Would You Stop Washing Your Hair... Forever?

Posted by Alexandra C. | Thursday April 18, 2013

I've mentioned in the past that my hair has been less than healthy. After years of a salon boycott and DIY experiments with ombre and numerous shades, my ends were left with a rough, straw like appearance. With my recent haircut and shorter style, I've been trying hard to keep it healthy and in good shape. Part of this has been laying off the hair dye (seriously, I have a problem) and trying to wash my hair as little as possible.

Shampoo is essentially a detergent, which means that it strips your hair of its natural oils, making it rougher and weaker. If I want to keep my hair strong and in tip top shape, it would stand to reason that I should avoid washing my hair. Now, we've spoken before about the 'no wash for 4 days' experiment, and for the most part, we agreed that 4 days was a bit too long to go without a wash. However, there is a growing movement to actually stop shampooing all together! It's the "no 'poo method".

Instead of shampooing your hair, you use baking soda. Baking soda removes the excess oil and grease from your hair. I found two ways to do a baking soda wash:

Baking Soda "Shampoo" #1

In a spray bottle, put 5 Tbsp of baking soda, fill the bottle with water (about 8 ounces) and shake well. This should last you about a week. Spray into hair and rub into scalp and through hair thoroughly. Rinse out with water.

Baking Soda "Shampoo" #2

Rub baking soda into hair as you would a dry shampoo. Start rinsing with water while continuing to rub the baking soda in your hair. Rinse baking soda completely out with water.

You'll also need to condition your hair to make it soft and shiny. This is where apple cider vinegar comes into play. This concoction is simple to make and will help to revitalize your hair.

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse:

To make this rinse, the standard portions are 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar for every cup of water.

Mix the apple cider vinegar and water together, preferably in a spray bottle. After using the baking soda, pour or spray the mixture into your hair and massage it into your scalp. Let the apple cider vinegar sit for a few minutes before rinsing fully with water.

Now, according to those who venture on the no 'poo journey, their hair has never felt or looked better! And it's important to note that they stop using traditional shampoos and conditioners all together. But be forewarned, most people go through an adjustment period where their hair reacts to the lack of shampoo and will start producing excess oil. It may take some time for your hair to get into its (or your) comfort zone.

I'm curious about the method, and the endorsements of no 'poo are convincing, but I'm hesitant to go through the transition period. What about you? What do you think of the no 'poo method? Is it something you'd try?

(via simplemom.net, huffingtonpost.com, healthextremist.com)

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19 Comments

	on June 20, 2013 Palmtree74 612 said: Yep don't think I will be going "no poo". Just plain easier to shampoo.
	on April 25, 2013 Racenhawk 2,704 said: think I'll stick with shampoo
	on April 25, 2013 puglove 1,773 said: I tried this for about a month and a half, and was NOT impressed. I started out by cutting down on hair washes to about twice a week, and then switched to baking soda and vinegar. At first it worked, my hair felt clean and looked like it normally did with shampoo. After about 2 weeks, it stopped working. The apple cider vinegar made my hair look SUPER greasy, no matter whether I applied it throughout or just to the ends of my hair. I tried to just use baking soda, but my scalp would still be super greasy, and the ends of my hair would be like straw and impossible to comb. I tried to tough it out for a month and a half to see if there would be some magical transition, and everyone just thought I was crazy. I ended up getting dandruff, which I have not had since I was a little kid, and decided to buy some Head and Shoulders and give up. Never has my hair looked so nasty - won't be doing this again!
	on April 24, 2013 AlexJC 50 said: @smiley_gen The actual baking soda, I would assume not. It's not a detergent. Our beauty myths article touches on this, but what does the most fading on coloured hair is water. http://www.chickadvisor.com/article/5-surprising-beauty-myths-busted/
	on April 24, 2013 The Pink Panther 1,597 said: I've read a lot about it (thanks to this article I searched for other info online!) ....but don't think I could stick with it. Maybe in the future?
	on April 22, 2013 smiley_gen 9,832 said: Interesting... Would it damage hair color?
	on April 22, 2013 spotty 4,021 said: I plan to go "no 'poo" when I am on my maternity leave in a few months. That way no one will be seeing me when I go through the adjustment phase. :-) I already condition w/ ACV. My shampoo is a baby shampoo that is sulfates free, but bottom line, it is still a detergent. Baby steps ...
	on April 22, 2013 spotty said: I plan to go "no 'poo" when I am on my maternity leave in a few months. That way no one will be seeing me when I go through the adjustment phase. :-) I already condition w/ ACV. My shampoo is a baby shampoo that is sulfates free, but bottom line, it is still a detergent. Baby steps ...
	on April 21, 2013 shanaz 5,961 said: This sounds so interesting... I really want to try it :) I just question how much of a DEEP clean you really get with baking soda...
	on April 21, 2013 justjenne 1,755 said: I'm worried the vinegar would make my hair smell awful.