Me: I haven’t shampooed my hair in 4 months 11 months almost 2 YEARS!
You: Are you freaking kidding me? (stunned silence) Gross.
Me: Not only have I NOT shampooed my hair in 4 months 11 months 21 months, it is healthier, shinier, and I only have to wash my hair every 4 days.
You: Seriously? You only bathe every 4 days?
Me: No silly. I only wash my hair every 4 days. I bathe regularly.
You: I gotta know more.
What The Heck Is the No Poo Method?
The No Poo Method is a way of washing your hair without shampoo.
There are various ways to No Poo, but the most popular is to use baking soda and a vinegar rinse. Oh yeah, did I mention that the No Poo Method is cheap as hell?
How Shampoo & Conditioner Work
To understand why your hair will love being washed via the No Poo method, you have to understand what regular shampoo does to your hair and scalp. Traditional shampoos are really detergents. They use chemicals to strip your hair and scalp of dirt and oil. Good right? Not really. Shampoo strips the hair shaft and scalp of sebum (the natural oils created by your scalp). So after you shampoo, you condition your hair. Why? To replace the natural oils in your hair that your shampoo has stripped away. The result, clean hair that has to be shampooed daily (or almost daily).
Why You Have To Shampoo Your Hair Daily (or almost daily)
Shampoo today and you’ll likely have to shampoo again tomorrow. Why? Because the detergents in shampoo have stripped your hair, and more importantly your scalp of it’s natural oils (sebum). You may ask, “Well, if the oil has been stripped away, why do I wake up with greasy hair in the morning?” The answer is simple – your scalp is over-producing sebum to replace what is being stripped away by your shampoo. It’s a vicious cycle. Your scalp is trying to stay in balance – so it replaces the oils you washed down the drain – the result, oily hair that has to be shampooed and conditioned daily. On a side note, here’s some food for thought: We all know that the shampoo instructions of “Lather, Rinse, Repeat” were created by the shampoo companies to get you to use more shampoo than you actually need so that you run out of product twice as fast – making you buy twice as much shampoo and increasing their profits twice as much. It’s obvious to me that traditional shampoos use a formulation that requires daily use for the same reason. Unfortunately, it’s all about the benjamins.
Why You Don’t Have To Wash Your Hair Often When You Use The No Poo Method
When you wash your hair via the No Poo method you use baking soda to remove the dirt, oil and debris from your roots and scalp. Since baking soda is not a detergent the sebum your scalp produces doesn’t get stripped away. The result – your hair becomes healthier as a result of not having the natural oils stripped away. Your scalp, now in balance, will produce less oil. You will find that you can go anywhere from a couple of days to once a week before you have to wash your hair again. It’s really simple – less oil, fewer washings.
Why The No Poo Method is Great for Your Hair
It is important to remember that your hair will go through an adjustment period when you start using the No Poo style of hair washing. AFTER your hair and scalp are back in balance, you can expect:
- More Body
- Easier to Style Hair
- Less Oily Hair
- Less Frizz and Fly-Aways (Great for curly hair ladies)
- Added Shine
- SAFE for Dyed Hair
- GREAT for Grey Hair (commercial shampoos can cause grey hair to yellow – boo!)
- FEWER hair washings, as your scalp will no longer be over producing oils
- NO chemicals on your hair, scalp or washing down the drain (BONUS!)
- MORE money in your pocket, cuz let’s face it, baking soda and vinegar cost pennies per wash (DOUBLE BONUS!)
- NEW hair growth (for some people) This has worked for me, and my stylist has noticed too. I have tons of new growth coming in. My stylist says it’s because my scalp is healthier and my follicles are no longer clogged with oil and debris.
Get The Best Start On Your Journey To No Poo Nirvana
I’ve learned something I wish I had known when I started my No Poo journey…you need to clarify your hair before you start. Let me explain. Most commercial products contain silicones in them. Silicones are not water soluable so they aren’t going to just “wash down the drain” – they are stuck to your hair and can cause damage.1 Silicones usually end with “zane” “xane” “cone” or “conol”. Get your self a clarifying shampoo (Suave Clarifying Shampoo will work for this purpose and is cheap) for your final commercial shampoo wash. Follow the directions. Lather, rinse, repeat. You want to get all the silicone off your hair. This will help ease your transition phase and get you to No Poo Nirvana a bit faster. If you forget this step, never fear – it just may add a week or two to your transition. Wait until you would normally wash your hair again and then start using the No Poo method.
How To Wash Your Hair Using The No Poo Method
At it’s core the No Poo Method is very simple. Use baking soda to remove dirt and oils from the roots and scalp. Use a vinegar rinse to condition the length of your hair. There are two basic methods to do this. I’ve tried them both with success. My favorite method is Method One – The BS Solution. I started with Method Two – Hair Paste, but it’s hard keeping the shower water out of my little container of baking soda and I have more control when I use Method One. I also get that important “slippery” feeling when I use Method One more than when I use Method Two. (UPDATE: I’ve gone back to Method 2, I’ve found I now have better control and can get that “slippery” feeling more easily with method 2 – it’s really what No Poo Method works best for you).
Supplies
- Clarifying Shampoo (if you’ve used products with silicone in the past for your last wash before you start No Poo)
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar (Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Dry to Normal Hair, White Vinegar for Normal to Oily Hair)
- Water
- Squirt Bottle with Pointed Tip (use a mustard bottle or 12-oz. Squeeze Bottle)
- Spray Bottle
- 100% Boar Bristle Brush (optional) This is my favorite, (it’s a bit pricey, but worth it) Olivia Garden Ceramic and Ion Turbo Vent Oval Brush (comes in 3 sizes). If you are an Amazon Prime member, standard shipping is FREE
- No Poo Hair Journal (I’ll explain more on this below)
No Poo Method One – The BS Solution No Poo Recipe (favored by others, I prefer the Hair Paste Method)
- Create a solution of baking soda and water – 1 TBS of baking soda to 1 cup of water.Use distilled (not boiled) if you have hard water. Make sure the baking soda (bs) has completely dissolved. The solution should feel slippery in your hands (if it doesn’t add another TBS of baking soda). Store in squeeze bottle.
- Create a solution of vinegar and water – 2 TBS of vinegar to 1 cup of water. Shake to combine. Store in spray bottle
- WASH: In the shower, wet hair and using the pointed tip of the bottle, apply the baking soda solution to the roots of your hair and massage into your scalp with your fingertips using a circular motion. DO NOT apply to the entire length of your hair. Leave on till it starts to feel “slippery”. Leave on while you finish bathing then rinse WELL.
- CONDITION: Spray the vinegar/water solution on the length of your hair, focusing on the ends. Leave this on for a a min or so before rinsing.
- NOTES: Your hair will have no odor once it dries. You can add some essential oils to your hair brush to fragrance your hair if desired.
No Poo Method Two – Hair Paste No Poo Recipe (Updated)
(These directions have been updated 4/3/2013 cuz I’m a total dumb a$$ and realized that they were about as clear as mud previously….sorry guys!)
- Keep a small plastic container with a tight fitting lid full of baking soda in your shower.
- Wet hair really well.
- Scoop out about 1 TBS of baking soda (eye ball it) into your palm – your hands are already wet so the baking soda starts to turn into a paste right there in your hands.
- WASH: Get as much of the paste onto your fingertips and drive those tips right into your hair at the roots and massage your scalp really well. DO NOT apply to the entire length of your hair. Continue this over your entire head. You may need to grab some more baking soda to do the back of your head if your hair is really thick.
- Allow the baking soda to sit on your hair while you wash the rest of you.
- Check your roots…it should feel slippery and all if not 90% of the baking soda should be dissolved (very little, if no gritty feeling at all).
- Rinse WELL.
- CONDITION: Spray the vinegar/water solution on the length of your hair, focusing on the ends. Let sit for a minute then rinse.
- NOTES: Your hair will have no odor once it dries. You can add some essential oils to your hair brush to fragrance your hair if desired.
What To Expect When You Wash Your Hair Using The No Poo Method
The First Few Days/Weeks
Don’t expect no poo to be like washing your hair with shampoo. There is NO lather. It’s weird at first, but you get used to it.
Don’t be surprised if your hair feels like hay, straw, or cotton the first few times (days or weeks) that you wash no poo style. (I know, I know, it sucks, but the pay-off is worth it!)
Plan on wearing your hair up or under wraps the first week or two. In other words, when you start the no poo method, don’t have a big meeting, date, or event where you need your hair to be perfect. I kept my hair pulled back and no one noticed. I kept asking everyone, “Does my hair look clean?” and everyone said, “Yes.”
How to Deal with the No Poo Dry / Cotton / Waxy Feeling
- Deep Condition your hair with a NON oil conditioner. I used fresh aloe-vera gel and honey.
- Apply a tiny (I mean teensy – tiny) amount of coconut or jojoba oil to your hair after it has been washed and is dry. (add a few drops to your palms, rub in till there is just a light sheen on your hands and run your hands through your hair, avoiding the roots) NOTE: Coconut oil has a fatty acid that penetrates the hair shaft the deepest and provides the greatest benefit. Jojoba oil is most like our natural sebum and is great for hair and skin, but does not penetrate as deeply as coconut oil.
- Allow your hair to air dry.
- Put your hair up, pull it back, sport a new hat or wear a scarf.
- Brush your hair with a 100% Boar Bristle Paddle Brush (and clean your brush often). The boar bristles distribute the natural oils in your hair from root to tip. If you blow dry your hair, try a vented ion bristle brush.
- Use Method One (not Method Two) and increase the baking soda by 1/2 (or until the solution feels slippery in your hands).
How to Deal with the No Poo Oily Hair
If you end up with hair that feels oily, instead of like cotton here are some tips:
- Between No Poo washes, do a hot water wash. Simply wash your hair with the hottest water you can stand (don’t burn yourself!). Dry.
- Increase the amount of baking soda you use when you wash your hair by 1/4.
- Decrease the amount of vinegar in your conditioning solution by 1/2.
- Switch from apple cider vinegar (ACV) to plain white vinegar if you are using ACV.
- Remember, don’t apply your vinegar solution to the roots of your hair.
- Remember to rinse, rinse, rinse.
- Apply a dry shampoo to your hair. Blondes and Reds use corn starch or arrow root powder on your roots and brush through. This will absorb the excess oil. Brunettes use coco-powder if you find that corn starch or arrow root leave your hair looking “grey”.
You can also check out this post specifically about No Poo Oily Hair.
What is that Slippery Feeling When You No Poo?
Before I started to wash my hair No Poo style I must have read a million articles and comments all over the web. Then, when I actually went No Poo I read more. My hair looked and felt like, well – poo! I was not happy. This was not the holy hair grail I was promised. WTF No Poo people? Then I learned about “that slippery feeling”. I don’t remember which blog I was on, but I do remember it was in a long thread of comments that I read something about your baking soda solution feeling slippery in your hair when you apply it. Slippery? My baking soda solution had always felt dry and cottony on my hair. So I researched some more and found that baking soda acts as a natural water softener. I increased the amount of baking soda in my solution until I achieved the slippery feeling mentioned – VOILA – success! NOTE: If you are blessed with soft water your No Poo hair success will come faster than those of us with hard water. If you have hard water plan on having to increase your baking soda till you achieve “slippery”.
Itchy, Flaky No Poo Head
If you start experiencing an itchy, flaky scalp do the following:
- Switch to Method One – The BS Solution (if you are using Method Two – Hair Paste)
- Decrease the amount of baking soda you are using
- Be sure you are rinsing the baking soda completely from your hair
- Do a scalp rinse with your vinegar solution to condition your scalp
- Try my Honey Aloe Moisturizing No Poo “Shampoo” Recipe for your next wash – Aloe is scientifically proven to help with itchy, flaky, no poo head.
Your Key To No Poo Method Success? The Hair Journal
Keep a No Poo Hair Journal. Get a spiral notebook, use an app on your phone, anything you’ll keep up with and write down your journey. Keeping a hair journal will allow you to see what works and what doesn’t. No Poo can be a “trial and error” experience. This will limit the amount of time you spend in the “error” phase. 🙂 It will help you remember how much you used when you washed and how long you’ve gone between washes. Your hair journal will keep the transition phase to a minimum. Things to track in your hair journal:
- Days since last wash
- Current condition of your hair (shiny? dry? over-conditioned? anything note worthy)
- Amount of baking soda used
- Amount and type of vinegar in rinse used
- Method used (solution or paste)
- Did the BS feel slippery?
- Results (after your hair dries, how does it compare to before you washed?)
- Tweaks / Notes (track any tweaks you’ve made to ratios of baking soda or vinegar rinse or any other notes you find important)
(Optional) Easing Into The No Poo Method by Going Low Poo for a While
If you are concerned about starting the No Poo Method and the dreaded transitional phase, I recommend going Low Poo for 2 weeks to a month before starting your No Poo journey. Going Low Poo first can help shorten your transition phase because it removes less oil than traditional shampoos. It’s kinda the half way point between Commercial Poo and No Poo. Because Low Poo’s are much gentler and don’t have the same harsh sulfates and detergents found in commercial shampoo, your scalp can begin to slowly adjust before the “BAM” of a full-on No Poo experience. Learn More about Low Poo.
Herbal Rinses To Enhance Washing Your Hair No Poo Style
There are tons of herbal rinse teas to enhance your hair. Follow Method One or Method Two to wash your hair. Then, after you condition with vinegar and rinse with water, do an herbal rinse as a last step. Depending on the herbal rinse you can leave it in, or rinse with water. The rule of thumb is 1 tsp of dried herbs to 1 cup of hot water. Steep as if making a cup of tea. Allow to cool and use as hair rinse. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the rinse to fragrance your hair. To stimulate hair growth and add shine (it also helps with flakes and dandruff) try this Rosemary Herbal Hair rinse.
Vinegar Smell Got Ya Down? Try A Citric Acid Rinse Instead
You can swap out a vinegar rinse (if you really have to) with a citric acid hair rinse. (NOTE: DO NOT USE ASCORBIC ACID) You can find citric acid in the canning section of your grocery store with the pectin and mason jars. The citric acid rinse has NO SMELL at all. It is also an excellent water softener so a great choice if you have hard water. Like the vinegar, don’t get it in your eyes. Make sure you follow the directions below to obtain the correct dilution in your solution.
Why A Boar Bristle Brush?
No Poo is a great natural method for washing your hair. A boar bristle brush is another natural way to enhance your hair care. Boar bristle brushes range in cost from a few dollars to over a hundred bucks! Boar bristles distribute your hairs natural oils from root to tip, adding shine and helping to seal the hair shaft. The natural bristles are great for fine, or fragile hair as they will not tear or break your hair or cause damage. NEVER brush your hair when it is wet with any kind of brush. Wet hair is fragile and subject to breakage – run a wide comb through your hair when it’s wet if needed. Boar bristles also help remove dirt and debris from your hair. The bristles themselves are like a tiny micro-fiber cloth, trapping dirt, dust, and debris trapped in your hair. Cleaning your boar bristle brush, for this reason is very important (dirty brush = dirty hair). You should dry clean your brush once a week (more frequently if you use dry shampoo) and give it a good washing once a month. Check out my post on the easiest (and fastest) way to clean a boar bristle brush. If your brush came with cleaning instructions – then follow those for best results. Unfortunately, my favorite boar bristle brush is no longer available (they aren’t making it anymore – boo!), but this is a good vented bristle brush alternative.
After The Adjustment Phase – No Poo Nirvana
Congrats! You stuck with it! Your scalp and hair are now in balance. You only have to wash your hair every few days (or less) and your hair has never looked better! Keep up the great work, knowing you are going something great for your hair and for the environment!
Beyond The No Poo Method To Water Only Washes
What? Did she say “Water Only Washes?” Shut the front door!
Yup, after achieving No Poo Method nirvana many women find they can stop No Poo’ing and just wash their hair with water with the same beautiful results. How’s that for low maintenance hair care? I personally have not reached Water Only Bliss (I actually tried it today and experienced an epic fail – my hair isn’t ready for water only yet…but maybe one day!)
