Did the people who named the shampoo-free movement “no ‘poo” really think that one through?
Besides being confusing (it’s hard to communicate that apostrophe in spoken communication), it’s a bit inelegant. But what’s done is done.
I’ve gone no ‘poo and I think I’m sticking with it. It’s been about three weeks and I’m liking it a lot. The moment I finally decided to go for it came after reading, of all things, something about ducklings. It’s a bit of a non-sequitur, and it doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but it sort of did to me. Ducklings aren’t waterproof at birth. They have to snuggle with their mama to get the benefit of her natural oils to make their feathers start to shed water. I’m not sure how long that process takes, and they eventually start to produce their own oils, too.
It made me think about how shampooing is a process that strips your hair of its natural oils. Then we condition or use other hair products to replace that oil. It started to make about as much sense as washing ducks and re-oiling ducks with commercial duck waterproofing products. Now I know we don’t rely on waterproofed hair to keep from drowning, but it’s a similar principle. I remember being horrified when my grandmother, who was born in 1907, told me they only washed their hair about once a year back in the day. Now it makes sense to me.
Before I show you my hair, I want to share with you the trouble I had getting a picture that actually showed my person.
Here’s my favorite:
I don’t know how you selfie people do it. Wait, I do. You have camera phones. I don’t, so these are with a camera camera. Which turns out great shots like this:
This one took two mirrors:
I rinse it in warm water about every day. I used vinegar water once about a week ago. Lots of brushing. It has calmed down a lot of the frizz. What do you think? Do you no ‘poo? Any advice for a newbie?
I’m about to go for my annual cut and I’m nervous about them running screaming from my head when I tell them I don’t want them to shampoo it because I don’t want to undo the weeks of my not shampooing it. Any experiences with hair stylists and no ‘poo?
Thanks in advance,
Daisy
I tried it for a month or so and just couldn’t stand it any longer! My hair always felt thick and greasy and my scalp itched like crazy! Here are the non-toxic hair care products I have been using for a long time now and LOVE!
http://lorialexander.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-favorite-nontoxic-shampoos.html
Good luck!
I pretty much never let my hair stylist wash my hair since it gives me a neck ache. I do use shampoo, but with such short hair (pixie) I could probably get away with using it even less than I do (every 3-6 days). I’d suggest just telling them not to shampoo your hair and leave it at that. Hair stylists have to promote their thing (whether it’s getting your hair cut every 5 weeks, not cutting your own hair, or using their products), and will give you some flack no matter what. It’s their job, I guess.
I did go shampoo-free for a while back in the days when my hair was waist-length, and noticed that the amount of oily / processed foods I ate directly affected how quickly my hair became dirty. Just a thought!
Hey girl, I too have gone the no shampoo route for about 6 months. I just use my regular bar of soap and afterwards do a good soak with apple cider/water spray. Although my hair rinsed very clean and felt very soft, it seemed to be getting rather dry. I wash mine about every other day due to the fact that I work outside a great deal and to be frank, it’s just dirty! lol I think if I keep it at a shorter length, that might help. Haven’t tried the lots of brushing thing. I’ll give that a shot and see if it helps with the dryness. Thanks for your post.
To save time and money I often forgo the shampoo and blow dry/style. The hairdresser just uses a squirt bottle of water during the cut. No biggie, no questions. “Just a cut, no shampooing” is all you need to say. By the lack of reactions I get, it seems it is not so uncommon.
I have really long hair. I can go more days without shampooing when my hair is long since there is a lot more hair to soak up the oil, but I don’t think I’m willing to NOT shampoo it. For one thing, I just like washing it. Shower time is ME time. I also just can’t bear the thought of not washing the germs, pollens, dirt, sweat, etc out of my hair and scalp. I wouldn’t just rinse my hands… I’d wash them with soap. I’m counting my hair the same way – just not as often as my hands. 😀
I tried it for a few months and found it’s not for me. I am more picky about my hair products and wash much less so call it a successful experiment.
