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No ‘Poo To You, Too!!!

crunched by on October 12, 2010
filed under Hair

Bye-bye, shampoo. ForEVER.

I just did my last ‘poo.

Finally.

I’d like to say it was monumental, or highly satisfying, or even memorable. But it was not. It was just another ‘poo.

After many months of goading by some of you, as well as a year of contemplation, I’m ready to throw my shampoo in the trash (or, more likely, pull it out of the trash and use the bottles for something else) and never. use. it. again.

I’m ready to live my life without commercial shampoos … and maybe even conditioners.

And, just like the homemade deodorant experiment, I encourage anyone who wants to join me on this to do so and give me your feedback on how it’s going.

Before, we were the Pit Sniffers. This time, we’ll be the Hair Chewers … the Hair Pickers? … The Hair Something. Help me out here.

Let’s talk about why you should go No ‘Poo with me.

The Benefits of Ditching Shampoo

Okay, so I know I don’t have any direct evidence that it’s going to solve my oily hair problem that crops up if I don’t wash within 24 hours. I haven’t tried it yet, right?

However, there are seriously thousands of stories out  here in the vast internet universe about how going no ‘poo changed the lives of billions of hairs for the better.

Here’s what it seems we can expect:

  • More body
  • Less oily hair days
  • Exponentially less frizz (are you listening, curly-haired girls?)
  • More money in our pockets, because we’re not buying shampoo
  • Even MORE money in our pockets, because the need for other hair products decreases a bunch
  • Shinier hair (yay!)
  • FAR fewer icky chemicals touching our scalp and skin and potentially causing nerve damage or even cancer
  • A fabulously decreased impact to the environment in SO many different ways (less plastics bought, less chemicals entering the water supply, less consumption)

Shoot.

Why haven’t I done this already?

Scintillating Tidbits About Commercial Shampoo

This is my great-grandmother, before commercial shampoo was invented.

Here’s the thing that persuaded me the most into going no ‘poo.

Until the late 1930s, women did not use shampoo. In fact, shampoo as we know it now wasn’t even invented.

In fact! In 1908, the big craze was to rinse and wash your hair with soap – every two weeks – instead of every month, as most women did at the time.

But I look at these pictures of my ancestors and their beautiful hair and think, “Why? Why do WE need to shampoo every dang day, when their hair looked so thick and shiny and beautiful already?”

And, of course, it’s just flat-out consumerism. Not to rant, but we’ve been sold throughout all of our lives that if we don’t buy-buy-buy, we’re gross and disgusting. (Bite me, marketing gurus. My great-grandma was hot, before you got all “oooh, you have to buy something to be hot.”)

And Here’s What Shampoo Does To Your Head

It strips the sebum – the natural oils your scalp produces – which tells your head to produce more oils. And this is why my hair gets oily 24 hours after washing with shampoo. Your scalp, “Oooh, girl! You blasted away all the oils! We must produce more and more, because THESE OILS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HAIR!”

And, guess what, curlies? That’s why you get frizzy. You don’t allow those oils to coat the outer reaches of your hair, and you completely and totally nullify any chances that your body will take care of what’s ailing you.

So here’s the good news: I’ve read SEVERAL articles where dermatologists are really on board with the no ‘poo movement. Sort of. I mean, they still have to sell us the consumerism idea, too, so what they say is that we really don’t need to wash our hair more than once a week.

And they’re on board with the no ‘poo method I’ve decided to use, at least in terms of stating that “Well, it certainly can’t hurt anything. And it kinda makes sense.”

Guess that’s something.

How I’m Going to No ‘Poo

I’ve found a few different ways to live the no ‘poo lifestyle – from not using anything at all and just wiping your hair with a washcloth (talk about no-impact) to using nothing but conditioner to using a mixture of cucumber and lemon juice as shampoo.

However, I am going to try the most widely spread and popular route first.

(This is unlike me. I’m usually a maverick. But I figure if I’m hopping on the bandwagon, I’d best do it the most bandwagony way possible – first.)

No ‘Poo With Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar

Three times a week, I am going to “shampoo” with a mixture of baking soda and water. The most recommended amount is 1 Tbsp baking soda to 1 C water. It also appears to be very important NOT to use more baking soda to water in the ratio.

