WHAT IS SECOND-DAY HAIR? As the name suggests, second-day hair refers to what your hair looks like the day after you wash it. Since freshly-washed hair is typically voluminous, with tons of body and movement, second-day hair doesn't quite live up to the same expectations.
The day after you wash it, you have second day hair, simple!
Why is it so great? The vast majority agree that whilst our hair feels freshest on day one, it looks much better and is way easier to manipulate on day two.
Part your hair to the side and pull it into a low ponytail. For some extra volume, lightly tousle the top or your hair. From fishtail braids to rope braids, your second day hair can thrive with any braided style and a little bit of dry shampoo.
Our Best Hairstyling Products to Achieve Second Day Hair
Think: dry shampoo, hair spray, wave spray and texture spray. With these products, you'll be able to achieve that gritty texture you love without having to skip shampoo and conditioner for long periods of time.
Put some texture in it, A loose beachy wave or a bouncy curl will give you that texture you need to add some bouncy back in your hair. Simply use a curling iron or wand to take 1 inch sections and wrap the hair quickly around the face. This will break the hair up and give it some style again.
Now, Day 1 can vary. I wash my hair in the mornings, so my wash day is my Day 1. However, if you prefer to wash your hair in the evenings, or at night before you go to bed. Then the following day is your Day 1.
For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. “There is no blanket recommendation. If hair is visibly oily, scalp is itching, or there's flaking due to dirt,” those are signs it's time to shampoo, Goh says.
No matter what your hair type is, if your locks get oily, you can wash them regularly. It is recommended to wash greasy locks every alternative week or after two days in a row. Instead of skipping the conditioner, make sure you apply it on the ends only and not the scalp area.
As an added bonus, steaming your hair in this way will leave it softer, more hydrated, and more susceptible to product penetration. The second (and, admittedly, easier) method is to fill a spray bottle with water and use it to spritz your hair until it gets damp. Then, gently scrunch to restore your waves.
Rivera recommends braids, topknots, buns, and ponytails as go-to hairstyles for second-day hair. "If hair is dirty, these styles will tend to hold longer because second-day hair is not as soft as when you first wash and dry it.
Second-Day Hair Wins
You can also try applying hair oil or leave-in conditioner to hydrate curls, then tie it up in braids or a bun, and sleep on it overnight to help preserve your styles for longer. The next day, you'll wake and release those beautiful supple curls or waves to find them well-defined and flyaway-free.
The best way to keep long curly hair fresh overnight is to tie it up in a pineapple. Simply grab the nearest non-snag tie or scrunchie and tie hair loosely in a ponytail on top of your head. If you have a fringe or shorter face-framing pieces, use a small butterfly clip to secure them and you're bed-ready.
You see, when you get a haircut, the ends of your hair are blunt. This bluntness makes it difficult for your hair to lie flat, which is why it stands up more. After a week, the ends of your hair have had time to soften again and the bluntness has disappeared, so your hair lays down better and looks shinier.
Tuesday or Wednesday would actually be your best bet, as it turns out most professionals would recommend a buffer of one or two days, according to Max Berlinger of The New York Times. This lets the cut "settle" and ensures your hair looks less freshly shorn for your big event.
People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
"Simply put, hair is at its most vulnerable when wet. Sleeping with wet hair can lead to a host of problems for the scalp: unwanted bacteria, fungal infections, skin irritation, itchiness, dryness, redness, and dandruff," says hairstylist Miko Branch, co-founder of hair care brand Miss Jessie's.
"The average individual can typically go 2 to 3 days without shampooing their hair. However, if your hair is visibly oily, you may not want to wait that long," she says. "Usually, you can go longer without washing your hair when your hair is styled up, but no one should ever go more than 14 days."
"In general, you can wash your hair twice or thrice a week when you use hair cleansers with the right ingredients based on your Ayurvedic hair type," says Dr. Zeel.
Not washing your hair regularly can make the scalp flaky and lead to dandruff. It will make you feel itchy and you can also get rashes on your scalp. “You can develop major dandruff problem if you don't wash your hair for 1 or 2 weeks,” she warned.
Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.
Even a thin coating of shampoo left on your hair can render it dull and limp. If you think you've rinsed enough, rinse again! Applying conditioner directly to your roots can weigh your hair down. Stick to your mid-lengths and ends instead.
Having said all of the above, the best hair to start of with is actually second or third-day hair! Although we all love the feeling of fresh, clean hair, curls tend to hold better in dirtier hair.
"You can use dry shampoo to lengthen the time in between washes, to absorb sweat after workouts or to just refresh hair for a 'fresh-styled look' without the hassle of getting hair wet and blow drying it."
If you normally wash everyday, it'll take time to get used to washing it less. So start by going an extra day or two in between your normal washes. Rinse your hair with water in between shampoos and try to build up to once a week. When your hair adjusts you'll notice a dramatic difference.