If you don’t know what “no-poo” means, where do you live? haha kidding, but seriously i feel like everybody has been raving about this on the internet lately. No-poo is whenever you stop using shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair. Yeah, you’ve read correctly, i’ve stopped using shampoo! It sounds pretty disgusting at first, but i promise i still wash my hair.
Why i decided to go No-Poo. One of my resolutions for this year was to start my ‘no-poo’ journey and stick to it. Why? Well, i have curly hair but i’ve been chemically straightening my hair since i was in 8th grade and now that i moved to Okinawa i can’t keep doing it. I want a chemical-free way to control my crazy hair. I’ve also suffered from horrible itchy/flaky scalp because of it and although i’ve tried different shampoos to fight it, nothing has worked. I’m hoping this ‘No-Poo’ method eases that problem. I’m only a month in and i’m eager to see how my hair changes.
Why you should go No-Poo. Shampoos and conditioners work as a detergent, stripping your hair of it’s natural oils and replacing them with chemicals. The ‘no-poo’ method looks to bring these natural oils back and restoring your hair’s beauty. How? By replacing chemical detergents with two solutions, a Baking Soda/Water Wash and a Vinegar/Water Rinse.
What you need:
– Baking Soda
– Water
– Vinegar (White or Apple Cider)
– Squeeze bottle
– Spray bottle
Extras:
– 100% Boar Bristle Brush
– Essential Oils
– Coconut Oil and/or Argan Oil
Instructions:
1. Do your research. Google. Read blog posts/articles online. This way you’ll get a feel of the best ways to start your No-Poo Journey. Determine what type of hair you have and read up on others experiences.
2. Baking Soda Wash – Put 1 cup of water in your squeeze bottle and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Add a few drops of essential oils to give your wash a nice smell. If you have itchy/flaky scalp like me, i suggest you add some tea tree oil to your mix. Shake it, shake it real good before putting it on your roots. Fully saturate your scalp and then massage it. You will feel it foam a little, that’s how you know you’ve put on the right amount. Then thoroughly rinse it out.
3. Vinegar Rinse – Add 1 cup of Water to your Spray bottle and 2 tablespoons of Vinegar. I use Apple Cider Vinegar because my hair is more dry than greasy, but use White Vinegar if otherwise. Shake well and apply to the length of your hair. I have a lot of hair and because of this i like to spray it by sections, that way i get every bit of hair saturated with the rinse.
4. Once you’re finished towel dry your hair and add a little bit of Coconut Oil or Argan Oil to add shine and help with frizz. I like to air dry my hair and then straighten it whenever it’s dry, usually the next morning.
You should do No-Poo washes every two/three days for the first couple of weeks, because trust me there will be a period of transition for your hair. This transition can last a couple of weeks or even months depending on the person, but stick to it! I’ve heard so many great reviews about the No-Poo treatment that it’s safe to say it’s worth it. You can slowly start lengthening the time in between washes.
What I’ve learned this first month. In the first month of my No-Poo journey i’ve learned to tweak parts of the routine i decided on. I’ve had to lower the amount of baking soda in my wash because my hair was looking really dry. I’ve also bought a pack of 8 essential oils that i plan on adding to my wash, especially the tea tree oil to help my itchy/flaky scalp problem. I have to force myself to wash my hair more often because i was used to only washing it once a week. I realized that brushing your hair with a 100% Boar Bristle brush is a key step in the method, so lately i’ve been combing my hair in sections to help move those natural oils to the rest of my hair.
I’ve also had to incorporate a deep-conditioning treatment into my routine and i plan to do it once a month. I shared how to use Coconut Oil Magic in a previous post and it’s been a life saver. I saturate my scalp with the oil, leaving it in for 1 hour and then rinsing it out. I’ve also been curious to try a organic Aloe Vera treatment but haven’t been able to buy a plant.
So.. what do you think? It’s not as bad as it sounds right?! Well, i’d like to think so.
I’m only a month in, but if you have any questions just leave me a comment 🙂
Helpful Links:
Living in Another Language’s Journey
How to Wash Your Hair – No Poo Style