So, for the last 5 years, I’ve been shampoo-free (I refuse to use the ‘poo’ name). I came across your post about apple cider vinegar rinse and using real soap for shampoo. My stylist still doesn’t believe that I don’t use ‘real’ shampoo. I wash my hair with soap (that does strip excess oil, but not all of it) and do a vinegar rinse daily. My normally flat, blah hair is shiny, strong, and has just a little extra volume.
I use my homemade coconut oil/ cocoa butter soap and spritz with diluted apple cider vinegar and comb through. Love it! So darn soft!
I’ve been shampoo free for about 4 years. I use the baking soda scrub for my scalp and cider vinegar rinse right after. I’ve been very pleased with it. I have very fine thin hair, but extremely curly, so there was no product out there i could buy that didn’t weigh my hair down in some way or another. Or make it frizzy! This is by far the best thing I’ve done for my hair, though I will say that for the first year I skipped the ACV rinse initially because my hair felt nice and soft with out it, and it kinda stopped growing…for almost a year! It took another year and using ACV and getting pregnant again to jump start my hair growing again. I say go for it and stick with it, it does take time to get used to. One more thing, I think my frequency of washing my hair changes with the seasons, more when it’s humid and less when it’s dry. Enjoy the experiment!
I’ve been no-‘poo (okay, I love the name!) for over 2 years and love it. It’s simple…that’s why I love it. I moved from humid North Carolina to dry Colorado a year ago and it’s taken me almost that long to adjust, but it still works for me.
I have still conditioned with a cheap, natural conditioner, but I’ll be giving that up when it runs out and just use vinegar. Again, it’s simple.
I’ve only gotten my haircut twice since I went no ‘poo (umm, I said I liked simple, right?) and I let her wash it. It’s not a big deal once in a while, though it does take your hair a few days to find it’s natural balance again. I’m sure a good hairstylist would understand if you say no.
This is a very interesting article! My hair has become slightly frizzy and the no-shampoo idea is appealing. My problem is that my skin is still on the oily side, even though I am a bit over 50. That said, my head itches drastically if I don’t clean it at least every other day. Plus my scalp becomes sensitive to having my hair pulled back when dirty.
Is there a formula for a gentle home-made cleanser that I can use on my hair to remove the excess dirt, dust, pollen and other allergens from my hair without stripping it? My hair has color (light auburn) on it. Will the no-shampoo way affect the color any?
I don’t worry about offending a hair dresser, I learned to cut my own hair many years ago and only visit a beautician once every few years if I want a perm.
Thanks in advance!
I tried to go no poo about a year ago. I used a bar of Ivory soap and an ACV rinse about two to three times a week. It left my long, thick, wavy hair very dry (we’re talking like straw) on the ends. Combing my hair after a shower was a nightmare and gave me flashbacks to childhood tangles. Over time I found that I am a person who NEEDS a conditioner when I have long hair. I also switched to Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap (which is awesome). So although I’m technically not using shampoo, I’m still not 100% on the no poo train.
Have someone smell your scalp after just a few days. If you don’t have anyone that gets that close, I suppose it could work. I’m highly sensitive to smells (I’m a supersniffer!) and when I can smell that distinctive smell when brushing my hair (after a few days of not washing it), I just HAVE to wash it. I’ve sat next to people who obviously don’t wash their hair often and though the appearance doesn’t indicate it, the subtle odor does. With long hair, it might not smell the further you get from the scalp, but those natural oils closer to it will. Maybe that smell isn’t offensive to you, but it is to me. I don’t want my head to smell that way.
Hi,
When hairdressers cut my hair they comment on how healthy it is.
I stopped using shampoo in 1985 after a friend stopped using it with good results. When I had my hair cut short I took the opportunity to try making the transition. I had a three or four-week transition period, during which I used lemon juice squirted into my hand and rubbed into my hair while showering.
After three weeks or so I gave up the lemon juice.
I don’t use anything on mine. Just let the hot shower water play over it and give it a rub through with my fingers. In summer that will be every day. In winter that will be every couple of days.
