I’ve joined the No ‘Poo movement. Not that kind of no poo movement. That’s called constipation, friends. Right now, I’m talking about The No Shampoo Movement. Why would one quit shampoo? Um, the bigger question is why WOULDN’T one quit shampoo? If you find yourself often saying or thinking any of the following statements, then you’ll have convinced me that no ‘poo = no you.
1. “I wouldn’t be even slightly ruffled if Jon Hamm inspected my hair greasiness 24-48 hours after washing it.”
2. “I would be dismayed if my hair were as shiny as puppies’ eyes bedazzled with sequins and polished silver.”
3. “The more shampoo and conditioner bottles I put into landfills, the more my level of contentment in life increases.”
4. “I love my hair to be so unhealthy and over-washed that it breaks off so that I can leave pieces of myself everywhere I go. It’s like Hansel and Gretel… except with hair.”
5. “I find the act of absorbing anti-freeze (isopropyl alcohol), detergent (SLS), petroleum (propylene), coal tar (FD&C color pigments), and carcinogenic toxins (too many to count) through my scalp truly pleasurable.”
As I said, if any of these statements is a daily affirmation for you, then I suggest you remain committed to your relationship with that bottle that currently inhabits your shower. That sounded potentially bad… Like I’m encouraging addictive behaviors for people who happen to store some type of alcoholic beverage in their place of bathing. My bad. Don’t do that.
Are you wondering whose golden locks are plastered all over this post? They’re mine… And although they’re an obvious example of bed-head, they’re also an example of no ‘poo hair SEVEN DAYS after washing. Seven. I wanted to show how my hair looks these days at its dirtiest and messiest when I’ve done nothing to it. It wasn’t always this way. How did achieve it? I’ll share with you the wisdom of my people. When I say “my people,” I mean fellow dirty hippies who, ironically, are not so dirty after all.
Step One: Stop using shampoo. Use baking soda and vinegar instead. For your new shampoo, add water to baking soda until it’s a thick goo. Exact measurements aren’t really important, but it’s better to have not enough water than too much. For your new conditioner, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar only (no other type of vinegar) to 1 cup of water. This time, it’s better to have not enough vinegar than too much. Store your new hair beautifiers in your shower.
- Wet your hair and focus on massaging your new shampoo into your roots. Let it sit for one minute. Rinse. Pour conditioner onto your ends rather than the roots and rub in. Rinse.
- Practice your new hair care method for at least two weeks.
Step Two: Stop using baking soda and vinegar. Use only water instead. You can do this cold turkey or wean yourself off. It’s choose your own adventure here. Just massage your scalp well when you’re in the shower. That’s it. This is the critical phase where your body pushes the reset button and finds balance for your hair. Shampoo strips our hair of its natural oils, so over time your hair becomes accustomed to over-producing sebum.
- Don’t use any styling products or ANYTHING on your hair. This is important so that your hair can find balance again.
- This phase lasts 4 to 6 weeks. Your hair will be greasier than usual. I probably reached peak greasiness at the end of the first week. I wore it up all the time. No one really noticed. My hair looked dirty but nothing more than that. I stuck it out for the full 6 weeks because I knew my sebum production was pretty off the charts – my hair would be greasy again after 24 hours. I wanted to go the extra mile to ensure that my body would recalibrate properly. Trust me: you may feel a bit yucky during this time, but push through it and you’ll be rewarded.
- Brush your hair as often as possible – at least once a day. I would brush my hair really thoroughly before my shower each day. This helps move the sebum down the shaft of the hair to protect it as it is designed to do. Brushing helps keep your hair clean. This is why Jane Austen’s heroines would brush their hair 100 strokes a day in a time when frequent bathing wasn’t exactly popular. Just be sure that you clean your brush a few times per week!
Step Three: Add the baking soda and vinegar back in once per week. You’ve made it through the toughest part and now your hair is soft and lovely. Depending on your hair, you can adjust this weekly use to twice weekly or every ten days if you’d like to instead.
Step Four: Flip your gorgeous locks around like a Victoria’s Secret model and wax poetic about what a total ninja you are by saving money, the environment, and your youthful glow. This applies to men, too. Do it, please.
Troubleshooting:
- Hair getting too frizzy? Use less baking soda or don’t leave it on as long.
- Hair getting too greasy? Use less vinegar or switch to lemon/lime juice.
- Hair getting too dry? Try smoothing a bit of coconut oil or olive oil on your ends.
- Are you dying during the 4-6 week waiting period? Sprinkle a bit of baking soda along your part and comb it through. It will absorb some of the greasiness.
- Still need to use hair styling products after this whole ordeal is over? I suggest looking into the most organic and natural products out there. The fewer the ingredients, the better. The more ingredients you recognize, the better. The best option of all would be to google homemade styling product recipes and do it yourself!
Oh, I’m so glad to find more and more bloggers who have thrown out the shampoo and conditioner! I been using the baking-soda-and-vinegar regimen for about 7 months now and have never been happier with the quality of my hair. :)
Yay, Ali! That’s wonderful to hear it’s still making hair magic 7 months later. I’ve been doing on this regimen for about 4 months now, and I agree – I’ve never loved hair care more. :) Thank you for stopping by! xo
I quit shampoo around 8 months ago. One trick that got me through the hard period was to rub corn starch in my roots when it looked greasy. It worked a charm! It may have prolonged that phase by a bit, but it didn’t really matter. And as an added bonus for someone like me who used to be addicted to volumizer sprays and creams, corn starch + grease = awesome volume.
