No-Poo

[Reese'sMom]

Don't worry, this is not a thread about constipation:p It's about not using shampoo. I am interested in trying it, but before I do I am curious if anyone here has tried it, and what the results were. Some people use conditioner only, others use baking soda and water and then a vinegar rinse:eek: (to balance the ph from the baking soda)...though I don't think I would like the smell of that, others just use hot water. It's better for the environment and many say it improves the overall health and texture of their hair. Anyone tried it?

[yeswe'rebothD]

I've been doing this for over a year now. I still have an oily scalp, so I still shampoo once every 10-14 days. It's much quicker for a shower now. I do use some type of conditioner every other day too. On days I don't use anything, I do wet my hair.

Check out the book "Curly Girl" by Lorraine Massey. Even if you don't have curly hair, these concepts are in there and are explained at great length. Plus, you might just find that (like me) you actually DO have natural curls that you've been hiding away. I thought my hair was stick straight for years!

try it, and when you do, you have to give it at least a couple of weeks before you give up. I used to shampoo every other day and thought the grease would get horrible, but to my surprise, it never got worse than the second day (pre-"no-poo"). That book also contains a ton of recipes for nourishing your hair and better cleansing from stuff you already have in your house, not from the harsh chemicals in shampoos. I LOVE how my hair looks & feels now.

[danismom79]

My hair is thick and extremely coily (thus naturally dry). I don't use shampoo every time I wash it since that just strips the little bit of oil I have. I use just conditioner most of the time. I only wash it every 2 weeks though (once a week in the summer). I do an apple cider vinegar rinse every other time to get rid of the build-up. Once the vinegar dries, I can't smell it. I also put lavendar essence oil in the rinse. I don't think I would recommend it for other hair types that allow the natural oils to travel down the hair shaft.

[Lawana]

I've been using baking soda and vinegar rinse for several weeks now. Amazingly, the baking soda does a pretty good job of cleaning the scalp. I have dry skin, but would need to shampoo every other day because my hair would get oily, but if I shampooed daily, my scalp would flake off and blow away:confused: My hair is thin on top and using baking soda has helped it look fuller. I think the shampooing was stripping natural oils, causing the the scalp to go into overdrive to produce more.
I bought a big bag of baking soda at Sam's Club and a gallon of apple cider vinegar at the grocery store- should last years.

[etringali]

EEEK! I can't imagine not shampooing my hair...... y'all are brave!

[frizzyrazzy]

I think you really have to have the right kind of hair/scalp to be able to do this.

if I go more than one day my scalp itches like anything. I can't even imagine not washing it .. I just don't feel clean in the morning until I can wash my hair.

[etringali]

I think you really have to have the right kind of hair/scalp to be able to do this.

if I go more than one day my scalp itches like anything. I can't even imagine not washing it .. I just don't feel clean in the morning until I can wash my hair.

I'm with you Michelle! My hair and scalp feel icky if I don't shampoo everyday. Rest of me feels icky to, sinc if hair doesn't get washed, chances are rest of me didn't either.

[buggle]

I sometimes go with only conditioner. I don't have oily hair at all, though. I can tell a big difference in my curl level. I quit blow drying it to straighten and I just let my hair dry naturally now. I look like a graying Shirley Temple -- how's that for a pleasant visual? I do gets lots of compliments on my mop, though.

[candise]

I rarely if never use shampoo on my daughter who has curly hair. The rest of us use it though.

[RosemaryCinNJ]

I need to shampoo and condition my hair every single day..no matter what...

[emm142]

My hair could never go shampoo-less. If I don't wash it every day it feels greasy and itchy and horrible. I only condition every other day or so though, unless it feels dry. I always use heat protection spray as well.

[Emmas Mom]

I condition my hair every day but rarely use shampoo - once every 2ish weeks. I have curls that shampoo just dry right out. My hair never seems dirty or heavy or oily. I just found that shampoo and I don't so much get along and my hair is much happier now!

[hawkeyegirl]

I have very fine, dry hair, and only shampoo in the neighborhood of once a week. I do use a light conditioner on it every day, however.