It’s not something I discuss with people so most people just don’t know and I never think about it. So it was interesting to see there is a movement growing over it.
Lee
Great post and worthy of discussion! My stylist is a Master stylist in a nice salon, and he is the one who introduced me to no shampoo for my hair care. (He says he has not been appreciated by many salons in the past for dispensing this kind of advice…ha! No surprise there.) He educated me on the fact that many hair products perpetuate a vicious cycle of creating shine with silicones and other chemicals, but sealing out the hair’s ability to take in moisture, then creating more dryness, frizz, build-up, etc. He recommended 1 part ac vinegar to 1 part distilled water in a squirt bottle… saturate hair, massage it into scalp and then work it all the way through to the ends, leaving it in a few minutes (if you have the time). I have been doing this for almost a couple years now, and believe me, it has been noticed by people! I had the frizziest, most unresponsive and hopeless hair ever. First, my daughter said “hey, Mom, your hair isn’t crazy anymore”, then other people started actually complimenting my hair. I need to also add that I started using a conditioner (pricey) called Intelligent Nutrients Harmonic..which is fantastic. But the stylist didn’t push it, just said it was great but that I could also use small amounts of jojoba oil for a conditioner. Needless to say, this kind of stylist wouldn’t weird out if I opted to skip the salon shampoo service. At this point, I’ve experienced too many stylists who have done me disservice by not truly listening (that is serious blog material right there) to even care what a stylist thinks anymore.. I’m the one who has to live with my hair!
Cat, the above commenter…I believe the AC vinegar over a short period of time will balance out the pH/oiliness of your scalp, so do give it a go! Trust me, the ACV does not strip your hair, it has a balancing effect.
I use WEN hair products because everything else either split the ends or gave me frizzies. I have been on it about a month and notice my hair seems thicker. I only use it twice a week. I think people can overwork their hair by using shampoo products everyday…just saying.
Debrah–I’m surprised that a stylist would be open to no shampoo, but it gives credence to both the stylist and the method. That’s great your hair transformed like that. Great testimonial for this method.
Lee–I can see how a short cut would make this really easy. Like a fresh start, then all the new growth would be pristine. Love you’ve been doing this so long and still like it.
Kylee B.–I have a pretty sensitive smeller, too. I was thinking that I would put a few drops of essential oil in a bottle for a final rinse to have that “clean hair” smell that you miss when giving up the shampoo. I’ll ask the kids what they think. They can be brutally honest in a way a smart husband should never be. 😉
Rachael Long–Peppermint in any form rules! Love peppermint hair!
Cat–I’m still too new to this to be dispensing advice, but I can say I used to get a few itches in-between shampoos but I haven’t had any issues since I’ve stopped with the shampoo. I’m sure that varies from person to person. Some things I’ve read about itch recommend a rinse containing an anti-bacterial essential oil like tea tree. Vinegar and/or baking soda also has been used to help with itching.
Ronnica–I’m glad to hear it doesn’t set the process back for long. I do like simple. And if I ever try to use the graywater from the shower, the graywater will be shampoo-free, too.
Sarah–Thank you for the encouragement! Down with frizz!
Handful–I used homemade soap for a long time. I liked it fine, but it was still frizzy. Hoping to take it to another level and get rid of the frizz. We’ll see how it goes!
Lindsay–I love that soft feeling when the vinegar starts to do its thing. It’s got to be a chemical reaction of some sort. Does anybody know what causes that to happen? Oh well, I probably wouldn’t understand it anyway. Let’s just say it’s magic.
Mirinda–I’m not ruling that out. I’m going to keep trying it and see how it goes.
HeatherAnne–My sister said basically the same thing you did. I may be grossing her out. Which is my role as little sister now that I think about it.
BC–Good advice. Less is more.
Hedie–I used to use my soap, but I’m taking it to another level here with no soap, shampoo, nothing that would lift the oils. It may not work forever, but I wanted to see if it got rid of the frizz. Here’s hoping. And brushing.
Mia–Interesting. It is all connected, isn’t it? Thanks for your insight.
