Beauty

Here's The One Product I Use So I'll Never Need To Shampoo Again

Don't sleep on this

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Something not enough people talk about is that washing your hair is the worst. I guess talking about it wouldn't make for the most scintillating conversation considering how short the conversation would be since there would be no room for debate because washing your hair is just objectively bad.

Also, it would be kind of a depressing, futile conversation, like talking about how the New York City subway system is bad, because what's the alternative? Not washing your hair? Riding a bike? There are no alternatives. You have to wash your hair, just like you have to take the subway. (Biking seems like a good option, but, honestly, it rarely is.)

Or, well, I should say that there was no alternative to washing your hair—at least not for me. I'd tried all those shampoo replacements that claim to offer freedom from shampoo use, and they just weren't effective for me. Oh, sometimes they'd work for a little while, and my hair would respond just fine, but, eventually, they'd stop working, and my scalp would get greasy, and I'd need to go back to regular shampoo.

I was so filled with resentment, I really was. But then I tried goop's Himalayan Salt Scrub, and while it feels silly to call it life-changing (it's a hair product, after all), it would not be untrue to say that using it has changed my life, since I no longer need to wash my hair every other day and can now go a full week (seven days) between hair washes, without any worries of greasy roots or an itchy scalp.

Here's how it works: magic. Kidding! The scrub is filled with moringa oil, rosehip oil, and pink Himalayan sea salt, because goop knows its customers well, and its customers don't just want any salt, they want millennial pink salt. You scoop up a little bit of the creamy product out of the jar and, unlike other salt scrubs, this foams up right in your hand, and has the approximate texture of Cool Whip, if Cool Whip was studded with tiny pebbles or, um, salt crystals or something. Then, massage it into your scalp. Keep massaging. I like to rub it in until my arms start to get tired, which is actually not as long as you might think it would be. Maybe one minute? One-and-a-half? It's not that long! But it's longer than I ever massaged regular shampoo into my hair, that's for sure. Then, rinse it out really thoroughly, and you are good to go for a whole week. (I also use a little conditioner after scrubbing, because my hair gets really tangly, but you might not need it since the oils in this salt scrub are very hydrating.)

And then you're done, hair washing problem solved. In the weeks since I've been using this scrub, my hair has been softer and cleaner than ever. And, even though it's winter and the air is really dry, my scalp hasn't gotten itchy like it normally does when I go a few days without washing it. Plus, I haven't even had to use dry shampoo in between wash days. This is unheard of for me. It's something of a luxury product, at $42 a jar, but considering how little I use each time, I can't imagine this tub will be finished any time soon. Now all I have to do to make life perfect is get someone to fix the subways. I can dream, can't I?

Goop, G.Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub, $42, available at goop.