RunningAHEAD - Topic: Ladies hair care

RunLuluRun

posted: 5/14/2008 at 11:47 AM

I'm curious to know what other women do regarding their hair. Ideally I run 5-6 times a week, but I certainly don't want to be washing my hair everyday. I have very thin and fragile hair at about shoulder level and I'm growing it out. I do not iron, hairdry, put any chemicals on it, and in general am a real hippie about it. What I do now is I shampoo it every 2 to 3 days, and on the other days I just rinse it in the shower with water and put conditioner on the tips.

midwest runner

Giants Fan

posted: 5/14/2008 at 1:26 PM

Wow! Totally opposite here. Tendency towards oily hair. If I didn't wash it everyday...let's just say yuk! However, I do try to take days off from blow drying and straightening (I have naturally curly hair I hate). What type of shampoo/conditioner are you using? CC

"I think I've discovered the secret of life- you just hang around until you get used to it."

Charles Schulz

Ringmaster

posted: 5/14/2008 at 1:33 PM

I'm like you, CC. I have to shampoo on running days or yuck! I rotate my shampoo as my hair gets tired of one product. Right now I'm on hubby's Pert Plus . . . I only style when I have something going on . . . maybe twice a week, and then I'm pretty cautious about putting something in it to protect against heat damage. Other than that I keep it up and let it air dry as long as I can before finishing with a blow-dryer if I have to to be decent. However, my hair is not thin, so I'm not sure what works for me would work for everyone.

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Heb. 12:1b)
Mile by Mile

RunZRun

running yogi

posted: 5/14/2008 at 1:41 PM
modified: 5/14/2008 at 1:42 PM

I wash my hair 2-3 times a week and use a natural shampoo and conditioner. When I have less time I massage my hair and scalp with warm olive oil the night before and leave it on at night and wash it in the morning. The result is a very shiny and soft hair. One in a while when I have time, I make a hair mask with yogurt, honey, olive oil, egg. If my hair feels oily I add a little lemon juice or unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Seems elaborate, but it really is not. It's everything from the pantry. Keep in on half hour and shampoo it off. Keeps my hair really nice. I rarely use a hair dryer or straightner.

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:06 PM

My hair is thick, but babyfine. Up until last Summer I had it shoulder-length and threw it in a ponytail for runs, but that started to become too much work, so i chopped it off. It's now a short layered-bob and it works great for running. I have to wash it every day (a little on the oily side which makes it look even more limp) and to style it use just a dab of a light pomade for a little texture.

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

Anya_

posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:22 PM

there is NO way I could run, and NOT wash my hair. It gets soaked from sweat.

- Anya

finney

Resident pinniped

posted: 5/14/2008 at 4:09 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 5/14/2008 at 2:06 PM:

My hair is thick, but babyfine. Up until last Summer I had it shoulder-length and threw it in a ponytail for runs, but that started to become too much work, so i chopped it off. It's now a short layered-bob and it works great for running. I have to wash it every day (a little on the oily side which makes it look even more limp) and to style it use just a dab of a light pomade for a little texture.

Ditto here. My hair is short as well and that's the only way I can have it. When it's longer it's nothing but a huge PITA that takes over an hour to get to even look semi-acceptable. I'm petite so short hair suits me anyway, but even still... You don't have to wash your hair every day but do be warned that if there is a lot of dirt, oil, sweat, styling products, etc on your scalp regularly you can get dermatitis from that too and it is not fun - I had it once as a teen when my oil glands were all freaking out. Rinsing with water is good, but instead of shampoo (which is drying, you're right about that) maybe "wash" it a bit with a light conditioner. Honestly, if you're running enough to break a sweat and not cleaning your hair, that's not good for it either and the hair and scalp, just like any other part of your body, will smell if sweat and oil are allowed to accumulate on it.

ChknWingy

Oh Mighty Wing

posted: 5/14/2008 at 6:20 PM

My hair is thick Italian hair. It's down to the middle of my back and I useto just put it in a pony tail but lately I put it in a pony tail and then braid it or put it in a bun that way it gets less knotted. I only wash it a couple times a week based on how oily my hair looks. I use no product in it beyond the occasional conditioner. I barely ever do my hair - normally just air dry and go. Yes, that's right I'm a dirty hippy and I LIKE it that way!!

mebeingme

posted: 5/14/2008 at 6:45 PM

I'm glad you brought the topic up....I was wondering what other runners did. I have hair that's just beneath my shoulder blades - if I wash it every time I run it starts getting dry on the ends. Ive started experimenting with not using shampoo every time - just a good scrub under the water. I don't use any products (gels or sprays) so build up isn't so much of a big deal. I hope it works - I want to add on a 5th day, but I'd hate to have my hair looking like straw. As summer progresses I get to looking like a Q-tip from the humidity anyhow. A Q-tip made out of straw would be really funky. Wink

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 5/14/2008 at 7:10 PM

I am so the opposite...I have baby fine oily hair. I am in misery right now because I washed my hair before bed last night and so didnt when I woke up this morning and it is an oil slick. Yes...I often shampoo twice a day if I work out anytime other than first thing in the a.m. It took serious effort to wean myself off of showering before races and runs because I wake up feeling ick.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

mizSterious262

posted: 5/14/2008 at 7:40 PM

I have thick hair with a little wave to it. I have a short bob style. Since I run at work during my lunchtime, I have to shower and shampoo (and blow dry, quickly) before I go back to my desk, else I would look frightful! However, I don't wash it Saturday mornings, and may go through to Sunday without washing it, depending on what we have going on....I'll just throw a hat over it.

Dorsey

San Diego 1997: 4:59:59, San Diego 1999: 4:37:23, Carlsbad 2008: 6:32:21, America's Finest City Half Aug 2008: ??

"Run if you can. Walk if you must. Crawl if you have to. Just don't give up."

celiacChris

3Days4Cure

posted: 5/14/2008 at 9:21 PM

Quote from Anya_ on 5/14/2008 at 2:22 PM:

there is NO way I could run, and NOT wash my hair. It gets soaked from sweat.

Ditto. My hair already is oily, without running. I wash it 6 days a week and let it rest either Saturday or Sunday (whichever day I am "off" from running). No hairdryer, products or the like--just color-safe shampoo. Chris

Chris
PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full

Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half

2022 Goals

Back to 10k

run_ac_run

posted: 5/14/2008 at 11:12 PM

My hair is shoulder length, straight and super thick. I usually shampoo in the mornings after I run/work out, but if I miss a morning--- watch out! By lunch time it's an oil slick. Yuck. Makes me feel like my whole face is oily. I use shampoo and conditioner, no products and blow dry. Most days, I don't do anything more than that, becasue it takes about 20 minutes just for me to get it completely dry. Angry

Such a PITA.

Anzura

posted: 5/14/2008 at 11:29 PM

So what do you ladies with shorter hair do with it WHILE your running? I've had short hair and now I'm growing it out so i can put it in a pony tail when I run. I'm tired of always wearing ball caps. I'm a daily washer too.

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 5/14/2008 at 11:58 PM

I do a partial pony to keep it off my face. But I usually wear the ball cap because I am used to it.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

Ladies hair care (Read 790 times)