Not Ready For No Poo? Then Low Poo Is For You!
I can’t say enough good things about Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo. If you have to use a shampoo of some sort, this is what I recommend since it is all natural and organic. I use it myself after I do a hot oil treatment on my hair (No Poo won’t remove the oil from your hair, you have to use some sort of shampoo). This is a gentle, hydrating, shampoo. It still doesn’t lather like a traditional shampoo, but it’s more like what you are used to. I also love that it is made in the USA! So, if you have to wash your hair with shampoo, then this is the Low Poo for you!
What Makes Shea Moisture Low Poo Great:
- Sea kelp: Trace minerals detoxify hair follicles of impurities and residue
- Argan oil: Restores shine and rebuilds hair elasticity
- Shea butter: Deeply moisturizes and repairs damage to hair and scalp
- Ethically traded ingredients, sustainably produced
- Color-safe
- No parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, PABA, synthetic color, DEA, animal ingredients or sulfates (ick, yuck and no thank you)
- Cruelty free, no animal testing
- Certified organic ingredients
NOTE: Previously I had linked to Amazon for those wanting to try this shampoo. You can still get this shampoo from Amazon by clicking here.
Good Luck! Please let me know how things are going or if you have any questions.
No Poo One Year Later
The proof is in the pudding…here’s my hair after a year of No Poo. (By the way, it’s really hard to take a pic of the back of your head.)
Also posted at Small Footprint Fridays and Nourishing Joy.
1 Clarifying Hair and Silicone Damage by Scott Cornwall, Hair Expert
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'Becca says
Great, detailed article! I have been washing my hair with a vinegar-only method for 8 years, and it works really well for me. It’s funny how many of the problems I used to have with my hair turned out to be caused by shampooing.
Sarah says
Is this something you do everyday? I just made the mixtures thinking I would be using them over the course of the next few weeks but should I be using a TBS of bs with water everyday? Same with the vinager?
Laura says
I’ve been doing this for over a year and a half now. I don’t have very long or thick hair, so I use about an eighth to a quarter of a cup of the soda solution each time I wash, which is nearly everyday. Sometimes I skip the soda and just rinse with the Apple Cider Vinegar solution. I use a tablespoon or less of the vinegar solution each day.
Caitlin says
Yeah, can I make a like large doseage of it? To like leave in the shower? Or is it something that has to be made everyday?
Leah Dossey says
You can totally make a large batch of both the baking soda solution and the vinegar rinse to keep in the shower. 🙂
Scarlett says
Love what no-poo does for my hair. Reading this post about it is what convinced me to try it! I’ve been at it for a little over two months now; however, I notice that the back of my scalp gets a little itchy from it, and then I end up scratching it all night w/o realizing, and will wake up with a small scab on my scalp! I use the baking soda on all of my scalp and the vinegar only on my ends, could the problem be that I am not conditioning my scalp? Help!
Kevin says
After using baking soda & vinegar for a while, I found I was able to go completely no-poo and drop even that. Now it’s just water, unless I’ve put something in my hair that needs to be washed out.
Dawn @ Small Footprint Family says
Hi! Your post has been featured as a reader favorite over at Small Footprint Fridays! We will be pinning, tweeting and posting it this week too. Have an abundant week!
Shelbie says
Hi! I have heard so much about no poo and I really would like to try it, my only concern is that I bleach my hair every couple of months and dye my hair red every month. I tried no poo last summer but once I had to re-dye my hair I stopped because I didn’t know the effects it would but on my locks. Any suggestions for frequent dyers?
Leah Dossey says
Shelbie,
Since No Poo doesn’t strip your hair of it’s natural oils it should be safe for frequent dyers. In other words, I can’t see it drying out your hair. Also, there isn’t anything that I am aware of that would fade or change the color of your hair. I wouldn’t use lemon juice on your hair – unless you want to lighten it (or anything that’s a natural acid). Natural acids like citric acid (lemons, oranges, limes), lactic acid (milk, cream, yogurt), tartaric acid (cream of tartar) or malic acid (strawberries) will all lighten your hair over time. If your hair is dark, you could always do a black tea rinse after or even a rosemary infused rinse (just steep fresh rosemary overnight until it gets darkish). Hope this helps!
Rhonda says
Actually vinegar will strip your hair of color….so ez on that part!
Nana says
Vinegar will not strip color. Think of how you set the color in new blue jeans: a vinegar soak. Acids strip; bases set.
Ashley says
Actually, the scientific name of vinegar is acetic acid.. CH3COOH. Vinegar is an acid capable of stripping color.
Lori says
Yes, vinegar will strip your hair of color. Last summer I colored my hair red and it turned out a little to orangy for me. I used a vinegar/ soap mixture and it stripped a lot of the orangy-ness. Otherwise great article. I also no- poo!
Stef says
I don’t know about the acid effects of the vinegar but I would worry about the effects of the BS because it is a salt, which can strip color (hence all those things that get faded by salt water). I once tried one of those sea salt detox treatments for your scalp that is supposed to clean our hair of product build-up. It did, but down the drain went half my hair color. This is also why shampoos with sulfates (also salts) will fade color from hair immediately.
Leah Dossey says
You are correct, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. However, you are using such a small amount that it should not effect color treated hair the same way it shouldn’t fade colors when used in your laundry. Sulfates are typically used as surfactants in shampoo and laundry detergent. They serve to “make water wetter” to allow the cleaning agents to do their job.
A Chemist says
Just so you know, vinegar of any kind is also a natural acid so I’d be careful with this system in general on your dyed hair. Additionally, the baking soda is slippery for the same reason all commercial detergents are slippery-it’s a base. Mixing it with vinegar just neutralizes the base and makes salt.
Leslie says
Wait.. so If i also wash my hair with like lemon or something it will get lighter???
Julie says
Actually, red hair dye is WHY I went no poo almost 9 months ago. But I don’t use the bs and vinegar at all. I use cool water only and once in a great while a moisturizing soap bar made of Shea and olive oil. Keeps the color vibrant and my hair is thicker and curlier too.
Nadine says
I am really considering starting the no poo method, but my hair is not very thick and it’s curly. Will the no poo method affect my hair badly due to this? I also have really dark hair, and don’t want to lose that color.
Susan I says
I color my hair red and I’ve used vinegar rinses before and have never noticed the color stripping from my hair. Now, I probably only color my hair every 3 months, partly because my hair takes in the color pretty well, partly because I’m too lazy and cheap to go more often, and to the best of my recollection I’ve never done a vinegar rinse within a couple of weeks of coloring my hair, but again, the point of this response is that I’ve done vinegar rinses and have never had a problem with my color being stripped.
Janel says
how does this work for color treated hair? when at the salon, do you bring own solution to wash out color?
Leah Dossey says
As far as I know it does not effect color treated hair in anyway. When I go to the salon I ask to have my hair washed with a sulfate-free shampoo or I no-poo just before going and then just have them rinse my hair. Shea Mountain (see the African American section of the hair care isle) has a great natural-organic shampoo that you can use ever so often when you need to wash (like when traveling) and don’t want to No Poo. I found this product, tried it and was all, “The sisters have been holding out on us!” lol. It’s that great and doesn’t ruin your No Poo efforts. 🙂
Siyo says
i haven’t started no-poo yet but have been usually sulfate-free shampoo for the past month. Is that a good thing and why or how is it good for hair?
Hannah says
Does it accually make your hair grow faster?
rawr says
i dont care, it sounds gross!
Celia says
Great article. So much I didn’t know. I’d love to try it again but still have so many questions. I tried it once but didn’t know about preparing your hair before, the slippery feeling and the journal.
When I tried it I could see the difference, my hair looked great but since I exercise regularly I felt that it smelled like sweat agh! So I quit it. That is question 1. What to do if you exercise and feel it’s not enough to take the smell away?
I enjoy swimming regularly but to protect my hair from chlorine I use coconut oil. Question 2. Is it enough to take the coconut oil and the chlorine out?
I also henna my hair to cover the 3 gray hairs I have, to accentuate my almost red hair and to give shine. But it’s really hard to rince the henna as it is, it usually takes 3 washes and 3 uses of conditioner to get it all out. Question 3. Do I poo when I henna my hair?
Thank you so much
Tess says
As a hairdresser who has used this method before, red hair color fades no matter what you are putting in it. Vinegar is an acid and will seal the cuticles of your hair which makes it an excellent conditioning agent, and should not strip your color. Colored hair should have no problems with a diluted vinegar solution. On the other hand, baking soda is not good for colored hair ( anything less than permanent) because it is opposite on the pH scale and the alkalinity will open the hair cuticle and strip all that deposited color away. ( it happened to me, and I was not a red head) A tablespoon of BS to only a cup of water is way too much. You can get the slippery soft water using teaspoons- I have used 2 in one cup of very hard water and it worked great. I would not recommend using baking soda on bleached hair either. Bleached hair has more nourishment needs than BS can offer since there is literally no core in each hair. Bleached hair is beyond the help baking soda offers. It will make your already bleached and dry hair even drier. There are plenty of pH balanced no- poo cleansers and toxin free conditioners that will better suit the needs of chemically lightened or even re-texurized hair ( if you have had a perm or a relaxer you need to stay away from alkaline agents altogether.) the optimal use would be virgin or permanent color treated hair. I loved cleansing like this when I had long virgin hair, because it really does work.
jenn says
Could you specify what no poo methods are best for bleached hair? I have highlights, and am trying to find a more nurturing method for my stressed out tresses.
Leah says
Hi Jenn! The BS/Vinegar method will work on bleached hair, as will the aloe/honey “shampoo”. You could also consider Co-Washing (conditioner only). Frequent hot oil treatments or avocado hair masks will help as well, you will just need a good Loo Poo to wash them out. Coconut oil actually penetrates the hair shaft and is great for dry, over processed hair, but remember, a little goes a long way. As always keep your hair trimmed and try to limit the amount of heat you put on your hair while it recovers. Happy Hair Days A-Head (get it? “a head”) Sorry. Bad joke, I know. 😉
jenn says
I was dumb and used an oil based hair mask to try to increase moisture and ended up using dr bronners on it. I’ve seen recipes that call for castile soap and coconut milk. Are those recipes more nourishing alternatives or should I stick with just using a non oil mask every week?
Just fyi I was using no poo for a few weeks, and my highlights just got more and more crunchy. I don’t mind sticking it out with bs/acv, but I just got nervous.
Leah says
If you have soft water castille soap and coconut milk can be a great shampoo. Those with hard water tend to be less successful using that combination. You’ll never know till you try. 🙂 If the bs/vinegar is working for you, you can use aloe gel and honey as a moisture treatment for your hair.
Kristin says
How much of the baking soda/water solution should I use each time? The whole cup? You said not to apply to the ends but it sort of ends up there. I’m sure that’s fine. Just did it for the first time today and am pleasantly surprised. Thanks 🙂
Leah Dossey says
Kristin, you’ll find the ration that works for you. I do the paste method – but you want your roots to feel a bit “slippery”. It’s amazing how much body No Poo will put back into your hair. The reason you don’t have to apply all over is for the very reason you stated – when you pour from the roots it ends up at the tips anyway. 🙂 Most of what you want to remove from your hair is the sweat, dirt, dead skin cells etc. that are closest to the scalp. The solution that runs to the ends and the water will clean away the rest. Happy No Pooing and keep us posted on how it is working for you.
Nimra jafrani says
No poo method will remove my natural colour as well?
Bea says
Hi! I’ve wanted to try this method. But I have a big question.
What do you do after working out???
I go to the gym everyday and if I don’t wash it, well, is gross
Leah Dossey says
I haven’t personally had to deal with this situation (don’t work out – which explains the status of my butt, lol). BUT, you might want to try using a diluted solution of less baking soda if you have to wash daily. Once your hair is in balance many women (so far I’m not one yet) can just wash their hair with water. Everyone I know with hard water hasn’t had that kind of success, but if you are lucky enough to be in a soft water area you could get there. I know it’s scary (especially if you go to work and “see people”) after you work out, but you’ll have to do some trial an error on this one. A pony-tail or head band may be your best friend while you see which method works best for you. Let us know how it turns out – I’m sure others have that very same question. 🙂 OH, btw, when I do go bike riding, I find my scalp and hair are much less “icky” looking than before I started No-Poo.
Amber says
Hi! I haven’t used shampoo for nearly two years and I’m a regular runner. The no poo method still works great. I just take a little more time to gently rub circles with the pads of my fingers over my whole scalp. More rubbing equals more clean! Plus I always do a final rinse with cold water because it gets rid of frizz and makes your hair super shiny.
Heather says
I do a half version of No poo where I use only conditioner to “wash” my hair. I find that using something with a scent helps me not be the smelly girl. I just scrub away with conditioner and then do some more massaging under water. I only use some sort of shampoo once or twice a month. I work out about every day too and now that my hair is growing out from a pixie it’s getting to be smelly if I don’t do something. So to answer your question I will just massage my scalp with water only (I take baths so I am usually submerged) for up to 5 minutes. Also, if it’s the first or second day after washing I will just let the sweat dry and then do a bit of baby powder. (All of this sounds so gross when I talk about it, but people coo over my hair all the time). I do coconut oil masks once every other week, thats usually when I have to use shampoo.
Hope this helps!
Kelly says
Don’t have time for a coconut oil mask? Condition with coconut milk! It rinses out much faster than oil and leaves your hair super soft and coconut scented. Trader Joes coconut milk is only 99c a can. Use half and freeze the other, or use it for cooking 😉
Brittany K says
Thank you for this! I’ve been doing this for a couple months now and while I love it, at different times I’ve dealt with the straw feeling, itchy flaky scalp, and trying to wash oil out of my hair after a deep conditioning treatment. My hair is adjusting and doing well, but I’m definitely going to pick up some of that gentle shampoo!
Karli says
Uh.. If this helps your hair, why does your hair feel like straw the first few weeks?!
Leah Dossey says
That’s a great question! Your hair and scalp are having to “transition” from having detergents used on them all the time to being cleaned without them. Your scalp has to have time to get sebum production into balance. When you use regular shampoo the sebum is stripped from your scalp – your scalp freaks out and pumps out more oil (which is why most of us have to shampoo daily). When you NO POO that doesn’t happen. So, your scalp has to get it’s normal production of sebum back into equilibrium. The sebum travels down the hair shaft (boar bristle brushing helps this) and keep the hair soft and shiny. So when you first start things aren’t in balance and a “straw” feeling can result. People with really hard water typically have a longer transition time. I hope this helps. 🙂
Nikki Sexton says
I cant help but think of the last time i dyed/bleached my hair…i had that same “straw” like feeling and I hated it…I’d imagine it’s the same type of concept as when you first start this…when you dye your hair it essentially strips your hair of everything, so then you have an adjustment period to get it back to feeling normal…with no poo, i’d imagine the shampoo is like dying, and the adjustment period causes the same reaction…I have really oily hair, and was just thinking yesterday i’d love to find a natural shampoo alternative…needless to say, I will be giving this a try starting tomorrow…I already have lots of BS and Vinegar at home from using them to clean naturally…so i’m super excited to give this a try!!! Thanks for all the research/advice, etc!!!
Sarah says
Hi! I have a friend who works at a hair salon who’s actually done the No Poo method in the past and said it worked well for her – but here is my question. I have curly/wavy hair and use coconut oil serum, hair gel, and sometimes hairspray to keep the curls intact (otherwise I wind up with lots of body and lots of frizz and no shape at all – basically I look like a wild woman). As it is, I only shampoo my hair once every 3-4 days, because my hair is pretty dry naturally and hardly ever gets very oily. But I do need to use some sort of shampoo just to get all of the product out of my hair. I try to use a low sulfate or sulfate free shampoo when possible…
So my question is…does the “No Poo” method work to get the product out of your hair? Gel, hairspray, etc…?
