Is It Better to Have Clean or Dirty Hair for Wedding Day Hairstyling?

You'll make a lot choices when selecting your wedding hairstyle. Up or down? Beach waves or Hollywood curls? Sleek or a little messy? Regardless of your answers, you'll likely have to make one more hair-related decision the night before your nuptials: Do you arrive at your appointment with your strands squeaky clean or slightly dirty? You've likely heard conflicting advice on the subject over the years, but getting this right is important, since your bridal hairstyle is arguably the focal point of your beauty look.

Some of that advice claims that dirty hair holds a curl or an updo more successfully; others promise that clean hair is the better way to go. While the specific answer can vary based on your exact hair type and the style you have in mind, two expert stylists —Maame Wilson of GLAM by Maame and Amie Decker of Amie Decker Beauty—say there is a correct approach. 

Clean Hair Versus Dirty Hair for Wedding Hairstyles

In most situations, clean hair is the better choice, say the experts. “We often joke on my team that a bridal hairstylist must have started the rumor that dirty hair is better for wedding day styles because she was sick of bridesmaids showing up with soaking wet hair,” says Decker. “For most of the hairstylists I know, clean hair is preferred.”

Wilson agrees: “As a bridal hair stylist specializing in African American hair, I lean towards clean hair for my clients, as it's generally easier to work with and holds styles well,” she says. 

What Clean Hair Really Means

For the cleanest possible hair, you should plan to wash it on the morning of the wedding—but not too close to your appointment, since you need your strands to be dry before styling. “For clean hair, washing with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner suitable for the hair type on the wedding morning is ideal,” says Wilson. “Ensuring thorough drying time, especially if extensions are involved, is crucial.”

Hair washed the night before the wedding is often still clean enough to work with. “Unless someone has a particularly oily scalp, they are good to go if it was washed the day before and have not used a ton of product,” says Decker. Wilson recommends night-before washing with a lightweight shampoo “to remove excess oils without stripping the hair.” 

Does Your Hair Type or Wedding Hairstyle Matter?

Your hair type—and the style you’ve chosen—might impact exactly how dirty or clean you want your locks to be on the morning of your wedding. “Coarser, thicker hair may benefit from slightly dirty hair for added texture, while finer hair might hold styles better when clean,” says Wilson. “The chosen hairstyle also matters; updos and intricate styles often require slightly dirty hair for better grip, while glam waves or down styles can be achieved with clean hair, especially with the aid of styling products.” 

When making your final choice about when you’ll wash your hair, your own wishes (and your stylist’s advice) should be the deciding factor. “It is best to ask your stylist’s preference because all stylists are not the same,” Decker. “[But] we often tell our clients that they know their hair best, so if they know they like it better the day after they wash it, then stick with that.”

How to Prep Your Hair for Wedding Hairstyling

Unless your stylist tells you otherwise, plan to stick to your typical hair care routine in the days before your wedding (this should be the same routine you used before your hair trial). “If you are showering somewhere besides your home on the morning of the wedding, make sure to bring your usual shampoo and conditioner with you, and thoroughly wash out your shampoo and conditioner,” says Decker. “Sometimes the water pressure or pH is different than what you are used to in a hotel, so be mindful of getting that hair fully clean."

Leave the rest to your pro. Since not all hair types—or updos—are alike, your stylist may incorporate their go-to volumizing mousse, texturizer, dry shampoo, or other products to create a lasts-until-the-after-party style. “We can always add product to make hair more cooperative, but plenty of styles are not attainable if hair is too dirty,” says Decker.