What is no-poo?
‘No-poo’ has nothing to do with the movements of the bowels but the belief of going shampoo-free, and washing your hair with water to be not only kind to your skin but the planet. You can call it a trend but I view it as a sustainable lifestyle. The theory of ‘no-poo’ is this: by washing hair with a gentle alternative to shampoo, such as baking soda and apple cider vinegar or even just water only, you’ll achieve clean hair without the damage or dependency on daily shampooing.
Is no-poo for you?
I started no-poo not just because of the shelter-in-place due to Covid-19 but because my hair was getting way too oily and brittle way too fast in-between washes. I went to google the problem, and it is actually shampoo and conditioner that was causing this weird dry and grease-leak combo! The toxins found in traditional shampoo can make your hair dry and/or too greasy, and it’s because they’re stripping your hair of it’s natural oils which, in turn, causes your body to excrete more.
If your story is similar to mine, or you’re looking for a non-toxic alternative to shampoo, I would highly recommend giving this method a try! The only downside during the transition period is you have to commit to having your hair look like an oily mess, but this is only in the first 4-8 weeks (which is different for everyone) while your hair is acclimating.
Your hair will be going through many transitions during the first three months such as:
First month: greasy but stick thru it gorl.
Second month: “static” or dry feeling, it get’s better I promise!
Third month: frizzy but good things are coming your way.
How to:
There are the typical replacements like baking soda rinse, apple cider vinegar rinse, water-only, or using castile soap. You can tinker around with different no-poo recipes so you’ll have plenty of chances to find the perfect alternative for you.
When I started out, I was using baking soda rinse and then conditioning with apple cider vinegar. I slowly transitioned to Dr.Bronner’s peppermint scented bar soap and continuing to condition with apple cider vinegar. I wet my hair thoroughly and massage my scalp, then I start with my shampoo alternative, rinse, condition my hair, then rinse.
Recipes:
Baking Soda Rinse:
1 tbsp baking soda
2 cups water
‘Conditioning’ Rinse
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
The Controversy:
Many wellness bloggers have been adopting this holistically sustainable trend over the past few years. No-poo believers rave about the difference they feel in their hair, not only do they produce less oil but they also have more volume and shine. Dr. Nicole Rogers, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University, thinks otherwise she told Health: “For the average person with healthy, untreated hair, there is no evidence that the simple act of shampooing, so long as it is with the appropriate ingredients for your hair, will cause damage.” Whether you do-poo or no-poo, just make sure to not sleep on wet hair, been there, done that, 0/10 do not recommend.