[czardoust]

im all for natural recipes for washing/daily body maintenance. I use egg yolks and sugar as a face lift "cream." man, it works!!!

[BrendaK]

So how do you get rid of the itchy-gross oily scalp feeling if you don't wash your hair? I'm very intrigued by this idea. But I can go 3 days max without shampooing and then I feel like I have lice or something!

[Connie(BC)Type 1]

I have excema, and can't go more then a day with shampooing, I always wash it with water, but do skip 1 shampoo a week, if I rinse it with colder water, it seems cleaner. Um and I shower 2x a day when working.

[wvchinacat]

Ok so most of you who are no or semi-no pooing have dry hair. I would like to try something like this- but I have a very oily scalp and actually do not condition often. I only shampoo (I have pretty long hair too - at least 2 inches past my shoulder) and about 2 weeks ago stopped using conditioner and my hair is fuller, and actually not that tangely either. I do only use shampoos that do not hvae the SLS or parabens - right now I am using a rosemary organic shampoo. I only dry my hair about once a week = usually I let it dry naturally.

So with the baking soda - do you sprinkle on your hair then rinse with water while inthe shower? Has anyone tried honey? I have heard that is wonderful - but have not tried.

Interesting thread!;)

[Connie(BC)Type 1]

THat Rosemary shampoo sounds great! I must try to find it here at the health food stores. I'll bet it's good for exema. I boil branches of rosemary and use the Rosemary water on my cat to condition his skin(it's oily and sticky).

[diabeticangel14]

I have a combo of extremely oily/very curly/very long(knee length)/thick hair. I shampoo and condition every day. That's what's worked best for me recently. I tried going more than a day, using just shampoo, just conditioner, but this has worked best :D. I used to give my mom fits about having my hair washed. I hated it. Now I can't hardly go to sleep without wet hair. If I sleep during the day I have to spritz it with water.

[Lee]

I do shampoo...but I rinse with vinegar once a week because my hair is thin and gets to weighted down...the vinegar strips the build up.

[Reese'sMom]

Ok so most of you who are no or semi-no pooing have dry hair. I would like to try something like this- but I have a very oily scalp and actually do not condition often.

So with the baking soda - do you sprinkle on your hair then rinse with water while inthe shower?

My hair is on the oily side too. The no-shampoo thing is supposed to make your hair less oily. By washing away the oil so often, our body is actually producing more oil (same concept we were told during the teen years about drying our faces out with soap causing more pimples).

I started my "experiment" yesterday. I am going with the hot-water and conditioner only, no shampoo. I have no client appointments this week and work from a home office, so I figured I could try it and keep baseball caps handy if my hair decides not to cooperate. They say it takes 1-2 weeks for the oil production to diminish, so I'm not sure if I'll get that far! Or maybe I'll have to try some baking soda and vinegar along the way (I believe you mix the baking soda with water and then pour on your hair while in the shower).

[etringali]

Pour some beer through your hair(wet hair) then rinse with cool water. Supposed to leave hair shiny & soft...... Hmmm....... That keg in garage is looking mighty tempting now.......

[allisa]

It's about not using shampoo. I am interested in trying it, but before I do I am curious if anyone here has tried it, and what the results were.


Anyone tried it?

I love that this forum has people from all over and we all have different backgrounds, different upbringins, etc etc.....

but I was so surprised when I read this ?!?!? I had NO idea there were people in the world who had NEVER TRIED shampoo ?? I read and re-read the post a couple of times to see if I was reading it correctly.

This post was definitely one of the most surprising things I have ever read on CWD !

btw....yes, I have tried it :D Would be lost if I was missing it for more than a day !!

[sam1nat2]

tried it today.
My hair keeps getting more and more curly--wierd since I used to have straight hair. Now I keep getting asked if I got a perm.:rolleyes: Maybe it will make my curls pretty as of now, I think they are pretty ugly.

[frizzyrazzy]

I love that this forum has people from all over and we all have different backgrounds, different upbringins, etc etc.....

but I was so surprised when I read this ?!?!? I had NO idea there were people in the world who had NEVER TRIED shampoo ?? I read and re-read the post a couple of times to see if I was reading it correctly.

