Two Hairstylists Told Me Not to Wash My Hair After Working Out, and I Am *Thrilled*

Photo: Getty Images/Nebojsa93
There are few things in this world that I am more passionate about than finding ways to save time in the gym locker room. Whether it’s faking my way to one more day with my blowout (thanks, dry shampoo), or skipping out on washing my face, I live for any hack that will buy me an extra 10 minutes between a 7 a.m. HIIT class and a 9 a.m. meeting. The latest stylist-approved, time-saving tip that I will be living by from here on out? Rinsing my hair post-workout instead of fully washing it.

“People are like, ‘Oh my god, I worked out so I have to wash it!’ No, you just have to rinse it," says celebrity stylist Riawna Capri of Los Angeles' Nine Zero One Salon. "If you think about it, when you're sweating, you’re creating salt water with sweat, and you hop in the shower and use water to just kind of rinse all that salt out. If you think about the beach sprays and all that stuff, that is salt water as well.”

So not only will this no-wash give me time to stop for coffee between the gym and work, but it will also make me look like I stepped straight off of the set of Blue Crush? Sold.

"If you can rinse your hair, you don’t have to shampoo it," confirms Suave celebrity hairstylist Marcus Francis. "You’re just getting water, you’re getting the exfoliation of your hands in there, that’s going to help alleviate some of the buildup, so you don’t have to actually put shampoo in your hair. When you just don’t have a lot of extra time, just rinsing the hair is a great tip."

In addition to saving time, skipping out on shampoo and conditioner every once in a while can actually be beneficial for your scalp health. Scrubbing too often can dry out your scalp and disrupt the pH balance on your head, which could result in uncomfortable itchiness and some not-so-cute flakes. Your best bet is to wash your hair one to two times a week, and skip the lather step in your rinse and repeat regimen after a particularly arduous sweat sesh.

The only problem with opting for a rinse instead of a full wash is that there's still the pesky problem of your stinky scalp to deal with—unfortunately, without shampoo, that smell is sticking around all day. A few ways to mask the scent: Spritz with dry shampoo or hair perfume...and live for another wash-free day.

For more ways to cut your post-workout glam time in half, try our favorite dry shampoo. Or skip it all together and take a page out of Shay Mitchell's beauty book, because she feels most confident with sweaty hair. 

Loading More Posts...