Lori Alexander–Yes, I think it doesn’t work for everybody. So many things go into it. I don’t think I could do this if I had to go into an office everyday. A little too edgy for the corporate life.
@Debra: Thank you! I will definitely give it a try!
@Daisy: The essential oils is a good idea! Peppermint would be a refreshing oil to use. Thanks for the advice about itching too.
I can’t wait to get started. Thanks for all the input!
Cat–Great–I’d love it if you report back and let me know how it goes, we can compare notes!
Hi I’m not sure why vinigar but as a child my grama tried all sorts with my hair, to no avail?,its still straight & can’t hold pins. One of the things she did try though was boiling up some rosemary in water (letting it cool) rinced my hair with it, I still do it now soft & shiney. That aside I’m 57
& have not used soap on my face in 30 years . I don’t have any trouble with it water is good I use Almond oil or baby oil (very good at removing make up ) clense if it gets dirty & Witch Hazel to tone. People comment on how nice my skin looks. The look I get when I say I don’t wash it is a treat ????
I started no-pooing about 9 months ago. I love it and would never go back to shampoo again. I have even brought my containers of baking soda and apple cider vinegar with me for her to use. She had a lot of questions, but went along. The last time my hair was cut, about two weeks ago, she wanted to know if I was still not using shampoo. I think it surprised her I think, because she said my hair has never looked so good. I have loads of new hair growth. I just assumed my thinning hair was just a sign of advancing age. As my granddaughter recently told me “your hair is crazy gram”. It is getting thicker , softer and wavy. My scalp does not itch or flake. I use baking soda about once a week, and a vinegar rinse every other day. I use coconut oil on my skin, so I just run my still greasy hands through my hair and massage my scalp with it. As to my skin since using only coconut oil on it, I was told how good I looked in makeup. I don’t wear makeup. This person, also a stylist in the same salon, noted that my skin tone was even and skin changes, rosacea, was not visible anymore. Which was why he assumed I had on makeup. So, for me another great change. I love it that these things also do not break the bank as well! I can get rid of all the containers of things that don’t do the same thing.
@Daisy I will be glad to. i even got some acv to get started with. 😀
Several comments have mentioned baking soda. How do you apply it and is it mixed with anything for a paste? Thanks!
Cat–The more I look into baking soda, the more I wonder about it. It might be somewhat imbalanced pH-wise. I might try the honey shampoo occasionally (1 T honey mixed with a little bit of water, a couple of drops essential oil optional). ACV still seems like a good one. Mostly I just use water! Lots of recipes out there, no need to get bored!
I haven’t used real “shampoo” for a couple of years now. I actually use Wen Shampooing Conditioner. It is a substitute for shampoo and conditioner. My hair is naturally fine and wavy. I perm and color it, but the damage isn’t too bad, I have a very good hairstylist. She must use gentle products. Anyway, it seemed silly to wash out all the oil I had left in my hair and then re-add artificial oils afterward. I saw an infomercial on TV and tried the Wen. It works great for me. I wet my hair thoroughly and put in a generous amount. I work it in all over and run it all the way out to the ends. I use my fingers to gently “scrub” my scalp and loosen any dirt. Then I leave it in while I do the rest of my shower. Finally, I run my fingers through from scalp to ends and rinse. I don’t rinse fanatically; I leave a little bit of the product in. It works great for me. Since I wear my permed hair really curly, all I do for styling is add in some additional curl- & moisture-enhancing cream and comb it through, then fluff and scrunch to air dry.
Before they came out with the Wen, I did my own version of this. I wet my hair thoroughly and put in a really moisturizing conditioner. I go through the same motions of scrubbing my scalp, leaving it in a few minutes, and then rinsing. It seems to work just about the same. I think as long as you use your finger pads to stimulate and clean your scalp, and rinse with warm or cool (not hot) water, you really can’t go wrong. I don’t have near the amount of frizz and dry ends that I used to (even before I permed and colored). I have no desire to go back to regular shampoo. Oh, I also only do this a couple of times per week. In between, I brush my hair GENTLY once in the morning (to distribute scalp oils and detangle), wet it and add a little additional curling cream, and let it dry. It has never looked better, and since not using regular shampoo, my hair is in much better condition.
