OMG. When I first heard about this, I had to read it twice to make sure I didn't misunderstand. Would you believe a woman named Jacquelyn Byers has gone five years without washing her hair?!?
No, not five days. Or five weeks. Or five months. Five YEARS, people!
It all started when she became leery of using regular shampoo because of the chemicals it contained. For a while, she switched over to organic and natural stuff — but then she decided those products were too pricey. At that point, she started washing with apple cider vinegar and baking soda — and then she gave up on shampooing her hair altogether. She now simply rinses it with water — twice a week.
Take a look at this video to hear more and to see pics of how her hair looks.
Ok, so in the photos, her hair really doesn't look that bad. But I can't help but wonder if it smells fresh and clean — without her using shampoo? Have you ever given your hair a good whiff after a couple days without washing it? Um … let's just say it's not a very pleasant scent. But who knows … maybe there's not a huge difference, as long as water is involved?
Back to her reasoning for kicking the shampoo bottle to the curb. I understand her being worried about toxins and such, but regardless of what ingredients are hiding in there — I don't think there is any way I could go without it. Like ever.
The longest I ever go between shampoos is two days, though most of the time, I wash my hair every other day. This keeps it fresh, clean, but also healthy, since I'm not stripping it of oils by lathering up every single day.
However … by day two? I can see the grease starting to build up on my roots, indicating that it's time to hop in the shower and take care of business. Ok, so once in a while, I'll use dry shampoo in a pinch, but 99.99 percent of the time, I wash with regular shampoo followed by conditioner.
I know how greasy a person's hair gets varies from woman to woman, but it seems hard to imagine her not getting at least a little bit of oil build up.
Maybe she's lucky enough to have this no-wash method work for her — but I'm certainly not brave enough to try it.
How long do you go in between shampoos?
Image via anathea/Flickr
