Here we are, back to Monday. These weekends fly by so fast! It was a pretty memorable one for us though as Saturday was Juliana’s first time bowling. I went with a couple girlfriends and brought her…she was definitely the belle of the ball!
With weekends (and weekdays, for that matter) as busy as they are, I follow a hair regime that saves time but keeps my locks looking great everyday. Ok, almost everyday–we all have a bad hair day here and there! I call it “The Three Day Hair Cycle”, but the concept is not something I can totally claim. I came up with it after reading beauty blogs, talking with other gals whose hair I adored, and through personal trial-and-error.
It started in 2009 when I was at happy hour with a group of co-workers. My friend Evan said to me, “Terra, you know Jen only washes her hair every 3 or 4 days? Isn’t that gross?” Before I could process, Jen explained it’s not good to wash your hair everyday because it strips it of important natural oils. She added since her hair was color-treated and she used heat to style it, it was that much more important. Jen was without question the belle of the office and I may have envied her locks a time or two, so I perked up. I asked a couple questions, then started doing research of my own. Over the next few months I developed what I coined “The Three Day Hair Cycle”:
- Day 1: Shampoo and condition then blow out. Tip: add a silicone defrizzer like this one to your hair while still soaking wet, then let it air dry 75% of the way before blowing out. This saves time and limits heat damage. An ionic blow-dryer is a must if your hair is curly like mine and will cut drying time while adding serious shine. (Trust me, SO worth the investment!) Day 1 you’re working with clean hair that is smooth, bouncy and shiny. It looks great down:
Day 2: Hair has a bit more texture/natural wave to it from humidity, sleeping on it, etc. but typically still looks great down. This is also a great day for a half up/half down do or a messy-chic ponytail. Tip: instead of using elastics, use ponytail hooks like the pros for a chic, bump-free pony.
- Day 3: More texture and possibly some flattening and/or “bumps”. Your hair may be a little oily at the roots, which dry shampoo will resolve while at the same time adding volume (my favorites here and here). Hair holds a curl much better on Day 3. Throw in some quick curls (see my post on fast, flawless curls) or if you prefer to avoid the heat, this is the perfect day for braids.
When I tell people I wash my hair every three days, many agree it’s better but tell me they have to wash theirs everyday because it gets greasy so quickly. I’ve seen this first hand with some of my good friends, so last month I asked my stylist about that. He explained that the more frequently you wash your hair, the more oil your scalp produces, which in turn makes you need to wash it more frequently. That made sense and followed my own experience, so I did a little online research which confirmed this too.
If I haven’t convinced you yet, here are the benefits of “The Three Day Hair Cycle”:
- It saves time because you only shampoo/condition/blow out once every three days
- It’s healthier for your hair and helps prevent breakage caused by daily blow drying
- It saves money (you use a whole lot less shampoo and conditioner)
- It lends itself to a variety of hairstyles by capitalizing on the textures of your hair each day
If you end up trying it let me know what you think! 🙂
XO, Terra