Leah Dossey says
I’m a product user too. I’m a Texas girl and let me tell you we know how to put a can of extra-strength Aquanet to use (lol). The only issue I had was when I first started. Around week 3-4 you could actually see little cylinders of build-up from my hair finally “letting go” after years of build up. It was freaky. It took a few days for all the gunk to “let go” but once that happened I haven’t had any issue getting hairspray or product out of my hair. Just let the water run through your hair for a bit before you No Poo. If you have a different experience or it doesn’t work – let me know. 🙂
Laura says
I was searching these comments with the same question in mind. Thankfully, I don’t have to put a whole can of Aquanet to use all the time, but sometimes I do for military purposes. I was curious about how well it worked at getting out product. I think I may try this No Poo. Wish me luck!
Kaci says
I’m a hair stylist and although this article is the first i’ve heard of no poo, I can suggest if your having a problem with build up on your hair any redken salon should offer a treatment called pre-art. This treatment removes all buildup from product usage and cheap shampoos that contain wax and plastic. It might be useful before you start this method or periodically if you start to get buildup
Karen says
Honey, as an old school hair stylist, I can tell you, the first thing we recommend for an overload of AquaNet buildup is (drum roll, please)…Baking soda! Breaks that hold right down and rinses it away. I gotta have my big ol’ Texas hair and buy my baking sode right along side my super hold!
'Becca says
Sarah, my hair was like that when I used shampoo. In order to make it lie down, I was mixing about a Tbsp. of conditioner with water, combing it through my hair, and leaving it in. When I switched to washing my hair with vinegar, I noticed no problem getting the conditioner off, but I also found right away that I did not need to put anything on it to make it lie down. By not stripping all the oil off my hair, I was allowing it to be coated with its natural oil instead of petroleum oils from a bottle, with basically the same effect of controlling frizz and holding waves together. I no longer use any styling product on my hair except for special-occasion hairstyles.
It’s probably worth mentioning, though, that I don’t have bangs and don’t expect my front hair to stay out of my eyes on its own; it’s either French-braided or in some kind of barrettes or clips. Years ago I had a Veronica Lake kind of style with a big wave above my forehead, and I’d be surprised if that kind of thing can be accomplished without gel or spray!
Leah Dossey says
Becca – Excellent point about the natural oils helping to keep your hair frizz free. Thanks for sharing!
Emma Lee says
Thank you one and all for the answers! That was really informational for me.
My biggest worry, going into No ‘Poo, is how it will work with my products. I’ve been using Conditioner only (a la Curly Girl method) for about 8 years now, and it’s been good. But I have thick curly hair, and I am currently using 3 products (leave-in conditioner, frizz control, and light hold curly gel) to help define and get rid of frizz. After starting the No ‘Poo method, would I still need all of those? Would they work with the no poo method, or fight against it?
Also, since I’m technically not using shampoo already, what could I expect for my transition time?
L.Thorp says
Hi!! This is so interesting! I came across this article by way of Pinterest. My question is how often do you have apply the baking soda and rinse when you start. I wash my hair about every other day with shampoo now, but I am interest in this method.
Thanks!!!
T says
Do the no ‘poo routine every 3-4 days. On the in between days either rinse your hair with just water or tie it up out of the way and keep it dry!
Leah Dossey says
When I first started, I No Poo’d when my hair looked “dirty” or “oily”. Gradually the my hair needed to be No Poo’d less frequently. It was awesome!
Jaide says
Is it okay to use rice vingar?
Cathy says
Hey there I just finished up washing my hair no poo for the first time. The only question I have is about the slippery feeling. Is it supposed to be like slippery Pastey or slippery watery?
Leah Dossey says
Cathy, once you apply the baking soda let it sit there for a bit. Once the roots start to feel slippery (not like shampoo slippery, but more slippery than just water) then you know you are good to rinse. Does this help?
Amanda says
I have a similar question. So I’ve washed my hair three times with the No Poo method. I have pretty curly hair and it’s really long, plus bangs, and before No Poo I washed my hair every 2-3 days. I’ve noticed so far that my curls are different: smaller and tighter, but the tiny strands do have a sort of oily look to them.
I’m unsure about the slippery feeling. Should it be in any way thick or sticky? Cause I’ve felt my hair, when in the shower and letting it sit for a bit with the baking soda, break up in clumps of strands (if that makes sense) and feel a little sticky. I can’t tell if this is the ‘waxy’ feeling you described or the ‘slippery’ feeling. And the little curl strands at the tips of my hair look a little oily. I don’t know if this is just my hair adjusting or if I need to adjust the solutions. Thanks!
Leah Dossey says
Amanda, if your hair at the ends looks oily you are probably using too much vinegar in your rinse. You could try to decrease the amount of vinegar (switch to white vinegar if you are using apple cider vinegar) or give your ends a quick water rinse using your current mix of vinegar and water. Your hair is “curlier” because No Poo increases body. The slippery feeling I’m talking about is the same amount of “slippery” you would feel if you gently ran a wet finger over a bar of soap and then rubbed your finger and thumb together. Think of it like this…you know how when you wash your hands with soap they are really slippery? Think of the amount of slippery they feel right before you know you are done washing – they aren’t super slippery, but you can still feel the “slippery”. That’s the feeling you are going for on your roots. Hope this helps!
Amanda says
Okay, so I’m adding more. Fast forward a few hours after my last post, and all my hair minus a few inches close to my roots feels and looks really oily. It’s still curly, but the strands are tiny and look stringy. I put nothing on it, did nothing unusual. I’m confused because my hair is not naturally oily at all, and since it’s not my scalp that’s oily but the rest of my hair, is it something I’m putting in? I’m using Method 1 with Apple Cider vinegar. I already upped the baking soda, but since my hair isn’t naturally oily, I feel like using white vinegar would be weird. Is this my hair transitioning or am I doing something wrong? Thanks! Sorry for two posts.
Tasha says
Try less vinegar and switch to white vinegar, that might be why your hair is oily
Jessica says
I have a question? Do I have to wait like two weeks before I can style my hair if I start this method and if I put hair spray and products in my hair (which I need) is that okay??
Leah Dossey says
Jessica, I can’t live without hairspray. I didn’t really wait – I just didn’t use it the first few weeks unless I absolutely had to (going out in public). There should be no real issue with using product when you first start. What you will find though, is that you will probably need less and less product as you go along. The really “crunchy” folks out there don’t use any product. I myself am trying to be greener and crunchier – but alas, I still need product from time to time. I haven’t had any issues using mousse, hairspray, root lift, etc. I will say this though – I use much less because my hair is finally happy, full of more body and doesn’t require as much of that stuff any more. 🙂
Bre says
So do you just jump in to not washing your hair for a week after your first No Poo wash or do you ease your way into it? I usually wash my hair every other day and not washing my hair for a week sounds awesome… but not if I am going to look like I fried a chicken in my hair. Anyone have any suggestions?
Leah Dossey says
Just wash when it starts to look dirty or oily. As your hair adjusts you will be able to wash less and less. IF you can go a 3-7 days after the No Poo that would be ideal – to give your scalp time to recover from years of detergent. I wore my hair up the first week. If you can’t just try going as long as you can between washings.
Manda C. says
I have been doing this method for almost a year. Couldn’t stand spending lots of cash for shampoos that just went down the drain. In the begining I could go about 3 day befor my hair started to look oily. Sprinkeling some corn startch in at the roots and brushing in the white spot (where the corn startch was visible) would give me another day or 2 befor I needed to wash again. I know, sounds wierd, but it works for me. My hair now feels and acts the way it should! Before, it was always dry and frizzy and dull looking. Now it’s soft, shiney and not frizzy. I have played with different vinigars but now I stick with Braggs Apple Cider vinigar. It’s a great sleeker and feels like any high prices conditioner. It also helps deture static ( I have always had this problem but not with AC Vinigar)Have patience and play around with what works for you. Also remember, everyones water and hair and diet are different. Just a thought.
Alexis says
My hair is naturally curly and usually dry. Currently i wash my hair with traditional shampoo about twice a week, once if i can get by. On the days in between i usually only rinse my hair with water. I would like to start using the no poo method since i think it will help me control my hair and also help with the growth. With no poo do you rinse with water on days inbetween washes? Or avoid water? Or rinse with vinegar only?
Leah Dossey says
Alexis, naturally curly hair (which tends to be dry) benefits best from the curly girl method of co-washing (conditioner only). Google up “curly girl method” and you’ll get all the info you need. You can always to the No Poo method described here – many, many, do – but many, many, more have the most success with the Curly Girl Co-Wash method. Good luck!
Amber P. says
I need suggestions from anyone! I am determined to stick to this no poo thing but I am having some serious issues with static. My hair/scalp is still in the phase of getting used to it but thus far I am really liking it…but my issue is that my static in my hair is so bad. I am using just straight vinegar when ‘conditioning’ instead of mixing it with water even and it still comes out extraordinarily staticy on day two (because I don’t wash my hair every day)…so I used a mixture I made of coconut oil, olive oil, and water and I just sprayed it in ‘leave in conditioner’ style but it then turned so oily and disgusting that it looked like hadn’t washed it in weeks plus it was still staticy! I despise the feeling of static and I do not like wearing my hair up…any suggestions as to how to get rid of the static without using normal conditioner or leave in conditioner?
I am using method 1 with extra baking soda because my hair is way too thick for the 1 tb (believe me, I tried it and I missed spots but with extra baking soda it works well…plus I have hard well water) and then pouring just straight white vinegar in my hair (soaking the ends in a cup of it) and leaving it in there while I wash. The first day it works great but day two and it’s like I been struck by a lightning bolt.
Leah Dossey says
Amber, I have 2 suggestions for you.
1. Try a boar bristle brush. That should smooth out your hair and help distribute the natural sebum. You might want to try: German Oval Cushion Brush
2. Try rubbing just a SMALL (I mean teeny tiny) amount of jojoba oil (olive oil or coconut oil will work too if that’s what you have on hand) onto your palms until there is just a slight sheen. THEN run your hands over the static areas. This should tame your hair and give it a bit of shine. Just be careful. A little goes a long way – and if you over do it you’ll end up with a grease slick. What really sucks is that if you have A LOT of oil in your hair – you’ll need to use some kind of shampoo or soap to remove it…so be careful! It is always easier to add more than to take away. 🙂
Amber P. says
The thing though is that I do have a bristle brush and it made the static worse. I don’t know if it’s 100% boar because it was given to me but there is no way I can go out and spend more than 5 bucks on a brush when I already have 4 brushes to begin with and keep a smile on my husband’s face. I normally just use a pick anyways.
Even when I had too much oil sprayed into my hair it was still staticy. I will definitely try just having a small amount of coconut oil in my hands and distributing it in my hair that way but if that still doesn’t work do you think it would be horrible to get a regular leave in conditioner?
Leah Dossey says
Amber, the boar bristle brush I use has nylon “spikes” (good grief, I know that can’t be the right term) plugged in with the boar bristles. The nylon is suppose to prevent static when just the boar bristle alone won’t do the trick. I don’t think a leave-in conditioner should be a problem. The way I look at it is we women want to be as beautiful as possible – and our hair is a big part of that. If a leave-in condition is needed to achieve the level of hair beauty that makes you have a “good hair day” smile – then by all means, girl. Go for it. Shea Moisture makes several different leave in conditioners that are organic that you might want to try. I would just suggest using the gentlest leave-in on your hair. You can also try upping the ratio of vinegar in your rinse. That may help as well. 🙂 Let us know how it goes.
Tiffany says
I’ve heard for some that apple cider vinegar works better for their hair than white vinegar. In my experience, when my hair was long, that was true for me. I had the static problem too.
Ashley says
I have been no pooing for about a week now and this cottony dirty feeling is driving me insane. My hair has never gotten tangled and has always been easy to brush out knots but because my hair was over producing so much oil it is making the transition very difficult on my hair. I feel disgusting and my hair doesn’t feel oily but it feels like I have been riding up and down a dirt road with the windows down. I can’t even run my fingers through my hair with out them getting tangled in my hair. I haven’t been able to get the special brush yet but something tells me regardless of the brush I have this straw like dirty feeling won’t allow any type of brush to comb it out easily. I tried washing with hot water and it hasn’t helped. My next step is to adjust the amount of BS because I have really hard water and I adjusted the ACV and water. It’s seriously driving me crazy not being able to brush my hair without the brush gettin tangled in my hair. Sorry for ranting but it feels so gross. What can I do? The only bright side is I can actually tease my hair and I won’t need a lick of product but then I won’t be able to brush it out because it gets so darn tangled.
Jessica says
My hair does that too, know this may sound odd, but running a fabric softener sheet on it really tames it! It stops the fizz and the static cling:)
Amber P. says
Sweet. Now that is a good idea. I will have to try it and I don’t have to go spending more money on that.
Christine says
Try a egg rinse. I get my hair wet and use a beaten egg (just beaten with my fingers) to cover my hair in a mask. I rub it in for a good minute then rinse it out. Just only use coldish warm water before and after with your hair, otherwise you will cook the egg into your hair. The protein helps and the whatever connecting power eggs have makes your hair stick better together. Just only do it at most once a week, cause it can be too much protein for the hair. Hair looks so beautiful afterwords, like a shiny sheet. You don’t have to do any baking soda or vinegar during that day either. The act of rubbing in the egg should clean your hair.
KD says
Have you tried running a dryer sheet over your hair? May not be No Poo 🙂 I find it helps in our super dry Calgary winters and have even used it on my dog after she’s been hiding in blankets and comes out looking like she stuck a paw in a electric outlet!
Chloe says
Running a fabric softener sheet through your hair seriously works. I don’t know about No Poo hair, but it has worked for me!
Jennifer says
What I do about static in my hair -especially winter says- is keep a fabric softener sheet tucked in my purse. Rub the sheet thru your hair, scalp and feel the difference! You might look like a real fool, but it certainly keeps its under control. I got the idea from knowing that pinning/rubbing a sheet to a skirt, silk shirt or paint will keep it from clinging. I gave it shot one I had had enough of those little fine hairs in my regrowth were tickling my nose.
Racheal says
I go swimming twice a week. Will the baking soda get all the chlorine out of my hair?
Leah Dossey says
Rinsing your hair with water right after swimming is the best way to remove chlorine from your hair. This keeps the chlorine from penetrating the hair shaft as your hair dries. You can then proceed to Poo or No-Poo as you see fit.
Rose says
As a swimmer, I can tell you that the best thing to do is keep chlorine out of your hair to begin with. If it’s wet before you dive in, it’s saturated and the chlorine cant penetrate it. Drench your hair, then put on your cap. Your hair will thank you!
ashley says
I heard that vinegar bleaches your hair, and the apple cider makes it more red.
Amber P. says
That’s not the case at all. I been using straight vinegar on mine (natural caramel colored hair) and it’ getting darker…like obvious the others darker.
Leah Dossey says
I have not had that experience. However, it is a weak acid so I can neither confirm nor deny if it will bleach or redden your hair. After almost a year of this method on my hair, I haven’t had any color changes on my brown hair.
lissette says
Would this work and help control dandruff? Mine acts up really bad in the winter and I have tried everything Imaginable. I am looking for new ways to deal with it.
Leah Dossey says
My understanding is that dandruff is a build up of excess sebum and debris (dead skin cells) on the scalp. I do not have dandruff issues, but in my mind it stands to reason that if your scalp is in balance (not over producing sebum) then your dandruff should clear up as well. Your adjustment phase might be a little longer though. Just be patient and don’t wear black. 🙂
Kari says
I’ve had horrible dandruff my entire life. So far I’ve been no poo for about 8 months and in the driest, coldest winter yet-and it’s been amazing! Yeah, sometimes a flake will come up but it’s been worse. I use the CO method, and if it’s extra dry outside I’ll use a tiny bit of EVOO on my roots. Hope it works!