How you shampoo with baking soda: Put the mixture in a bottle (and it sounds like a squirt bottle is most handy) and shake REALLY well before applying. After wetting your hair in the shower, apply the baking soda mixture to your scalp and rub in a circular motion all around – focusing on the scalp, not the rest of your hair. Rinse well.

Then, you “condition” the ends of your hair with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water.

How you condition with ACV: Mix 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar with 1-2 cups of water. Either just rinse the ends of your hair with the whole thing, or rinse your entire head with it. For now, I’m going to stick with the ends, because I’ve read that – especially in the beginning while your scalp is adjusting – too much ACV on your scalp could cause more overproducing of oils.

Here’s What We Can Expect:

  • Two weeks of wondering what the flipping crack we’re doing, because our hair is overly greasy. This is okay. This is just like homemade deodorant. Our bodies have to readjust to the “normal” way of doing things. The scalp is going to overreact.
  • Lots of “ponytail” and “hat” days for these first two weeks. No biggie. I wear a ponytail most days anyway.
  • Increasingly better hair days after the initial breaking in period.
  • Then, luxurious, beautiful hair we never knew we had – all along. It’s kind of like the Wizard of Oz, only without flying monkeys.
  • Contrary to popular belief, not using shampoo does not lead to stinky hair. I’ve heard no reports that indicate that a stink or funk or otherwise unpleasant odor has resulted from any heads that use this method (at least after the first few “breaking in” overly oily days)

MOST IMPORTANTLY: If you want to do this with me – or at some other point in your crunchy life – GIVE IT AT LEAST THREE WEEKS TO A MONTH BEFORE QUITTING. Every single “bad review” I’ve read about this method includes these words:

“I only tried it for three days, but I hated it.”

Don’t be that person. Just don’t.

Want to Hop on the No ‘Poo Train With Me?

This is me, air-dried after my last 'poo.

First of all, how the heck did my hair get so long? (Maybe has something to do with not getting it cut for a year and a half. Hmmm.)

Secondly, this is me just after shampooing for the last time. This is my before picture. I let my hair air dry, to be fair and completely nonpartisan about either method. So my after picture will be an air dry, too. Usually, I straighten my hair to get that weird wave out and disappear the split ends a little.

If you want to do this with me, I’d LOVE to have partners in crime here.

In fact, take a before picture. Do the no ‘poo with me for three weeks. Take another picture.

Send the pictures to me with your thoughts and results, and I’ll include them in a blog post toward the middle of next month.

What say you?

Hair Picker? Hair Checker? Hair Apparent?

Good grief. What should we be called?


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    ← Older Comments
    • Mlzx

      Can anybody let me know why it’s so important not to increase the baking soda to water ratio?

      I’ve been doing this for about two years. Once my hair stopped over-producing oils, it returned to its normal state from back when I used shampoo. It really is no different for me. It still gets oily and itchy if I go too long without washing, and I miss my dandruff shampoo because my dandruff is back with a vengeance (I plan to try coconut oil when I stop being lazy). The main reason I’ve stuck with it is less the results than my aversion to the chemicals in regular shampoo. My hair is more or less the same.
      I use more of a baking soda “paste” that I massage into my scalp and after reading this post I’m thinking maybe that is a bad idea. I don’t know if cutting back on the soda will help with the oil or the dandruff, but maybe that is part of my problem. Anyone know why that ratio is so important? And is it equally important for the ACV? I’ve fallen into the habit of eyeballing it, but maybe I should reconsider.

      Thanks for the help!

      • Mishqueen

        From what I understand, everyone’s ph balance and oil production is unique. The quantity your hair likes will be different from someone else, and the viscosity of your mixture will be different as well. I suggest starting with the small amounts, in more water. Then after your hair adjusts, EITHER increase the amount of bs in the water, OR reduce the amount of water to make a thicker paste (presumably so it soaks on your head longer). I would only make one change at a time, so you know what it is that was the right move. Eventually (hopefully sooner than later), you will figure out what your head likes best.

        My head likes less bs; two tablespoons makes an unbearable waxy coating on my hair that has to be washed out and started over. 1 tbsp is my magic number, but I’m considering trying the paste to get it to stay on longer.

        Good luck!

