The heat is rising. Sweat is dripping down your face. You're being yelled at to do more and more and more.
The constant call to push yourself further. At that moment, you're asking, why am I doing this? And by the time you ask that question, you've already pushed yourself and you did go further. You know it benefits your life even though it's hard. That's the feeling most people get after a really good workout.
Even though you just accomplished a fundamentally great task for your mind, body and soul, you still have to go to work and do other things. As if moving your body wasn't enough, life somehow is just a little bit more demanding, isn't it?
And then it hits you, "Shit, I need to wash my hair."
Short answer: you don't need to wash your hair every single time you sweat. You just need to purify your scalp.
Why You're Overdoing Wash Day
If you hit the gym pretty often and find yourself stressing out about wash day, this is for you. We've built a whole new category of haircare because the industry fooled us into thinking great hair means product galore. We are as obsessively low-maintenance as haircare gets because all we want for folks is simply better haircare. We've got our math down to two products that will give you great hair because they'll first give you a great scalp: Pre-wash and New Wash.
And, we understand having a whole step-by-step routine. You feel gross, everything is sticking to you and your hair is flat and greasy. A shampoo and a conditioner and maybe a mask or leave-in treatment can just feel like a deep clean reset.
You're working way harder than you need to, though.
Sweat Isn't Actually Dirty
Just to put how "dirty" your hair is in perspective, let's break it down. If you know you're going to sweat, you know you're going to feel dirty. But sweat inherently isn't dirty, it's just your body's response to heat. When you burn calories, you produce heat, and your body cools you down by sweating. Sweat is roughly 99% water, with sodium and chloride making up the rest, and the harder you sweat, the saltier the residue left behind when it evaporates.
And how do you clean salt? Water, right? It's soluble that way. So, in theory, you can be clean just by rinsing off with water. But the real issue is what happens when sweat interacts with bacteria and sebum already on your skin. Bacteria like Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus, (which sounds like those unnecessarily long words in Latin class), metabolize it. That's what actually creates odor and the sensation of feeling dirty, not the sweat itself.
If you're a New Wash user, you've already discovered how clean and refreshed your hair is after switching to a cream cleanser. Let's get real.
Your routine isn't a choice, it's a workaround for a small time slot typically before work or going out somewhere.
If you're already bringing a change of clothes and products in your bag, I can't imagine you'd want to bring your whole bathroom cabinet with you. The gym isn't known for having the best hair care in the first place.
For New Wash users, you know the one bottle miracle. We're about to make that gym bag a lot lighter. You're welcome.
The 3-Minute Scalp Rinse
And for those still using shampoo and conditioner, this all may sound like cheating but you're actually optimizing your routine and benefiting your scalp health. What if you could just rinse out your scalp in three minutes and style your hair? Well, you can.
- Sneak your hand into the shower and turn the nozzle on so it's warm enough, but not too scalding.
- Apply Pre-wash to your salty scalp (hair part, crown, nape of the neck) and begin to rub it in a little bit.
- Just don't get your head wet yet. Let the Pre-wash work its magic for three minutes (actually, it's science).
- After only three minutes, give your hair a thorough rinse in the shower.
- Air dry or style as needed.
During those first three minutes, micellar water was rinsing out buildup and sweat while prebiotics were feeding your scalp microbiome.
So if all you need is a rinse and a sense of feeling clean, reach for Pre-wash. Reach for it in between wash days, and every time you want to wash your hair, you might just need a scalp rinse instead. We're talking about taking Sunday wash days off the calendar, and giving you some time back.
It's like washing your hair without actually washing your hair. You're targeting exactly what needs to be targeted: your scalp's microbiome. And, you're targeting it by feeding it with good bacteria, instead of overstripping your scalp's natural oils.
You don't need to wash your hair every single time you sweat. You just need to purify your scalp. You just need to understand your hair isn't that demanding and shouldn't have ever been.
You can surely wash buildup, makeup and dirt off your face with face wash, but sometimes you need to wipe your face or use makeup remover. That's basically the same concept for your scalp. You don't need to wash your hair every time it feels dirty, you just need to purify it.
Play around with your routine by using Pre-wash. And, follow up with New Wash occasionally for that deep clean feel. So now you have fewer things in your shower and more time back in your routine. Don't knock it until you try it because these two products can change your life.
Sincerely,
Wes Sharpton, hairstylist with over 25 years of experience
Keep Reading
- How Often Should We Wash Our Hair?
- WTF Is a Prebiotic Micellar Scalp Rinse?
- Is Shampoo Bad for Your Hair? Common Shampoo Myths
- WTF Are Detergents and Surfactants?
The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a board-certified dermatologist or qualified healthcare provider if you have concerns about your hair or scalp health.
