How often should you wash curly hair?

One thing everyone with curly hair wants to know is “How often should I be washing my hair, and what curly hair products should I be using?” The answer varies since everyone’s curls are so different. Can you over-wash curls and what effect does this have on your hair? 

Curly hair is naturally drier which affects how often you should wash your hair. Sebum is an oil that is produced by our scalp naturally, and it also protects and adds moisture. In straight hair, sebum travels down the hair shaft easily, but this is more difficult with curls due to their natural spiral texture. This causes curly hair to be more dry and it needs time for the sebum to penetrate each hair strand. Washing your hair too often strips away the beneficial sebum and can dry out curls even more. Fine or wavy curls may not be affected by this as much as thick or coarse curls and coils, so hair texture and thickness plays a role as well.

Most experts recommend washing your hair about 1-3 times a week, but those with thicker curls and coils can often leave their hair for longer, with some recommending every 10-14 days. Coarser curls need the moisture from the sebum as long as possible, or else the hair can feel very dry and brittle. This has to be carefully balanced with scalp health too, as the scalp needs regular cleansing to remove product build-up.

You might think that you need to wash your hair more regularly to have great curls, but over-washing causes dryness, especially if you use a traditional sulfate shampoo. If your hair feels like it’s lacking in moisture, why not extend your wash days a little to see if this helps?

Learning a good refresh routine is key to keep your curls thriving in between wash days. Using a little water and some of your styling products helps revive your next-day curls. Check out our recommended Refresh Method here.

Our curly hair products are perfect to use when cleansing and conditioning your luscious locks! They are designed with all curl types in mind, and they are full of moisturising ingredients to keep your hair in the best condition. The All Curl Cleanser gives a deeper clean and is more like a regular shampoo, but has no sulfates or silicones so it’s gentle on curls. After rinsing out the Cleanser, use our All Curl Conditioner to add moisture back in.

A curly hair product that is brilliant for thicker or drier hair types is the Cleansing Co-wash, which is like a hybrid between shampoo and conditioner. It's more moisturising than the Cleanser, and won’t strip the hair of any essential moisture. Our Co-wash can be used instead of both the Cleanser and Conditioner if you prefer to wash your hair more regularly. For more information on co-washing, see here.

It's important to choose the right curly hair products for styling too. To reduce frizz, apply our Hydrating Curl Creme on soaking wet hair straight after rinsing out the Conditioner or Co-wash. This will lock in moisture and smooth frizz before applying the Enhancing Gel to add hold and define the curls. Follow our simple Curly Method for the best results.

If you’re not sure this method will work for you, we have the perfect solution! Our handy Starter Bundle contains our four core products - Cleanser, Conditioner, Hydrating Creme and Enhancing Gel. We'd also recommend our soft Microfibre Towel which is designed to tame frizz and add definition. You can experiment with the tried-and-tested Only Curls Method and see the difference it makes to your curls. It's got everything you need for the perfect wash day!