How to Keep Your Hair Smelling Fresh Between Washes: Easy Tips for Women Over 50
We all know that an outdated hairstyle can add years faster than you can say ātrim the bangs.ā But thereās another little detail that might be working against usāand itās one we often overlook: how our hair smells. Just because it looks clean doesnāt always mean it smells fresh. And yes, people do notice. These days, many of us have stepped away from the daily shampoo-and-style routine, which means weāre facing a new challenge…how to keep our hair smelling clean and feeling fresh between washes. Itās a small thing, but it can make a surprisingly big difference in how confident, polished, and put-together we feel.
Whether itās second-day hair, post-gym sweat, or just a busy schedule, hair can start to smell stale, which can unintentionally make us look and feel older, so letās fix that.
Best Products to Freshen Hair
1-Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is the ultimate go-to for fresh-feeling, clean-smelling hair. Look for one with a scent you enjoy that absorbs excess oil and neutralizes odors between shampoos. They also have the added benefit of adding extra lift and volume to my fine, flat hair.
This Crown Affair dry shampoo is my current favorite. It’s a non-aerosol, talc-free powder that absorbs oil without drying the scalp or strands. I also don’t have to worry about breathing in any particles! It comes in a refillable container, and the brush applicator allows me to apply it just to the parts of my hair and scalp that need it. I also love that it’s made with clean ingredients and is cruelty-free.
Best Dry Shampoos To Try
2-Hair Perfume
Hair Perfume or Mist is formulated to scent hair without alcohol or drying ingredients. They leave your strands lightly fragranced and fresh all day. Do they simply mask the odor of your hair? Yes, and that’s the whole point. This Signature Scent by Crown Affair is a fresh floral with notes of Bergamot, Green Tea, and Sandalwood. My current favorite hairf perfume is this Gypsy Water by Byredo and I often just wear it instead of my fragrance.
Best Hair Perfumes To Try
3-Scalp Treatment
Scalp treatments help remove buildup from products, sweat, and oils that can trap odors. They basically deep clean your scalp. They can also rebalance oil production, which is key to avoiding that greasy or stale smell between washes. Many treatments include ingredients like tea tree oil or salicylic acid, which combat bacteria and flakiness.
The natural essential oils in these treatmentsālike peppermint or eucalyptusāleave a fresh, clean scent that lingers in the hair. Regular use also helps extend the time between washes, keeping your hair smelling fresher longer (especially if you style less often). Plus, they turn scalp care into a lovely self-care ritual, which always adds a little glow to your day.
This Briogeo Scalp Revival feels so fresh on my scalp! It’s Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free and has been clinically shown to increase scalp hydration by up to 2X.
Best Scalp Treatments To Try
Daily Habits That Help Hair Stay Fresh Longer
Using the right hair products is important, but itās your everyday habits that truly make the difference. If you’re looking to extend the time between washes and keep your style looking polished, these easy tweaks can help your hair stay fresher, longer:
1. Clean Your Hair Tools Weekly
Your brush and comb can collect more oil and product residue than you realize. Make it a habit to wash them once a week with a gentle shampoo. Clean tools mean cleaner hair and less buildup at the roots.
2. Brush From Scalp to Ends Every Day
A few intentional strokes from the scalp down help distribute your hairās natural oils, which keeps roots from getting greasy and gives the rest of your hair a healthy, soft shine. Itās one of those small steps that make a big difference.
3. Change Your Pillowcase Often (Silk Is Best!)
A clean pillowcase can do wonders for your hairās freshness. Cotton tends to absorb oils and rough up your strands, so consider switching to silk or satin because itās gentler on both your hair and skin and helps reduce overnight oil transfer.
4. Donāt Forget the Back of Your Head
Weāve all had that telltale āpillow swirlā that flattens the back of our hair. Itās more noticeable than we think! A quick morning brush at the crown and back of your head helps reset your volume and gives your hairstyle a more finished, intentional look.
Nonenal Odor, aka Old Persons’ Smell
What is Nonenal Odor? This term has been getting a lot of press lately and has been the subject of several studies with mixed results. Basically, Nonenal is a compound that forms on our skin when omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids break down through oxidation. This process tends to ramp up as our skin starts producing more of these fatty acids. At the same time, our bodyās natural antioxidant defenses begin to weaken. Hormonal shifts like menopause can accelerate this change, making the effects more noticeable. Japanese researchers suggest that Persimmon extract or green tea compounds target the 2-nonenal compound specifically and help neutralize the odor instead of covering it up. There are several products in the Marai Clinical Line, specifically made to address this issue. Have any of you tried these?
You donāt have to wash daily to have hair that smells amazing and feels fresh. With a few smart habits and targeted products, your hair can look (and smell) like you just washed it…even on day three.
What do you use between shampoos to keep your hair fresh?
Thanks for your post Jennifer. This is an interesting and useful topic. Like you, I can now go for 3 or 4 days without washing my hair. However, because I do a lot of cooking, I can sometimes smell what I cooked the previous night in my hair, especially when I wash it in the shower. I do use dry shampoo and this gives a pleasant smell and volume lift, but I have not heard of perfume for the hair so I will definitely look into these products. Many thanks and good to hear that your husband is on the mend from his surgery.
