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Can you wash your hair with Dawn dish soap? It is an excellent product for removing oil and grease, so you may wonder whether it could work on your hair.
Disclaimer: Dawn dish soap is NOT shampoo. While you can use it, we don’t recommend it. It’s formulated to be tough on grease, not gentle on skin. Try this at your own risk.
Can You Wash Your Hair With Dawn Dish Soap?
Yes, it’s okay to wash your hair with Dawn dish soap once in a while. But you shouldn’t do it every day. It works well for removing dirt, grease, and dandruff, but it will lift and remove natural oils from your hair.
As a result, you shouldn’t wash your hair with Dawn more than twice a month. Occasionally washing your hair with Dawn dish soap can help if you have:
- Product build-up
- Excess oil
- Dandruff
- Too much hair dye
Dawn dish soap strips your hair of its natural oils, so it is not a good idea to use it all the time. Washing with Dawn is okay occasionally, but using it too often will dry your hair and scalp and cause breakage.
What Is in Dawn Dish Soap?
Dawn dish soap cleans up food and grease. It’s so strong that it isn’t even recommended to use when washing your car unless you dilute it enough. A few of the ingredients in Dawn dish soap are:
- Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS): SLS is a strong detergent. Some people are concerned about sulfates and don’t want them in their beauty products.
- Denatured alcohol: Alcohol dries out the hair and scalp.
- Chloroxylenol: This is an antibacterial agent.
- Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate: This chemical softens water and helps remove dirt.
Due to the harsh nature of the ingredients, you should leave Dawn in the kitchen and only use it for hair on occasion. Read this article to discover how to wash your hair with Dawn and how often you should use it.
How to Wash Your Hair With Dawn Dish Soap
1. Measure the Soap
If you’re trying to remove oil or product, use a tiny pea-sized amount of Dawn. Use more if you need to get excess dye out of your hair.
2. Dilute the Soap
Always dilute with one part Dawn and one part plain water when using this detergent on your hair.
3. Wet Your Hair
Soak your hair well before putting on Dawn. If your hair isn’t thoroughly wet, the detergent will not penetrate well.
4. Rub Soap Into Your Hair and Scalp
Rub the mixture in until it begins to lather, then stop. Rubbing too much with such a strong detergent could cause breakage.
5. Leave Soap on for 15-20 Minutes
Leaving the soap on for a little while helps it penetrate your scalp and gently lift off the oil, dirt, product, or dye coating your hair.
6. Rinse Thoroughly
Rinse your hair well when using Dawn dish soap. Be sure to rinse everywhere, including the ends. Any residue could cause your hair to look greasy. If you are rinsing out hair dye, make sure you do so until the water runs clear.
7. Deep Condition
Always apply a deep conditioner to your hair after using Dawn dish soap. This method will help you replace some moisture lost to washing. Your hair could become brittle if you don’t use a deep conditioner.
Dawn Dish Soap Alternatives
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- Clarifying Shampoo: Most people will find that an over-the-counter clarifying shampoo is enough to remove oil. Dawn is a good secondary option if clarifying shampoo isn’t strong enough for your problem.
- Baking Soda: Mix a little baking soda into your ordinary shampoo. Like Dawn, you should only use it every week or two for best results and to avoid hair and scalp dryness. Baking soda works well if you don’t want to use sulfates or other detergents.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe can be used as a healthy hair mask. It takes care of build-up, removes oil, and fights scalp irritation.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve covered what to expect when you use Dawn dish soap on your hair, but here are more answers you may need.
Can I wash my hair with blue Dawn dish soap?
Yes, you can use it occasionally. You must ensure you don’t wash your hair with Dawn too often. Dawn contains harsh chemicals that could damage your hair if you use it frequently.
Is washing your hair with Dawn bad?
Not necessarily, but you need to be careful about it. Stop if you notice any damage like a dry scalp, dandruff, excess hair oil, or hair breakage.
How does Dawn dish soap affect hair?
Dawn dish soap degreases hair, removes build-up, and removes excess dye. However, it can dry your hair and scalp, so you should use it cautiously.
Does dish soap make your hair grow?
Some hair experts claim that Dawn dish soap can make your hair grow, but this is not the case. Too much washing with harsh detergents removes oil, which causes breakage and inhibits hair growth.
Can I use dish soap to remove hair color?
Yes, you can. For example, you may want to use it if you dyed your hair at home and want to switch to a different color. You may also want to use it if you have too much dye in your hair.
So, Can You Wash Your Hair With Dawn Dish Soap?
Dawn dish soap can help remove excess dirt, oil, dandruff, dye, and more. If you use it more than every few weeks, you will dry your hair and scalp.
Excess use could worsen conditions like dryness, scalp irritation, and breakage. Ask your stylist for help when dealing with too much build-up in your hair.