My hair is naturally wrinkly, leaning more towards curly for most of my life. And then I got pregnant. Like many parts of my body, my hair freaked out but I was too focused on the aliens that had possessed my poor boobs to care too much about what was going on with my hair. It basically switched back and forth between straight and curly with each kid, this last time with Jelly Bean ending up mostly straight and all falling out! Aren’t hormones fun? While I’ve mostly been sad about losing so much hair I’ve also kind of missed my natural wave. (I don’t know why since it just means that I end up either having to curl it or straighten it. I guess I just like options?) So when I started reading about the “no ‘poo” movement – not using shampoo – helping with curly hair I decided to give it a try.
Oh, and I’m cheap and lazy. And not easily squicked out by bodily fluids. This is what happened.
Since my hair is so dark (almost black), I had to mess with the color contrast to try and get the curls to show up. It’s much better looking in real life.
After I posted this pic on Facebook I got a TON of comments and questions so I decided to just answer them all in one post and hopefully there are some of you who’ve been doing this longer than one week who can help me out!
Q: No shampoo? Nothing at all? Whaaaa?
A: There are several methods.
- According to The Curly Girl Method by Lorraine Massey, “The curly-haired can leave their hair hydrated with natural oils and clean their scalps quite well by rinsing only with hair conditioner once a week or less. Rubbing the scalp firmly with fingers is enough to loosen dirt.” Here’s a good breakdown of the method online.
- Lots of people use baking soda instead. You pour a little in your hand and make a paste with water. You don’t have to be too exact but most sites recommend erring on the side of too much baking soda. You massage that into your hair, focusing on the scalp. Leave it on for one minute then rinse out. Is there nothing baking soda can’t do??
- The true no shampoo people just use hot water and their fingers to scrub their scalp in the shower. Since my hair is thin and fine and baking soda is a mild abrasive, I went with this one.
Q: What about conditioner?
A: Again, several options.
- If you’re following Massey’s route, you “shampoo” with a silicone-free conditioner and that’s it.
- The baking soda crowd follow that up with an apple cider vinegar (NOT white) rinse. You dilute 1-2 tablespoons of ACV in one cup of water and pour over your hair. Rinse out.
- Or, like me, just skip all product together and go with water.
Q: Why would anyone do this? Shampoo isn’t that expensive nor difficult to use.
A: Most people say they want to avoid putting all those chemicals in their hair and on their scalp. There are some known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors in almost every popular brand. But me, I don’t care about that so much (I probably should but even I can only worry about so many things at once!). I’m cheap and lazy but the real answer is how many testimonials I’ve read from women who’ve said this method makes their hair shinier, healthier and more manageable! Short answer: I’m vain. Plus, it’s not like it’s expensive or difficult to try, right?
Q: Don’t you smell bad?
A: Well I’ve only been doing it for less than a week and it’s winter so there haven’t been too many ambient sweat juices to marinate in. Although if I do smell I hope my friends will tell me! Also, my other friends who’ve been not-shampooing for months and even years definitely don’t smell. I’ve stood next to them and creepily sniffed their hair. Promise.
Q: Don’t you smell like vinegar?
A: I don’t because I don’t use that method but some of my friends who do report a faint vinegar odor wafting up from their scalp when they get sweaty.
Q: But what about after your workout? Aren’t you all gross and sweaty??
A: Only on a good day!! I sweat like a dude. And that includes my scalp. But here’s my dirty (literally) little secret: my hair styles better when it’s got some sweat in it. My hair is super thin and dry so for years now I’ve only been washing it about twice a week, even with daily workouts. Occasionally I’ll use some baby powder on my fingertips to mop up grease in my bangs but the sweat actually gives my hair more volume and texture. I don’t think I smell gross and so far none of my friends or family have complained.
Q: What about tangles? Isn’t it hard to brush your hair?
A: Man, I’m outing myself about lots of stuff today so here goes: I haven’t “brushed” my hair in probably… 20 years? My hair, even before all the pregnancy hormones hit it, has been thin and dry and brushes just made it break off. I have a very wide-toothed plastic comb that I only use after my hair is dry (since I read somewhere that combing wet hair makes it more fragile). Some days I just run my fingers through it and skip the comb all together. And last I checked, no dreadlocks! I’m not sure how this would work with girls with thicker/curlier/tanglier hair than mine though.
