21, August 2025
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
If you’ve ever wondered how many times a week you should wash your hair, you’re not the only one. ‘How often should I wash my hair?’ is one of the most asked haircare questions on the internet. The answer? It depends on your lifestyle, hair and scalp. Let’s break it down…
How Often Should I Wash My Hair?
Everybody’s hair is unique, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. There are lots of factors at play, including how active you are, the health of your scalp and what kind of hair you have. It’s about finding the right balance for you; if you don’t shampoo often enough, your scalp might feel oily and uncomfortable – do it too frequently and you could strip away natural oils, leaving scalp and strands dry.
Ultimately, how often you wash your hair is of course up to you – but these guidelines should help you settle into a rhythm that suits you and the locks Nature gave you. Just scroll down to find your hair type.
How Often Should You Wash Fine Hair (and Oily Hair?)
When: Every 1-2 days
Why: Fine, straight hair can be prone to oiliness because sebum (the natural oil on our scalps) travels easily down smooth, straight strands. If you have a particularly oily scalp, you might feel you need to wash your hair every day. Start with washing your hair every other day. If you feel it’s looking oily by day two, try switching your wash routine up to every day.
Try: Our purifying Grapefruit & Orange Shampoo and Conditioner or detoxifying Seaweed & Citrus Shampoo and Conditioner, both specially formulated for oily hair and scalp. The citrus oils in both blends are famed for their cleansing qualities (and uplifting aromas!) Our Seaweed & Citrus range is made with hand-harvested Scottish rock wrack, which is packed with vitamins, minerals and amino acids known to support hair and scalp health.
Tip: Massage the shampoo into your scalp so the essential oils can go to work where they’re needed most. When it’s time for conditioner, less is more – apply it to lengths and ends, steering clear of your roots.
How Often Should You Wash Wavy Hair (and Dry Hair)?
When: 2-3 times a week
Why: When it comes to caring for wavy hair, shampooing less is more. Oil can’t spread from the scalp down the hair shaft as quickly as it tends to on poker-straight locks. So, you’re less likely to see greasy roots, but the lengths and ends might be prone to dryness and frizz.
Try: Our smoothing Jojoba Shampoo and Conditioner or hydrating Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner, both specially formulated for dry hair and scalp. Jojoba oil’s benefits for hair include a unique ability to lock moisture into strands, helping to reduce frizz. People have been using coconut oil for hair for thousands of years because of its high fatty acid content, which can help balance the scalp and deeply hydrate the hair shaft. For a deep treatment every week or so, try our hydrating Coconut & Shea Hair Mask.
Tip: To keep waves looking their best, try alternating shampoo sessions with co-washing. This method swaps shampoo for conditioner, so you can gently cleanse hair and keep it hydrated without stripping away those all-important oils.
How Often Should You Wash Curly Hair?
When: Once or twice a week.
Why: The shape of curls makes it tricky for scalp oils to move down hair strands, so lengths and ends can be especially prone to dryness. Excessive washing can strip way much-needed moisture and leave curls brittle, so resist the urge to reach for the shampoo more than a couple of times a week.
Try: Our Shea & Argan Shampoo and Conditioner, specially formulated for curly hair and dry scalps. It’s made with two of Nature’s best-loved haircare ingredients: organic shea butter, renowned for its moisturising properties and organic argan oil, known to increase shine and smooth strands. On those days when your curls are parched and crying out for moisture, our nourishing Shea & Argan Hair Mask is your friend.
Tip: Squish to condish! After shampooing, tip your head upside down and scrunch conditioner into your wet curls to help them stay hydrated and hold their shape. Refresh your hair between washes by spritzing with water, applying your favourite curl product and scrunching again.
How Often Should You Wash Coily and Afro Hair?
When: Every 1-2 weeks.
Why: The tight curl patterns of coily and Afro hair mean scalp oils often can’t travel very far beyond roots, resulting in dry lengths and ends. It’s best to keep wash days to a bare minimum. When they do happen, choose gentle shampoo and deep conditioner.
Try: Our Curly Girl compliant Shea & Argan Shampoo Bar (bonus: it’s plastic-free!) or Shea & Argan Shampoo and Conditioner. The range is made with organic shea butter and argan oil, both famed for their conditioning qualities.
Tip: Quench extra-thirsty coils and Afro hair with our nourishing Shea & Argan Hair Mask. It’s a rich, deep treatment formulated for curly hair and dry scalp.
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair if You Have a Dry Scalp?
When? 1-2 times per week.
Why? If your scalp is dry, it can be tempting to wash your hair often. But shampooing too frequently can strip away natural oils, which can worsen dryness and flaking. Giving your scalp a break between wash days means those oils have a chance to replenish.
Try: Our soothing Aloe Vera Shampoo and Conditioner, made with organic aloe vera extract and dermatologically tested on sensitive skin. Aloe vera has many benefits for hair and scalp, including anti-inflammatory qualities and known soothing, cooling and hydrating properties for the skin. Or our hydrating Coconut Shampoo & Conditioner, made with organic coconut oil which is known to bring balance and hydration to scalps.
If your scalp is sore or irritated, speak to a doctor before using any new hair products or applying anything to your scalp.
Tip: For a pre-shampoo moisture boost, massage coconut oil into your scalp before lathering up. Or use our hydrating Coconut & Shea Mask for a weekly deep treatment.
How Often Should You Wash Balanced or Medium Hair?
When: 2-3 times per week.
Why: If your scalp isn’t especially dry or oily and your hair isn’t particularly fine, dry or coarse, you can be more flexible about your wash days. Shampooing every few days keeps hair fresh without stripping natural oils.
Try: Our balancing Lavender & Geranium Shampoo and Conditioner, stimulating Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner or nourishing Wild Rose Shampoo and Conditioner – all made with essential oils and formulated for normal hair and scalp.
Tip: Pay attention to how your lifestyle affects your hair and scalp. Regular exercise, use of styling products and hot weather might all mean you need to wash your hair more regularly at times.
Is It Bad to Wash Your Hair Every Day?
It’s best not to wash your hair every day to avoid stripping away your scalp’s natural oils. But if you’re very active, the weather’s hot, you’ve been adventuring in Nature or you use a lot of styling products, you may need to wash it more frequently than normal. And if you have very oily hair and scalp, lathering your locks daily might be the right routine for you.
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