    • S-S mattie

      I tried no’poo, and one thing to watch out for is the apple vinegar smell. After I come home from a jog, I could smell the vinegar and my mom gave me a hard time about it. (Teen crunchy fan) Does anyone know a good solution to this?

      • Michelle

        I use old tea leaves/bags with the ACV. They’re great as conditioner anyway and take the smell away! Green tea especially is great.

    • Pam Zylik

      I’ve been ‘poo-free for 2.5 years now. No going back! The first week was awful so I used shampoo, but after that my scalp got the message to scale back the oil production. I just wet my hair when I bathe, but maybe once every 4-6 weeks I do an ACV rinse when I feel some scalp build up going on. No smell, soft manageable hair, and a silky shine. So glad I tried it out!

    • Tracy

      Has anyone else developed dandruff? I’ve never had a problem with dandruff before in my life and I’m about 2 weeks into no ‘poo and I have dandruff every day! Is it just my scalp riding itself of build-up? Is there anything I can do to get rid of it and still stay no ‘poo? Please help!

      • aaronsrib

        How often are you washing?

        • Tracy

          I use the BS/ACV method about once every 3-4 days. On my off days I rotate in between just rinsing my hair with water and other days I don’t rinse or wash at all. If I tried a tea rinse once and awhile would that help?

    • red

      can you still straight and blow dry your hair like regular? does it help with hair loss/fall? i feellike im loosing more hair :(

      • Tracy

        Yes to straightening and blow drying it. I don’t think it helps with hair loss.

    • Julia Henkelmann

      I’m definitely giving this a try. I don’t use much in the way of hair products anyway; hair treatments made from stuff like olive oil, honey and yogurt work fantastic, and I already worked out that one egg yolk works pretty well for shampoo. And while I don’t have a problem with chemistry (try having a root canal without chemistry; have fun!) as such I don’t like how much energy and resources go into selling shampoo that’s mostly perfume, water, bulking agents and so on.

      So, baking soda and ACV! Looking forward to this experiment. Also, I really love your blog, there’s so much stuff to try and learn and it’s always fun to read. (I had such fun with the idea of all the other shower caps combusting back in the 50ies.)

    • aaronsrib

      I am out of my shampoo so I decided to try the no poo BS/ACV. I have thick semi-curly hair. I don’t normally wash it daily, usually 2-3 days but no more than 4, so that may be to my advantage as far as transition goes. I am worried about not using conditioner since my thick hair is unmanageable without it but so far so good. Today it seemed like it was dry and coarse after washing. But once I brushed it and it air dried it was amazingly soft. My husband and son were impressed. My husband sniffed it! Haha he said it smelled like my hair. I’m sure he was worried about the vinegar. Day 1 done.

      • aaronsrib

        How often should I do this? What is the identifying factor that says ‘wash your hair’? With commercial shampoo I could hardly go 4 days without washing or else I’d end up with a greasy/itchy scalp that would bleed if I dared scratch at it. But on my first week of BS/ACV I got to day 4 and, sure, I could sense an oily build up, but nothing compared to my traditional shampoo experiences. So for the sake of boredom I went ahead and washed with the BS/ACV on day 4. But I probably could have comfortably went to day 5 no problem. I am convinced that my infrequent washing with shampoo attributed to that. I am wondering though, if the goal is regulated oil production, is the BS stripping it down? Don’t I not want that? ;) however, after the second wash and air dry it is again soft and manageable.

        • Tracy

          It’s recommended to wash every 3-4 days. But I don’t see why you couldn’t push it to 5 every time.

      • aaronsrib

        I had to stop no-pooing! I did it for only 6 weeks. I brushed it daily to try and get the oils to come down but it was taking forever. I was so greasy and brittle. It was constantly breaking. At first it was gorgeous, albeit very staticy. And I was hoping it would work mainly for the sake of telling people I don’t use shampoo! haha So when I decided to try a SLS and paraben free shampoo I bought a new Aveeno 2-in-1 it was supposed to gently remove some oils. Instead it stripped my scalp to the point of burning it! Maybe because I had so much oil present, I don’t know! But I took it back and got a Jason brand shampoo and conditioner to restore my hair and even that makes my scalp feel stripped and weird. Maybe it just feels different to me because I have always used SLS shampoos and now I’m not. IDK! But I tried and failed. I think ultimately my thick hair work against me. Not sure why it was breaking so bad either. I’m still only washing 2x a week though so that’s a plus in my book.