Q: How do you not get split ends without using conditioner? Especially for dry hair?
A: Well I’m the queen of split ends so I’m probably the wrong girl to talk to. But I think split ends are caused more by rough treatment – brushing , hot tools, hair dryers – than anything else and are best kept at bay by regular trims. I don’t think conditioner can “glue” them back together. Unless you’re using real glue in which case you have bigger problems than split ends.
Q: Is there a transition time?
A: Lots of people on the web who skipped the soda/ACV method and went straight to just water said that they had to endure a week or two of extreme greasiness before their scalp oils settled out. So far this hasn’t happened to me but I’ll let you know if it does!
Q: How do you not have dreadlocks??
A: Because I do still comb it, even if it’s just with my fingers.
Q: How do you wash the rest of your body – like your pits and, uh, down there?
A: I still use a shaving gel on my pits and legs. I’m sure it’s full of chemicals and crap but if I don’t I get mad razor burn and since I’m a Yeti I really can’t not shave. As for “down there” I’ve interviewed enough OBGYNs to know that plain, warm water is best. Some say you can use a mild soap on your lady bits if you’re worried. But that area is pretty good at self-cleaning so special products aren’t necessary and can even be harmful by stripping away your natural protective oils and good bacteria. If you are having constant odor issues from your business you may have an infection and should see your doc. Plus, even though I don’t wash my hair every day, I DO shower every day after my workout so it all gets cleaned regularly.
Q: Are you going to do this forever?
A: No clue! I’ll do it until I don’t like it anymore? Seriously though it never even occurred to me until just a few months ago that shampooing is optional but like one friend on FB pointed out, our ancestors probably didn’t have lauryth sulfate and whatever so our bodies probably are pretty good at regulating themselves.
Q: What about hairspray, gel etc?
A: You guys know I LOVE my retro hairdos. Thankfully the 40’s and 50’s pincurl styles don’t need much (if any product) – those curls are deceptively hardy and long-lasting! But the 60’s bouffants take a ton of back-combing and hairspray and I’m not willing to give those up (sometimes). So I’m guessing that on days when I’ve used a ton of product in my hair I’ll either use the baking soda or a simple clarifying shampoo. Some days I’ll also smooth a little dab of vitamin E oil over my dry hair to help with frizzies.
Q: Are you gross?
A: Yes. But not gross enough to call it “no ‘poo” other than that first sentence. Because I happen to really dislike constipation and do not feel bowel movements should be maligned in that way;)
Any of you not-shampoo? Have any other tips for me?? What modern “essential” have you given up only to discover how little you really need it after all?
I have REALLY curly hair and stopped shampooing cold turkey three years ago. I didn’t have any greasiness at all – I wash it with conditioner everyday and use a deep conditioner treatment twice a week. No issues, no smells, and lots of compliments. I can’t brush my hair either – finger comb when I’m conditioning only. Your curls look beautiful!
I would like to point out that this is, generally speaking, a boy’s natural course.
Until he is diverted from this course by his Mom, or he is diverted from this course by the motivation to impress a date-able female.
And then it is only his natural state while camping, hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, or whenever he can get away with it.
Guys, however, tend to get more Odoriferous than a Sasquatch/Bigfoot.
Sasquatch/Bigfoot…like men in the wild, also use no shampoo and only rinse with water.
And the smell can knock a bird from flight at a range of 2000 feet.
Just like a man who does not use shampoo. Repellent.
Ladies, however are able to go without shampoo and still remain attractive.
A girl who was a close friend in college (and who I did a couple of kissing scenes with – so VERY close proximity was involved) went with the no shampoo method.
And she remained VERY attractive.
And you Charlotte, have the added advantage of smelling like cookies.
I have long, super thick, curly hair and when I used to shampoo daily it was a brittle, coarse, dull mess. These days I shampoo only the roots once a week since I do like to use some curl products before I blow dry. If I don’t do the blow dry it’s wet for days! And the curl products, well, my hair used to be so much curlier and the length pulls it out too so I try to help it along a little.