Before I get started this week, I have a concern of sorts: What about styling your hair? My hair is layered all over, a sort of Farrah Fawcett look from the late 70’s-ish. It has what is left of a semi-relaxed perm on the lower two thirds. I usually run a large diameter curling iron through it to tame the perm and add a little of life and direction to it, otherwise it is fuzzy and wild. How do you style your hair, if at all? Thanks!
I was thinking about making a sort of journal as I go, starting with Day Zero, as a reference point. Too bad there is no way to add photos here.
Cat–My “style” is usually a ponytail. I’m getting it cut next week and so will be leaving it down a bit more often, but still just let it dry naturally. I’ve heard some people say their hair is more style-able, some say it’s harder to style. The latter are usually the people who give up on it, I guess. If you could find it, you could probably put photos on the FB entry of this post. I’d like to see how it goes.
Thanks for letting me know about Facebook. I have started a journal of a sort and will definitely share with you on Facebook. I have taken several pictures to document the journey. So far, so good. 🙂
Hi Cat and all, just had to throw in my two cents here about the baking soda! Per the stylist I mentioned who is pro-natural for haircare (and per my own experience!!)…baking soda indeed strips color in hair and is much too harsh on the cuticle in the long run. Just had to chime in here, as the baking soda thing is so widely circulated.
When I get to it, I will also chime in with styling comments (: Good luck! It’s better for all of us to have those good hair days…
@Debrah: Thanks for the tip on baking soda.
Also, after making a Facebook profile documenting my journey, I decided to make a Facebook group. That way, anyone can see it (?) without being a Facebook member. Plus, I will be able to share the pictures that I have taken.
@Debrah: Thanks for the tip on baking soda.
Also, after making a Facebook profile documenting my journey, I decided to make a Facebook group. That way, anyone can see it (?) without being a Facebook member. Plus, I will be able to share the pictures that I have taken.
Here is the address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/436459916512473/
Hello! You have gorgeous hair! 😀 I have been No Poo for three years now and have had two official hair cuts- both times they have been wowed by hair and both times the hairdressers have agreed that the volume in my hair is due to giving up shampoo! I have had to ask them to use water only and they were both super happy. Over all a great experience- be ye not afraid!
I am currently updating my journey on Facebook. It has been a very interesting two weeks without shampoo. My hair still has that “squeaky-clean” feeling when I wash with the vinegar. The only downside so far was my daughter telling me that my hair smelled like feet. I don’t think it was completely dry and the vinegar hadn’t completely dissipated. Silly “child” of mine!
One concern is coloring:
Will it undo all the natural oils because coloring cleans the stands of oil?
Would it be better to completely color all over? or Would it be better to have a beautician blend the roots and ends? My hair is tri-colored: My ends are strawberry blonde and my roots are dark blonds and white. You can see the strawberry color on Facebook under Journey Without ‘Poo.
@ Lulastic
Thanks for your input! I have also noticed that I am shedding a LOT less and my hair is thicker. It is good to know that this journey will only get better.
BTW, after my daughter’s comment on the smell of my hair, I asked a friend to smell my hair. She said that it smells clean without a perfumy smell.
Cat–I shampooed with an egg yolk the other day. I smell faintly of egg yolk, but I kind of like it in a weird way.
I read about the mayo experiment. Glad you got that worked out.
I have been posting my Journey Without ‘Poo on Facebook for a while now. The other day I got some really good advice about brushed from Lisa. She suggested using a boar bristle brush (I groaned here!) and section my hair in order to make the brush actually work. (My hair is super thick and the boar bristles are too soft to penetrate all the way to the scalp.)
Here are some links about the boar bristle brushes. One link helps demystify different types of brushes and the other shows how to use the boar bristle brush for the best benefit. It includes videos for both Caucasian and African hair types.