    • Tracy

      Ok I need some clarification: if you wash every 3-4 days, what do you do on the off days? Just rinse with water, or wrap your hair up when you shower and don’t get it wet at all?
      Also, I tried an egg and olive oil mask the other day and my hair did not come clean after I used the BS/water and then ACV rinse 3 times! Can we use hair masks while going no ‘poo? If so is there a different way to make sure that you wash out all of the mask?
      Last question: I have dandruff! Never had it before until I’ve started this no ‘poo. I wash every 4 days and I’ve tried pouring straight ACV on my head as someone recommended with no success. What do I do to get rid of it? Tea tree oil in BS/water mix? Less baking soda in 1 cup water? PLEASE HELP!!!

    • red

      for some reason when i wash my hair i get lather. like shampoo lather i can’t figure out why this is happening hellp!

      • Tracy

        Are you rinsing the baking soda/water mixture really good before applying the ACV?

    • Leanne

      I trained as a beautician about 5 years ago and two years ago I decided I’d like to work in a spar. So I began training in holistic therapies. I was really shocked to hear my tutor talk about natural products. As a beautician we were all about branded cosmetics, buying £20 bottles of shampoo! To hear her telling me things that I’d never really thought much of (I mean if natural was so great why is there all these supposedly awesome products on the market?!), it was a complete revolution! She set me a challenge of researching and presenting a natural beauty class. I have to say I was hooked and the thought of using products out of the high streets makes me go eurgh!
      However, I have never tried anything other than oils on my hair and use shampoo every two days. My hair is sooo dry and greasy and really flat and lifeless. I am really interested in trying this.
      I had a baby 7months ago and she has a mop of hair. I’ve never washed it with shampoo yet cos it always looked great after being bathed in just water. How long can I carry on with this for? And can my 4 year old join me in this method above?

      I hope its a yes. xxxx

      • Tracy

        I don’t see why a child can’t join in on this too! Give it a shot!

    • Christy C.

      Hello, hello! I am almost to my 3rd week of No ‘Poo. The only greasy, gross day I’ve had was when I showered with warmer water than I usually do. Apparently the hotter the water the more greasy the hair will be (and hot water damages your hair!) It is actually recommended that we shower with cool water. Also, I have a bit of eczema and as long as I shower with cool water my eczema stays away! No ‘Poo has given my hair more body, more shine, it’s much softer and thicker, and it brought out more of the natural colors in my hair! My hair is strawberry-blond, but after using this treatment it got darker red (YAY!) and my natural highlights are much more noticeable. I will never use store bought shampoos/conditioners ever again! Thanks CrunchyBetty! Also, ingredients with eth in their name are on the list of carcinogenic ingredients. There are so many poisonous chemicals in almost everything sold in stores! In fact, most every sun block has a carcinogenic ingredient! Imagine that! A product that supposedly protects you from skin cancer actually can give you skin cancer. Definitely glad my cousin referred me to CrunchyBetty!

    • Tara B.

      Hi, I’ve been at this for 6 weeks now, using the Baking Soda and ACV about once a week. My hair is still gross and greasy / oily. I’m ready to give up, but I’ve come so far… do you think it’s possibly that it’s not getting any better because I am using the BS/ACV mix? Are you supposed to just not use anything at all during the detox period?

      • Tracy

        I keep seeing that some people need to play with the baking soda to water ratio. Also, make sure you dissolve the baking soda in very warm water. Let it sit on your head for 10 minutes before rinsing. Some people have posted that they need to boil the water first, because they have hard water, then let it cool some and try that.

    • Sezy

      For the in between stage where the ends of your hair feel like awful broom-ends, try using mayonaise (Not MiracleWhip) as a natural conditioner. It smells gross, but that leaves as you rinse it out. It’s amazing how well this works :)

      • Tracy

        Try coconut oil after every wash instead!

    • elle-b

      I haven’t washed my hair more then once a week or once every two weeks in years, and recently I have hit the 4 – 5 week mark with incredibly good results. I never tried baking soda wash, I just did a ACV rinse at least once a week. I think I will try the baking soda wash with it, now. Thanks for the advice!