Haha! Brilliant, Katie! Love the natural volumizer – thanks for sharing. :)
I LOVE the No-Poo regime, I haven’t used any for 2 years…. I just use a little oat flour for the days when my hair is a tad greasy – works a treat – similar to the corn starch method Katie mentioned above.
That’s awesome, Lou! I hadn’t heard of using oat flour… I’ll have to give that a go. :)
Pingback: I’d Like to Thank the Academy~ 2012 Blog Awards « Part-Time Health Nut
Hi Desi,
Happy New Year!
Your blog helps me stay on track with living healthy and is a source of inspiration. As a gesture of my gratitude, I have nominated you for the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award.
Please accept my kind regards without any obligation. http://parttimehealthnut.com/2013/01/01/id-like-to-thank-the-academy-2012-blog-awards/
Warmly,
Marya@PartTimeHealthNut.com
Marya!
I am so deeply touched by your words and your nomination. Furthermore, I’m so thankful you posted because now you’ve introduced me to your lovely blog! You definitely have a new reader. Happy New Year and thanks again! This was such a lovely surprise on the first day of 2013.
With love and gratitude,
Desi
Hi Desi, You deserve it and Happy New Year! =) Marya
Yeah, I’ve never liked reading the ingredients in my shampoo. Glad theres an alternative. What about bar soap for your body?
Hi Tim! I’m a big fan of Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps for the body. I also support a local soap maker where I live and her soaps have simple, organic ingredients. :)
I just started this yesterday and am very excited about it!
I have a friend who for some years has been using only finely ground cornmeal (dry, in dry hair), and her hair always looks gorgeous.
While the idea of no shampoo sounded appealing, that method did not.
I am so glad to have found this one.
Thanks!
I hope this works out for you, Hillary! :)
I’ve considered this a few times, but have really long, shiny hair that my vanity cries for me not to ruin ;) I’m almost convinced by your pictures, since you said you were oily too. I can generally only go 24 hours and still look clean. But I do have a question – does this method still work well if you work out? I definitely don’t want icky sweaty hair ;)
Hiya Heather! Yes, I had extremely oily hair. Even after 24 hours, my hair would start looking dirty. This method still works wonderfully for me. That’s an excellent question about working out. My guess is that it differs from person to person. I find that even after working out, I can get away with giving my hair a REALLY good brushing before hopping in the shower and then a vigorous scrub with just water. But you may have to experiment with it on your own.. Regarding “ruining” your hair – there’s definitely no harm in trying this method. It definitely won’t ruin anything. If you find it doesn’t work for you and/or it’s not adjusting to the change quickly enough for you, you can always go back to your current routine. However, like most natural remedies, this is not an overnight fix. It requires time and patience… but the reward is worth it in the end! :) Best of luck!
Thanks for the quick and seriously thorough reply. Think I might give this a try after my “big” work trip in March :)
Hey Desi, what about people with dry scalp?
Hey Jessica!
This should definitely work for people with dry scalp simply because you’re washing your hair a whole lot less. With less stripping of your natural oils happening, your scalp will be able to find balance again. I would recommend diluting the baking soda mixture a lot though, otherwise it might be too potent (maybe try 1 Tbsp in a 1 cup water). Also, people often have dry scalp due to product build up that is really irritating. If you want to try a special hair treatment, you could wet your hair with warm water, put some apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and spray your scalp and strands of hair until saturated. Massage it well into the scalp. Let that sit for 30 minutes. The ACV – one of nature’s disinfectants and fighters against fungus – will cut through any old product hanging around causing problems. Plus, it will open up your pores and help your scalp restore its natural ph balance. You can do this treatment as often as once every 2 weeks if you like it. Hope that helps! :)
Yes! Thank you! I will have to try it….the only thing is…and I know this is really, really bad-I color my hair. Will these tips ease some of my dry scalp/oily root woes between coloring?
I would imagine it would! When it comes to living a more natural lifestyle, it’s not just all or nothing – I think any little things you do add up and are definitely beneficial. Please feel free to report back on your experimenting. We’re all different, so it’s nice for me to know what works for other people so I can help others better! Thanks, Jessica :D
Hi Desi
No idea how I came across your site but I’m so glad I did! I used to use Apple Cider vinegar as a conditioner ages ago but fell out of the habit, but I’d never tried Baking Soda as a shampoo. Today I washed my hair as per your instructions, and just after one wash I like the feel of it better. When I wash it with shampoo, it always feels like straw, and it seems every conditioner I use just smells like chemicals, so I’m off to the supermarket to stock up on baking soda and ACV and I will report back in a couple of weeks :)
Thanks!!
I’m so happy to help, Yolanda! Yay! Definitely report back and let me know how it’s going. ;)
My hair is super super curly and so it gets dry easily. I stopped shampooing my hair over a year ago and just use conditioner & leave in conditioner. It’s awesome!
That IS awesome! Thanks for sharing! :)