"No Poo" is short for "No Shampoo" - it's a movement encouraging us to cut chemical-filled, hair damaging conventional shampoos and conditioners. Instead, encouraging us to embrace our natural hair cycle. That "oil" you viciously scrub away is meant to be there. I ditched chemical shampoo and conditioner at least four years ago and my hair's healthy, frizz-free, tangle-free and manageable- which is a miracle because I have extremely dry, mixed-chick (I'm part afro-caribbean) curly hair. I want everyone to save money, stop buying into chemical products that actually make you dependent on them, and help you reveal your healthiest hair. Here's what you need to know:
1) Your hair will not be "too oily," don't worry:
The biggest rebuttal I get on the no poo lifestyle is "I can't go without shampoo, my hair is too oily [and/or] will get too oily." I honestly believe no one needs shampoo. Anyone can work your natural hair's oils (no synthetic can match your hair's natural protectant) from the root to the tip gently in the shower and/or afterwards with soft bristle brush. Boar's hair brushes are recommended. You can also rub a small amount of baking soda into your scalp or use an organic shampoo judiciously to get the level of "clean" desired.
(or 100% pure African Black Soap purchased anywhere, the bars you often see at flea markets or "ethnic" stores work, too) makes an amazing shampoo and all-purpose soap. Griffin Remedy Restorative Shampoo
and Conditioner
are inexpensive and are among the cleanest (AKA, non-chemical) products I've ever seen. They work well and smell amazing. 100% Pure 
has great looking clean shampoos and conditioners as well, treat yourself and play around! Buying new goodies makes it fun.2) It Takes Some Trial and Error:
Figuring out which natural remedies work for you, and how often you need to shampoo will take some time and is highly individual. Diet, activity level, and heredity will affect how much oil your hair produces. You can start by subtracting a shampoo or two a week and experimenting from there. I only shampoo my hair when I'm going to straighten it because my natural oils will make my hair curl. Otherwise I only rinse my incredibly dry hair or wash it with conditioner. (You rub the conditioner into your scalp the same way you would with shampoo.)
3) Remember, Healthy Hair Starts From the Inside:
Nothing will affect your outer beauty more than ensuring your inner machinery is filled with the vitamins and minerals you need for cellular repair. Your hair, skin and nails receive nutrients and are repaired last, they're at the bottom of your body's to-fix list. This makes your hair a great indicator of your internal health. Fill your body with water (8 cups at a bare minimum, I go for 13+ since I'm active and out in dehydrating heat often. You need more if you have a high fiber diet, too) and as much nutritious whole food as possible and you will see a big difference. Exercise increases blood circulation improving hair quality- do it for healthy hair and a healthy body, too!
Quick shot to see mah hairs with all bad ends freshly chopped by my aunt. She claimed I had the healthiest naturally curly hair she's ever worked with-- and she's in Puerto Rico, it's 99% curly hair she works with. I'm still trying to grow improbably long hair (waist length). I will follow-up on what works. No-poo is a given of course, I shampoo 2-4 times a month max with natural shampoo and just rinse it or wash it with conditioner otherwise. Yep.
I love the simplicity of the no-poo lifestyle. Utilizing my hair's natural oils or organic edible oils, I don't need mouses, gels, or de-frizzers. I can use the same items I have beside my blender for smoothies and salad dressings in the kitchen to keep my hair healthy. My bathroom counters and cabinets aren't cluttered. I just put on my clothes and go. The natural life is so perfect: cheaper, faster, and it just works better!
Are you a fan of the no-poo method? Any tips to share or questions? Let's discuss in the comments.
I have super long (waist length) THICK, wavy hair. I've done the "no poo" routine for almost 2 years. So simple and easy! I used to wash every other day with normal shampoo. I can go every 4-5 days on the "no poo" method without looking "too greasy." My only suggestions are that most people give up on it after their first 1-2 "no poo" washes, because they think their hair is too "straw like," etc... but that is your hair getting used to this method. After the first 1-2 washes, your hair will be shiny! Another suggestion is that you can use a normal conditioner or leave in conditioner JUST on the bottom 2-3 inches of your hair to help keep your ends from getting damaged.
ReplyDeleteI'm striving for waist length, jealous! My aunt lopped off 3 inches of bad hair last week. Scissors won't tpuch it for 6 months. Thanks for the tips!
DeleteI did this for a while but I found it more difficult than just shampoo and conditioner. Also I ended up with some baking soda build up that the ACV wasn't getting out - I think it's because my hair is color treated. My stylist was NOT happy with me and told me to please never do it again. I did it for about 2 months.
ReplyDeleteI only wash my hair every 3-4 days with regular shampoo/conditioner after training it for a month or two so I'm not that bummed.
I think of no poo as a lifestyle where you don't lather up with tons of shampoo daily. You've found what worksfor you, that's awesome. I hear conflicting things from stylists. One's who'd never recomend washing as little as I do say mine is healthy, but again, I have drrry hair. Thanks for the baking soda info, I'll test that.
DeleteOh and for a while I was using the Genuine African Formula black shampoo & conditioner but now I just use Giovanni.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.houseofbeautyworld.com/blshco8ozg.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=blshco8ozg&gclid=CjwKEAjwgYKfBRDvgJeylem9xDUSJACjeQ7A-1-lebYaCP12nYX-9GYdbcMFCEp7B6c3ICBGjlzdshoCoyfw_wcB
Thanks for sharing! I've seen that around.
ReplyDeleteI think we use too many chemicals in our lives and we are bombarded by advertising and sales forces that just want us to consume and purchase. I have begun using an all nautural deodarant, thanks to you, Soapwalla, which I love. My hair is dry, course and thick so I don't wash every day. I have been thinking about changing my hair care routine and will look into this further. When I went to check out the Griffin brand, the only review was unfavorable because it had honey in it, With all the troubles that bees are having, I think being cared for by a beekeeper is not necessarily a bad thing, though that is my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThanks for always trying to be a positive influence in your readers' lives, Van. You look very healthy and happy, by the way!
Glad it helps, I'll be writing more posts like this into the future. I tend to agree on honey/bees as well. It's also amazing for your skin/hair, full of natural enzymes and it's anti-microbial and moisturizing, too.
DeleteI've never seen African black soap in liquid form and I don't think you can buy it around here, but you can get the solid bars in beauty supply stores. Do you think it'll work the same?
ReplyDeleteYou can order it from the link I provided for less than in stores. I haven't used to bars on my hair, will experiment and report back. I think it will be just as good.
DeleteI've thought about doing this because I have dry/coarse/curly hair but my roots have become more and more oily over the past decade or so. What holds me back is the concern about odour... do any of you who do this notice any? I'm a bit sensitive to it, but if I smell someone's hair when it hasn't been washed in a few days (or if they have thick hair and obviously aren't getting the shampoo in around their scalp vigorously enough) that "rancid oil" smell just turns my stomach. Does this get rid of enough to prevent that smell?
ReplyDeleteHey there, I've never had any problems with smell nor do I know anyone who has. Rinsing your hair, using natural shampoo or using baking soda should definitely prevent any smell. Especially natural shampoos used in moderation, which are still typically scented.
DeleteAdditionally, a clean diet makes a huge difference in the smell of all body secretions. The more alkaline you are, the better, and adding as many veggies as possible will help. Washing my hair as little as humanly possible has made a HUGE difference with my extremely dry/coarse/fragile curls, I definitely recommend it. If you're having any problems feel free to e-mail me at info@thriftcore.com and we can try and trouble-shoot. :)
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