      • Tracy

        What is your hair like after 4-5 weeks without a wash? Oily at all? I’d love to get to that point. What do you do on all of the other days when you don’t wash your hair? Just rinse with water, or keep it dry?

    • RachelleA211

      I want to delete the poo from my life, but I color my hair. Any suggestions?

      • http://www.facebook.com/jenell.holt Jenell Holt

        I color my hair too – red on top and blond underneath. After a couple of months of no ‘poo, my color has actually stayed in better this time. Even the red, which is prone to fade quickly, still looks great after several weeks. It’s also repaired the texture of my hair, as by trying to dye it myself, I inadvertently made it super dry like straw.

    • Paula

      I too have been thinking of going poo free. I have changed to shampooing every other day, hoping to slow down the oils. From what I read on another blog, the key is to put the mixture of baking soda and water together and let it sit for two weeks before using it.

    • Paula

      I too have been thinking of going poo free. I have changed to shampooing every other day, hoping to slow down the oils. From what I read on another blog, the key is to put the mixture of baking soda and water together and let it sit for two weeks before using it.

    • http://www.facebook.com/cata.wood Cata Wood

      i have a question for you Crunchy Betty and everyone else– I’m doing the no poo or at least am going to give it a go for a while. I like my etsy shampoo and the way it smells. I would be very happy if I could find some way to go no poo and still have my hair smell wonderful. I’ve read that going no poo with BS and AVC will result in a clean head, but a head that smells just like a head.

      Do you have any tips or advice no how to go no poo and still have my hair to smell like patchouli? Should I add essential oils to my AVC? Should I get a body spritzer for after shower? Should I add actual patchouli to my AVC?

      thanks!

      • Sylvia

        There have been a couple of times where my loving husband has looked at me and said “Honey, your hair stinks.” What I’ve done to fix this is add a few things to my shampoo. For the shampoo, I put 5-7 drops of tea tree oil, then peppermint or lavender or a mix of both. I put literally two drops of soap (dr bronners or whatever) to get the oil to mix evenly with the water. Then I rinse with homemade citrus vinegar and water. If you still want more of a scent, I put some oils and water (drop of soap) into a small spray bottle and spray my hair once it dries.

      • YuOfOwari22

        I read somewhere that if you have a boar bristle brush especially, you can add a little bit of essential oil to your brush and that will scent your hair.

    • Emilyivamae

      I’m so scared to go no poo but mostly I’m scared to go non conditioner!! I feel as thought I will end up having to rip/brush my hair out and that I will smell like vinegar!!!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2025413 Stacy Bursuk

      I am more than a month into just using this basic method and it’s working great for me! I took some pictures, but my laziness to upload them has no bounds. Sometimes I miss my boyfriend telling me how good my hair smells, but then, I remember that it was never my hair, rather some artificial scent he was smelling and hair should probably not smell like much anyway. I’ve found I like using the mixture better after it’s been sitting in the bottle for a while dissolving more completely and that the vinegar really does change the texture back to soft. Hooray for saving money! If only I could get boyfriend to stop buying crappy ‘poo from the drugstore…

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2025413 Stacy Bursuk

      I should mention I wash my hair once a week; twice tops. I think that might make a big difference.

    • Val

      LOVE no ‘poo!! it is amazing! I had really short hair and was trying to grow it out and it just wasn’t growing at all but when i started using no ‘poo it has grown about 3 inches in 2 months! it also leaves my hair really shiny and feels so much thicker!

      • pigsrollinginmud

        oohhh i hope this happens to mine!!!

    • Saiias

      I’m kinda late– no scratch that, I am way late but I am hopping on the no ‘poo train. I just did my first ever BS/ACV wash and my hair is feeling very broom like, but I read the other post about how it gets better so I am gonna stick with. Wish me luck!

    • http://www.facebook.com/nikitableys Nikita Bleys Silva

      I don’t use shampoo at all except when I do oil treatments, so should I use this as a shampoo to get those oils out or would it mess up the treatment?

    • http://www.facebook.com/kattaklyzm Kat McAlevy

      I’m one week into no poo and although the oily scalp is a little gross I’ve already noticed my previously very damaged ends from tons of dying are already looking better. For sure sticking this out!