This post was definitely one of the most surprising things I have ever read on CWD !

btw....yes, I have tried it :D Would be lost if I was missing it for more than a day !!

wait..was she asking if we've tried shampoo or have tried going no-shampoo?? LOL..

[Lawana]

So how do you get rid of the itchy-gross oily scalp feeling if you don't wash your hair? I'm very intrigued by this idea. But I can go 3 days max without shampooing and then I feel like I have lice or something!

For me, my scalp feels as clean after using baking soda as it does after shampooing. I make a paste with about 2 Tbls of soda and a little water, then massage it into my scalp with circular motions, making sure to cover the entire scalp. Then mix about 2 Tbls of vinegar with a cup of water, pour it over my hair, rinsing briefly with plain water. I don't use conditioner because my hair is so thin on top, but if my hair were thicker I would.

[samheis]

I love this thread! I need to set a block of time when I can try the nopoo. My hair is very thick and long, and I have a terribly itchy scalp, and I've always wondered if it could be that the shampoo just never gets completely washed away. But the initial period of dirty hair scares me : )

[Connie(BC)Type 1]

I have triple layer hair and a triple crown, I've never used conditioner in my hair, just shampoo 2x a day, sometimes I skip the morning shampoo and just use water.

[Reese'sMom]

I love that this forum has people from all over and we all have different backgrounds, different upbringins, etc etc.....

but I was so surprised when I read this ?!?!? I had NO idea there were people in the world who had NEVER TRIED shampoo ?? I read and re-read the post a couple of times to see if I was reading it correctly.

This post was definitely one of the most surprising things I have ever read on CWD !

btw....yes, I have tried it :D Would be lost if I was missing it for more than a day !!

I think you're just joking with me:p, but to clarify...I have always used shampoo and conditioner. I am trying the "no-shampoo" experiment, where I will try NOT using shampoo to see if it improves my hair texture/health.

I will be continuing to shower DAILY, with SOAP, and will continue to use DEODORANT... just in case anyone was wondering.:D I might want to go to Friends for Life one year, and don't want you all running out of the room when I get there!

[andeefig]

I'm with you Michelle! My hair and scalp feel icky if I don't shampoo everyday. Rest of me feels icky to, sinc if hair doesn't get washed, chances are rest of me didn't either.

Me, too!!! :eek: Even just the though of not washing my hair everyday ooggs me out. It took all I had in me to get used to throwing my hair up in a pony tail to head out to the gym every morning without taking a shower first and washing my hair.

[buggle]

I think you're just joking with me:p, but to clarify...I have always used shampoo and conditioner. I am trying the "no-shampoo" experiment, where I will try NOT using shampoo to see if it improves my hair texture/health.

I will be continuing to shower DAILY, with SOAP, and will continue to use DEODORANT... just in case anyone was wondering.:D I might want to go to Friends for Life one year, and don't want you all running out of the room when I get there!

This reminds me a lot of an "experiment" of a British woman -- a documentary maker. I read this with a mixture of fascination and cringing. The way people reacted is sort of interesting...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-477378/Six-weeks-wash-The-soapless-experiment.html

I could never go without washing, but after reading this a few years ago, I really did stop worrying about how my hair looks or if I had a bump on my face or something. I don't worry about makeup or anything like that. I figured that if people didn't even notice her not washing for weeks that no one is going to notice or care if we don't look all perfect when we go out.

[frizzyrazzy]

wow.. I can't imagine! 6 weeks! So I wonder why she didnt' just try it with water and no products - like shower but not use soap? or brush with water and not toothpaste? She says people didn't notice, but honestly, don't you think people just were polite?? I mean, I've known people who have terrible body odor but I don't say "hey, you smell really bad, I'm going to go stand over here now"..I just grin and bear it, like polite people do.

[allisa]

I think you're just joking with me:p, but to clarify...I have always used shampoo and conditioner. I am trying the "no-shampoo" experiment, where I will try NOT using shampoo to see if it improves my hair texture/health.

