Photo Credit: Getty Images By: MahoganyCurls

To shampoo, or not to shampoo? That is the question. I get asked this question a lot. When I first started my natural hair journey, I was so excited about being natural and embracing my natural hair that I bought every hair product under the sun. It was so funny now that I look back on it. I had to get conditioner and the shampoo that goes with it. I would grab the product in a hurry and jump immediately in the shower to shampoo my hair when I arrived home. The experience reminded me of an herbal essence commercial. At the time, I had a TWA, so I decided that it would be okay to shampoo my hair every day. One morning I woke up and my scalp was itching terribly and it was also inflamed. I knew immediately why it felt that way. I dried my scalp out tremendously. My hair also felt extremely dry, almost like hay. I quickly learned that shampooing my hair several times a day was a huge no-no.

As a result, I decided to shampoo once a week instead. Eventually, my hair began to grow but it still felt dehydrated. I knew that I had to adjust to the feeling of natural hair compared to relaxed hair but my hair didn’t feel normal. After doing some research on curly hair and shampoo, I learned that shampoo is okay if it is used sparingly.

If you must shampoo, I recommend that you use sulfate free shampoos because they do not strip your hair of natural oils. Everyone has different views when it comes to cleansing hair, so I recommend that you always use your own judgment through trial and error and do what works for you.