Shampoo Less (If You Can Pull It Off)

It’s a daily ritual for many, but NPR asks you to consider why, exactly, you’re shampooing your hair every single day. It’s not always necessary, and can actually harm your hair. National Public Radio’s story, available in text and audio, details the history of the social ideal of washing one’s hair every day, and talks to some stylists and dermatologist who say the oil your scalp produces to protect your hair, or sebum, is stripped away and forced to produce at a higher level—kind of like the chest-shaving paradox explored in Seinfeld.

“If you wash your hair every day, you’re removing the sebum,” explains Michelle Hanjani, a dermatologist at Columbia University. “Then the oil glands compensate by producing more oil,” she says.

Before you start accusing us of spreading a bad hygiene trend around, take note that not all hair types tolerate a drastically less frequent shampoo schedule quite the same. And nobody’s suggesting skipping the daily bathing ritual, but sticking to hot water on certain days might save some cash, and give your hair a bit more health. Photo by flash.pro.