Rachel says
I put a drop or two of tea tree oil in my baking soda/water mixture to control dandruff. When I first started, I put it in every no-poo, but now I’ll just do it once a month or every other month.
cosmo says
As a cosmetologist i would tell you you may want to consult a dermatologist. Dry Scalp and Dandruff are different things and the later can be serious. Dry scalp is classified as flaky ( so dry and it moves and comes away easily when hair is brushed or scalp is lightly scratched or rubbed ) and dandruff is not necessarily oily but doesn’t come away easily. The leading cause of dandruff is a naturally occurring microscopic fungus called malassezia. The fungus feeds on the scalps natural oils and creates a by-product that is irritating to the skin and causes it to react harshly and cause the flaking of dead cells faster.
Im sorry if i majorly grossed anyone out, but i want everyone to have the correct info. Try the no-poo way, and if it works that is amazing and im glad you found something that does work! but if the problem persists or comes back worse or even the same then please see a dermatologist or physician.
The no-poo way sounds like a good alternative to harsh parabin and sulfate shampoos and conditioners but there are a lot of good professional products out there one of my favorite that i use is LOMA they smell amazing and there core line is 100% organic and made in the US.
Lyndsay says
Another way to do it is called co-washing. Where you wash your hair with a sulfate free conditioner. It’s really great for people who struggle with dry hair.
Larissa says
So I am VERY interested in trying this….I currently can and do go about 5-7 days between washes….wash hair once a week in between I sometimes use a little baby powder in my hair to help soak up the super oiliness but not everyday depends how it looks….I want to do this no poo thing…..I’m kind of excited actually.! I’m just worried my hair will get too dry and crunchy it stays pretty nice with one wash a week
Larissa says
Forgot to add something! I also want to try this with my 6 year old daughter….she is biracial with curly dry hair….I only was once a week with macadamia nut shampoo and conditioners…..so can this help her hair as well? I’ve been trying to find something because as she gets older her hair texture is getting more coarse and very dry I hate using any kind of product but In order to keep it decent I use hair moisturizing lotions and oils. I hope this will work for her too!
Leah Dossey says
Lariaa, like my mom used to say, “No way to tell if the water is cold unless you jump in.” (How’s that for southern wisdom.) It sounds like you might have a very short transition period (if any) since you can already go so many days with out shampooing. All I can say is give it a try. On a side note, if you have light hair, try corn starch instead of baby power (it absorbs more, but doesn’t smell as nice) or coco powder if you have dark hair. Let us know how it works out for you.
Danielle says
I usually straighten my hair every day, will the heat from my straightener ruin my process at all?
Leah Dossey says
Flat ironing your hair daily is always stressful on the hair shaft. It dries it out and promotes breakage and split ends. That being said, I own two flat irons and use them from time to time. What you can expect is that you will smell the vinegar when you flat iron and that may cause that smell to linger. Other than that, it should not ruin the no-poo experience at all.
Ally says
I’m curious; what kind of effect would this have on very fine hair? I have extremely fine hair that is prone to breakage, so how do I go about doing something like this? Shampooing and conditioning, depending on the kind of stuff that I get, wreaks havoc on my roots. Any tips?
Leah Dossey says
Ally, I have fine hair too. I’m also a hair twirler so I had this big chunk of uneven broken hair in the back of my head. Every day I would get out of the shower and I had so much hair fall-out it looked like there was a Wookie sitting in the bottom of my drain. This is what started me on my, “there has to be a better way” journey. No Poo has made my hair feel thicker, given it more body and I have 1/10th the fall-out I did before. After almost a year my pony tail is thicker in diameter, I’ve almost grown out my chunk of uneven ugliness and you can see all the new hair growth. My stylist told me, “I don’t know what you are doing, but keep doing it!” It’s going to take time for your scalp to get back into balance. Patience is key. But your fine hair should benefit from using a method like this. Keep us posted if you give it a try. Let us know what worked or didn’t work for you.
Madison says
Does anyone notice that they shed MORE since the no poo method? Maybe I’m overreacting, I love this method and have been using it for about a month but I feel like I’m shedding MORE. I also have fine hair.
Leah Dossey says
Madison, this is not what I experienced nor what most people report…so I’m thinking that there may be another factor contributing to your fall-out. No Poo actually prevented the little wookie from forming in the bottom of my drain. 🙂 I have really fine hair too. Here’s what I would do:
TROUBLESHOOTING HAIR FALL OUT
1. Reduce your baking soda, but allow it to sit longer and really massage your scalp.
2. Keep using your vinegar rinse as normal
3. Grab some biotin and some folic acid at the store. These will help your hair a lot (but it will take time to see the results).
4. Pick up a 100% silk pillow. This will reduce friction while you sleep and help prevent fall-out and breakage during the night hours.
5. Use a wide tooth comb on your hair and comb your hair daily.
6. It is normal to loose about 100 – 150 hairs per day.
7. Hormones can cause your hair to shed. Depending on your age, have your doctor check your thyroid. If it is your “time of the month” than that can cause extra fall out that week too.
8. Anemia can cause thinning hair or fall out. Get your iron levels checked too.
9. Don’t play with your hair. I twirl my hair (nervous habit). It was breaking my hair and causing it to fall out. I had to learn to sit on my hands for awhile until I could get through the day with out touching my hair.
10. Seasonal change can also cause hair to shed. If it’s just starting to warm up where you are that may be a contributing factor as well.
Keep your chin up. We are all here for you! 🙂
Megan says
So, since I have hard water, maybe I need more baking soda? I didn’t feel any “slippery” at all…
Leah Dossey says
Yes – try more baking soda and leave it on while you do the rest of your showering. When you come back to it, it should have that slippery feeling.
Ashley says
I just got done washing my hair with no shampoo and it is super tangled. I mean awful there is no getting a comb through this. How can I get it untangled without using conditioner?
judy keith says
Ive been doing this for awhile and love it. I normally after washing (and conditioning) have a tangle spot on the right side of my head, don’t know why. But when I used the baking soda and vinegar rinse there was NO tangle! I was amazed!!!! I love it!
N H says
I was really worried about not having conditioner as I have curly hair and many commercial conditioners don’t work well enough to let me comb them through in the shower, but I have found that if I brush my hair before the show with a natural bristle brush and then follow the instructions I have no issues at all with tangles. I was REALLY surprised. SO try brushing before, and then comb it in the shower after spritzing with vinegar and see if that helps
Disa says
I would like to try this but I was wondering what kind of baking soda to use. Arm and Hammer baking soda?
Leah Dossey says
Disa, Arm & Hammer is what I use – but you can use the generic grocery store kind too. 🙂
cassie says
hi! uh i pride myself on my hair smelling good. is there certain things that make your hair smell good after doing no poo? er….fragrances
Leah Dossey says
Cassie, I love my hair to smell good too! What I do is just spritz my favorite fragrance lightly on my hairbrush. 🙂
Lena says
Cassie, I have been ACVing my hair for almost a year now, but dont rinse it out as i find my hair is much better with it left in. Because i adore nice smelling hair too, i mixed strong tea in with my ACV. One cup of tea(Brewed with about 6 teabags) mixed with one cup of ACV works great for me. I use Hibiscus as i have red hair. Black tea for Brown/Black hair and Chamomile for Blonde. Leaves it smelling wonderful.
Melissa levens says
I have a question. Can you style your hair any way you want (with heat) and it will still grow an inch every month or so????
Leah Dossey says
Growth rates vary by person and by part of the head (different parts grow faster). Stimulating the scalp, keeping the scalp clean, and making sure you eat lots of fruits and veggies with folic acid and biotin (they make hair grow, lush and strong) can help accelerate hair growth. I haven’t found anything in my research that applying heat makes your hair grow slower – but it does cause damage and breakage. So be careful. 🙂
Melissa levens says
I have another question. Do you have to do this method everyday till your hair isn’t straw feeling any more or do you only do it every couple of days??? Because I normally shampoo my head every three to four days.
Leah Dossey says
You should be fine with your current routine.
Ash says
The best post I’ve read on this and theres so much mention of it out there. I’m confused about after the adjustment period. So I’m “washing” every what 4 days…? What am I “washing” with? The baking soda/vinegar method. Or with just water?
Leah Dossey says
You are going to wanna wash with the BS & Vinegar and wait 3-4 days (longer if you can) between washings. I had a hard time leaving my hair alone the first few weeks and found myself washing with aloe-vera gel and honey every two days or so. The aloe mix hydrates and fed my need to fuss with my hair. 🙂
Rachel says
Leah, will you elaborate on the aloe vera gel and honey mixture that you use to hydrate your hair? This is my first week of using no poo and I have crazy curly hair and fear that I need more hydration.
Ashley G says
Wait so you’re only suppose wash your hair with this solution every three to four days? I’ve been doing it every day for a week and that would explain why it feels like I have a ton of buildup and why it feels disgustingly dirty. It’s completely unmanageable and I can’t brush my hair without it getting tangled. Not only that but I’m getting a lot of breakage. I’m losing a lot of hair because the brush can’t get through the tangles. And no matter how much I brush it won’t smooth out my hair at all. When I touch my hair with my hands it makes them feel dirty and dry. And no matter how much BS I use I can’t seem to get the “slippery” feeling. I’m extremely frustrated with the results.
Jen says
The minimum amount of time you should be putting between BS/V washes is three days. Washing every day with BS is not good for your hair and can cause it to be very dry and damaged. For days in between BS/W washes, try the Honey/Aloe shampoo (recipe here in Leah’s blog), egg, or water only. The slippery feeling is important, but hard to achieve if you have hard water. Try boiling the water or using distilled water. I wouldn’t add any more BS at this point if you’re having a lot of fall out.
Ashley says
I am a swimmer and my hair has suffered some damage from chlorine. I was wondering if the no poo method would help with this?
Leah Dossey says
No Poo can’t help with existing chlorine damage. If your hair is “green” then try a rosemary rinse if you are a brunette, a henna rinse if you are a red-head and a lemon and chamomile rinse if you are a blonde. YOu can find lots of herbal rinse recipes online. 🙂
l says
Remember, if you are using any type of henna, your hair will be in terrible condition for future trips to the salon for coloring or perming or relaxing.
Morgan says
Hi I live this method but after I got out of the shower It was so tangely I could barely comb it and I combed it before I took a shower. Please help I really want to continue this but if it’s gonna be this hard to comb and tangely I’m gonna have to start using conditioner again.
Ashley says
I’m having the same problem. It’s a little better once it’s dry but letting it air dry took FOREVER. I don’t know about your hair but mine has the cotton/straw feeling but it also feels like it has residue left in it. I rinsed it twice very well and I can’t get it out. If you find a way to take care of the tangles please share I’m in the same boat.
Leah Dossey says
Try not to “smush and scrunch” your hair like you may have done with commercial shampoo. Just use your fingertips to massage the scalp and roots. When you apply the vinegar rinse, allow it to flow down your hair (or squirt with a spray bottle).
You can also try mixing some aloe-gel (I got mine from my garden, but you can buy it at the store – just make sure it’s 100% pure) with some honey. About 1/4 C of Aloe-gel to 1 Tbs of honey. This is very slippery and you can use it to detangle in the shower with a wide comb before rinsing and stepping out.
betty says
How would I get product out of my hair if I’m not supposed to wash the full length of my hair with the baking soda solution?
Leah Dossey says
Great question! Unless you are using a wax or oil based product, most products will just wash away with water. The BS mixes with the water and when you rinse, runs down the hair shaft. This diluted BS solution cleans the shaft as well. Don’t be shocked if you start seeing little cylinders of white stuff in your hair (it lasted 3 days for me). It was years of product finally letting go of my hair shaft.
Christina says
Id love to try this, except for the fact that I swim 5-6 times a week. I have to wash my hair daily to get the chlorine out, but my hair is so damaged from the chlorine and chemicals. ):
Leah Dossey says
We’ve had lots of chlorine / swimming questions. I’m going to do some more extensive research for you ladies and see what I can find.
Rupa says
I have Indian hair, which means its thick, a bit coarse and frizzy. As of late, I’ve experienced major hair loss, and I’m only 18. I’ve switched from my regular shampoo to Shea Moisture in the past couple of weeks, but my hair has not improved much. Also, I have an oily/flaky scalp, and dry hair. It’s a strange combo, but it happens.
Because the Shea moisture has not helped much, I was wondering if you knew how similar of an outcome the no poo is compared to the Shea moisture products. Also, is it possible to make the paste ahead of time and store it? I’m a college student, and can’t afford the time to run back and forth from the kitchen every time I have to shower. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Leah Dossey says
Rupa I had the same problem. I was loosing so much hair and had massive breakage and damage. Shea moisture is great for an organic shampoo alternative, but it sounds like you need to get your scalp into balance first. Here are some thoughts:
1. Do you air dry or blow dry your hair? When thick hair is air dried it can cause flaky, itchy patches where the moisture stays on the scalp too long. Blow drying can help with that.
2. If you are using a shared bath at the dorm, just include a little air tight container of baking soda with your other supplies. Use the Paste method and mix in your hand as needed. When you apply to your scalp, concentrate on the areas that are both dry and oily. The BS will help exfoliate and clear the follicles in the dry areas and will help remove the oil in the oily areas.
3. Because your hair is thick – remember to keep the BS at the roots. You don’t want to tangle your hair.
4. Use a bit more Apple Cider Vinegar in your rinse – it will help to condition the ends.
5. Finish off with a very light application of Argan oil to tame any frizz.
6. Add a folic acid and biotin supplements to your diet. They are important for strong, healthy hair (that doesn’t fall out).
7. I know this sounds silly, but drink lots of water if you don’t already. It helps flush the body (including the scalp) of toxins.
Remember hair repair takes time. You should start to see new healthy growth in a month or two and decreased fall out. My hair would fall out in clumps when I conditioned with commercial products – now only a few strands fall out when I wash. And don’t forget – you have Indian hair – the most beautiful hair in the world (in my opinion). I know it’s frustrating right now – but you are blessed. 🙂
Rupa says
Leah,
Thank you very much for the prompt reply! And I don’t blow dry my hair and only straighten it once or twice every two months. I’ve had trouble getting my scalp to calm down, but I will definitely try this. Thank you very much for your help!
Elizabeth says
Hi I use argan oil so can I continue using it if I do the no poo method?
Leah Dossey says
Limit the amount of oils (of any kind) you use when using this method. The BS will not remove the oils the way shampoo does. If your hair really needs daily oil or a hot oil treatment from time to time use a gentle shampoo. Shea Moisture is the shampoo I use after a hot oil treatment.
alli says
I have been considering this method for a few months but was finishing up my internships. Now I am studying for my national board exam and I suppose its “now or never”.
I have extremely fine, thin hair.. seriously when i braid my hair back its a pitiful looking situation. My teasing brush has been my best friend as of late. Anyway… on top of my thin hair situation, I have EXTREMELY greasy hair. If I wash my hair in the morning its starting to look greasy and flat by 6pm. This is very frustrating for me!
One of my best friends has been no poo’ing for about 5 months, she has thick hair and before she started no poo’ing she could go days without washing and no one knew…
I attempted washing with apple cider vinegar once, when I say once I mean only one day…
Currently I am using Suave Keratin Infusions… I have never used a shampoo or conditioner that has made my hair feel so amazing… Its unreal. The bottle reports that it has lower sulfates, I realize this probably doesn’t mean squat. *sigh*
I just want to be able to have voluminous non-greasy hair!!
alli says
So today was the day… my first trial run of this… and I was shocked that it actually worked….
my hair is not greasy after I showered… I washed my hair yesterday with shampoo and conditioner, teased, hairsprayed, my hair was curled, straightened and I also went in a hot tub… so my hair really took a beating yesterday… I thought for sure that it would not look even remotely clean today.
I method one but I doubled the bs in the solution (it didnt feel very slippery until I added more) I put two rounds of solution in my hair (scrubbed, rinsed, scrubbed rinsed).
I could tell before I got out of the shower that it felt clean…
I had to use a little de-tangling spray because of the aformentioned hell my hair was put through yesterday, but it feels amazingly soft.
