Going "No-Poo"!

Ok, after reading the title, you’re probably a little hesitant to read this post. Well let me assure you, it has nothing to do with the toilet :o)

Today I’m going to tell you about how I wash my hair….without shampoo!

In earlier posts I’ve discussed the fact that many beauty products contain chemicals that can harm your health. You can find more information about those chemicals at the Skin Deep website that I've mentioned before.

So, in my search for healthier, more natural alternatives to shampoo, I stumbled upon the idea of “no pooing”!

What I’ve learned is that most shampoos contain harsh detergents and ingredients that dry out your hair. The oil in hair, know as sebum, protects against damage and keeps hair shiny. Bristol-Myers Squibb conducted research that found that sebum even has natural antimicrobial properties that helps stop scalp infections. Shampoo strips your hair of these natural oils, leaving it dry and dull. Just like your face, your hair produces oil as needed. The more you strip your hair of its natural oils, the more oil it will produce in an attempt to restore itself and protect your hair and scalp. If you only used shampoo, you would have split ends and breakage. So, you reach for the conditioner. Conditioner coats your hair with artificial esters to make you think that it is shiny and smooth. This builds up with the natural oils that your hair is still desperately over-producing....time to shampoo. It's a never-ending cycle.

If you stop using shampoo constantly, your hair will begin to produce less oil and balance itself out.

So, this is where the idea of "no-pooing" comes in. There are so many ways to do it, depending on your hair type. I chose the simplest method, but you could do your own research and find many different recipes!

I have thin, straight-as-a-board hair that has to be washed everyday or it gets greasy. After reading some of the "cold turkey" methods of no-pooing, I decided to take a more conservative approach in order to avoid a major detox phase. I'm not a big fan of feeling like a grease ball :o)

So here's how I started...

I continued to wash my hair everyday, except instead of shampoo, I used the no-poo method:

To wash hair:
While in the shower, rinse hair with hot water, then squeeze off excess water. Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a glass of HOT water, and let it dissolve. Slowly pour the baking soda mixture over your head, making sure to massage it into your scalp as you go. After you've poured the whole glass on your hair, take some more time to massage it into your scalp using your fingertips, not your nails. I let that sit while wash my body, then rinse thoroughly.

Some people prefer to put the baking soda in their hands and let a little water run over it to make a paste. They find this easier to work with. Also, some people find it more effective to put the baking soda wash on dry hair instead of wet hair. If you're a scent person, adding a few drops of an essential oil that you like (for example, lavender) will leave your hair smelling nice.

If you don't like the idea of having to mix everything up each time you wash, you might want to try this recipe for making "no-poo balls":

Take about 1 TB of baking soda, add just enough water to make a paste, add a few drops of honey and a few drops of essential oils (if you want), roll it into about 1/2"- 1" balls and let them dry for a few days. You can keep a dish of them in your bathroom and just bring one into the shower, cup it in your hand, let some water mist over it, and work it into your hair.

To condition hair:
Many people use apple cider vinegar, but I chose to use lemon juice instead just as a personal preference. Both work great. I add one tablespoon of lemon juice to a glass of cool or luke warm water. I pour it on the ends of my hair (from the ears down) and then rinse. Sometimes I even just take my hair and dunk the ends in the glass.

Then I blow dry like I normally do, or sometimes I put it back wet if I don't have time to dry it.

I did this for a week. Then, I gradually started weaning my hair, washing every other day instead of everyday. On the days that I didn't "wash" I still rinsed my hair with hot water in the shower, which is actually enough to get rid of most of the dirt and grime that it is exposed to throughout the day.

Now, I can go 2 days between washings and my hair still looks nice! Some people have gotten to where they only have to do the baking soda wash once a week, and hot water the rest of the time. Considering my hair type, I'm not sure if I'll get that far, but that would be cool!

Keep in mind that you hair will still be overproducing oil and there will be a lot of oil until your body reaches balance again. You might also have to play with the measurements a bit before you find what works. I did have to go through some greasy days while my hair adjusted, but it was nothing compared to what it would have been like if I had chosen the cold-turkey method :o) The transition period can be weeks or months. If you can outlast this period, you'll be rewarded with a low-maintenance, non toxic, and cheap hair routine, and beautiful hair!

Here are some troubleshooting ideas:

- If your hair becomes frizzy, try using less baking soda or leaving it on for a shorter period of time. Adding honey may also help.

- If your hair becomes greasy, try using less apple cider vinegar, switching to lemon or lime juice, leaving out the honey, and/or using a comb instead of a brush. Make sure you’re applying the apple cider vinegar just to the ends of your hair. Also, this might just be adjustment.

- If your scalp itches, tea tree, lavender, or rosemary essential oils are said to help.

- If your hair becomes dry, try a *tiny* bit of oil (any oil, like coconut) smoothed on bottom of hair.

No-pooing is not for everyone. Some people love it, and some people say that it doesn't work for them. There are some good, natural shampoos and conditioners out there that are great options to use. But buyers beware, "natural" does not always mean non-toxic! Make sure you check out the ingredients before you buy.

If you have naturally curly or wavy hair, I recommend going to this site! It is based on the book by Lorraine Massey and Deborah Chiel:
Curly Girl ~ The Handbook
A Celebration of Curls: How to cut them, care for them, love them, and set them free

This is a really great article that will give you ingredients to avoid and safer suggestions for shampoos, conditioners, and hair dyes.