The Hair Washing Mistake Experts Want You to Stop Making

Are you overwashing your hair?

Washing too frequently, especially with harsh formulas, can strip the scalp of its natural oils. When that happens, “the scalp often overcorrects by producing even more oil, which creates a frustrating cycle,” D’Alessandro explains.

Additionally, “Over washing can also lead to dryness, irritation, and a compromised scalp barrier over time,” she continues.

So if you feel like your hair feels greasy, even with frequent washing, it might be time to scale back your scheduled hair wash days.

How often should I wash my hair?

Naturally, it’s complicated. “The honest answer is that there’s no universal rule,” admits D’Alessandro.

While frequency depends on many factors, she says most people do well washing their hair two to three times per week, based on her expertise.

However, scalp type, lifestyle, and product usage can play a huge role in how often people should wash their hair.

In terms of scalp type, “An oilier scalp will need more frequent cleansing, while a drier scalp benefits from less,” notes D’Alessandro.

Similarly, “Hair texture is also relevant, as finer hair tends to show oil more quickly, while coarser or curlier textures can go longer between washes.”

If you’re very active (aka regularly breaking a sweat at the gym) or use a lot of heavy styling products, you’ll likely experience more buildup and therefore, need to wash more often.

Ultimately, “The goal is to keep the scalp clean and balanced without stripping it,” says D’Alessandro. These on-sale shampoos from Nordstrom do exactly that.