I condition every time I get my hair wet since it’s impossible to comb through otherwise. I don’t own a brush but I detangle my wet hair with a wide tooth comb, after finger-combing it in the shower.
I get compliments on my hair all the time! I’ve never had a problem with weird smells or anything.
Yep – you don’t brush curly hair, you finger comb while wet and then let it be.
I have a cousin who rarely uses shampoo, and I don’t even think she necessarily washes with water every day. She said it did take a while for her hair/scalp to balance out, but now she doesn’t need to often.
I’d probably need a week at home, not having to go anywhere, to see if I could adjust and I’m not sure I’d make it – I like my hair too much when it’s been freshly shampooed. That said, I do use expensive hair products (Aveda) and I don’t do much to my hair – no colour/perm/straightener/curling iron; blow dryer with diffuser on low, leaving my hair still damp; a trim every 6-8 weeks – that’s pretty much it. But I also have healthy, manageable hair as every hair dresser who’s ever touched my hair has told me. Total win in the genetics lottery as far as my hair is concerned.
Like so many other things – you just have to do what works for you!
My hair is so naturally oily and thin so I debated trying this but I get so scared that I’ll be Ms. Oilhead that I just haven’t gone there due to work – I may try it when I get a holiday.
But so true, I stopped brushing my hair quite some time ago, and strangely I find I have lesser knots now than when I did brush my hair regularly (like I can run my fingers through my hair now and they don’t get stuck).
I started because my hair was falling out like it wanted to go bald and I had read that doing it this way would help unclog hair follicles and help with volume. Everything a super thin/fine haired girl could want. I was told by my bestie, who is the only one other than me who cuts my hair, that I had about half the hair of normal people. Gotta love brutal honesty right?
I love it now because my hair does have some volume, isn’t falling out so horribly, and dries so super quick so I don’t need to use a blow dryer!
For apple cider vinegar people, adding a drop of essential oils helps with the smell! Mmm citrus blissy hair. That’s gotta lift your mood all day! 🙂
I have scalp psoriasis combined with thin, wavy/curly hair (the hairs themselves are thin but I have a lot of them so I’m not balding).
I used to shampoo every day with medicated shampoo for the psoriasis but now I only do it about three times a week (usually on days when I sweat a lot or if my scalp feels really itchy). I’ve noticed my hair is nicer (not dried out) and my psoriasis has calmed down a bit, too. I do rinse with water (if I’m showering but not doing my hair) and add a spot of conditioner (to keep frizz at bay).
Speaking of psoriasis, I don’t shower every single day anymore, either. I wash my stinkables every day but only give my whole body a full shower on the same days I wash my hair (or if I actually get dirty). My skin prefers to have less contact with soap and hot water, especially in the winter when everything is so dry. No joking, I feel like a shed snake skin (and my house has so much static electricity I feel like a superhero with all the sparks coming off me)
I’m a curly girl gal. I used to just have wavy hair too, but now that I’ve been doing that for two months I’ve got curls everywhere and they just keep getting curlier. I love it.
The biggest surprise for me wasn’t my hair, it was honestly how much better my skin has gotten by just changing my hair care products. I don’t break out as much and I need less lotion. Its got me thinking I should start a similar skin care routine.
Hm, so does this work out okay for straighter hair? My hair is wavy, but wavy in that way that it is all over the place and uneven unless I take measures to control it or just blow dry it straight.
I did use an apple cider vinegar rinse with my regular shampoo for a while because I was having issues with hard water leaving residue in my hair. It helps clarify your hair and gives it shine. I found that the vinegar scent was pretty much, if not completely, gone after my hair was dry. But I haven’t gone ‘no poo’ ever except while camping. I have a lot of hair, but the individual strands are thin and get really stringy with my oily scalp. I still only shampoo every other day and rely on dry shampoos (baby powder with propellent, essentially) for my bangs, temples, and around my ears.
I might try it!
I’m naturally curly, and I did the no-poo for a while, but absolutely hated how my hair looked while I was doing it.
And of course, if you mention that on any thread/board for curly people, you practically get jumped and knifed by the Curly Girl devotees because how dare you suggest that their method doesn’t work for you. You get accused of “not doing it right” and “you didn’t give it long enough” and quite frankly, it’s very unwelcoming.
