5 Ways To Extend Your Wash Day & Get Softer, More Voluminous Hair

The pendulum swing of beauty trends is particularly dramatic when it comes to one of the most basic rituals: washing your hair. One year, daily washing is a sin. The next, you're convinced your scalp hates you if you don't. 

I'll let you in on a little industry secret: There is no "right" cadence. With different hair types, oil production rates, and scalp health concerns (think psoriasis, dandruff, etc.), the best shampoo schedule will be whatever works best for you. 

Some people prefer to at least rinse their water daily, which is totally fair. If this sounds like you, or even if you swear by an every-other-day schedule, consider swapping a rinse for your shampoo. 

If you have a buildup of hair spray and loads of dry shampoo, it's obviously better to pick a full-on cleanser. But on days your hair looks somewhat oily but not entirely, a rinse will help you reset without over-stripping your hair (as shampoo often can). 

The product I swear by (plus is a favorite pick from our beauty team) is the dpHue ACV Rinse. It's super easy to use, makes my scalp look as good as new, and keeps my strands soft. 

Some dry shampoos contain irritating ingredients and excessive fragrances that can aggravate your delicate scalp, clog the hair follicles, and stick to your strands a little too well. The next time you shampoo, you'll have to really scrub that already irritated scalp extra hard to dismantle the buildup, which can further inflame the skin. It's a rough cycle, to say the least. 

If you brush your hair when it's dry, try to use a soft boar-bristle brush if you notice oils building up. One versatile pick is this Pattern Double-Sided Bristle Brush.

If you aren't already exfoliating your scalp, you should probably start. This doesn't have to be a frequent endeavor; think of it as something you do every so often when you notice increased oil, buildup, flakes, and so on. 

You pretty much have two choices: chemical exfoliants and physical exfoliants. The former includes liquid treatments with alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids that help to lift dead skin and product buildup, like the Act+Acre Scalp Renew. You'll typically use these products pre-shower and won't leave them on for more than half an hour. 

Scalp scrubs, on the other hand, are top-notch for physical exfoliation, but you should look for sugar-sized granules (as opposed to salt), to help mitigate the risk of over-scrubbing the skin. However, those with a sensitive scalp might want to opt out of scalp scrubs and stick with chemical exfoliants instead. 

Believe me, I understand the temptation to throw on a baseball cap before working out to hide oily roots. However, if you genuinely want to prolong the time between washes, the hat habit is one worth reconsidering.

See, when you put on a hat, you provide a physical barrier for the skin on your scalp. This keeps moisture and heat trapped under the hat, which will only cause your scalp to sweat more, making your hair look even greasier after you take it off.