22 Hairstyles for Dirty Hair (Because Washing Isn't Always an Option) (2023)

FAQs

What hairstyles should I get if I haven't showered? ›

Rivera recommends braids, topknots, buns, and ponytails as go-to hairstyles for second-day hair. "If hair is dirty, these styles will tend to hold longer because second-day hair is not as soft as when you first wash and dry it.

A halo braid will help

Plaiting hair along the top of your head into a halo will act as the perfect cover for dirty roots. Pull out a few strands around your hairline to soften the style and you're all set.

Applying dry shampoo to the roots and a hair serum at the ends of your strands helps neaten unwashed hair. Dry shampoo helps soak up oil and give a fresh look to your mane without you having to wash hair.

Dry shampoo is your best friend on those unwashed hair days. Nothing quite does the trick of making your hair look clean like this. Spritz it all over your hair, including the roots, and then blow it dry and you'll be amazed at how fresh and pretty it looks.

Come In With Relatively Clean Hair

While it's okay for your hair to be somewhat dirty before an appointment (it's okay if you've gone a couple of days without a wash!), if you think your hair is overly dirty, your stylist probably will too.

Use baby powder as dry shampoo.

The powder will soak up the oils in your scalp, leaving your hair smelling clean and looking more voluminous by the time you wake up!

Unwashed hair is more malleable, pliable and will stay in the intended style longer over the course of the day relative to freshly washed hair. This is due to the buildup of oil, dirt, grit and salt that occurs through sweating.

Should I style dirty hair? ›

Hair that is not freshly clean (dirty) is easiest to style because the build-up of your natural oils and leftover hair products acts as almost a grip on the hair, which makes the desired style hold better.

First off, it's a good idea to not wash your hair before attempting a French braid. Second-day hair works best in this case. If you do need to clean your hair, a quick spray with our Dry Shampoo will do the trick. That way you won't lose too much of the hair's natural texture or holding properties.

No matter what your hair type is, not washing your hair every day can benefit everyone! After you stop washing your hair every day, you will notice your hair get shinier, your scalp become less dry and your split ends improve!

"The average individual can typically go 2 to 3 days without shampooing their hair. However, if your hair is visibly oily, you may not want to wait that long," she says. "Usually, you can go longer without washing your hair when your hair is styled up, but no one should ever go more than 14 days."

Cocoa Powder: Take a little bit of cocoa powder on your fingers and dab it using your fingers on the roots of your greasy hair that need attention. Blend it through your hair evenly till you can see visible reduction in greasiness. This cocoa powder will absorb the excess oil and dirt. Finally brush your hair.

As people get older, they have less energy to get things done each day. Usually, personal hygiene (specifically bathing) is one of those things that gets neglected. So how often should an elderly bathe? To avoid any skin conditions or infections, a senior should bathe at least once or twice a week.

Unsurprisingly, a person would develop quite a funk after 365 showerless days. Rokhsar said your stench likely would come as a result of the bacteria and dead skin accumulating on you. After a year, he said, you'd have a build-up of skin stratum corneum, or dead skin on top of your skin.

Poor hygiene or infrequent showers can cause a buildup of dead skin cells, dirt, and sweat on your skin. This can trigger acne, and possibly exacerbate conditions like psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema. Showering too little can also trigger an imbalance of good and bad bacteria on your skin.

Showering destroys these happy bacterial colonies; they're completely wiped out by all of our frequent rubbing and scrubbing. And when the bacteria washed off by soap repopulate, they tend to favour microbes which produce an odor – yes, too-frequent showering may actually make you smell more.

The Evening Shower. Pro: A morning shower may make your skin look refreshed, but dermatologists agree that an evening shower is better for your skin because it cleanses it before you sleep. This removes pollutants, which if accumulated, will produce free radical damage and cause inflammation.

What is the benefit of not showering? ›

"Showering less helps strengthen your immune system by keeping disease-fighting bacteria living on your skin. It also allows us to preserve more of our microorganisms and the skin's natural oils," she says.