I am interested in what it will look like tomorrow…
🙂
Alex says
Question, I have been using Clinicure purifying scalp cleanse and Clinicure balancing scalp nourish. Do you know anything about products like this? They definitely are not a shampoo and conditioner because my hair feels kind of like straw if I just use them. I wonder if I should stop using them while I try no poo, or if they are actually good for my hair…
Tania says
Hi Leah!
Do you use any particular Baking soda or vinegar?? Just plain old white vinegar???
'Becca says
Some people prefer apple cider vinegar. I started with that but then tried white vinegar because it’s less expensive. I feel that it works better for me and doesn’t smell as strong. I just buy the giant jug of Heinz white vinegar at Costco!
Tania says
thanks for the response Leah. Looking forward to trying it. Thanks for taking the time to share it and reply to everyone!!!!!
Melissa says
Hi, I really want to try this. I have fine very oily hair that is neither straight or curly, it’s horrible and I never know if I should scrunch or straighten it. I’ve been using mane and tail shampoo and conditioner which is horrible BTW. I wash my hair EVERY day. I’m worried this will make my hair even greasier. I don’t use oils. Any suggestions for me? Thanks so much.
'Becca says
Melissa, I also had oily hair and actually had washed it with dish detergent at times! I used to wash 2 out of 3 days, putting up with greasy hair on the 3rd day just so I’d have time to shave my legs…. When I switched to washing with vinegar, after a few weeks I found that my hair was less oily than it had been. It still feels oily near the scalp sometimes, but brushing helps a lot.
I have thick hair, though, so I’m not sure what might be different with finer hair. I think you should try no-poo every other day, with shampoo on the days between, and see what happens. If you see any improvement, try skipping the shampoo days.
Leah Dossey says
Melissa, I too have fine hair and after the transition phase my hair is much fuller, I have new hair growth and less fall out. It also has a bit more body (and isn’t so darn flat). I used to shampoo my hair daily too – but since No Pooing I only wash every 4-6 days. It was hard for me (being a hair freak) to get through the transition – but I just stuck with it – and I’m so glad I did. All I can say is give it a try. Expect your hair to be SUPER OILY at the start because your scalp is still going to be over-producing sebum. Once your scalp calms down – you’ll find you don’t need to wash daily to have natural, healthy, shiny hair. 🙂
Rose says
So i am gonna do this the only problem is i didn’t get the whole wait for four days before washing to begin with. I have washed it everyother day for about a week now and my hair is sooooooo greasy that it grosses me out totally. if i increase the soda and wait four days do you think it will be less greasy?
Leah Dossey says
Everyone is different – and yeah – I hear you about being grossed out about the greasy hair thing. Waiting 4 days will help “send a message” to your scalp that it can calm down and stop over producing oil (sebum). Just like when your body knows when it is hot – and starts to sweat, your scalp knows when the existing oils have been removed. It then freaks out and produces more to replace them – often much more than required. It will take a few days for your scalp to realize that it doesn’t have to keep producing so much oil. Give it time – wear your hair up if you can. You can use a dry shampoo (cornstarch or baby powder for blondes and cocoa powder for brunettes) to help absorb the oils in your hair. I’m not a BIG fan of dry shampoo but it does work in a pinch to make your hair look less oily. Just sprinkle on where it is oily then shake out. Comb as usual. Increasing the amount of BS will probably help – but again since everyone is different – you just have to try and see. It’s frustrating I know – but like anything it takes time.
Rose says
HHHEEEELLLPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I am now into my thied week and now half of my hair(the top half) is still really oily and the bottom is really dry. Is this normal or my normal. should i do anything different? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
'Becca says
Rose, you may need to brush your hair more when it’s dry and massage your scalp more when washing, to distribute oil down the hair shaft.
Brittney says
Hi, I’m just wondering if when using the first method is the bs solution suppose to be very runny or a paste?
Leah Dossey says
If you so the BS Solution method – it should be just that – a liquid solution. 🙂
Ashlee says
Okay, so I am pretty interested in trying this because my hair is so flat, lifeless, frizzy and grease-easy that nothing even helps! Are you sure it won’t make my hair smell like vinegar? and how rough is the transition period exactly? i am in school right now so I’m debating if I should wait until summer.
Leah Dossey says
Ashlee, I promise, that the vinegar smell will go away when your hair dries. You can also spritz your hairbrush with your favorite fragrance if you are really concerned. This will add the fragrance to your hair when you brush. The transition period varies from person to person – 1-4 weeks. I started in the Spring last year because living here in Texas it’s too hot and humid (read: sweaty). I figured it might take longer for the transition if I did it then, so I started in Spring when I knew the weather would be cooperative. 🙂
Bridget says
Okay so I am really nervous to try this for fear that I won’t know what to increase or decrease regarding vinegar and bs.
So if it dries out my hair really bad I should use some jojoba oil or olive oil or coconut oil?
What is the point of the aloe and honey mixture? would that help with dryness?
For what reason would I increase or decrease the vinegar?
For what reason would I increase or decrease the bs?
Which would be better, the honey and aloe or the herbal rinse?
You said “No Poo won’t remove the oil from your hair, you have to use some sort of shampoo”. Please explain
Sorry for the millions of questions I just want to be sure I know what I am doing before starting this. Thanks in advance.
Leah Dossey says
Bridget – these are great questions. I’m going to answer these fully in a Q & A post (along with other great questions) posted by readers. Stay tuned – all these questions will be answered in the next day. 🙂
Samantha says
When do you think this will be available?
Teresa says
I’ve been “no-poo” for a year now. Here are my tips…
The first time I tried it my hair was like straw–I had used the full cup of water (with one Tblsp baking soda) and then read that that one cup should last a few washes… oops. So, when my hair was straw-like I reduced the amount of baking soda I used.
I have fine curly hair. After issues with Grave’s Disease I had lost a LOT of hair a few years ago–it’s slowly started to grow back over the last year. Yay!
Occasionally, my hair will suddenly get greasy out of nowhere. When that happens, I use a little higher concentration of white vinegar in the rinse water–takes the extra grease right out.
Once every couple weeks I “treat” my hair with a mixture of one egg, a couple drops of olive oil (or coconut oil–but it’s solid so I have to squish it to melt it as it goes in my hair) and a couple drops of apple cider vinegar. I completely coat my hair with it, then try to let it dry as much as I can before washing (a half hour to an hour–don’t go overnight!) Rinse with cool water, the warmer the water is and the less time you let the egg dry, the more likely you are to have to pull bits of scrambled egg out of it. My hair is amazingly soft after I do this! Sometimes I add honey to the mixture as well.
Rinse–I’ve found that my hair gets greasier if I use apple cider vinegar often, so I tend to alternate between that and white vinegar.
“Wash”– I’ve found I can go days, sometimes a week, without using even the baking soda and water solution. My hair is not gross and doesn’t smell 🙂 I do at least rinse it with water daily.
I use Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Replenishing Hair Milk as a leave-in conditioner. A little goes a long way, so use sparingly (I have long hair and use a portion about the size of a dime). It keeps my hair shiny, soft, and less frizzy.
I occasionally use a little honey to rinse my hair in the winter if it starts to feel dry. I did have problems with dandruff one day, and used a lot of vinegar on my scalp, rubbed it in, rinsed it out, and haven’t had an issue since.
One last note… I live in a pretty “clean” area, and my hair loves this no-shampoo thing. However, when I was in London this last spring, we spent a lot of time on the subway, and the air just isn’t as clean. My hair felt grimy and gross. I was still no-poo but it just wasn’t working as well. I felt less bad about it when I was standing in line for the London Eye and one of the girls in front of me was complaining her hair felt “icky”. So, maybe it was the different water, maybe it was the higher pollution, but it just didn’t work as well in that environment.
Teresa says
“A few drops” of oil in the egg mix is less than a teaspoon. I’ve seen “recipes” where they put a couple teaspoons of oil, but it is just way too much if you are no-poo. I’m sure shampoo washes it right out so most people wouldn’t worry about it, but being full-time no-poo I don’t have that option, so I need to start with less oil.
Leah Dossey says
Teresa THANK YOU! for posting these great tips! Ladies, everything Teresa said is great info. 🙂
Teresa says
Thanks, and you’re welcome! I’ve helped a few people change over, and once they all got a hang of it they’ve really liked the results. After one year, I still have a few haircuts to go until the shampoo damaged hair is gone (I can feel the difference), then I’m hoping split ends and crappy hair will be a thing of the past! For the first time since my hair got curly I can actually run my fingers through my hair without them getting all tangled up 🙂
Franchesca says
Teresa, your hair sounds a lot like mine. Do you use product for your curly hair? I am interested in this method but just wondering how I will tame my curls (and frizz) for a week or so. Thanks for your tips!!!!
Sandy Rozendaal says
I was wondering if this “No-poo” would hurt permed hair?
Holly says
I’m going to try this, I have gone without shampoo for almost a year now, only using the cheap Swave conditioner in my hair and nothing else, but your method seems like it would “clean” the hair more so. Thanks for sharing!
Cayla says
I have bleach blonde hair that I get dyed about every 5 weeks. Will this affect my color at all? And now I have to wash my hair about every other day or else it looks greasy and just plain dirty! Will I have to go 4 days in between washes at first? And I’m in school right now so should I wait until summer to try this?
Brittney says
I’m in sports and have practice or a game almost every night? Will just rinsing with water clean my hair or do I need to no poo it after every sporting event?
Brittney says
Another question… Is air drying or blow drying better? I have done the no poo method one twice and my hair takes almost twice as along to air dry. I also shower at night because it is easier for school and I usually put it up so it doesn’t get greasy, should I go to bed with it down or up? Wet or dry?
Teresa says
I don’t do sports, but I have a blue-collar job where I can get pretty dirty, grimy and sweaty. I can still get away with just a water rinse most days. A quick vinegar and water rinse can help remove any odor if you feel like your hair smells, but it hasn’t been an issue for me.
I have to shower at night, and air dry because my hair is curly/wavy, so I can’t help with the other questions.
Allison says
I have always washed my hair every single day, about 15 hours after I washed my hair it looks really greasy already. I also straighten my hair daily, and I use Aussie Split-End Protector (immediately after I shower) and Aussie Hair-Insurance Heat Protecting Shine Spray (right before straightening) to help protect my hair from the constant heat-styling, I also use a small amount of hair-spray or hair-gel daily to keep the flyaways and frizzies down.
I am very interested in NO POO but I want to know if I should continue using split-end and heat protecting products once I begin using NO POO, they both have helped my hair against split ends and damage very well. Would NO POO remove the products from my hair?
Thank you!
Holly says
Ok, got my bottles ready to try this, I am excited to give it a go. One question tho, is it ok to use a leave in conditioner when your done right away or should you not?
Teresa says
I don’t know if you “should” but I did (still use leave-in conditioner). I’ve found I don’t need to use as much as I did before, just enough to tame frizz.
Amber says
I just started no poo two days ago and I love it. I rarely use product (mother of six!) But like to blow dry and flat iron every day. I normally used leave in conditioners every day after my shower, but already today I had no trouble running my fingers through my hair while it was still wet. This was a pleasant surprise for me! I didn’t even have the desire to use my leave in. I dried and straightened like normal, and my hair is soft, shiny and full of body (I also used to use a root pumping foam to increase body, but not any more!) So excited to continue!
Maggie says
What do you do when you go to the salon and they wash your hair with shampoo? Does it ruin your progress? Or does it have no effect?
I’ve also read that you’re not suppose to use products with “cone” ingredients when you no-poo because they don’t wash out without the sulfates in shampoo, is this true?
Lindsay says
What do you mean by “cone” ingredients? Like, what are a few examples? (I have a background in chemistry so I can at least give you the scientific answer for this, if not the experienced answer)
Samantha says
Hi, this sounds awesome to try but my son and I both have really bad psoriasis on our scalps and was wondering if anyone knew how this might affect it? I’ve tried every shampoo and conditioner in the book (even some that were 30+ dollars!) but nothing’s been working. The only thing that came remotely close to working is a tar based shampoo but tar is on the cancer watch list so I really don’t want to use that on my two year old. If anyone has any idea how no-poo might work with psoriasis I would really appreciate the advice 🙂
April says
Hi Samantha! Apple cidar vinegar is actually supposed to be great for treating a multitude of skin conditions, so it’s definitely worth trying!
Samantha says
Thanks! I went out and bought this stuff and will try it for the first time today 🙂
Mikki says
Hi Leah! I am excited to try out the No Poo on my hair thank you for your inspiration!
I have a question; I have very fine very thick long dark dark hair, about 6 months ago cut my bangs strait and blunt, my mom and boyfriend love them and don’t want me to grow them out. But since I have cut them I now have to every single day wash them! I never wash my hole head; in fact I only wash my hole head about once a week with just vinegar, but if I don’t wash my bangs (with volume shampoo) everyday they turn into greasy, gross, little bits of stringy yuck (hence my erg to grow them out) haha!
I do use coco powder on them when I am in a hurry, but it seems to have no lasting affect, only a couple of hours at most before these stupid bangs are greasy flat again.
My question is should I try washing them with white vinegar everyday wail my hair (bangs included :)) gets us-to no poo? Would that be safe? Or will baking soda give enough volume? HELP!
– Thanks so much!!
Jess says
Really interesting read and I will definitley trying this I feel like I’m having to wash my hair every day and really want to try this method. Just a question when you start this method do you wash your hair everytime it needs it and it eventually doesnt need it so often, or do you start washing your hair less often and just grim and bear the unclean hair until it starts needing a clean less often? Many thanks
Teresa says
I did it every time it needed it (about once every other day or every three days). Now I often go about a week, but I do rinse with water daily. Sometimes I just do the vinegar/water rinse and not use the baking soda.
A lot of people say “greasy is not dirty!” but I hate my hair greasy, so if it looked or felt like it was going to get greasy on me, I used white vinegar and water without waiting. My “adjustment period” was very short.
Alex says
I just put method one together last night and when I used that amount of baking soda in the water it just completely dissolved. I think I would have to dump a whole lot of baking soda into the water to make it a paste. Is it supposed to be a complete liquid (like water) or a paste that looks like glue?
Alex says
also, is the idea to start by washing more often during transition and then slowly start decreasing the frequency?
Teresa says
It will be just like water–don’t use the whole bottle (cup) in one wash. I put a Tablespoon of baking soda in one cup of water, then put that in a bottle. The bottle will last me at least 4 washes. If you find that your hair feels like straw, cut back on the amount you use (it will go back to feeling normal next time you rinse it in just water–the straw feeling is temporary).
I only used the baking soda mix every couple days from the very beginning, but would do a vinegar rinse more often at first (and I used white vinegar with water any time my hair got greasy–white vinegar cuts the greasy feeling better. They say it’s more drying, so use whichever works best for you).
Brittney says
When you do the vinegar rinse to get rid of grease do you apply it to the roots because that is where mine gets greasy? Will apple cider vinegar be ok or does it have to be white?
Teresa says
I apply it to the roots and wherever it feels greasy. Once it gets greasy (or feels like it’s going to) the apple cider vinegar just doesn’t seem to work as well as white vinegar, at least not for me. I normally alternate apple cider vinegar and white vinegar, just to keep everything balanced (too much white will make it too dry, too much apple cider makes it too greasy).
Samantha says
Hey! So I really want to try this.. but.. I have dandruff.. will this work? cause dandruff is a fungus..?
Teresa says
So… you might try brushing out everything you can when your hair is dry. Apply just a very small amount of coconut oil to your scalp and rub it in (not too much or your hair will get really oily, just let a little, teeny, tiny bit melt on your finger tips). Leave the coconut oil on your scalp overnight. The next morning, rinse with a “strong” mixture of white vinegar and water (If I had to guess, maybe two tablespoons of vinegar in 3-4 tablespoons of water?) I’ve read places where they say to use a half cup, but that would be really strong and I don’t know how long it would be before you could get the vinegar smell out of your hair. Don’t pre-wash with the baking soda solution when you do this. The vinegar will help with the dandruff and also get rid of the extra oil from the coconut oil. Bonus, your hair should be REALLY soft after this.
