TO WASH OR NOT TO WASH?

How often do you need to wash your hair?

So I decided to screw it and not wash my hair for 6 months, yes you read right, a whole 6 months.

I’m sure you’re wondering “wasn’t there a mountain of dandruff on your hair?” Well I had my own way of taking care of that, I simply just scraped and dusted it off. Another thing you might be wondering is why on Earth would I do that to myself, walking around with dirty unshampood hair, ewww! Well life didn’t exactly give me a choice in this. You see my body developed an intolerance for soap, yes, you read right,  I’m allergic to soap.

I used a certain supposedly reputable brand I shall not name and boom, guess what, the skin on my face started peeling off with my melanin (I was developing hypo-pigmentation), my skin started itching and I started to feel a burning sensation. And like that my relationship with soap came to an end, it had turned into an abusive relationship. Hence I ended up not washing my hair for a whole 6 months. Turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have made for my hair, and here’s why…

I noticed my hair was growing at a faster rate than it was during the period where I was not using shampoo on it. Shampoo is a product that has no conscious, in order for it to do the dirty business it does, it can’t be selective about what it allows you to wash off. Shampoo cleanses your hair of all the dust/dirt, product build up and dandruff that builds up on your scalp. What also gets washed off is the natural oils that your scalp produces. This is where it gets dicey! Getting rid of dirt and toxins is all good as it can clog up your pore, restricting your skins ability to breathe.

But stripping your scalp of the oils it produces isn’t good for hair growth, its bad. The natural layer of oil that your scalp produces helps your scalp retain moisture in it. And moisture retention is KEY if your hair is to grow long and healthy. A lack of moisture also causes you hair to get dry and brittle. Notice how well Africans who live in humid environments grow long, thicker and healthy hair. A humid environment means your hair and scalp hardly get dry. Moisture is a crucial ingredient for growing hair from your roots/follicles. The more you can build up and retain the longer your hair can grow.

Oh, by the way I had to give up hair relaxers, as those require you to use shampoo. So that could have also contributed to growing hair faster, as I was no longer subjecting my hair follicles to harsh chemicals. After the 6 months was over I had to give, and get it washed, but I knew I couldn’t just use any product.

That’s when the All natural Black Soap Hair Shampoo infused with essential oils was born. Thankfully, I didn’t get any allergic reactions to it.

One of the realities I had to come to terms with was that dandruff was a natural thing, it was a dirty little secret that I didn’t need to be ashamed of. It was my skins way of getting rid of old cells. Dandruff came and went, I dusted it off without a shred of embarrassment.

Where it clumped up I simply scraped and scratched it off with a comb. I quickly got used to it without constantly thinking I need to get my hair washed”. The moment of pride and joy came when we took a trip to Mozambique, and at the border gate the women who worked there exclaimed “what did you do to get your hair that long” I smiled and said I don’t wash it” with a giggle and a chuff I walked off with a stamped passport, leaving them bewildered. It was true one of the secrets to long hair was not washing it often.

It’s important to wash it, but not too often that you disturb your scalps natural way of growing your hair. We think you can get away with washing your hair every 3 months, if you’re daring and unashamed like some of us, every 6 months. Revel’s Shampoo cleanses your hair of all toxins but because it’s rich in hair growth oils, what it strips off it also replaces.