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  • Anna

    I have been using baking soda and acv since this summer and have been happy with the results. My hair is decently thick, straight on top but wiry underneath (yeah a little weird, basically it gets puffy if i brush it, naturally has little waves). Recently though my scalp has become itchy and i have noticed more dandruff than i ever had, and am searching for ways to control it. I think it might simply be that my scalp is too dry due to the fact that it’s winter, but does anyone know a way to control it that isnt too exotic? 

  • Whimzees

    Ok, I “washed” my hair for the first time with the BC and rinsed it with the AV.  What a difference. After it dried, it was glossy and no frizz, even though its raining and I got it wet. I like it.  As long as i get it clean it at least 3x a week, I’ll be fine.  I’m a swimmer too, and was very happy to read the post about saving my hair from chlorine.  Thanks

  • Kaela

    I’ve been no ‘poo for 6 months and just found your blog–it’s the best thing I’ve ever done! (Well, almost.) I have pretty average, straight, untreated dark blonde hair. I tried a few different things and finally settled on not using any baking soda or ACV..

    I simply wash with water every other day (or every three days) and then I spray-in a mixture of lemon juice and water. I wash at night and sleep on it wet–turns out beautiful in the morning! 

    I also use an Aveda product as a protectant for those few times I use a straightener to style it…I just use three squirts on my hands and then rub it into the ends of my hair. Brushing daily with a boar-hair brush has also been essential in order to distribute the oils better…just a few strokes a day and it keeps it a lot better than letting the oils sit. 

    No ‘poo is the best!

  • kat

    Hi ~
    I’m a late comer but I wonder if you conditioned after your shampoo before you took this picture?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=666821259 Heather Duncan

    I have heard about going no poo on and off, but no real concrete info on how to do it.  I have fine very straight hair with tons of silver little body and always have to shampoo daily.  It is a drag when I travel to Africa every May.  I just found your blog via pintrest and since I was on break it seemed like a perfect time!  I am now starting week 3.  I do the baking soda with a few drops of peppermint/castille soap in a cup of water.  It seems to work pretty well.  I like the bit of peppermint smell plus its astringent properties.  Day 2 is not too bad, where before it would be awful.  Day three my scalp is kinda greasy and itchy itchy itchy!  I read in a travel tip blow a few yeas ago that rock salt absorbs oil and can be used when you can’t shampoo.  It doesn’t replace shampoo, but it does help!  I  pull my hair back (it is kinda short, but I can clip it at the nape and get most of it in), rub the salt by the roots along my scalp which feels good for the itchy scalp syndrome.  I put a shower cap on so it doesn’t get wet because it is much harder to brush out wet.  I let it sit while I shower to do its thing and then brush it out before I get out of the tub. Like I said not perfect, but it does help on the really annoying days.  I know I can make it through week three and for and hope there is better hair on the other side!

  • http://mysaltysociables.blogspot.com/ Abs

    Well I just did my first “wash” with the BS & ACV.  I have curly hair and I’m wondering what you’re supposed to do after you wash it?  I can’t just let it dry without anything in it, so I used some gel (like usual).  Also, my hair is dyed and I read in one of these comments that this treatment will strip the color from your hair?  

    This also just occurred to me, but couldn’t you start using an all-natural shampoo for a month or so and then start doing the BS/ACV method?  Seems like it might be an easier transition on both you and your hair.  Has anyone done that and found it to be easier?

  • Jenlynngermain

    If you focus on the scalp with the baking soda, how do you clean the rest of the hair? I tried doing it as described and the part away from my scalp looks oily even though the scalp part looks dry.

  • Heather :) :) :)

    I found your blog via another blog I found via a Homestead Barn Hop lnky party…phew ) :) I’m going to try the no ‘poo method and see what it does for my hair. My hair is extremely oily..but I”m not worries about that so much as I just want to see if it improved the condition of my hair and saves me money :) :)   I live in an area of California (just recently moved here) that has hard water…and I notice it has an affect on my hair…especially the ends..sorta crunchy sometimes. IN any case, I’m going to try this.  So it’s recommended to only wash the hair every other day? I’ll give it a go :) :) Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)

  • Af52271

    Do you use the entire mixture during one shower? I was having problems with very dry hair, then I saw comments about hard water. This time, I boiled my water first. I have below the shoulder hair, but the amt still seems like a lot for one shower. Thnx!