Lol, sorry to post so much, just bored tonight 🙂 I don’t perm/color treat/get my hair washed with shampoo at a salon, so I’m no help there.
Lindsay says
Hi Samantha, I just wanted to also clarify that dandruff is NOT a fungus! Dandruff is a very common condition that happens when there is built-up “sebum” (natural, very thick oil your body makes) and dead skin cells. It’s just like when you might scratch at really dry skin on your arm (for example) and little flakes come off. It just makes the ugly clumps because your scalp is also making too much sebum, probably due to the harshness of your shampoo, and it causes the dead skin cells to clump up and flake off.
There are some VERY RARE fungal infections that can happen on your scalp, but they do not cause the same types of flakes to come off as dandruff flakes.
Robin says
You mentioned it’s safe for color treated hair. I color my hair often and used shampoo after rinsing the color out to get all the color out. So what would you use in that situation?
Stephanie says
I currently have to wash my hair every single day, it is greasy if I don’t and I have a problem where I can’t style or do anything with my hair until it is washed. I have naturally board straight hair, but even if I go to bed with it straight it looks like I was in a tornado when I wake up. My hair kinks so easily, I can probably just hold it in a pony tail and it would have a kink that doesn’t come out.
I’ve tried the no kink ponytail holders to no avail. Does any one else have this problem and does going ‘poo free help??
I would love to not wash my hair everyday, but between the grease and the inability to do anything with it once it’s been in any sort of pony, bun, slept on funny I just haven’t had any luck. Would love to know if this will help my problem
Lindsay says
Do the kinks come out when you just rinse your hair with water? I would speculate that if you were on the no ‘poo, you wouldn’t have to use it daily, and the days you dont wash your hair, you could just rinse it with water and it would take the kinks out, without you needing to wash it again. Wouldn’t hurt to try it for a few days to find out, would it?
Heather says
Hi, thanks for all of this info…my inquiry: I am Black/African American; hair is prone to being extremely dry & fragile. Additionally, I have fine, thin hair (I know, a lot going on on one head!). I have to use a creamy leave-in or have to heat style to tame my hair. I have a 9 to 5. I can’t exactly wear my hair back or up without any help taming during the transition phase. How crazy is the straw hair in the beginning? From what I gather, it seems ok to use a leave-in, it’s just troublesome to get out w/out resorting to shampoo (going 7 days w/out washing is no problem for me). Also since Black hair is typically more course & dry, adding oil is ok as long as it’s not applied to the scalp, right? Can’t have dry hair getting even drier and even more fragile…Thanks for the help!
Teresa says
This is what I use as a leave-in. One day I looked it up online because my store no longer carried it, needed to find where to buy it online. A few Black women have reviews about it on youtube, you can find it a few places, but this is the Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Palmers-Coconut-Hair-Milk-Size/dp/B002JNTEBW I haven’t had any problem with build up from this. The main thing is to look at your products and make sure they don’t use “cones” (silicone, whatevercone, etc) The Palmer’s does have Dimethicone, but it’s low on the list of ingredients and I haven’t had any issues–it also has shea butter and coconut oil, might be worth a try. Those are not water soluble so you can’t get them out without shampoo and they’ll build up on you. Natural oils should be ok if used sparingly (I use coconut oil sometimes, a little goes a long way), and extra can be rinsed out with white vinegar and water.
In my experience, the straw feeling was only when I used too much baking soda, so if you’re careful about amount from the start, you may not have it at all.
When I did my original research I read somewhere that the no -poo method is really perfect for Black hair.
heather says
teresa thank you so much for the tips. i’m always on the lookout for a way way to care for my tresses and your input is very helpful and appreciated 🙂
Teresa says
Any time 🙂 I was in a hurry when I typed, and looking back, I edited one thing in the wrong spot. Meant to say the “cones” are what can build up, not the coconut oil and shea butter! Although, too much of those will make everything greasy…
Darby says
I’m an athlete. I would still be sweating on an everyday bases because of practice. Would it matter if I took a shower every day and use the apple cider vinegar/baking soda mix? Or would it not work as well.
jessica says
i have really bad dandruff and an oily scalp but very dry coarse hair will this help with the dandruff i have tried all the dandruff shampoos with no luck and i only really have to wash my hair about once a week or so i dye my hair black and bright red i know a bit of the red will wash out no matter what because its demi perminent but will it strip more than what normally washes out? i really wanna try doing this
Chemist says
I’m a chemist, here to explain the magic.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. If you remember back to your high school chemistry, it can also be considered a base.That slippery feeling? That’s the sodium bicarbonate turning the oils present on your scalp AND your skin into surfactants (aka detergents). Remember that it is also used for teeth whitening, so if you’re worried about your dyed hair this is probably not for you.
Vinegar is acetic acid, so an acid. Like lemon juice, etc, it will strip coloured hair.
You may also recognize these ingredients from your childhood volcano projects, where baking soda + vinegar = eruption. What you’re doing with the vinegar (acid) is neutralizing the base (baking soda) that you just put in your hair, bringing it back to a neutral pH.
The only difference between this method and using shampoos and conditioners (that have been formulated not to hurt you) is that you’re exposing yourself to acids and bases that you can eat but that if you leave on your skin too long WILL give you burns.
Please. This isn’t “chemical free”, this is home chemistry. If it works better for you than store-bought shampoo/conditioner then that is great! You will save some money in your wallet. Please just rinse with care and stop saying “natural” and “chemical free”. Baking soda is made from a mixture of salt, water and ammonia together. We get most of our vinegar from methanol and carbon dioxide. Just because you bought it at the grocery store doesn’t mean it wasn’t human-made.
Rant over. I hope that the scientific explanation of what is going on helps those of you with dyed hair make an informed decision.
Joy says
Hiya all!
Leah I’d love to try this but I’m wary as due to getting night sweats every night (I run a few degrees hotter than average due to inflammatory arthritis and the meds I have to take for pain) I have to wash my hair every day, but I use children’s shampoo.
I’d love to be able to lessen the amount I have to wash my hair! What do you think?
Funnily enough we have Costco in the UK but I’ve never seen the big things of baking soda, will have to get the olds to look for me next time they go! Oh and I loathe the smell of vinager could I not substitute that for camomile rinse or something?
Thanks x
Samantha says
I’m sixteen years old and just came across this article via Pinterest. This is the first time I’ve heard of the “No Poo” method and honestly it sounds amazing! I’m really interested in hair and makeup and cosmetology and things of that sort and I would love to try this. I’m really trying to grow my hair out as quickly as possible and pretty much “baby” my hair to get it super healthy and growing more quickly. Does using a no poo method increase the speed that the hair grows? It seems like it would, considering all of the other benefits! Also, during the summer I spend a total of 3-4 weeks at different camps as a camper and also as a counselor for younger kids, and the no poo method doesn’t seem very portable.. do you have any tips as to how to travel/camp as a “no poo”er? (: I’m also wondering, is there anything that I could do to try and ease into the process instead of going completely no poo right away? Would getting the hair used to the new process make the transition period less harsh on the hair? Do you have any tips? I’m also wondering since I’m still only a teenager, would I get to a point eventually where I don’t have to use shampoo at all? How long does that usually take? Thanks so much!
Maddy says
I am a competitive swimmer, so I come in contact with chlorine daily. I also have super fine, blonde locks. Would using No Poo every day be overwhelming on my hair?
Mage says
I have really thin and fragile hair, if I try the no poo method will it help my hair become thicker and healthier.
jaime says
I am on day 2! I am noticing that the bs is not completely dissolved in the solution..I tried shaking more but it isn’t getting slippery and it almost feels like wet sand does anyone else experience this and how can it be fixed..thanks!
Veronica says
Mix the bs with warm/hot water and in a seperate container, like a measuring up, and stir with a spoon until it is dissolved. I then just pour it into the squeeze bottle.
Kate says
I am going to start the no poo today but was wondering when to start my kids on it? I have a 3 year old but her hair doesn’t need to be conditioned yet, because she still used baby shampoo. When should I switch her over?
Teresa says
I’ve heard of some people never shampooing their kids hair, just using water when they are little and being no-poo when they need it. No personal experience with this, and I have no clue how a teenager’s hair would react with all the changes, hormones, but again, some people have done it. So, I would think you could make the switch at any time.
Beth says
I’ve been doing method 1 for a week and a half, I understand there’s an adjustment period, I guess I’d just like to know if my hair will feel soft and not straw like when the adjustment period is over? How do I know when the adjustment period is over? Right now I’ve only been washing it no poo every four days, and it does have more body and isn’t oily anymore but still very straw like. I have used the coconut oil and it helps but it’s def. not how I would like for my hair to feel. Please help!
Teresa says
Not sure… You may be using a little too much of the bs mixture (I thought about trying to get a better estimate, but one cup of water with one tablespoon baking soda should last several washes–I’d guess at least 4, more with shorter hair). You can try rinsing your hair with a little honey mixed in warm water, that may help the texture. My hair is the softest when I mix 1 egg, a few drops of olive oil, and a few drops of apple cider vinegar–sometimes I include honey. I put it all over my hair, then let it sit for as long as I can (15 minutes to an hour) before washing it out. When I wash it out, I use cool water (warm water might cook the egg, then you have to comb out bits of scrambled egg–I notice this happens less the more dry it all gets before I rinse it). I don’t follow up with bs or vinegar, I just rinse out the egg, take the rest of my shower, then go ahead and rinse more with warmer water. Hopefully you’ll really feel the difference!
Cathrine says
Vinegar is acetic ACID. It’s more harsh than you think, and when it strips the sheen off your hair shaft, that sheen won’t come back until new hair grows in. Watch out!
Anna says
Okay so I’ve never ever tried anything like this but I’m really interested in it. I have stance coming up on Feb ninth, should I start this before or after I go to the dance?? And do I have to use the dry shampoo after I’ve been doing it for awhile?
Teresa says
I would wait until after the dance! You might end up right in the middle of the “adjustment period” or not quite know how it reacts yet. My hair is naturally curly, but it acts different since I’ve been “no poo”–I like it just fine, and it’s so much softer, but it’s just “different” than it was before (that’s not a bad thing). But, if you want your hair to be predictable that soon, I’d hold off.
Teresa says
Oh, and I’ve never used dry shampoo, and I’ve been doing this for about a year.
margaret says
Okay so i have tons of questions. I am interested in this but i have long and thin hair. Its not oily or dry and i only have to wash it every other or two days. I have a bunch of dead/split ends so does that mean the no poo will fix them? I love my hair so much and i dont want it to get worse. So will the no poo soften my hair? Also i do not want my hair shiny or oily, wll that do that to my hair? Will it thicken my hair wierdly? And how does the solution make my hair grow longer? Also will the vinegar make my hair smell? Do i have to use the shampoo above before i start the no poo? and if i do start the no poo will i have to wash it every day? and when you make the BS solution above is that just one rinse? And when i first start it how ugly and nasty will my hair look and how long will it last for? Sorry i know i have a lot of questions but if you could answer then i would greatly greatly appreciate it! :))))))
Teresa says
All this is just my opinion mixed with personal experience…
I have a bunch of dead/split ends so does that mean the no poo will fix them?
The only way I know to get rid of existing split ends is to cut them out, no poo won’t fix them, don’t know if it will help prevent future split ends. Increased moisture intake (drink more water), adding a *little* oil to the ends might help more. No poo would likely not cause more damage.
I love my hair so much and i dont want it to get worse. So will the no poo soften my hair? Don’t expect miracles! In my experience, no poo HAS softened my hair, but don’t know if it would for other people (I have curly/wavy hair, it FEELS softer than it used to, also seems less dry)
Also i do not want my hair shiny or oily, wll that do that to my hair?
You’ll probably have to deal with oil until you figure out the wash cycle/bs mixture/etc that works for you. My hair is the healthy shiny when before it looked more drab. I’ve done it long enough to catch it before my hair gets oily and do the “treatment” that works for me (egg mix, extra vinegar rinse, honey rinse, whichever I feel it needs).
Will it thicken my hair wierdly? And how does the solution make my hair grow longer?
Again, I wouldn’t go with “miracles” like thicker hair, more hair, longer hair… I lost a lot of hair after my thyroid got low. It started growing back but never as full as it was. Since I’ve been no-poo it seems like some of the hair I had lost is filling back in, but that may just be the natural restoration process I’ve been waiting for for years! I don’t know if it makes hair grow longer so won’t claim it does.
Also will the vinegar make my hair smell?
It will only make your hair smell if you use too much. Make sure you mix it with water and rinse well.
Do i have to use the shampoo above before i start the no poo?
No. I went no-poo “cold turkey” as I had read that using shampoo at all would halt progress.
and if i do start the no poo will i have to wash it every day?
I didn’t. Washing every day kind of defeats the purpose and may dry out your hair. I do make sure I rinse it with warm water during my shower daily–give my scalp a nice little massage.
And when you make the BS solution above is that just one rinse?
No. That would be most likely be WAY too much and your hair would feel like straw. One cup of water and one tablespoon of baking soda lasts me for many washes (over 4, not sure how many). My hair goes to about my bra strap (a little longer when wet).
And when i first start it how ugly and nasty will my hair look and how long will it last for?
My hair never looked ugly or nasty, but I also couldn’t do the “greasy does not equal dirty” attitude that I’ve seen on some sites (even if it’s true). I didn’t want my hair greasy at all (well, I didn’t mind so much on a Saturday or Sunday when I just stayed home and no one would see it) so I would do an extra vinegar rinse (with water and white vinegar) to cut the greasiness some. You don’t want to over do the white vinegar though, you could end up stripping too much oil from your hair.
Jennifer says
I am interested in trying this. I get my long hair cut about every 4 months. I am worried that after my scalp finally get into balance that my hairdresser will wash it with shampoo and screw it all up. Will washing with shampoo and deep conditioning every 4 months cause me to have to start all over? Thank you!
Teresa says
I won’t use shampoo at all now that I’m no-poo. I’ve heard gentle shampoos are ok (like the one linked to in the original story), I’ve heard it completely sets you back. I’d rather not “risk it” so I’d just make sure you wash it yourself before you go and request that they only rinse with water. You may have to deal with more tangles if they scrunch it up a lot, but you could stay no-poo.
Hailey B. says
Hi! I have been trying to grow my hair out for years and Ive hit a dead end, and i want to try this. I use coconut oil twice a week to help with damage so my question is will No Poo be strong enough to get out the coconut oil? I usually have to wash three times to get it out with regular shampoo!
Thanks so much 🙂
(sorry if this has been asked, i didnt have time to read all comments!)
Teresa says
The no-poo isn’t going to cut that much oil if regular shampoo can’t. You can up the vinegar amount in the rinse, but that could bring on another set of issues (stripping too much oil from the hair). You might find that you don’t need to use as much coconut oil as time goes by though, that would help.
I use a little coconut oil on the ends, or my scalp if it feels dry, but I try to use very little. I do have to use more vinegar when I do that to get back to a good balance if I’ve used too much oil (and really, I use very, very little).
Christina says
Great article. I am thinking of making the switch, but I am wondering how this method differs from “Wen” and “Deva Care” product lines (among others) that claim to do the same thing for your hair. I know they work off of the same principle, so I am wondering if this is better than those, or just cheaper? Thanks!
Suzannah says
This is such a great post! I tried going no poo last semester, but it didn’t work very well, I thought because of the thickness and texture of my hair. You answered a lot of questions and addressed several problems that I had but couldn’t find solutions to anywhere! I’m so glad I came across your post! I may try going no poo again over the summer! 🙂 Thanks!