"Many stylists will select to wash your hair prior to cutting since most prefer to cut the hair wet rather than dry." This is especially true when you are looking to remove an inch or more from the ends, have curls or coils that could benefit from stretching before cutting, or are looking to add a lot more texture and ...

Pros of washing your hair

For one thing, it's just plain courteous. Your hair stylist will appreciate it if you come in with clean hair, and it's not fair to make them work with dirty hair. Secondly, wash your hair before going to the salon so that your hair color will look its best.

According to Consumer Reports, you should tip at least 15% of the service fee, even if the service wasn't the best. Consumer Reports also says to “never skip a tip.” But, it adds, if your service was really bad, speak to the manager.

Spray your hair with dry shampoo to get second-day volume.

Massage the dry shampoo into your roots with your fingers and let it sit for a few minutes, then comb through to the ends of your hair. This will help absorb oil throughout the length of your hair, especially right at the roots where it builds up the most.

Using product is the key to getting the messy look right. You don't want your hair to be squeaky clean and product-free, because that makes you look sharper — not what you're going for. Products like mousse, hairspray, sea salt spray, putties and clays can go a long way in giving you that cool, messy look.

Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes.

Hair growth flourishes from a clean, healthy scalp. The bottom line is that dirty hair doesn't grow any faster than clean hair, so you may as well have a clean scalp and fresh tresses. Your strands will look better, feel better, and be healthier, too.

Are braids good for dirty hair? ›

Never put braids on dirty hair. You have to use a clarifying shampoo before you get your hair braided. A clarifying shampoo gets rid of all the gunk in your scalp and strands. Starting on clean hair means that you can have the braids in for longer since you might not need to wash your hair soon.

Here's a good rule of thumb: never braid dirty hair or wet hair. This means that you need to wash your hair really well. To make sure that your hair is clean, you should use a clarifying shampoo to help get rid of all of the dirt and build-up from your scalp and hair.

When to wash. Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.

Come In With Relatively Clean Hair

While it's okay for your hair to be somewhat dirty before an appointment (it's okay if you've gone a couple of days without a wash!), if you think your hair is overly dirty, your stylist probably will too.

Should You Wash Your Hair Before Coloring? As it turns out, most hair dyes are designed to work better on hair that is not freshly washed. Skipping a wash allows for oils to build up on your scalp, which in turn helps protect against irritation that can be caused by hair dye.

Hair that is not freshly clean (dirty) is easiest to style because the build-up of your natural oils and leftover hair products acts as almost a grip on the hair, which makes the desired style hold better.

Updo Advice

It's best to wash your hair a few of hours before your hair appointment so it's fully dry by the time you arrive in the stylist's chair. If you don't wash your hair every day, then we recommend that you wash your hair the day before your event.

In general, it's always a good idea to arrive at your hair appointment with clean hair. This helps ensure that your stylist can properly assess your hair and determine the best course of action. It also helps avoid any potential scalp irritation that could occur if you had product build-up on your hair.

While stylists generally recommend skipping a few washes a week to achieve healthier hair, you might need to scrub it prior to your colorist appointment so your stylist can get an accurate look at your hair's natural color and texture.

To achieve the perfect hair condition before coloring, professionals suggest that you skip shampooing at least 24 hours before the hair dye process.

Why is it easier to style unwashed hair? ›

Unwashed hair is more malleable, pliable and will stay in the intended style longer over the course of the day relative to freshly washed hair. This is due to the buildup of oil, dirt, grit and salt that occurs through sweating.

A messy hairstyle can make you look effortlessly cool, but how do you achieve this without looking like you actually just rolled out of bed? Intentionally messy hair is all about maximizing your hair's volume and waves, and there are some easy techniques you can use to do so.

For even better results, curl your hair on the second or third day after shampooing. Dirty hair can hold a curl better than squeaky clean hair, and it'll save you a lot of prep time, too.

Start with day-old hair.

Simply put: Slightly oily hair will hold a curl much better than slippery, just-cleaned hair. And skip conditioner — which weighs down hair, making it harder to stay curly — if you can. This will help give your hair a bit more bounce. And even better, use a dry shampoo in the morning.