In the past, I think I overwashed my hair. Now I want to keep it healthy from this short length as it grows out. How often should I wash it? Is all-natural shampoo really that much better for it than regular store brands?
Also..just wanted to tell you guys, my new long-haired friends, that I talked with a girl in the video store yesterday who had gorgeous waist length hair. She told me to stick with it in growing it out, and even admitted that she had recently wanted to cut it off ,but that my compliment reminded her she loves it long!

Personally I wash my hair pretty much every other day.  I have wavy hair and to keep it looking its best I use specialized stying products so maybe I wash a bit more frequently than most.  Some of the ladies here wash everyday.
I think it depends on how oily your scalp is and the texture of your hair.  Mine really dries out and gets poofy it I don't keep it moisturized with the regular washings (oh yeah, and I live in Arizona where its really dry anyway) so that's working for me.

Often the natural shampoos will have a more gentle cleansing agent in them, which is why I started using them in the first place before switching to Ouidad, which is a line for curly/wavy hair.

I think its awesome you gave that girl such a lovely compliment.  We all need support once in a while!!!

Your shampooing frequency will be based on the products you use, the oiliness of your scalp, the dryness of your hair, and your activities.

When my hair was mid-back or shorter, I would wash daily or every other day.  My classic length hair currently gets washed once a week if I'm not bicycling, more often when I am bicycling in the heat.  

The products you use can make a big difference in how often you may need to shampoo.  Natural products tend to leave less residue on the hair which may allow you to go longer between washings, but may also require you to use other products for more styling control.  You will just need to experiment until you find the right products and routine that works for you and your hair.

As your hair gets longer, you will also notice that the ends of your hair will be drying out and need more moisture than the top/roots.  Many of us compensate for this by using conditioners only on the length of our hair, and not on the scalp hair.  Using light oils such as jojoba oil or even olive oil on the ends can help keep the ends soft and manageable.  (I prefer to oil my hair at night so that it can be absorbed by morning).

Many of us have "trained" our scalps to produce less oil by gradually shampooing less often.  Shampooing removes the oils which triggers your system to create more oil to replace the lost oils.  Gradually increasing the time between shampoos allows the scalp to realize it does not have to create as much oil, leaving you with nice looking hair even after several days of not washing.

Congrats on the compliment - we all love to hear them!

Hi everyone - sorry to bring this thread back from the grave...but...  I have a question about this topic.  I hear about washing less, like the less you wash the cooler you are :D.  But why wash less?  If your hair looks great right after washing, why wash it less than once a day?  Because it's cheaper?  Because it's a pain in the butt to wash and dry?  (It really is!)  Or does washing frequently really cause more damage to your hair?  I wash about twice a week unless I work out.  I use the Giovanni's Tripple tea tree treat shampoo and conditioner which have no sulphates or 'cones.  I used to just use castile soap but noticed a residue after a few months.  I also rinse with ACV each time i wash and apply lots of natural oils throughout the week (thank you miss happy scissors for all those layers).  However, if washing less means healthier hair, faster growing hair, stronger hair etc...  than I would be happy to shampoo even less!!  Thanks guys for all your WONderful information!
-happy growing!

Here are my reasons for shampooing less:

• daily shampooing typically is not necessary
  
• shampooing can dry the hair out
  
• shampooing causes more tangling, which can cause more damage
  
• cost
  
• time
  

Thanks bikerbraid:)  Your reasoning does make sense.  I've definately noticed my hair seeming shinier, less tangly and overall healthier now that I only wash twice a week.  Does anyone wash weekly?  There was a girl name leia who used to post and she used herbs once a week for washing.  Maybe I'll try that out, it sounds fun:)