Angelica says
Hello! I love the idea of go shampoo free and I have read basically everything on the Internet about this. I am going to try this out today. I understand that my hair is going to have a transition period where it gets oily and such so I was wondering if you have any tips on how to cover it up besides just putting in a ponytail. I am 14 years old so I do go to school and I am hoping that nobody notices. Also, I’ve been washing my hair every other day so will that make the transition period easier for me? I have also been wondering what type of vinegar to use. Should I use ACV or white vinegar? I am a brunette with thick oily hair, by the way.
Teresa says
You can french braid it… Not sure if you’d get away with wearing a hat at school.
Start with acv, it’s a little more gentle and white vinegar is “not recommended”. I’ve found that sometimes I need something a little stronger than acv, so I’ll use a white vinegar rinse, with just a couple drops of vinegar in a lot of water (you don’t want to strip your hair).
Before I was no-poo I used shampoo every other day, conditioner every day. I don’t know if that helped me, but my transition wasn’t that bad.
Good luck if you decide to go with it! I’ve thought of having my 15 year old son do it, but I don’t think he’d pay attention enough to know when to wash it and when to just rinse with water (do at least rinse with water everyday).
Hannah says
This looks very interesting to try. I really want to because my hair gets greasy pretty fast and I’m trying to grow it out super long. I don’t really want straw-like hair, but is it really worth it? I am brunette with super thin hair. And is the vinegar solution the conditioner? Ah someone should respond to this:)
Teresa says
I only had straw like hair the first time because I used too much of the bs solution. Yes, the vinegar solution takes place of conditioner, but can also help with grease. For me it’s absolutely been worth it.
nora says
i just tried it for for the first time this a.m. and i have to say, i’m pleasantly surprised. my hair styled fine and it doesn’t look dirty at all. i have short hair (pixie) which is high lighted and have been experimenting with no sulfate shampoos with much success. i was wary because i tend to use a lot of product but my hair seems clean. i will continue and see what happens. thanks!
Kristen says
So my hair is extremely dry, I’ve tried so many different types of shampoos and conditioners but my hair usually feels like straw when it dries anyway. So when I came across this, I thought, why not try it. Today was my first time trying it and instead of having straw hair like usual and like you said may happen the first week or so of using it, my hair is so soft, I’m really excited about washing my hair like this from now on. Thank you so much for this!
Amanda says
I just recently had my hair highlighted a very light blonde. Will the baking soda or vinegar strip the color from my hair, or make my highlights fade faster? I would love to stop using shampoo so that my hair can be healthy and grow faster but I’m afraid to mess up my highlights.
Kereba says
You have probably answered this but I am going to go ahead anyways. I have thin fine hair. I wash it at night and it is greasy when i get up. It was falling out real bad but biotin has helped that. I want to try this but when my hair is greasy and dirty it makes my head itch extremely bad. If i dont wash it when it is itching i scratch until it bleeds it itches so bad. What do i do for those 4 days you suggest between no pooing?
Rebecca says
Just started the NoPoo 🙂 I am so stoked! Im all about saving money, loving on my hair, & keeping it natural 🙂 Thanks for all of the info! My hopes are high <3
Sue-Mari says
HI! Just wanted to know if anyone can tell me if it really works for hair growth and hairloss?
Sue-Mari says
Hi! Can anyone tell me if it really works for hair growth and hair fall/loss?
Lexie says
If you start this process and continue to so or but you use shampoo because you are company or you forgot your stuff but don’t remember until you are in the shower (let’s face it, us women ALWAYS forget something and then remember at the most inopportune time) would it completely ruin the hard work you have put in?
'Becca says
My experience has been that if I use shampoo (now that I have fully adjusted), my hair will be dry and frizzy; I will need to apply a leave-in conditioner, gel, hand lotion, or some kind of oil (I have used all kinds of weird things when away from home!) to make it behave, and I will need to apply more every day until I do another vinegar rinse. However, once I go back to vinegar, my hair is nice again, so shampoo doesn’t cause a big setback, only a temporary one.
'Becca says
Oh, I meant to add: If I find myself in the shower planning to wash my hair and then realize I don’t have vinegar but do have shampoo…it is better to rinse my hair thoroughly with plain hot water and scrub my scalp without putting anything on it, than to use shampoo.
Kristen says
So if I were to switch to this method of washing my hair, would I still be faithfully following the technique if I continued to use my other leave-in conditioners between washes? My is pretty dry, often frizzy too, and I find that I notice a huge difference in the times when I do and do not use extra conditioning products on it. I only wash my hair every 2-3 days already, sometimes every fourth day. So for leave-in products such as Chi Silk Infusion, Aussie Hair Insurance Spray, Moroccan Oil, etc.- should I drop these? (Yes, I sometimes use multiple of them.)
Although I probably should have read thru all of the comments to see if this was already addressed, I confess that I was too lazy and did not do it. Sorry if this is a repeat!
Melissa says
I am giving this a try. Just started today. My hair prior: curly (I’m talking spirals here), frizzy without products, Lots of hair falls out, hair to mid back. Updating my progress on my pinterest page under “trying it out”.
Lana Allen says
I started the “no poo” thing almost 4 weeks ago. The first week I didn’t wash my hair for 3 days then I dyed it ( I can’t go without dyeing my hair…..Too much grey!), and then waited another 3 days before trying the Baking Soda (bs) for washing ( in paste form to begin with) and Apple Cider vinegar/water (acv) for conditioning ( I also noticed that my hair dye did not bleed out when I did wash it). This worked fine for a few washings as i was doing it every day. My hair started to get straw like and gummy………discouraged 🙁 but, I figured i would not give up. I started to notice that the more I just massaged my scalp, rinsed it with warm water then cold water, the better it started to feel! The more I spaced out the washing the better my hair was. The oiliness was decreasing with the fewer washing I am doing. I am now only needing to wash my hair every five days and massaging my scalp with first warm water then cold in between washings. My transition period has not been all that bad. I see an amazing difference in my hair! I have very fine hair that tends to get fly away, not anymore! I also take time every night, as this is usually the time I notice my hair has a little bit of a heavier feeling, to use my bristle brush to brush the oil from my scalp to the ends. All in all I have to say I do not regret starting the “no poo” method.
Ashley says
I read through ALL the comments when I came across this last week and started the “no poo” method. I didn’t actually go through much of a transition. I had the white ring thing (from using products apparently) for the first day but that was it. Other than that I’ve just had fantastic results!
Leigha says
I have been doing this for the past week! I like what my hair looks like and I love the body that it has. However, the waxy feeling is so intense. It is even hard to brush through! Will this ever go away? Or is this something that I will need to deal with?
'Becca says
Try adding more vinegar to your solution and see if that helps. For me, “the waxy feeling” is a sign that it’s time to wash my hair. See my vinegar hairwashing method for more details.
Lauren says
Hi,
I found this post on Pinterest and have not been able to leave it alone. I have long thick hair (and when I say long I mean the longest piece is to right below my bra line). I wash it every other day, but the day I don’t wash it, it is EXTREMELY oily! I HATE this feeling. I am hoping this method works, but I am nervous to try it because I don’t want my hair to look gross, like is mentioned the first weeks do.
Also, I have never colored my hair nor treated it with any bleach or other coloring products because I (and my boyfriend and my parents) LOVE my natural brown hair with a tint of red. Will the Vinegar ruin my color or no? I want to ensure I do not lose this color before I jump in and start this method.
This method sounds great and if I can go four or five days without washing my thick long hair then AWESOME! but I am nervous because of the color thing….
Kylee says
How often do you use the baking soda and vinegar when first starting out? Do you use it daily or do you use it and then wait a few days and do it again?
Teresa says
Vague answer, I know, but I just did it whenever I felt it needed it. I didn’t try to go any set number of days. However, it was the weekend when I started, and I wasn’t going anywhere, so the very first time I probably did three days before the next wash.
Desiree says
Hi. I’m thinking about trying this no poo method but I have one concern. Why, in the beginning, do you need to hide your hair? Is it going to look and feel THAT bad?
Teresa says
Mine started to, so I did a white vinegar rinse. I’ve heard some people’s hair gets really greasy before getting better, but they just keep it up and go with it until it starts to get better.
Lara says
I saw this on pinterest (love that place) and loved the idea, so I looked around the internet and read all sorts of great reviews. I was prepped for at least a month of nasty hair, but I’m a week in and already love it! My hair was pretty disgustingly oily for 5-6 days, but then I noticed that my scalp didn’t feel oily, just the ends. It was the strangest thing! I used the baking soda wash the next day, which resulted in really waxy hair, and I was brushing out grey debris. I upped the baking soda and washed it a day later and now my hair feels and looks awesome! My friends can’t believe I haven’t used shampoo in over a week. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to washing my hair if this keeps up. Thanks for the detailed post!
jaime says
How did you mix your baking soda? I’m about a week in and the baking soda is not mixing well
Laura says
Hi Jamie! I’ve been doing this about a month and thought I’d share with you what I do. I started out using method two (paste) but that wasn’t for me. What I did there was use a travel container with a twist top (plastic, $1 for a set of 4 bottles at Wal-Mart) and it stayed dry for days until I was ready to use it. I just poured the baking soda in my hand and scooped some water from the shower head into my hand to make the paste.
I’m on method one (solution) and it’s so much better for me. I just use an old conditioner bottle (I have one of the huge bulk volume size, but a regular size would be great). I heated about two cups of water and added the baking soda to my water. I make sure to shake it VERY well before each use, and I also let it sit under the hot water of the shower for a few minutes, otherwise it’s very cold when you use it.
Hope this helps!
Lindsay says
I have extremely thick super frizzy really long curly hair- deep condition every time I wash lots of frizz stopping products- does anyone know if the vinegar will work so I can get a brush through my hair or if i can use conditioners and if the baking soda will wash out??? Pls help!! 😉
Teresa says
Some people still use conditioner, I use a leave-in lotion http://www.amazon.com/Palmers-Coconut-Hair-Milk-Size/dp/B002JNTEBW
It helps to not “scrunch” up your hair when you wash it, but to keep running your fingers through it, “massaging” in a way that runs with your hair, doesn’t tangle it up.
I’d be afraid of build up if I still used too much product, but I don’t have any issues using bs, vinegar and the leave-in I use now. My hair is also curly/wavy. Before going “no-poo” I could not run my fingers through my hair because they’d get tangled. I can now.
Heylie says
HI!
i loved your post! it was very interesting. this is my first time hearing about No Poo and i have gone through hundreds of dollars using expensive shampoos and my hair is hard and dry with breakages and atrocious split ends. Currently i am using head and shoulders for antidandruff and then i use biolage shampoo but no conditioner (ran out). I havnt noticed any change since i started using biolage and i dont know what else to do now. can you tell me what i am doing wrong please!??!? if i dont wash my hair after 2 days it gets really oily and flat, and i shed like a dog normaly as well. will method one work for me or should i start with the Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo??? and what should i use for conditioning with the retention shampoo?? my hair is really wavy down to my chest but i want it to be healthier and longer with body. I have never dyed it and i seldom blow dry it. ok looks like i covered alot here, please HELP! 🙁
Mary Blackwell says
Hi Heylie, the anti dandruff shampoo you are using may be causing most of your problems. True dandruff is very waxy and oily not dry and flakey. If you have dry flakes your scalp is dry. You need to address that issue with moisture. Split ends need to be cut off. There is no magic cure for them, despite what the commercials say. Once you remove the split ends and breakage then you can try a sulphate free regime on your hair. Whether you try no poo or choose to continue with Biolage, make sure you moisturizer your scalp and hair. Your hair type, the climate you live in and the kind of water you have will determine how dry your hair becomes. Hard water can cause minerals to build up on your hair and keep your hair shaft from absorbing moisture or natural oils from your scalp. This is often the case with people who live in rural areas and use well water. Shampoos and conditioners that contain waxes will produce the same problems and can irritate your scalp making you think you have dandruff and thus the vicious cycle begins. I am guessing from your description that your hair is dying of thurst but can’t get moisture because of the build up so even expensive products won’t work. The baking soda will eventually remove the buildup because it is abrasive enough to do so, but you can also have it removed with a shampoo formulated for that purpose. It sould only take once or twice. Just ask at your salon. Then whatever method of shampooing or not shampooing you try, it should work more effectively. Also a small amount of arrgan oil is great when worked through wet hair or even after it is dry. Just be cautious how much you use. You can always use a little more but once it is on it is on! If you are worried about using too much start to apply under your hair in the back then work to then front. Sorry this is so long, I hope it helps, good luck, hair is never easy!
Kylee says
Will the vinegar affect color treated hair in any way?
Jodi says
Do you still use conditioner with the first method?
Teresa says
I don’t, some people do. If you choose to, try to find a gentle one without “cones” and all the bad junk. The vinegar/water rinse takes the place of conditioner (or even a honey rinse sometimes).
Alyssa says
Leah, I have been doing this for just over a week now and I seem to be having one issue. When I get out of the shower and my hair dries completely, it has a “product” feeling to it. Almost like I sprayed too much hairspray in my hair then brushed it out. Haha. My hair just doesn’t feel clean. Didn’t know if I was using too much baking soda or too little? I’ve tried both methods and only get the slippery feeling with method one. Thanks for your help!
Tania says
Alyssa – I’m having the same problem. I have very thick hair and my hair looks nice but does not feel nice! I can’t seem to get the consistency right either..
Mary says
I’m having the same problem with the excessive product feeling. I apologize if I didn’t notice an answer in the comments but does it go away? Or is it like Alyssa said and we may not be making our mixture right?
Amber says
Make sure your baking soda mixture has the right concentration, and that you rinse it well with warm water. You do not need a lot and you’ll want to rinse well. Then spray the vinegar on thoroughly. Again rinse it out. Is there a chance you aren’t rinsing enough? I cannot imagine why the hair would feel like to has a product build up. My hair feels cleaner lighter and fuller than it has ever been.
jaime says
When you do you method is it 1 tbsp bs to 1 tbsp of water? I’m feeling the same..my mixture is still not mixing well with the bs you can see in the bottle it separates and doesn’t mix together
Teresa says
Jaime–it’s one tablespoon baking soda to one CUP of water–that’s probably why you can’t get it to mix. Use warm water and it will dissolve, then just shake it well before each use because it will crystallize. I’ve done four washes with one “batch” and still have almost half left. You really don’t need much.
jaime says
That’s probably why!!! Thank you!!!!
Mary says
I’ve been using the first method, 1 TBS per 1 cup of water. I’m not getting the slippery feeling either but dont want to add more bs cause I’m afraid it’ll leave it even more build up-y. I’m pretty sure I’m rinsing enough. If its just the straw phase I can stick it out but if my hair won’t ever be soft and light again I’ll have to go back to Poo 🙁 its to the point my hands get gross feeling after I touch it and I’m on wash number 3
Alyssa says
I’m rinsing very well, massaging my scalp and while in the shower it feels like I’ve gotten all the solution out. But like Mary said, if I touch my hair I can feel it on my hands. Almost feels powdery. I’m going to try less baking soda and see how that works. I really want this to work!!
Teresa says
Mary–do you have hard water? There might be a couple ways to experiment. You could try buying distilled water (usually less than $1 a gallon and you can drink what you don’t need for the mixture). Same ration (1 Tbsp to 1 cup). You can also try using a little white vinegar in the rinse instead of apple cider to cut everything a little more (don’t use too much). If you do have hard water, it’s recommended to use distilled instead of tap water.
I don’t know where you live, but when I traveled to London, it just didn’t seem to work quite right (we were there a week and a half). The air was just too “dirty” and my hair was like a big filter.
You can also try the egg mixture (details in a post I did on January 28th). I also use a honey and water rinse every now and then to keep my hair soft if it feels dry.
You may also be in your adjustment phase where it just doesn’t feel right. Keep at it a little longer, hopefully you’ll see the good results soon.