I will be continuing to shower DAILY, with SOAP, and will continue to use DEODORANT... just in case anyone was wondering.:D I might want to go to Friends for Life one year, and don't want you all running out of the room when I get there!

:o THANK YOU for clarifying....I really did misread the first post and thought you had never used shampoo :o

I KNEW I must have misunderstood.....but....then a lot of people were chiming in with non-shampoo ideas so I thought..."who knows ?"

This is how rumors get started....my bad....I'm sorry !!

[BrendaK]

So here's another question. What do you do about hair products if you're not washing them out? Mousse, hairspray, etc? Do you not use them at all or do you put them in every day?

I'm on day 3, usually if I don't wash my hair I don't even wet it. But I did wet and condition today and it feels great.

[Reese'sMom]

This reminds me a lot of an "experiment" of a British woman -- a documentary maker. I read this with a mixture of fascination and cringing. The way people reacted is sort of interesting...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-477378/Six-weeks-wash-The-soapless-experiment.html

Now that is waaay too yucky for me! However, maybe she was able to get away with it a little easier in Europe than she would have here. We went to Spain a couple of summers ago, and my kids still talk about the B.O.!:D Not the castles, or the aqueducts, but the BO, great. I think deodorant just is not important to some of them. On one of the airplanes, this beautiful young Spanish woman reached up to the overhead bin above our seats and the smell nearly brought us all to tears!

It is day 3 of my no-shampoo experiment, and I am wearing a hat today:eek:. I think I may have to use baking soda and vinegar today. I really want to see if it gets better or worse after a week.

[buggle]

The times I really try to do conditioner only is if I take two showers in one day. My hair is dry enough to begin with that I hate shampooing twice

Keep us posted. A woman I know from another forum just stopped using shampoo at all for a long time when she had short hair. She thought it was great. She'd showered daily, just only used water on her hair. If a person doesn't use shampoo, I think they at last need to use some type of cleaning agent. I hope the baking soda thing works out well for you.

[emm142]

Now that is waaay too yucky for me! However, maybe she was able to get away with it a little easier in Europe than she would have here.

She's in the UK, and we're fairly sanitary over here. :D (Although, I have experienced the same thing as you did, on buses.)

I would never, EVER, be able to do what she did. Ewwwww.

[etringali]

I remember the subway in Rome. Lots of arms reaching up to hold handles, and Holy B.O. And it was 95 in the shade when we were there. the "au natural" scent is just not one for me.

[buggle]

http://forums.di.fm/images/smilies/hijack.gif

This same woman did another experiment -- I think she's done many -- where she smoked pot every day for a month. What I found interesting and that people in my generation should take note of -- is that there are pot varieties with much higher THC than what was around when we were young. So, kids are getting something entirely different with different effects.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-545408/Superskunk-What-happened-woman-smoked-dope-daily-month-BBC-documentary.html

Threadjack over: Back to hair cleaning alternatives. :p

[buggle]

We lived in England for nearly 4 years and people seemed very well groomed. I never came across anyone who had body odor. I always felt dowdy, because I don't highlight my hair or wear makeup or high heels. Lots of British women are really dressed up when they go out.

We were in Nothern Italy in during the early spring (March) and the women seemed very well groomed too. It was cool and we were in the Alps during lots of the trip. So, we were spared smelly, sweaty people.

From my experience, Americans aren't nearly as well dressed as Brits and I see pretty grimy people regularly here.

[emm142]

I've never been to the US, so I'm really ill informed to judge. I have to say though, we ARE reasonably well groomed over here. xP Let's just say it wouldn't be commonplace to see someone who hadn't washed for 6 weeks. :p

[Emmas Mom]

So here's another question. What do you do about hair products if you're not washing them out? Mousse, hairspray, etc? Do you not use them at all or do you put them in every day?

I'm on day 3, usually if I don't wash my hair I don't even wet it. But I did wet and condition today and it feels great.

So I use hair product everyday and do not shampoo, just condition. I am VERY clean, I promise. I just don't like what shampoo does to my hair so only use it once every week or two. The conditioner + water seems to take care of the product, it's never is oily, greasy, or heavy and my scalp never itches. Maybe I am just one of those lucky people who don't need shampoo? Really not sure but wanted to stress that I shower everyday and I'm clean!!!

