Emily L. Foley - Freelance Journalist

So Fresh and So Clean, Clean

People who know me well know that my hair isn’t the cleanest thing in the world. The beauty of this fact is that people who don’t know me have no idea.

There are multiple reasons for my dirty hair. The primary reason is I have a ton of it. I don’t care how much hair you think you have, I have more than you (unless you’re my sister). My hair stylists have been cutting and coloring my hair for over six years, and they still make a comment about the vast amount of hair I have every time I’m at the salon. And massive amounts of hair equals massive amounts of time drying and styling said hair. Thus, in my teens, I started washing it less. And this wasn’t some grungy rebellion against society thing–I just couldn’t deal with two+ hours of drying my hair every day, or even every three days for that matter.

Then, as I got older, I learned that washing your hair too often is actually bad for your hair, because it strips the hair of natural, conditioning oils. Victory! Now I have good cause to be dirty! Nevermind the fact that dirty hair (or day old hair as they call it in the biz) holds style better and typically looks better than sparkling clean hair.

But, the secret of dirty hair, as I first mentioned, is for people around you not to know that your hair is dirty. I have tried endless numbers of dry shampoos and hair revitalizers. In fact, it is such a part of my life that I am always shocked to find people who have never heard of dry shampoo. And while I have been completely satisfied with a number of brands, none of them compare with Finley Hair Power ($18 online).

Finley Hair Powder comes in four shades: Black, Brunette, Blonde and White, the latter being good for all hair colors and also platinum blondes. Just a sprinkle on the hair, and the powder immediately soaks up any unwanted oil and shine and provides loads of volume. In fact, I love the volume my Blonde Finley Powder gives to my roots so much that sometimes I add it when my hair is perfectly clean just to get a little added height (hey, I’m from the South). The smell is also yummy, and, the various colors means no more tell-tale white powder residue on you brunettes. While I have never had a problem with this as a blonde, I do know my brunette friends experience this problem with other products.

So skip the hair wash and style and grab a bottle of Finley–your hair and schedule will thank you. I keep mine in my purse for midday touch-ups. ♥

*A tip to all you wanna-be dirty girls (and guys!) out there: If your head is itching or your hair is smelling (even with products), it’s time to wash. Pushing it over a week is just a bit much, even for me. *

~Peace, love and ‘clean’ hair, Emily