The No Poo/Curly Girl method not for everyone. It’s not a big deal.
I’ve found that using the curly Pantene version (although they’ve just changed it again) shampoo and conditioner, and then follow up with gel does the job for me. I only comb it while I’m in the shower with conditioner on it. I just bought a Turbie Twist, but so far I can’t see how that’s doing anything better for it than the t-shirt I had been using.
For 2nd and (sometimes) 3rd day frizzes, I use a dab of coconut oil.
I’m with you on this one. I went ‘poo free for a year, and my hair looked awful. I tried various methods of only using conditioner; shampooing with baking soda; rinsing with vinegar; water only; etc. Somehow my hair managed to look greasy and dried out at the same time. It felt like straw. I *wanted* it to work, but it didn’t.
Eventually I settled on using baby shampoo. It’s mild, has fewer weird chemicals than most adult shampoos, and doesn’t strip so much oil from the hair.
I think everyone should try going ‘poo-free and see how it works for them – experimentation is good and some people will have a great experience.
One of the things I’ve stayed with is not using deodorant. In the summer I sprinkle a little baking soda in my pits, but it’s a very minimal amount. And no, I don’t smell. My sweat actually smells less than when I used deodorant!
Oh, hadn’t thought of baby shampoo. Maybe if the reformulated pantene turns out to be crap, i’ll give that a shot, because I can’t find my runner up at my grocery store anymore.
I read The Curly Girl Method about 10 years ago. Since then, I’ve been shampooing only about once a week. I use a moisturizing/hydrating conditioner about every other day. I’ve found my hair to be much less dry and much healthier.
Nice timing! I was just reading the other day about using a coconut oil / apple cider vinegar combo in place of shampoo / conditioner.
I’m a sellout and normally use ridiculously fancy, ridiculously expensive shampoo and conditioner from the fancy salon that I go to when I get my hair cut (which lately has been once a year. I REALLY need to increase my frequency of hair cuts, if only to deal with split ends!). But I like these ideas – wouldn’t mind saving a pile of money on my fancy shampoos AND letting my hair be a little healthier! Think I might give it a try one of these days. Keep us posted on how this works for you!
I’m glad you mentioned the post-workout hair thing. I usually try to do a full shower (incl hair) after a workout, but I sometimes don’t have time. How do you keep the baby powder from being all.. white all over your head? Haha.
Right now, I generally swim on Monday and Wednesday (sometimes Saturday). Guess when I wash my hair? It’s not a coincidence. I usually just sleep on it and let it dry that way and wake up with a nice muss of curls that some people spend hours trying for! The bedhead look is still in, right?
Sometimes I brush it, sometimes I don’t. If so, it’s a few strokes early in the day.
However, I cannot abide without conditioner. If the hair gets wet, it needs to be conditioned or it’s a tangled mess. I wonder what the no ‘poo (I have no shame :D) movement would have to say about swimmers…
I haven’t shampooed in three years. I use the Deva Curl curly girl One Condition on my scalp. Just like you said, Charlotte, I rub my scalp with conditioner on my fingers. Rinse, blot with a t-shirt, and let air dry most of the way, then I mist it with water again and scrunch a small squirt of the Deva Curl Curl Creme into the ends. I have extremely fine, thin hair that breaks easily and will not grow past the nape of my neck. Just will. not. grow. But my curls look fabulous now, even if they are short. I use clips to lift up the roots while my hair air drys. I never comb, never brush, and never run my fingers through my hair either. That all helps to keep the curls frizz free.
As to your other points, I have zero problems with odor or greasiness. I too, love the way my hair looks after a good sweat session! My favorite hair days are always the days I “washed” my hair and did a hard, sweaty workout after that. Something about the sweat adds volume. Also, sweat doesn’t smell. Pits smell because of the bacteria that grows there, but that’s usually not a problem on the head. I wash my body but not my head, after a workout too.
I HATED my hair for thirty years, until I discovered the no-poo method. It is trial and error to find what works for each particular person. And even I still discover new ways to look good. I just discovered the dry, mist, creme, dry method two weeks ago! Before that I would put the styling creme in my soaking wet hair and clip it then let it dry. But one day I got distracted before doing that and did the misting later, and voila! Best ever curls.
