound counterintuitive, but if you don’t have the shiny locks of your dreams yet, one of the first things you can do is stop shampooing it so much. Though we often associate shiny hair with being well-washed hair, “shampoo washes away your natural oils, leaving the inner layer unprotected,” hair stylist Tonya Le told Insider. Therefore, too much shampooing can actually result in your hair looking duller, because it’s lacking in natural moisture.
It can even make your hair susceptible to more damage. “The process of moving shampoo or conditioner around in your hair can damage the hair cuticle (the outer layer),” Perry Romanowski, a cosmetic chemist, explained to Today. “When the hair dries, it doesn’t lay perfectly flat, so that makes hair look dull, makes it harder to comb and increases the chances of getting split hair.”
So how often should you actually be shampooing your hair? Well, everyone is different. But, as a general rule of thumb, hairstylist and Salon 120 co-founder Kasey Bertucci suggests washing your hair every two to three days is the best way to keep it healthy.
