No Shampoo Method

[nellies]

Has anyone ever tried the "no poo method" for their hair and does not using shampoo really work? I just hear about this and I am curious if anyone here has tried this and what the results have been. Is this something worth trying or will me hair end up becoming disgustingly greasy?

[riverwed070707]

I've done it. I liked it (after the adjustment period becuase during the adjustment when your natural oils are rebalancing, you will want a pony every day as it can get quite greasy) and I kept with it for a couple years. It was cheap, super easy and low maintenance and for the first time every my stick straight hair got some body to it and I could even wear it curly. Earlier this year I started getting a lot of breakage in my hair and I wasn't sure if it was due to the baking soda drying it out or something else but I decided to switch back to store bought for a while. 8 months later I'm still getting lots of breakage even after a big cut so I'm guessing that wasn't the cause but I've not gotten switched back.

You should definitely give it a try! Might love it!

[ktmarvels]

I'm actully in week 7 of going without conventional shampoo. I was washing my hair daily before, but my hair doesn't really get that greasy. I'm working through all of the alternative shampoos. I've done baking soda (1 teaspoon in 1 cup) and apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons in 1 cup), which works well, I've got naturally dry hair so I've adjusted the ratios to try and make up for that. I've also done egg yolk, honey, coconut milk masks and water only. One of the biggest adjustments for me is to realize that my hair isn't greasy, it's just shiny! I was one month in before I told anyone (and only then have only told like 2 people) and they hadn't noticed and said my hair looked shiny and didn't stink. Although I felt like I was due for at least a rinse out!

All of my natural "shampoos" have worked at getting my hair presentable. Baking soda/vinegar is probably the best at removing the grease, but I feel like it's also the harshest on my hair. For those days that I feel it's a bit of a stretch I just wear it up in a pony. Coconut milk will make your head a greasy, greasy mess. I tried just rinsing it out, and I couldn't get my hair dried after the shower. So I went in and washed it with BS/ACV and it's just fine. I try not to get it wet if I'm not washing it, but then I tried water only, which defeats that purpose. I don't have a great routine yet, in fact this morning I complained that I didn't know what to wash my hair with! (I went with 1/4 cup honey in about 1 cup of water and it looks great and feels thicker).

You should try it. I just did it on a whim, I've still got half a huge container of both shampoo and conditioner, so it's not like I tried it to get to the store. I didn't have an awful transition period, but I know many people do. Hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones.

[annibe11e]

I've been doing this for about 2 years. I "wash" with conditioner about once a week and just water once or twice a week. I just slather a bunch of cheap conditioner (it needs to be thin and runny) all over my scalp and rub it really well. Then I thoroughly rinse it. It was greasy for the first few weeks, so be prepared for that. My hair definitely looks and feels healthier, it's never frizzy and it holds a style better. Try it, but stick with it for at least two months before you decide whether you like it or not. I think I rinsed my hair more often in the beginning, too.

[lorraineb]

I've never heard of this before. How does it work exactly? Do you use anything in your hair or just not wash it at all? Do you just rinse with water?

[Deteria]

I shampoo once every 2-3 days. I think it's still good to do shampoo every now and then to clean, but there is no need to shampoo every day. After not shampooing as much, the hair doesn't get as greasy as quickly and actually feels better.

[PauletteGoddard]

I use a modified no-poo method

I take some baking soda, moistened into paste, and massage it into the scalp.
Then to rinse I use a solution of water and Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar: makes the scalp tingle! Tilt head back or close eyes, solution can also sting!

The modification is that I use this method once, occasionally twice a week to clear shampoo buildup and to give my budget a minuscule break.

How my hair responds: I can go two-three days between shampoos, and my hair shows more of a natural wave. It's also very soft. My hair is fine and I notice some volume when the shampoo residue is washed away.

[rutgers07]

I haven't used shampoo or really body wash for the past 8 months or so. My hair is fine and gf hasn't noticed a single difference even without using body wash. My hair has actually been falling out more slowly it seems too (I'm a male). Who knows if it "works" but I'm not missing anything without either of them.

[dawnwes]

The only way I will go without shampoo is if I use that cleansing conditioner (like WEN but cheaper). I like it because I have very dry hair and sulfates dry it out more.

http://www.amazon.com/Salon-Grafix-Nutrition-Conditioning-Cleanser/dp/B00B5XRCGQ/ref=sr_1_49?ie=UTF8&qid=1380630331&sr=8-49&keywords=cleansing+conditioner

The above is available at places like CVS for $8. However, there are some other alternatives now.....L'Oreal now makes one, as does a company called Hair One.

I have only tried WEN and the Salon Grafix brands.

Dawn

[sian123]

I think you have to get past the greasy period and then apparently your hair self cleans! Not sure if its worth having gross dirty hair though

[TheKayla]

I sort of do, shampoo only about once a month and even then I probably don't need it but I still like the feeling of fresh hair. I use conditioner about once a week or once every two weeks, and my hair feel great after that, without actually using shampoo -- it still removes a lot of the excess grease. Probably my three biggest tips are:

- If you have hard water, get some sort of filter. No matter how long you wait, if your water's too hard it gets and feels greasy -- ick!

- When you do get shampoo/conditioner, get a quality one that preferably doesn't have sulfates or similar. You don't want to be basically cleaning your hair with detergent, otherwise it will be just as greasy as when you started and you'll never get through the transition stage. I usually get Ion, and as a plus its pretty cheap too, while being one of the best brands you can get!

- Theres tons of recipes for baking soda shampoos, ACV rinses, etc. Feel free to go with them, I don't really I don't like the hassle, but don't be turned off by it if one recipe doesn't work for you. I tried one and it made my hair so dry it wasn't worth it. You may have to find the right balance that works for you, so keep an open mind! I found a gentler balance on my own for every once in awhile when I want to use one.

[funlol]

Washing your hair every day is really bad for the scalp anyways, and it dries out your hair.

While I'm not a fan of not using shampoo, you can really make a $3 bottle last long if you add water to the bottle when it's about half way done.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

The only way I will go without shampoo is if I use that cleansing conditioner (like WEN but cheaper). I like it because I have very dry hair and sulfates dry it out more.

http://www.amazon.com/Salon-Grafix-Nutrition-Conditioning-Cleanser/dp/B00B5XRCGQ/ref=sr_1_49?ie=UTF8&qid=1380630331&sr=8-49&keywords=cleansing+conditioner

The above is available at places like CVS for $8. However, there are some other alternatives now.....L'Oreal now makes one, as does a company called Hair One.

I have only tried WEN and the Salon Grafix brands.

Dawn

Sulfates dry your hair out? I followed your link and found this:

Ingredients
Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, PEG-100 Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate , Stearalkonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate,

[TheKayla]

Sulfates dry your hair out? I followed your link and found this:

Ingredients
Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, PEG-100 Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate , Stearalkonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate,

Many have less sulfates than others, but most will still have sulfates. It's good to try to find a 100% sulfate-free one, but Wen is far better and less drying I'm assuming than $1 white rain at WalMart! The above says nothing about the ratios/amounts of the one ingredient listed as a sulfate or partial sulfate. In fact, I doubt its a main ingredient as well based solely on the fact that its not near the beginning of the list.