I have wavy/curly hair, and I too do not brush, except by running my fingers through it. I do shampoo every night (using Aveda shampoo – they’re supposed to be more natural, less chemicals), and then go straight to bed, and wake up with really pretty curls, if I do say so myself. My hair seems silky and happy, so I’m not going to mess with it. 🙂
My daughter is 4 with very curly hair and I have never washed her hair. At first because she hated getting her head wet and then I realised her hair always looks clean, smells good, and looks beautiful (seriously, everyone compliments her on her springy curls, why haven’t I got hair like that?) so why wash it? Now I rinse it maybe once a week. She also hates brushing it though although once or twice a month I pull a hairbrush through it in order to stop the dreads from appearing. Sometimes I do find a dreadlocks or two and then I have to cut them out so ideally I’d like to brush it more often but it usually doesn’t happen.
On the other hand my hair is straight and fine and gets greasy about 2 hours after washing it so I wash it every second day. No poo just isn’t going to work for me. On the second day I usually use a dry shampoo so I don’t look like a total oil slick. Ugh….
I’m no-poo since the beginning of this year. I’m still not out of the greasy stage completely, but it’s manageable. I use the baking soda and vinegar method, to ease into the only water method later on.
I love how my scalp feels. No more itching, and my hair seems to be growing faster as well (only problem is that my new white hairs also seem to be growing faster, and since my hair is slightly darker from the oils, more prominent)
sad face this doesnt work for my hair…it be toooo fiiiiiine.
Maybe I’ll give this another go. I tried it a few months back because I loved the idea, but then my hair started to shed like crazy..
I haven’t gone cold turkey; but I live near Washington DC and got a oui dad cut and it is the best cut for curly hair. I tried the Deva cut and it looked silly on me. I do use oui dad and sometimes Deva curling products, but I don’t wash my hair except for 1-2 times a week. I didn’t realize you could go totally cold turkey. I feel like I have to wash my hair at least once a week. I use TJ’s tea tree oil shampoo or some other organic brand. But maybe I will try this. Thanks.
Oh goodness, I can’t even imagine not brushing my hair regularly. Actually, I can. I probably went three days without brushing my hair (but still occasionally combing it with my fingers) a couple months ago, and I had literal mats in it by the end. But I’ve always had ridiculously tangly hair…
I’m a natural curly girl and I’ve been cowashing only for about 6 months. My hair has never been in better shape! I have PCOS and Hashimoto’s disease and my hair was falling out terribly bad before I started cowashing. I love this method and will never go back to using shampoo!!
Hi Charlotte, thank you for writing this.
A few additional points for people to consider…
Shampoos that contain sulfates (ammonium/sodium laureth/lauryl) dry out the hair, which is a major reason why so many advocate going shampooless. There are sulfate-free shampoos (I use one) if going completely shampoo-free gives you the willies. These don’t lather…that’s what the sulfates do…and we don’t actually NEED lather. Lather is a marketing ploy.
If you use a conditioner or styling product that contains silicones (any ingredient ending on “cone”), this method won’t work for you. The silicones coat the hair, preventing moisture from getting it, and only the sulfates can remove them. It’s a vicious cycle…you dry your hair out with shampoo, get frizz, use silicones to tame the frizz, use the shampoo to wash out the silicones, get frizz…
Sweat is actually relatively clean and rinses off with water. It’s when it gets stuck with the bacteria in the cracks and crevices that it gets funky.
From what I’ve read on the forums, having hard or soft water also seems to make a difference in how well this works for people.
Thanks for these added tidbits! I’m nearing the end of my current shampoo and would love to update with better options.
I tried this years ago, when my hair was long. I didn’t stick with it (can’t really remember why). I’m not sure it would work as well on short ‘dos… not as much hair to distribute the oils along. Who knows, though? I’m not planning to test that theory out any time soon! 😉
Have an awesome weekend!! xo
I’m super intrigued by all of this. I typically only shampoo about three days per week and then use only water or a little conditioner in between. I didn’t realize this was something intentional that people were doing – I was just being lazy.
