Editor's note

Wash cadence is one of the most personal decisions in a hair routine — and one of the most misunderstood. There is no universal answer to 'how often should I wash my hair?' What exists instead are three distinct frameworks: the full wash day, the off-day refresh, and the co-wash as a mid-week maintenance option.

Wash Day

Wash day is the full ritual: shampoo, condition, and style from scratch. The frequency depends on scalp type and texture — not on an arbitrary weekly schedule. Fine, oily scalps need wash day every one to two days. Thick, coily, or chemically treated hair can go five to seven days. The marker for wash day is scalp feel and strand behaviour, not the calendar.

Off Day

The off day is the intentional day between washes. It is not a failure to wash — it is a structural part of the routine. Day-two hair is often the best-looking hair: the scalp's natural oils have distributed along the length, the style has settled, and the strand is neither freshly-stripped nor over-dirty. Dry shampoo, scalp massage, and a refresh spray are off-day tools, not substitutes for washing.

Co-Wash

A co-wash uses conditioner alone to cleanse mid-week, without a shampoo step. It removes light product build-up and refreshes the style without disrupting the scalp's oil balance. Most beneficial for curly, coily, and colour-treated hair. Not suitable as the only cleansing method — a clarifying shampoo should follow every four to six weeks at minimum.

Other routines

• Wash Cadence
• Drying Decision
• Travel Routine

What wash cadence actually means

Wash cadence is the rhythm you establish between full shampoo washes. It's about scalp health, strand integrity, and working with your hair's natural texture — not against it.

Myth, meet fact

• Myth: Daily washing is the cleanest option. Fact: Daily shampooing strips sebum. Most hair types perform better on a 2–3 day cadence.
• Myth: Co-wash is just for curly hair. Fact: Any hair type can benefit from a mid-week co-wash for moisture without disrupting the scalp's oil balance.
• Myth: Skipping wash day is lazy. Fact: An intentional off day is part of the routine, not a deviation from it.

The beginner's path

1. How to read what your scalp is telling you (3 min)
2. The wash day framework — every step, explained (5 min)
3. Off-day tools — dry shampoo, refresh spray, scalp (4 min)
4. Is co-wash right for your hair type? (3 min)

Everything we've published on wash cadence

• How often should I wash my hair — an honest answer
• The wash-day sequence, step by step
• Dry shampoo: technique for every hair colour
• Co-wash 101 — what it is and who it's for
• Pre-poo — does it actually protect the hair?
• The scalp massage: when and how