    • Kerin

      I love what you’ve written and I am trying No ‘Poo because you made it sound so awesome. I was wondering if this would work if your hair is colored? What if someone with naturally gray, extremely curly hair who colors it a dark brown tries this. Will it ruin the color? Thanks!

    • shantelle

      Hi there I was wondering is this no poo alright for my coloured hair or will it fade or strip it out just had it done can’t have that now

    • Lyndsay

      Hi! New to your blog but after reading this entry I’ve gone 24 days now no-poo :) Just curious, if you want to use a curling iron or a straightener should you still use a heat protectant spray or something? It seems like it could cause a lot of product build up. Thanks!

    • sherry

      Any no/poo-ers out there with short hair? I have an almost pixie cut that I have to put mousse and wax in to not look like a fluffy-headed koosh ball. I want to go no-poo, but am wondering if it is just defeating the purpose since I will probably still be using those products in my hair? Are there any recipes for homemade versions of mousse/wax that I haven’t found on the internet yet? Any Input is greatly appreciated!

      • Frances

        I don’t have short hair….quite the opposite, but I’ve been doing ‘no poo’ for a little while and I find it fine to use product. The baking soda washes it out.

      • http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.lujan.37 Rebecca Lujan

        I battle the frizz two ways. When my hair is wet, I use homemade flax seed gel. When my hair is dry, I use a spray made out of chamomile, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon juice and 1 1/2 plus cup water (1/2 tablespoon each and ground up in a grinder then set in water, set in mason jar overnight then strain with panty hose and keep in fridge) works like a curl definer/mouse/texturizer.

        • kristin P

          Hi Rebecca! I have really frizzy hair too so I’m gonna try your spray…. how do you make the flax seed gel if you don’t mind me asking?

      • http://www.facebook.com/sharon.hillje Sharon Hillje

        This is very late, but thought I’d throw in on this. The flax gel is nice, but you don’t get a lot of bang for your buck. It takes A LOT of flaxseed to make a little gel and I don’t have that kind of time or money. I keep my pixie spiky and controlled with clear unscented aloe vera gel from Fruit of the Earth (Crystal Clear – about $5). My hair loves it, as do my schedule and wallet.

    • Sarah C

      Thanks for the great information! I began no ‘poo the beginning of October, and on the days I “wash” my hair it is great. Still not wonderful in between. My biggest problem, though, is that when I use heat on it, it gets this really weird texture. Most of the time it’s not a big deal, but when I want my hair to look nice I really need to blow dry it or use a flat iron. Anyone else have issues with heat giving your hair a weird texture or any remedies for this? Thanks!

    • nuno

      ok so i’m thinking of following this…i have crazy puffy dry,frizzy long hair with split ends and a itchy scalp….i have no idea wat to do with it…but i’m gonna try this out…..

      i have really bad water here nd i don’t have apple cider vinegar so can somebody help me out? i really want to have nice hair….

    • Lauren

      Is there a substitute for baking soda? I dye my hair red and using baking soda strips the color. My hairdresser told me that when I had pink hair and god forbid didn’t want it anymore. Anyways, I really wanna try this. Any suggestions?

    • Amanda Adele

      I have been doing the no poo for over 2 months now. I vow to never touch a shampoo bottle again. In 2010 I left South Africa to go on a 2 year mission trip to the Pacific. I saw the girls’ hair there and vowed that I would return home woth gorgeous hair. It never happened. Instead of going home I came here to South Korea and settled in. My hair has never been bad. I just hated how build up and grease made me want to wahs every day and yet my mom always told me it’s bas to wash every day. In high school i used to use a cheap Colgate shampoo and my hair was amazingky better than when I startee earning and buying Pantene. I am one of 3 daughters so we had to use what we could. It made no sense to me that my classmates envied my hair when I used the cheapest products you can find. Well, I recently stumbled across a blog about bicarb and acv an tried it. Korean water is seriously hard and my hair was breaking so badly despite the fact that I have touched a heat iron or blow dryer in years. After trying the poo free method my hair looks and feels amazing. No more itchy scalp. No more white fluff under the nails after scratching. No more frizz and my hair is growing at a hectic spead and breakage is non existent. The golf ball of hair I used to remove from my shower drain every week is gone. I don’t shed anymore. Nothing. My advice: never dtop this method. It has changed my world. I am returning home in Oct sith long thinck and amazing hair!!!