[yeswe'rebothD]

As far as cleansing goes, there are enough detergents in conditioners to take care of keeping your hair clean. Also, in order to keep oil production down, you should be using lukewarm water for washing.

When I shower, I keep my hair pulled up, out of the water, and 'wash' with the conditioner, or just wet it, the very last.

If you gals who are trying this method want to look at, but not buy, the book I recommended, try getting it from a library, that's how I've gotten it. The author, who is a professional hairstylist and salon owner in NYC, explains all the same things that have been discussed in this thread.

This is the site for her salon, with video clips of interviews with the author/stylist:

http://www.devachansalon.com/about/staff

here's a 'testimonial'-type site:

http://ylcf.org/gotcurl/

[Reese'sMom]

I've never been to the US, so I'm really ill informed to judge. I have to say though, we ARE reasonably well groomed over here. xP Let's just say it wouldn't be commonplace to see someone who hadn't washed for 6 weeks. :p

Sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It just reminded me of our trip to Spain.

[emm142]

Sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It just reminded me of our trip to Spain.

No offense taken, I just wanted to make sure I'm not thought of as unwashed. :D

Every morning I have a SHOWER, with shower gel, and shampoo and then use DEODORANT and brush my teeth. xP

[Reese'sMom]

No offense taken, I just wanted to make sure I'm not thought of as unwashed. :D

Every morning I have a SHOWER, with shower gel, and shampoo and then use DEODORANT and brush my teeth. xP

You're not thought of as unwashed at all. However, if you saw my hair today:eek:, you might think of me that way!! But I don't care, I have baseball caps, and I am going to see this "experiment" through, at least until I have to go somewhere that a baseball cap is inappropriate.

[emm142]

You're not thought of as unwashed at all. However, if you saw my hair today:eek:, you might think of me that way!! But I don't care, I have baseball caps, and I am going to see this "experiment" through, at least until I have to go somewhere that a baseball cap is inappropriate.

I have great respect for you, I can't go for more than 24 hours without shampoo. A lot of the time I'm a two-shower-a-day girl. :D

[Adinsmom]

I have been wondering ;) How did it turn out?

[shekov]

I had to take my hair out of its pony tail holder and scratch my entire head after reading this thread.

I can go a few days without washing but it makes me itch.

I am going to try the conditioner only but I'm actually most intrigued by the baking soda and vinegar thing. That's how I clean my entire house. It'd be nice to use it on my hair too!

[MamaC]

When we were little we washed our hair once a week (usually under duress) with liquid Prell. (Anyone remember the commercials with the pearl floating downward through the green shampoo?)

We did bathe every day, but Saturday night was shampoo night. :eek:

When I got to be a teenager I sometimes used Pssssst (the spray can dry shampoo - essentially baby powder).

I am a true blue user of shampoo, switching off every once in a while between Herbal Essence varieties. I went for years without conditioner because my hair is so fine and thin it got weighed down. Now I condition because I color and it's flyaway if I don't.

[WestinsMom]

I have been following the no-poo routine for a few years. I use a product line called "Diva Curls" and they make a no-poo and a low-poo shampoo. I also use their conditioner and their gel. I have really thick curly hair. Here is what I do: I only use the low-poo (I couldn't get the no-poo into my scalp very easy- it is hard enough to get water to penetrate it, I needed a little sudsing) about once a week. Every other time I just wet my hair, apply conditioner, and for me the key is that I take a big fat comb (like a pick) and comb the conditioner through my hair. I loose a lot of hair and combing it helps me loose it at an appropriate time and not just all over the house. It gives my scalp some attention too.

(The "Poo" in shampoo makes your hair flat. Hense the use of "no poo" or "low poo" shampoo.) Then the key is not to use a towel on your hair. I do wrap my head with a towel when I get out of the shower but then the first thing I do is remove the towel and switch to two pieces of paper towel to get the excess liquid. Then I apply the gel. Then I leave it alone. The key to less frizz is the paper towel and not touching your hair!

Have fun with your curls, girls!