My hair is 4-and-a-half feet long – wash day is a 24-hour process, I use a plant powder to absorb extra oil in between

PLANNING ahead is crucial for one woman’s wash day after she grew her glossy hair to knee length.

Zelda shared the products and steps she takes to keep her 4.5-foot-long tresses clean.

Zelda, from Savannah, Georgia, shares hair-related ASMR content with over 46,000 subscribers on YouTube.

The 23-year-old is in the process of attempting to grow her locks floor-length.

Speaking to The U.S. Sun, she revealed the method she swears by for clean, healthy hair.

Zelda admitted that she’s very “particular” about the products she uses and has to plan ahead of wash day.

Her routine can take up to 24 hours, with each step scheduled perfectly.

“I've slowly extended my hair-washing frequency so that I only wash my hair about once a week,” she said.

She brushes and detangles the night before, and about an hour before washing the next day, she applies penetrative oils, her favorite being coconut oil.

“The oil fills up gaps in the hair shaft, where its hydrophobic moisture will reject excess water from entering the shaft,” she said.

“Too much water absorption can lead to hygral fatigue, so that's why it's important to coat your hair in oil before washing it.

While the oil soaks in, she mixes her favorite shampoos and conditioners in two bowls so her hair gets multiple benefits — and she saves time.

The oil is left to soak on her locks for at least an hour before she uses shampoo and conditioner as normal.

Whay is hygral fatigue?

Hygral fatigue occurs when excessive moisture causes hair follicles to swell, according to Healthline,

The damage shows up with tangling, breakage, frizziness, and dullness.

Hygral fatigue isn't reversible therefore the only option is to wait for healthy hair to grow.

Zelda then applies a conditioning mask and leaves it on for 90 minutes with a shower cap on top.

“This can be too long for other people, but it works for my hair,” she said.

“In the meantime, I enjoy sitting in the bath during these 90 minutes.

I occasionally use dry shampoo and arrowroot powder to help absorb some oil.

“I will do one more quick shampoo to make sure there's no oil left on my scalp, but that's it.

“I rinse and dry as normal. It takes a couple of hours to air dry.”

WHY WASH LESS?

Zelda confessed the method she uses to keep her hair clean between washes isn’t scientifically backed.

“It's a highly debated topic, but the idea of ‘reactive seborrhea’ actually worked for me,” she said.

“It's the idea that the less often you wash your hair, the more your scalp will become used to it and therefore produce less oil.

“When I was young, I first started extending my hair-washing frequency to every other day.

“Then I would try every third day, every fourth day, and so on.

“Eventually around 7 to 10 days, I reached my natural limit and have maintained that washing schedule.”

KEEPING CLEAN

Dry shampoo and arrowroot powder are occasionally used in her routine to extend wash days as they help to absorb oil.

“Cotton fabrics, like pillowcases or headwraps, can also help soak up excessive oil,” she said.

“Lastly, bristle boar brushes have been used for centuries to pull dirt out of hair and leave a healthy shine with zero water.”

Zelda previously told The U.S. Sun that she won’t be giving her hair a “big chop” for another six years.

She racked up over 10 million views in August 2023 when she decided to cut off a few centimeters of her hair.

She said everybody should use the “search and destroy” method to eliminate split ends rather than having regular trims.

Her search for split ends takes 10 minutes weekly.