  • Reneeschrauwen

    Hi, I’m considering to try the no poo method too, but one problem. Most people use the baking soda recipe to clean their scalp when it gets too oily, but I don’t live in America and where I live baking soda is not that easy to come by. Is there any alternative for the baking soda I can use. And also, I’m wondering if the baking soda or apple vinegar (apart or combined) will have any funny effect on bleached hair…. since I’m not planning on going bald… or yellow.

    • Chloe Feinberg

       Hi! I was going to ask the same question. I now live in Holland and have only been able to find the baking soda that is in the cleaning aisle of supermarkets. Not the baking soda to bake with. Anyone else use this type of BS for no-poo? It’s the same story with the cornstarch for the glass cleaner, I am not sure if I am using the right stuff.
      @e6a1faa638d86328a3600adc372e7ee1:disqus I have heard that you can find US-style baking soda in the british import shops here in Amsterdam, which I may check out if I have to (though expensive!)

  • mereleighkins

    I’m starting No ‘Poo today with some friends. I created a google spreadsheet and document to keep track of our results and share our experience. If anyone wants to try, let me know your email and I’ll give you access to the docs! :) -Mere

  • SerpentsKiss

    Found your blog through Pinterest and this post and inspired me to try going without shampoo again. I really need to start blogging my own experience with no shampoo.

  • Tina

    Hi! I started the baking soda ‘poo today and my hair doesnt look oily yet. :-) . But I miss my conditioner…I havent bought apple cider vinegar yet. Do you think I can use normal white vinegar instead?

  • stephanie

    Hopping on the train with you!  Day 5, wash #2.  Pretty oily, but nothing that a ponytail can’t handle.  Hoping to relieve a very itchy scalp with the no ‘poo, and tame some frizzy waves. :-D Love your blog and can’t wait to see how my hair handles this!  Thank you!

  • Morgannin

    I really want to try this! However, I have hard water. Baking soda and hard water do not mix. I learned that the hard way when baking soda left a film on my LO’s cloth diapers. It gave her the most horribly painful yeast rash. It immediately went away after I switched to Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (found out about it on a CD forum on CafeMom) (I also treated the rash with coconut oil). Anyway, back to the baking soda/hard water issue. Has anyone who has hard water been successful with the baking soda method? If not, what did you use?

    • Carol

      I have hard water too plus allergies and chemical sensitivities. I use 1/4 C Dr. Bonner’s Baby Castile liquid, 1/4 C water and 1/4 tsp Tea Tree Oil. I follow that with a Very Good vinegar rinse. I love what it does to my hair!

    • Annie

      I too have hard water, try boiling the water or using distilled water with the baking soda. Worked for me! also, if you get a gross sticky build up, try massaging in a raw egg. Works magic. Good luck! :)

  • sassybritches

    I went no poo a few years back and the only thing I would add is brown sugar with a few drops of oil like sweet almond oil so it moistens and scrubbed on the scalp will exfoliate. It has even helped me eliminate scratching my scalp from my nervous habits

  • http://joannawhitepaintings.blogspot.com/ Jesusismytreasure

    Thanks so much for doing different posts on this subject!@crunchybetty:disqus  I’ve joined the “no poo” gang.  I followed your directions this morning, as far as baking soda & water, and the first attempt was very positive!  My hair is so soft, feels nice and clean.  I have very frizz prone hair and it look as good as (if not better) than when I use the “no frizz” products that I did NOT use today.  :)   I don’t have ACV right now (going to pick up some this weekend).  Today I just put a very small amount of castor oil on my hands rubbed it around and applied a very light amount to my hair after I’d washed and combed it out.  I’d already discovered that the castor oil does have a positive affect on my hair.