    • Shei

      I have a question for all no pooers & would be ones, I have been doing the no poo for a month now and I’ve been experiencing hair fall on my third week to present. Is the hair fall part of the transition period? I love the effects of no poo on my hair but I’m scared of the hair fall. As you know I have fine hair so I’m scared that this hair fall will lead to bald patches. Help anyone!

      • Kim

        I already have bald patches and switched to no poo two weeks ago hoping it would promote new hair growth (especially because I’m only 24)… unfortunately, i keep losing hair. tonight i pulled out at least 30 hairs in the shower… i’m really disappointed. i would also like an answer to this question.

    • Goaty

      This is AMAZING! I have no idea why I wasn’t brave enough to try this earlier. I heard about the no ‘poo method about two years ago, but only tried it last night. Recent comments I read inspired me to try it. I woke up this morning, not only with silky soft hair but also without any tangles! I have curly tailbone-length hair so I was amazed by that. Plus, there isn’t any frizz! I so hope this keeps up. I’m in love. : )

      I’m still wondering what I should do to detangle my hair in the shower though; last night in the shower my hair wasn’t very tangled, so I just finger combed a bit, but after a couple days it may get more tangled. Does any one have any suggestions as to a natural solution I can use to make my hair a little more slippery to detangle it more easily? I don’t use a brush or comb (I go by the DevaCurl method), so it’ll need to be slippery for me to get any big knots out with my fingers . Thanks!

      • Goaty

        Also, I have another quick question. Can you store your apple cider vinegar solution in your shower or does it have to be refrigerated?

    • JED

      I switched oer to WEN 1 1/2 years ago and love my hair and not using shampoo. I am not sure I want to do this no poo method yet, so your process may be the convincing factor in my decision . WEN is great , and i only order it twice a year so I feel justified by the cost since I am not high maintenance when it comes to hair care!!!!!!!! I will be checking back to see how you faired.

    • linz

      i have an excessively oily scalp, and tired of spending tons of money on products to tame frizz, and tired of spending so much money and time on my hair. im doing the no-poo method too. its been a week. i will keep doing it for at least a month. my roots don’t feel greasy but the rest of my hair does. (can’t wait for my scalp to adjust!) it already feels thicker tho, i’ve gotten lots of compliments even tho it feels dirty to me, and looks tamed and shiny and healthy without any extra products after showering or styling. over all im impressed and excited about this. but again i really want my scalp to adjust to the oil cause its bugging me. lol i also make a cup of hot black tea and dump it over my head after rinsing out the vinegar, it smells nice.

    • sarah harris

      ok ladies and gents, i am day 4 of no poo and me being the idiot i am did my olive oil overnight treatment like i usually did, but the baking soda vinegar didnt get the oil off my hair and now i look like John Travolta in Grease. i dont want to have to start over, any ideas as to how to get the oil out of my hair without using my old shampoo? much appreciated!

    • http://www.facebook.com/Diamoneyes16 Jennifer J. Hubner

      i am starting tonight. i have been using the apple cider method with shampoo, and i love it. this interested me though, and this might be a silly question, but would it be beneficial to use the other remedies such as olive oil and eggs.

    • Maia

      Hi I just found your website and I had to laugh when I read the line underneath the Headline saying: “You have food on your face.” because exactly today I decided to do a facemask using manuka honey xD!

    • m. andree

      hey there, after reading this i decided to do the no poo as well. as it is, i have ‘dry’ hair and usually only shampooed twice a week. i did my last poo 3 weeks and 2 days ago. my hair seems to be ‘freaking out’ now, just feels heavy with oily. it doesn’t look oily but it feels awful. i’m wondering if maybe since i didn’t shampoo everyday before, my hair is having a delayed reaction to the switch? has anyone had a similar experience after 3 weeks?? my hair is long, straight and thick.

    • http://www.facebook.com/mananda3364 Amanda Ruiz de Velasco

      So I have a ? When washing my hair with the BS wash do I use all that I just made or do I use just what I feel I need and then use the rest the next shower?

    • Kim

      Has anyone else experienced new hair loss since starting? I’m two weeks in and my thinning hair is showing bald spots. Should I stop or push through?

