I am beginning to really hate wash day and while my tangles are nowhere near as bad as some other curly girls describe, the process is time-consuming and I find myself finding any and every excuse to put it off. I know I am far from alone in this but are we not being big babies about something that is essential to healthy hair care? Sure you can slap in some dry shampoo to put it off and that may work for a few extra days, but the actual wash day must commence eventually. Here are five reasons you may be putting it off, and 5 ways for making wash day more pleasant.
You do everything at once
I often try and do everything at once and that can cause me to dread the entire process. I try and pre-poo, cleanse, condition, and style within a few hours and make for a longer than normal day that is dedicated to my hair. I’ve since decided to break it up by pre-pooing overnight or deep condition overnight (pre-poo in the beginning and deep conditioning at the end”> to relieve myself from feeling the entire day must be subject to my hair. I allow my sleep time to take on some of the work.
Your wash day is the wrong day
For me, Sunday is my desired day for wash day because theoretically it seems like the best day, but in reality it is a horrible day because this is always a family day for me. I work from home Monday through Friday so it would make more sense for me to wash my hair during the week but I have conditioned myself to do it on Sunday, which is super busy and family time. When I finally realized I was being counterproductive by doing it on Sunday I switched it up to Monday or Tuesday and the anxiety dwindled significantly.
Pick a night or morning where you have the least obligations and do it then. By making the effort to pick a day that fits into your schedule (no matter what others do”>, you maximize your chances of sticking to it and not putting it off.
Read more: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
You’re doing too much
I cannot believe I am saying this but when you just don’t have the time, energy, or wherewithal to do your lengthy wash day routine, you do not have to complete every single step. Skip your deep conditioning or full-fledge detangling just to get your hair clean and keep it moving. If you just need to get down to the basics without the frills then cleanse, get out the big tangles, and use regular conditioner to be done. Just remember to catch up on the deep conditioning and full detangling when you do have time. I allow myself that luxury a few times a year (deep conditioning freak over here”> and that helps with those times I just can’t bear to wash my hair but make sure to get it in anyway.
It’s boring
If your wash day is on the weekend or a week night, then all you want to do is relax and enjoy your break from work. To make wash day more enjoyable, watch a movie or catch up on your shows on Netflix or HULU while you detangle or deep condition, so you are taking your mind off of the task. We are all so busy that most of us watch our shows in sessions anyway, so make better use of it. You will find wash day is less of a hassle.
You forget how good clean hair feels
Each and every single solitary time I am finished with wash day I am overjoyed at my hair. It is clean, shiny and it feels amazing. I often decide to take selfies and just touch it more than usual as clean hair is the best. No product buildup, no frizz, and no tangles.
Have you got any tips for getting out of putting off wash day?
