When it comes to proper haircare, it’s rare to find a “one size fits all” rule. Most things are nuanced and depend on a whole lot of personal factors—like how long your hair is, how often you wash it, and how easily it frizzes. But! There are still some hair habits that are categorically bad for all of our hair health, and they’re more common than you might think.
To put an end to all the unintentional end-splitting, scalp-drying, and hair-frying, we asked our favorite hair pros about the common hair-care mistakes they’re begging their clients to stop doing. Intrigued? Read on for their honest answers.
1. Shampooing too often
You’ve heard it before but it bears repeating: Overshampooing is one of the biggest hair-care mistakes you can make when it comes to keeping your hair healthy and looking fresh. Washing every day can strip your hair of its natural oils, making it more prone to damage and a host of other problems. “It makes the hair dry and causes the color to fade more quickly,” says Alon Shalom, hairstylist and owner of Alon Shalom Salon in West Hollywood, California.
While there’s no universal answer to how frequently you should be shampooing (it depends on age, hair length, hair type, activity level, and a whole slew of other factors), keep an eye on how your hair is behaving to figure out your ideal number of weekly washes—if you’ve got dry ends and blah-looking color alongside a greasy scalp, it’s a good sign you’re doing too much.
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When you do decide to wash, Shalom recommends using keratin-infused products like the Gussi Protection Plan™ Upkeep Conditioner ($36) to help refresh any treatment results and keep hair looking glossy and smooth until your next shampoo.
2. Not shampooing enough
On the flip side, stylists say that skipping too many shampoos can lead to buildup on your scalp. “While it is healthy to allow the natural oil your body produces to lubricate your hair and scalp, it is unhealthy to clog pores with dirt and debris,” says Amy Abramite, hairstylist and creative director at Maxine Salon in Chicago, Illinois. Not only can this lead to itching, discomfort, and a greasy-looking scalp, but it can also stand in the way of growth.
If your roots are looking weighed down or visibly wet from sebum (read: very oily), it’s time to …….