I always learn something new and useful from your posts! I never heard of nonenal odour. I just thought some people didn’t bathe often enough. I never knew about hair perfume either. I have always been aware of how hair absorbs cooking odours and smoke though.
Thanks for all the information and wishing your husband a speedy recovery!
Great article! Do you know of a minoxidil product that does not leave hair oily where applied?
Thank you
Vickie
This liquid has never left my hair oily, in the 5 years I used it.
Thanks for the tips. I have been looking for a hair perfume because I have no oil in my hair and can go 5 to sometimes long before washing. My hair always looks fresh but I often wonder if it does smell bad even though my husband and daughter never comment on that if it does. Been looking for a hair perfume and will now try your recommendations. Thanks again!
There are some really nice ones to try. Itās perfect if the match your perfume. Or wear instead of perfume.
Hi Jennifer. Any solutions for freshening up the inside of hats and visors you may wear to protect your face and scalp from the sun? Being out in the hot sun to do whatever sort of activity you are doing can cause your scalp and forehead to sweat and you just can’t throw a hat into the washing machine. Some, depending on the material, I wouldn’t trust even soaking in a mild detergent. Please share if you have any solutions! Thanks!
Denise
You can try Fabreeze or dampen a cloth with some soapy water and just wipe out the inside, them let dry upside down in the sun.
Iām so happy to hear your husband did well with his hip surgery! Our friend Stephanie also is doing well. She said it was much easier on the second hip than the first. Anxiety may be a factor in the difference. You need a little extra me time to recover from your anxiety.
I have dry shampoo that you recommended a while ago for quick fixes on my short pixie for emergencies. Otherwise I wash my hair in the shower every other day. I birdie bathe in between. Silk pillowcases really are the best. I have four so I can change them out often. Like Ann, my straight hair has developed a wave and curl. It is most visible on the back of my head. On the sides I would have to grow it out to about 7ā for the curl. I actually found that out during Covid when I couldnāt get my hair cut for three years.
Thank you!
I always wash my hair while in the shower every day, no exceptions. It is part of my daily self-care routine and without it, I don’t feel fresh or awake to begin my day. Daily shower and hair-washing is as essential to me as my morning coffee! š
I usually shampoo once a week, but I do use dry shampoo throughout the week. Thank you for these suggestions. I will definitely look into them!
I use Aveda hair products and they smell amazing! I can’t brush my hair because it’s curly now after being straight for 65+ years. My hair was extremely thick and coarse when I was younger but as I got older, my hair thinned and the curl started to appear and I love it! So to freshen my hair everyday I spritz it with water and then fluff it up with my fingers and it looks just about as good as it did the day before. I use a lightweight gel on my hair to enhance the curl and keep it from getting frizzy from the wind and rain and what have you as here in Kentucky as the weather can be wild! I am very lucky to have such great hair! Thanks for your suggestions on good-smelling hair!
You sure are lucky! I wish my hair would develop a curl. Iāve wanted it my whole life.
I’ve had lots of poker straight fine hair all my life … until now. In the last few years (I just turned 80) my hair has developed a persistent wave. At first I rejoiced because finally I had something going on BUT it has a mind of its own. The wave does not start at the roots where it would add some lift but appears about 3-4″ out from my scalp and slopes from high on one side to low on the other. It has become more of a hassle to deal with than the straight hair I originally had.
Thatās so fascinating!
Such an informative post! Iāve been looking for a good non-aerosol dry shampoo. Also, I cannot believe there is an actual name for old person smell. My sister and I both have older husbands and have commented to each other about how they smell different since they have gotten older.
I hope your husband is recovering well. Iām going to have to have a hip replacement myself & Iām really apprehensive about it. Everyone tells me that itās not that bad and that I will be glad I did it.
This hip surgery is much easier than we thought. He breezed in and out so fast. Itās painful but manageable if he takes the meds at the right time.
I didn’t know about all these products. I have a short pixie and I wash my hair almost every day. I can maybe get away with second day hair but that’s it. I just don’t feel right without a shower and washing my hair. My daughter has long hair and she will really appreciate these products. I think longer hair can go longer between washes. I remember my mom going to the hair stylist once a week to get it washed and styled!
That was such a common practice. I donāt think my granny ever washed her own hair! Wash and set at the parlor then slept in a hairnet during the week to preserve it.
Yes, we tried the Marai soap, for my husband actually. It didn’t work. It is expensive and it dried out his skin. But here’s what did work: Dawn dishwashing detergent. I know that sounds awful but it dissolves grease and is gentle. He puts a small bottle in the shower and uses it to wash his head. The problem is gone.
If it works, it works! Thanks for sharing Gayle.
Thanks for all the information, definitely buying the soap for my 92 year old dad. I wash my hair every other day, but I know what you mean about smelly heads, I am shocked how stinky some people can let their heads get. If I can smell their head in an aisle at a store I know they can smell their own head.
Yes! Elevators are the worse sometimes.
Fantastic article and recommendations!
Thank youš