Summer Hair Refreshing: How long do YOU go between washes?

Many curly girls have different routines in the summer vs. winter months. Humidity, outside temps and schedule changes often cause us to change up the way we take care of our curls. Today we will discuss refreshing techniques and how often we CoWash in the summer.

Keep in mind, my hair is 2B, low porosity (needs extra moisture) and is fairly dense (thick). My techniques may work for some, but definitely take your own curl type into account before mirroring what I do. Also, I would love to know YOUR summer techniques, because they may be helpful to others with similar curl types.

I usually wash (Co-Wash) my hair every other day. I know many women who can go 3-4 days without washing and use various refreshing products to help them get through. If I work out, sweat a lot, or spend time at a fire pit or camp fire at all during any given day, I will CoWash regardless of whether it's my normal "day" or not. Smoke of any kind is  easily absorbed into my hair and will not go away without a good washing. Same with moderate to high amounts of sweat. Most curly girls will agree that CoWashing daily isn't always best for moisture retention, so what do you do on your "off" days?


There are several products on the market made specifically for in-between washes. Here are a few I've used and really like:

DevaCurl Mister Right Curl Revitalizer, $19.95

If you're a Deva Devotee, you will love this stuff. It has the same lavender fragrance of The One Conditioner and can be used on dry hair or in addition to a water spray-down for in-between days. It infuses a little fragrance into the hair and is very lightweight. I always have this on hand in my arsenal.

Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo, $3.99

I don't use this product too often anymore because I've had less and less of an issue with oily scalp, but I have pretty much tried every dry shampoo on the market (both expensive and cheap) and this is the best one I've ever used. It is light, doesn't give you big WHITE patches in your hair (not everyone is a blonde!) and smells great. Curly Girls Beware: too much dry shampoo can clog hair follicles and do you more harm than good, but I have never had any issues with moderate use of this product. Highly recommend for those who have any oil in the scalp area between CoWashes.

Spray Bottle, $3.99 (or less)

Of all the things I use on "off" days, this is what gives me the most milage. Once you've nailed down which hair products work for you, you'll see if they stand the test of time on in-between days. My gel is excellent and easily reactivates with water. The FIRST thing I do in the morning is spray my hair down with water LIBERALLY, scrunch gently with my hands and start diffusing with my hair dryer (you may not need to do this if your hair has natural bounce without heat). Depending on the day, that may be all I need. If there's any frizz after my hair is dry, I use a dime size amount of silicone-free curl cream and voila! Perfect reactivated 2nd (or 3rd) day curls.

DevaCurl Styling Cream, $24.95

This is a bit pricey, but it will easily last several months or more. I use this only on in-between days if there's any sort of "frizz halo" starting on the outside of my curls. I have very thick, long hair and a dime-size amount is plenty to tame the frizzies. I apply it to my hair dry, not wet, and only when needed. I've had my current bottle for 3 months and it's still almost full. 

What products do you love? Whats your in-between routine?