    • JakalTree

      I have been doing the no ‘poo for a little over a week and amazingly enough, my hair didn’t have one day of over greasiness. Except for one day when I didn’t wash it. It’s still a bit frizzy which is super annoying, but I feel like it’s a lot less frizz with the baking soda solution than with shampoo. I do use the solution every day since my hair gets super greasy when I don’t (it did this even with shampoo). For the solution I have an old bottle with a tiny squirt spout and just make up 3 cups worth at a time, let it sit overnight after shaking the crap out of it, and use it in the morning. Feels very slippery but man it gets my hair squeaky clean, I was pretty surprised.

      I still use some Renpure Organice conditioner on the bottom half of my hair when I want it to not look like a mess (my hair is very dry from hair dye chemical damage) but I never put it on my scalp. (My hair is down to the middle of my back, maybe a bit longer and still growing so I have plenty of room to work the conditioner without getting it on my scalp).

    • Mary

      Hi! I’ve read a lot about this method, but there I’ve got one question. Am I supposted to use whole mixture of baking soda and ACV each time? Like do I use 1 tbsp baking soda in 1 cup of water and use the whole mixture and then use the whole AcV recipe? Maybe a silly question, but I’ve read so much different I really do feel confused.

    • hisladyinwaiting

      Can I only use the baking soda and ACV every few days or can I use it more often if/when my hair gets greasy? I normally wash my hair every day or every other day. Thanks!

    • http://www.facebook.com/LexNotAlexis Alex Butcher

      So I have been doing no poo for about three months. I wash my hairy once a week because it would be ridiculous looking after all the things I have tried. But I found my personal solution for oily hair. I take baking powder and dust the while head. I MN powder it up and let it soak up my oil. I pick out my outfit for the next day, or that day, futz around. Then do the honey on my face, leave it on while I brush m teeth, then I hop in the shower and rinse everything. No shampoo or conditioner or vingar (I dye my hair and the vinegar takes the color right out, but I learn to make perfume with it but anyways) I just rinse it all out and my hair is fine. Excess oil is absorbed from the bs and I don’t need conditoner bc of my sebum. Coconut oil as face and body lotion and voila! I am clean.

    • sara

      I’ve been wanting to try this but haven’t for a few reasons. I have thin oily hair, and wash my hair daily. I switched to a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner, but it would be cheaper to go the BS/ACV route. I usually blow dry my hair a few times a week and flat iron, can you still do that in this method? Also, what do you do on the days you don’t wash? Do you rinse or not get your habit wet at all? Also, what about working out and sweating? Does that cause you to wash more?

    • http://www.facebook.com/laura.weber.311493 Laura Philberta Phd Weber

      Man, I’m totally lost as to what to do with my hair. I want to try no ‘poo but I’ve been dying my naturally light/medium brown hair black for several years. What will this do to the color? My hair is so limp with no body or volume when I use a heavy conditioner, but if I don’t its dry and dull… :( has someone had the sam issues? Hellllpppp!!!!

    • Kelly

      I have been excited to try this for the last month, ever since I stumbled upon this clever blog! I am 20 years old. I have long (waist length), stick straight, dirty blonde hair that I have lightened using hydrogen peroxide and a blow dryer (or sunshine). I’ve tried box-dying it auburn but it didn’t hold the color. I usually shower in the mornings and my hair is usually oily by the end of the day, never holding any volume and hardly any curl, even if I use sponge curlers or braids the night before. Over the past couple years, I did start using baby powder to help stretch shampoo mornings (using Aussie Confidently Clean) to every other day.
      But not anymore. I’m on day 6 of No ‘Poo. I BS and ACV every three days and use baby powder on the days between. I wear my hair in updos to help disguise the oil so I can look presentable at work and school, and I brush my hair in the morning before styling and at night before bed to help spread the oil. This seems to help.
      I’ve got a hair-enthusiast friend doing this with me to support each other, and another honestly blunt friend to tell me if my hair smells funky. Once we’re ‘Poo free, we’re moving on to Henna.
      The transition is hard, because people always complimented me on how nice my hair looks, and it didn’t look too hot for a few days. But It’s definitely improving. I just did my second BS and ACV wash and I have volume. It’s so soft. I have shine. And I cannot wait to see how my hair looks after this transition phase. Gorgeous, here I come.

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