Choosing the Right Brush for Your Hair – For Dummies:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/choosing-the-right-brush-for-your-hair.html#.VUKMKF-WUxU.facebook
6 Benefits of Boar Bristle Brushing… and how to do it correctly:
http://empoweredsustenance.com/boar-bristle-brush-benefits/
If you have very thick hair like me, I suggest you section it before brushing. I start at the ears and make a horizontal section, holding the rest over my head while I brush the loose hair. I work my way to the top of my head, section by section, and then forward leaving my bangs for last. It has REALLY made a difference in my hair over the last week since I started using the boar bristle brush. My damaged perm ends are starting to look less frizzy. 😀 Woo Hoo!!!
I went “no poo” a few years ago and hated it. I went straight from washing my hair frequently to doing the baking soda-and-vinegar which was going around at the time. I did it for about a month. It didn’t work for me. My hair was gross. Felt gross, looked gross. I went back to shampooing fairly frequently.
Then, some things happened. Life got busy and complicated and I was exhausted. I pretty much stopped washing my hair because I simply didn’t have the time or energy to do self-care. I stopped doing pretty much anything to it. I grew out my bangs (my bangs were the worst part of no-poo.) I stopped styling my hair, stopped using a blow dryer. Every once in a while my head would start itching and I’d wash my hair. (And learned to change my pillow case often — it helps.)
It seems that by accident — by default, since I was just neglecting my hair completely — my oil production stabilized, to that point that infrequent shampooing is no longer enough to disrupt it. My hair isn’t always lovely and perfect looking. But it’s good enough that I don’t feel the need to go back to the bother of washing it all the time.
I am glad that I went No ‘Poo. My hair actually has natural body with a hint of curl. Using shampoo kept my hair lifeless. I don’t regret my decision. If my hair is a bit too oily, I just add a drop of shampoo to the vinegar and I am good to go again.
One very important part of keeping my hair shampoo free: Don’t forget the boar bristle brush!!! It distributes the sebum throughout my hair better than nylon brushes can and the “gross” feeling is easier to control.
Cat–It makes sense!
Linda–I like the organic journey. Makes perfect sense.
I’ve been using vinegar for over a year and a half now. I am SO glad I did!
Once I got past the transition stage, about 2-3 weeks, my hair is super clean and healthy. It’s even thicker with waves that I never had before.
I have even been inspired to develop a hair cleanser that is all natural and safe for the environment. My original post is on the Facebook page Journey Without ‘Poo.
If anyone is interested in learning more about this product, please visit my page and let me know. Constructive criticism is always welcome. ?
https://m.facebook.com/groups/436459916512473?tsid=0.9833695701165126&source=typeahead ????
I have been no poo for a year and a half now. I am SO glad I gave up shampoo. Seems shampoo strips my hair and scalp too much. Since I have been using vinegar, my hair is super clean and healthy. It is thicker and has more shine and body than ever. My super straight hair even has natural waves and some curls. Who knew?
Even the transition period wasn’t bad. Ittook about 2-3 weeks for my hair and scalp too settle down. But my hair always was squeaky clean, even when I thought it looked dirty. ???? Love the No ‘Poo!
I’ve been inspired to develop a hair cleanser that is all natural and safe for the environment. I ‘m working on the recipe and would like to know if anyone would consider purchasing the product once it’s on the market?
The current scents being developed are Romantic Rose, Marvelous Mint, Spicy Cinnamon, and Luxurious Lavender with consideration for Violet and Vanilla. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/436459916512473?tsid=0.9833695701165126&source=typeahead
Just a follow up!
I am still no-poo since March 2015. I have since added henna coloring to my hair which helps keep the buildup under control. Sometimes if it gets to be too much, about once a month, I mix about a teaspoon of baking soda with a cup of water and a tablespoon of vinegar and massage into my scalp, followed by thorough rinsing. The soda cleans away the buildup and the vinegar conditions my hair.
I don’t regret my decision to go no-poo. My hair is much healthier than ever before and has even started to curl. Thanks so much for sharing!