  • Erin R.

    well i am on week 4 on no ‘poo and so far so good! I did read on  a blog to start every other day washing for a bit then work to less washings. Every other day works pretty well and now i think i can add a day longer in there. I like to use an old gatorade bottle with the squirty top they came with. I squirt some BS water on my head and work it through my roots and scalp and repeat this over my head until it’s gone. Takes a good 5 minutes. I like this becasue i can feel it clean my hair with my fingers. When i remember i add some tea tree oil and peppermint oil. Feels nice and helps with the itching. I also think i need to rinse better. Then i follow with the ACV rinse. Hair is great! Except today it’s a little limp and of course i have to go to the DMV to renew my drivers license. :) I like that my box of baking soda was 59 cents at the dollar store and have had it a month and still have plenty left! Remember there aren’t any “rules” to this so play around and find what works for you! You may also want to consider getting your hair trimmed before you start. Get the crunchy ends off. I got mine cut about 2 weeks in, unfortunately getting my hair washed there threw my hair off a bit. Maybe get your hair cut/trimmed as your last shampoo. J I may start playing around now with other no ‘poo methods and do like a rotation. Happy Crunching!

  • Olivia

    Hi, maybe you could help me because I’m clueless. I’ve been going poo-free for about 3 weeks when suddenly one night after a regular mixture (one tbps of baking soda – one cup water, same with ACV) my hair turned out very unpleasant – not exactly oily, but when you touched it while wet and then dry, it just felt kinda… sticky. Generally unpleasant. I thought it was a one-time thing but then it continued for 2 weeks and today I finally gave up and used diluted shampoo to wash my hair “properly”. In the meantime I tried to wash it conditioner-only and also using lemon&cucumber smoothie. Nothing worked. Any idea what I did wrong? Previously baking soda and ACV worked like a charm, couldn’t have been happier with it. I haven’t changed the brands of the products I use etc. Please help, I don’t want to go back to using shampoo every day!

    • Annie

      You might have an issue with hard water… try boiling the water you mix with bs, or using distilled water. To get rid of that icky sticky build up, try massaging a raw egg in your hair. Sounds crazy, I know, but when I had issues with hard water (Florida) I do the egg treatment once a week since I don’t have time to boil the water. Good luck! :)

      • Olivia

        Thank you SO MUCH for your answer! I’m very intrigued by the egg method. Will try it tomorrow, since the waxy feel keeps coming back:( 

  • Drm Mason

    I haven’t ‘poo’d in over a year, after having my daughter my hypersensitivity to products went into OVERDIRVE and after about a week (maybe two) I’d have to change product because I was allergic to it! Even the safe ones I used as a kid, I could use Johnsons but my head and my daughters rear smelling alike was too much. I use baking soda and vinegar, and also sometimes egg whites. I have curly hair and I was shocked at how much it calmed after the first month. I many never ‘poo again!

  • Schaianne

    Been doing this for about 2 years now … LOVE it.  I don’t even need to do the vinegar rinse.  My hair’s great all by itself.  (And, FYI, I’m a huge hairspray fan, lol … this works wonderfully on my moussed & hairsprayed hair.)

  • Raisin3cookies

    If this has already been said, I apologise, but I must mention it anyway! If you have hard water, the baking soda WON’T DISSOLVE. You need to use BOILING water to mix it up, wait for it to cool (obvs) and then use it. It actually sudsed up in my hair when I was washing! Yay for chemistry on my head!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=703668132 Erin Shields

    So, this may be a dumb question– But how OFTEN do you guys shampoo? I usually wash my hair every two to three days, and I’m trying to decide before I start if that’s too often, not often enough, or just right for starting my no-poo adventures. 

    help? :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/kim.c.heffner Kim Chrusch Heffner

     I went no ‘poo about two weeks ago now, and so far I’m loving it.  I can get away with doing the baking soda wash and ACV rinse about every two to three days.  I see that some commenters have had problems with hard water.  We have hard water, and I don’t have the patience to wait for water to boil and then cool before mixing up my concoction.  I just mix mine in the squirt bottle the night before I plan to use it, shake it well to mix it, and then let it sit.  I haven’t had any problems with the baking soda not dissolving overnight.

    My only…well, not really a problem…so, the only weird thing I’ve noticed is that my hair, when dry, has a LOT of static.  I mean, brush my hair in the dark and I practically light up the bathroom.  (No exaggeration.  I really tried it.  It looked like I was brushing my hair with a live wire.)  I’ve been able to tolerate it pretty well by just wetting my hairbrush a little bit before running it through my mop, but is this something that others have experienced too?  Will it decrease as time goes on?  If not, what have you done to help calm things down, besides brushing with a damp hairbrush?