How to do second-day hair in style

There are two camps of women. Those who wash their hair daily and those who shampoo on alternate days (or stretch their shampoo mileage as long as possible). Regardless of your hair wash habits, there's no denying that skipping a hair wash session means more grease on your scalp and hair.

“How greasy your scalp and hair get depends on the amount of sweat you produce, the accumulated sebum leads to an imbalance of pH on your scalp, which can encourage the growth of bacteria,” says trichologist June Ng, who’s the co-founder and director of J’s Salon. And it can lead to problems like an itchy scalp, dandruff issues, and even clogged hair follicles and thinning hair.

But having a greasy scalp can actually be good in some instances.

“Skipping your hair wash the day before you do your hair colouring is recommended as the grease protects the scalp from harsh chemicals, especially when bleaching is involved,” says Dennis Seah, style director at Toni & Guy The Star Vista.

"Plus, reducing the frequency of your shampoo sessions can actually be beneficial to the hair, especially if you have coloured hair. Our hair’s natural pH level is 4.5 – 5.5, which is acidic in nature," explains Victor Liu, salon director of Chez Vous. “Water and shampoo have higher pH levels, causing hair to swell, leading to a loss of artificial colour pigments, moisture and protein. It can also damage the hair cuticles, making hair look dull and coarse.”

So how do you wash less often, yet prevent your scalp from greasing up too much and causing problems? One way is to alternate between a moisturising shampoo and a purifying one to balance your scalp’s pH.

“You can even moisturise your scalp with a scalp mask or even organic coconut oil once a week in order to combat greasiness. When your scalp is well-moisturised, it will not overproduce sebum when you wash your hair every other day,” adds Victor.

Braids

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Keep your hair out of your face with a simple hairstyle like a braid. Of course, it goes without saying that there are multiple braided hairstyles for you to choose from but if you're looking for one that you can easily do when you're pressed for time, consider the single braid or go for a cute double dutch braid.

Braided Bun

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Whether you're looking for a sleek updo or a chic effortless hairstyle, then this braided bun look might just be perfect for you. What's great about this look is that it's timeless and can be done if you're heading to a formal event or even for a casual run. It keeps your hair neat and tidy and it also keeps it in place, so you won't have to worry about it touching up every now and then.

Ponytail

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This list wouldn't be complete without the classic ponytail. It's straightforward, keeps your strands out of your face, and it makes you look sleek and chic even when your roots are a little greasy.

Braided Ponytail

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Can't decide between a ponytail and a braid? Why not have the best of both worlds with this look? Also, if you feel like levelling up your look, you can experiment by opting for a fishtail braid to add more texture to your hair.

 

Beachy Waves

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For those who have natural curly or wavy hair, we recommend that you try a stylish beachy hairdo. To emphasise your waves, all you need is to add a few spritzes of sea salt spray to your locks and scrunch it up with a

Messy Bun

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A perfectly tousled top-knot is the ultimate low-key, cool-girl updo, and it's a great hairstyle for second-day hair. It's easy to replicate with the help of a hair tie, and holds really well, especially with your day two hair.