I used to have reeeeeally long hair and I’d wash, dry, and straighten or curl it EVERY SINGLE MORNING. (Obviously this was pre-kids.) I look back on that and wonder how in the world I had the time to do that every day — especially considering that blowing my hair dry is one of my very least favorite activities. (I’ve decided I dislike it so very much because you can’t multitask when you’re doing it! If I want to, I can do things like listen to a podcast while I’m doing my skincare, makeup, curling my hair, etc. — but not while blow drying. Type 3 much? Yeah…guilty.)
But in 2014, I started experimenting with switching things up hair care wise. First, I used the “no poo” method for about four months, where you ditch shampoo and conditioner and instead use baking soda and apple cider vinegar. It sounds like it would feel (and smell) really weird, but I loved it as a way to “reset” my hair a bit. It helped to strip out all the buildup I’d acquired from those washes every day, and also helped my hair start to be able to go longer between washes.
I transitioned back to traditional shampoo and conditioner, but no longer washed my hair every day. (Big win!)
Then, when I started becoming aware of making better choices when it came to what I was putting on my body (something I legitimately hadn’t ONCE thought about until I was pregnant with Maggie and learned to avoid retinol while pregnant), I began rethinking the hair care products I was using (along with skincare, makeup, lotion, etc.). The good news? There are SO MANY great options when it comes to clean hair care products that actually work. (Promise.)
At this point, I can easily go 8-10 days between washes, and (based on the feedback I get from friends and family, who I assume are being honest!) you honestly can’t tell it’s been that long since it’s been cleaned. I know when it’s time to wash it again when I genuinely can’t remember the last time I washed it!
I’ve tried a few things along the way, but right now here’s the line-up that works well for me:
SHAMPOO:
I rotate between Beautycounter’s Daily Shampoo and goop’s G.Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo.
The Beautycounter Daily Shampoo is a great purifying shampoo that leaves my hair feeling great. A tip on using it: As with most Beautycounter products, use just a LITTLE BIT of shampoo (like, less than you’d think). Wash your hair once to pull out oil, then rinse well and apply a tiny bit more shampoo to really get a good lather going. Rinse, and follow up with conditioner. (P.S. First-time Beautycounter customers can save 20% on this product and virtually anything else on the site in the month of February! Just use the code CLEANFORALL20 at checkout.)
(Every other wash I use the goop scrub.) You may have heard others rave about the goop scrub, and for good reason. It helps exfoliate the scalp and reduce any product build-up you may have accumulated, and leaves your hair feeling SO soft and all-around amazing. Plus, a jar will last you for MONTHS (so don’t let the price tag scare you away). You can buy the shampoo directly from goop’s website, obviously, but I typically get it from Sephora to take advantage of free shipping, maybe grabbing a couple other products, and potentially using coupons if they have any sales going at the time. (Sephora usually offers cash back through Rakuten as well! Right now it’s 2%.)
CONDITIONER:
In the shower, I use Beautycounter’s Daily Conditioner, and after I’m out of the shower I spritz my hair with Innersense’s Sweet Spirit Leave In Conditioner to make brushing it out a breeze.
As with the Beautycounter Daily Shampoo, you can go light on the Daily Conditioner. Also, be sure to apply the conditioner just to the ends of your hair — you don’t need any up at the crown of your head or in your scalp. This is better for your hair AND makes your product last much longer. Score!
You can also be conservative with the amount of Innersense Leave In Conditioner you use, to avoid making your hair TOO conditioned (and therefore greasy and heavy). I use four sprays for my whole head.
DRY SHAMPOO:
I don’t use dry shampoo every day — even going so long between washes — but it’s such a helpful product to have on hand on those days when your hair does need a bit more oomph and you don’t want to wash it quite yet. (It’s also a lifesaver after a super sweaty workout when you want to avoid a hair wash!)
I like using Primally Pure’s Natural Dry Shampoo for those between wash touch-ups. (And remember, you can save 10% on any Primally Pure purchase any time when you use the code CURIOUSER as you check out.)
HAIR OIL:
Another product I love from Innersense is their Harmonic Healing Oil. It’s amazing to use as a pre-shower scalp treatment when you’re really having a treat yourself kind of self-care day, and I also like using a bit on the tips of my hair for some extra shine.
And that’s about it! I don’t want to have a ton of hair products (my hair doesn’t call for them), so this is a nice, simple line-up for me.
(Related note: My hair dryer is fine, but nothing special, and at some point I’d love to invest in a better version. If you have a hair dryer you absolutely love, please let me know about it!)
FOR MAGGIE:
Right now, we still have plenty of Beautycounter’s kids’ shampoo and conditioner on hand for Maggie, but unfortunately those products have been discontinued so we’ll be on the market for something new when what we have on hand runs out. (I’ve heard good things about Honest’s kids’ hair products, so we might look into those…)
After her bath, we use the Innersense Leave In Conditioner on her as well, which helps a TON with tangles and makes for a much more pleasant post-bath experience for us all!
If you’ve moved to cleaner hair products, too, I’d love to know some of your top picks!