Now, I’ll be looking for conditioner without the -cone ingredients!
I have naturally thick, wavy hair and now I want to give this a try to see if it gets the curls to pop out. Although I use a brush almost daily, it’s only when I’m using it as a tool to get my hair up into a ponytail. I love finger brushing my hair because I feel like it keeps my hair from losing volume.
Thanks for this article, Charlotte!
I switched to baking soda and acv almost 2 years ago and just love it. My curls are nicer, softer and shinier. Before going “no-poo” my scalp was always itchy, but now it is only itchy if I use commercial shampoo. The vinegar smell goes away by the time my hair dries. For a treat I will add some cold spearmint teat to the acv.
I followed a lady on IG doing this with curly hair like mine & she loves it., I am still worried cause of my crazy workouts & I sweat like no tomorrow. Saying that, I don’t wash my hair more than 3 times a week now due to laziness & no outside job right now PLUS just a pain in the arse with my hair!
It still scares me though cause my head is itching like crazy by the 4th day without shampoo!
I’ve been meaning to try this forever! A while ago I kept telling myself I would start doing it, and then somehow I forgot about it and never ended up giving up my precious shampoo and conditioner. You’ve re-inspired me to give this a try! I always think the less products I have in my life, the better. So I’m all for alternative methods like this! Can’t wait to try it. I just bought a new bottle of apple cider vinegar today, so the timing is perfect.
A question, do you mean you don’t use soap on your body at all? I’m curious. Thanks!
I just have to share. After reading this post on Friday, I decided to give it a go over the weekend. I have really dry skin on a good day, but in the winter, with the low humidity, it’s awful and while I can slather lotion everywhere else, I can’t put lotion on my scalp. I’ve tried all the anti-dandruff shampoos and organic scalp treatments and nothing has helped. My scalp itches all the time and I can’t really wear black (which is kind of my winter staple) because of the flakes. I’ve taken to shampooing every other day at the most already.
Today is my 4th day of no shampoo. The last 2 days I’ve rinsed my hair and scalp and blow dried my hair, but haven’t had to use the anti-frizz stuff I usually put on after blow drying because my natural oils seem to be holding down the frizz. My hair feels soft, and actually feels thicker, and my scalp isn’t torturing me with itchiness. So far it’s a win!
I’m curious if my hair will get curlier in the summer when it’s more humid, since it’s usually kind of wavy then anyway.
This is my long way of thanking you for the info. My scalp thanks you too.
Pingback:From Eating Dirt to Sunning Your Ladybits: Weird Health Tips That May Actually Work [Plus, more funny Amazon reviews!]
So I have been no-poo for over 2 months now. I only wash my hair every 4 days or so with BS and ACV. I let it air dry, put in a sock bun at night for nice curls the next day, use a wooden comb, etc etc. Basically everything I have read on no-poo sites to do. But before I started no-poo I only washed my hair every three days with traditional shampoo/conditioner. I wore it down day 1, and up on day 2 and 3 until I washed. So going no-poo hasn’t really let me go longer as I have read and I really thought this transition period would be over by now since I was low poo before. But I am still trekking along.
HOWEVER, sometimes I want to blow dry my hair with a round brush to make it straight and soft. I have been unable to do this since going no-poo. After blow drying my hair is flat to the scalp and has a waxy consistency on the shafts. It becomes really gross and I end up having to wear it up until my next scheduled wash. Which defeats the purpose of blow drying it straight in the first place.
I haven’t seen any posts ANYWHERE that seem to have this problem. I read that you can blow dry and style as usual. But that with no-poo you shouldn’t have to. I get the shouldn’t have to and if I want wavy hair I don’t have to. But if I want straight hair….is anyone else having this issue or had this issue and figured out a resolution? I have to go to a wedding in a week and I will end up quitting no poo and buying some sulfate free shampoo if I can’t get this figured out by then. I want to stay no-poo but sometimes I need to look more presentable than air dried wavy hair or a pony tail 🙁
I keep researching no poo (especially water only) and have been doing so for years getting myself psyched up for it. But you are the first to say exactly why I am drawn to it…cheap and lazy! Hooray, it’s like a sign.