Mary says
Thanks for recommendation. I do have hard water and love in Utah, not sure if you’ve heard but our dirty air has made global headlines haha. I’ll stick it out and make some adjustments, I have been using quite a but of my mixture at a time as well
Mary says
Thanks for recommendation. I do have hard water and live in Utah, not sure if you’ve heard but our dirty air has made global headlines haha. I’ll stick it out and make some adjustments, I have been using quite a but of my mixture at a time as well
Hilary says
Hi! I’m really interested in trying this method, but I swim 3-4 times a week and am worries about the chlorine build up since I have dark blonde hair (and definitely don’t want it turning greenish). Any recommendations for washing it no-poo style for swimmers?
Amber P. says
I would just like to say thank you. I’ve been doing this for 4 weeks now and since I had such bad scalp issues it is taking a little longer to balance out but I can tell a huge difference. I have less itch now and I’m now to the point where I can get by with only ‘washing’ it 2-3 times a week. I was having major issues with static but I did end up getting a good leave in conditioner that not only took care of the static but it gave me a nice smell as well. My hair is not so weighed down now and thus it’s plumping up! I can’t wait to see how it is another month from now.
Veronica says
Help!! My hair literally feels like someone dumped a bucket of grease/wax on my hair! It’s so gross! I’ve been using the No Poo for about 2 weeks now. For the first 5 days was using doing it every day and it did feel better. Then saw some posts on how you’re only supposed to use it every 3-4 days. So the past two days have just rinsed my hair with water. But used the No Poo today because it felt so nasty and it still feels like “poo.” It’s been really greasy for about a week now. I use Method One, and I get the slippery feeling. Have also been brushing with the boar brush. I’m about to give up and go back to Shampoo/Conditioner!
Laura says
Don’t give up, Veronica! I went through that too at first. I’ve been doing this about a month now and about three weeks in I was ready to throw in the towel, too! My scalp has ALWAYS been oily and I was getting that waxy feeling at first too, but my ends were HORRIBLY dry. Stopping the vinegar rinse actually helped me though. I was using the baking soda solution everyday too, but my hair was SO out of balance that I was ready to live with shampooing every day again.
Instead of giving up, here’s what I did: I went to Wal-Mart and found some sulfate-free shampoo (we don’t have a Walgreen’s here). I got L’Oreal EverStrong Sulfate-Free shampoo and conditioner. I used it once and my hair felt SO much better! After one use, I went back to the no-poo method one and found that it was starting to get cleaner. Perhaps the lather of a sulfate-free shampoo washed out the build-up that had come to the surface and wasn’t getting out with just baking soda alone? I don’t know, but it works for me!
I currently use this sulfate-free system about once a week (usually on Sundays for church), and since I started it I was even able to just rinse my hair with water one day and it looked just like I had used the baking soda solution. This may or may not work for you, but I would at least try it before completely quitting, or maybe someone else here has a better idea?
Hope this helps. Hang in there girlie! 🙂
Veronica says
I didn’t give up!! My hair feels just like if I were to wash it with Shampoo/Conditioner! This is awesome!! It really payed off 🙂 🙂
Teresa says
This is your adjustment period. What had helped me was using White Vinegar (still mixed with water, just a little higher ratio). You want to be careful not to use too much, but it really cut the grease for me, where apple cider vinegar was just making it worse. You can follow with a honey rinse. You can also try an egg mixture (details on what I do from a post on January 28).
Teresa says
Oh, the 3-4 days is a general rule, you’ll find what works best for your hair after a while. During my adjustment period I washed with bs and vinegar more frequently, but now I’m at every 4 days or so.
jaime says
Is the vinegar mix the same as the bs solution 1 tbsp vinegar to 1 cup water?
Teresa says
Yes, the solution should be one to two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar per cup of water. I do one tablespoon max or the smell is too strong for me. On the days I use white vinegar I use even less, just a couple drops in a 1/2 cup of water.
You also might not need to use the rinse every time you wash, or you could try using a honey rinse after every other wash or so (about the same ration, but I only do about a quarter cup and use it all or I’ll get ants in my shower 🙁 )
Kristen says
Hey so I’ve been doing the no poo for about a week and my hair feels a lot better its so much softer but my hair is extremely frizzy and since starting the no poo it has only gotten a lot worse. Will this get better over time or is there something I should do like add more or less baking soda or vinegar? Help please! It’s looks like I have an Afro my hair is so frizzy and huge!
Teresa says
I use a leave in lotion/conditioner, love it. http://www.amazon.com/Palmers-Coconut-Hair-Milk-Size/dp/B002JNTEBW My hair is naturally curly and really prone to frizz, this helps.
Kristen says
Okay thank you so much, I’m definitely gonna try this!!
Kayla says
Hi! I haven’t started using this and can’t until I have a question answered. Will this lighten your hair? I know people who use baking soda to lighten their hair and I don’t want my hair to be lightened. Please respond, thanks xx
Christian says
I have a question! I am so excited to try this…but am looking to get my hair colored asap. Will this method mess with my color (as in fade or alter it)? Salons always sell you their “color protecting” shampoos and conditioners….should I still use something like a color protecting conditioner WITH my no poo? 🙂
Rachel says
Hi! I was intrigued by this article, so I am on day 4 of No Poo! I’m in a love-hate relationship with this right now, but I’m committed to stay the course. I have a few questions, however: when you make up your solution, do you use the entire batch each time? I doubled your method 1 batch, and have used it only twice and have a lot left. Also, do you know if the No Poo
method works for kids’ hair? Is like to try on my daughter. Lastly, do you use any kind of styling product at ask?
Teresa says
One batch (1 Tbsp bs, 1 cup water) has already lasted me 4 washes and I still have almost half left–I’ve been “no poo” for a year, with semi-long hair.
I’ve read that people use it on kids, so that shouldn’t be an issue. They may have to change it up a little during puberty due to changes, not sure.
Gabby says
I am an African American female with very thick, coarse, curly hair. I used to perm my hair but have undergone the transition process back to natural hair for over 2 years now. AA hair produces way less oil than the average Caucasian, as a matter of fact, our hair is usually starved for oils if we do not apply oils to our hair every day, and we may easily go a week or more without washing our hair (When I was getting my hair permed my stylist told me to come in every 2 weeks for a wash and roller set). I now wash my hair once a week, most of the time conditioning only. Occasionally I do a hot oil treatment, which leaves my hair feeling amazing, but this should only be done once a month. Do you think something like this would be beneficial for someone like me?
Shaquita says
Hi Leah,
I’m African American and I was wondering if no poo would also help my hair be health and grow also. My hair is currently at my shoulders. I usually wash my hair ever week or so.
Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Hello! After reading this post I am very interested in trying the No Poo ‘lifestyle’! It sounds like once you get past the adjustment period it’s awesome, but I’m very concerned about the time during that period. Do I use the No Poo every day when I first start? When do I start to skip washing my hair? How long does it take for my scalp to balance itself out? Is No Poo the only way I am supposed to wash my hair, or do I still use regular shampoo once a week?
Stacey says
Hi Leah,
I have thin, fine waist length dark brown hair. And before, I had to shampoo it everyday. It always got oily, very frizzy, and I also began to loose an incredible amount of hair while showering and it concerned me, that is when I found a pin on pinterest that was linked to your blog. I just started no-poo yesterday and after my first wash I was shocked! My hair felt clean and no grease! I was happy, that maybe I was one of the lucky ones that didn’t have a transition period!!! Whoo hoo! This morning I was eager to wash my hair before church, and that is when it hit me. My hair was greasy around the roots and especially at the crown. Uhhh.
I am determined to stick it out, but i have a couple questions….
I was wondering how often I should wash my hair when in the transition period? How much of the BS solution do you use per washing? And I have a big show, that I am queen for in 4 days (which means plenty of pictures and people that would talk about the queen with oily hair) what should I do to prevent it looking oily? Would a couple shampooings ruin my progress?
Thank you so much for your article, it is the only one I have found that actually explains what your hair is going through.
Sarah says
I have been using the squirt bottle method for about two weeks now. I don’t understand this “slippery” feeling though at first I kept adding more and more baking soda to try and get a slippery feeling all the way until I was at about a half and half solution. It still didn’t feel “slippery” to me; am I doing something wrong? Also how long is the transition period? And lastly when you start no pooing are you to wash your hair daily with the baking soda solution or are you to only wash every 3 – 4 days right off the bat?
Jamie says
I’m one who doesn’t wash my hair but twice a week, but I also use a dry shampoo and sometimes baby powder. When I start the no poo will I still need to use the dry poo or baby powder? If I am naturally a no hassle gal (I would wear sweats and no makeup everyday) what is the minimum products I will need for this; just bs and the vinegar?
I’m a very busy mom and very lazy when it comes to taking time for my “personal” beauty routine. Simple, quick and easy that’s my routine!
Devree says
I am very interested in trying this but I get my hair permed twice a year and I am worried about how this will affect my curls. Which method should I use? Since I can’t really use a brush on my hair, would it still be ok for me to use a wide tooth comb? TIA!
Mattie Lee says
I started using this and I really like it! Baking soda also works really well as a face wash!!
Jessica says
Before I started this I already had a problem with dandruff and have been doing the no poo for a little over a week now and it doesnt seem to be helping at all. My hair has gotten over that icky phase but my scalp is showing more dandruff than before I began doing this. Am i doing something wrong?
Mon says
I’m having a similar issue. I think we need to lessen the amount of baking soda we use.
Vanessa says
Hoe often do you have to make the solution? Evrrytime you wash or can I make it and leave it in the bottle in the shower for a week ot two?
Corrine says
Hi! I just found this website and have been dealing with my hair falling out a lot more than it used to. I would love to switch to this for the money savings alone! Just a question though….I usually wash my hair every other day. When I switch to no-poo in those first couple weeks do I still need to do this just with the baking soda and vinegar?
Nikki says
Hi, Corrine.
Sounds like your situation is similar to mine – I wash my hair every other day and in the past few years have been dealing with more hair falling out than I’d like. I’ve been doing the no-poo thing for a week now, still doing the every other day wash for now (except with BS and vinegar instead of shampoo and conditioner, obviously).
It definitely feels different, and a little gross the first few days, but already I’m noticing that my hair has more body and styles more easily. I think I’m also getting a little less hair falling out, though it’s not a dramatic improvement at this point. Maybe in another week or so, I’ll be able to wash left often. For the moment I’m sticking with every other day. I’d imagine it’s whatever you’re personally comfortable with. Wash when your hair seems to need it, I’d say. Though, I’m no expert. 🙂
Hope that helps!
Corrine says
Thank you! I’m going to get the supplies tonight and start washing my hair no-poo style. Even a little less hair loss will make me happy at this point and if it’s easier to style then I’m all for it! 🙂
Nikki says
I’d love to know how it works for you, Corrine. Keep us informed!
Corrine says
I just did this for the first time and I love how the ends of my hair feel! Very soft and hardly any frizz. I don’t think I got all the baking soda out of my hair though. I used Method One and my hair feels a little oily or stiff or something on the top. Like it used to feel if I didn’t get all the shampoo out
Corrine says
I bumped up the baking soda as my hair was super greasy! I’ve got the straw thing going on the ends of my hair and the top is still really greasy. I do have an all natural poo and conditioner so maybe I’ll use that to make the transition easier.
Rose says
ok a couple of things. I am in my fourth week now and i think my scalp is doint better but my hair itself has not gotten ungreasy! I have tried more baking soda less baking soda. method 1, method 2. no vinegar rinse less vinegar. UGH. I was wondering if since i have softened water if this could be affecting what is going of? Any advice would be welcome!
Sarah says
i just washed my hair for the second time with the no-poo last night. my hair isnt going through the transition phase.( i used a clarifying shampoo a few nights before) I am native american and so my hair adjusts very easily. Is it possible that i wont even have to go through the transition phase? I am using the BS solution. Am I doing something wrong?
Natalie says
Thank you for posting this. I am very eager to try it, but I do have a question…I have biracial hair and it tends to be very weak and breaks a lot. I have never had success growing it much past my shoulders. I have tried use natural treatments like avocado and egg yolks, but all it did was make the ends worse, so needless to say I am a little hesitant about trying something else. Is this a good treatment for notoriously weak hair? I would love for it to grow more than anything, but I don’t want to make it worse. :/ Thank you for your feedback! Natalie
iris says
Hi!
I just have a question about Argan Oil, can it be used instead of coconut or olive oil to moisturize?
Thanks,
Leann
kayla says
After using it only a few days, i must say im totally in love!!! my hair isn’t dry at all, have really oily hair so maybe that’s why? Idk, its easier to brush, the vinegar definitely conditions it well. I love it, I will never stop using this method!!!
Melissa says
So, I washed my hair on Monday with no poo method 1, after my hair dried it was still greasy. Wednesday I added an extra teaspoon of baking soda to my mixture, and washed again, and it is even greasier. I only used the vinegar spray on the length of my hair, not the roots. From my scalp to the first 6 inches of hair is oily, the rest is normal, and feels great. What am I doing wrong? Do I increase the baking soda again? Or should I switch to Method 2. I really want this to work, I am so tired of having to wash my hair every other day, because the day after I wash it is oily. Thanks so much for your help!!
'Becca says
Use vinegar diluted with hot water on your scalp. Rub it in, leave it a couple minutes, rinse it out while running your fingers or a wide-tooth comb or ventilated brush down the length of your hair. The vinegar will loosen the oil from your scalp, and it will lightly coat your hair the rest of the way down, and some of it will rinse out (careful–it makes the shower floor slippery!). Overall it should make the oiliness more even.
Allison B says
I have blonde and curly hair. However, it also breaks easily, is very thin, kinda frizzy, and VERY greasy. I swear as soon as my hair dries it’s already greasy. I literally hate my hair! I have to use mousse when I leave my hair natural. Do you think the no-poo method will work for me? Do you recommend the BS solution method or the paste method? And will I still be able to use my mousse or style my hair during the transition period? What about using a leave-in conditioner during this period to make it look better? Sorry I have so many questions; I just really want this to work! And I don’t know if keeping my hair in a ponytail during the entire transition period is actually going to work for me.
Beth says
I’ve been doing this for a week and I have helmet hair so basically the top of my head looks like I’ve been wearing a hat or helmet and the ends are so full of static it looks crazy. Do I adjust my solutions or should I still wait it out? Also I’ve been using it every day because if I don’t my hair looks gross. Any suggestions from fellow no-pooers are welcome!!
'Becca says
I think you need more vinegar on your scalp to even out the oil. See my response to Melissa above.
Kaitlyn says
HI. I haven’t started yet and I’m really nervous, because my hair can go from being really greasy to being really dry. I have noticed that my shampoos are doing nothing for my hair and have been looking for alternative ways. I was even once yelled at by a hairstylists to stop using my shampoo because it was ruining my hair. The only question I have is, during the in between days of the first few weeks, is it okay to get your hair wet, but not adding anything to it or would it make my hair more grease like it normal would when i wouldn’t shampoo… Thank you 🙂
stef b says
if my hair feels like straw for the first couple of weeks…how will it all of a sudden go back to feeling silky? even if my scalp sebum is more “balanced” how will that effect the ends of my hair?
'Becca says
Brushing or combing your hair helps to distribute oil from your scalp down to the ends of your hair. You may need to brush more while you’re adjusting. I wash my hair in the morning, mostly leave it alone during the day so it forms natural waves, then brush it thoroughly at night.
Ceci says
I was wondering if I start doing this and I do swimming if i shouldn’t use a leave in conditioner on my hair before i go in the pool! because i don’t want to damage my hair; do you know if i should not use it at all/any natural replacements? thanks! xx
Rachel says
I have been doing this method for a week now. I have been doing a combination of the paste and BS method (everyday). The BS method wasn’t getting my hairline clean enough so I apply the paste at the top of my scalp and use the bottle to get the underside of my hair. Anyway, it seems to be working great but my hair doesn’t look good unless I style it. Do you think I should still use a heat protectant when I use a flat iron? It has been making my hair extra greasy but I have long hair and split ends stick out.
EdenB says
If you are a girl with super fine hair, to be honest, maybe you should skip this. I did this for three weeks and it ravaged my hair! It felt super stiff and I could not run my hands through it even if I just brushed it. I think a lot of these pinterest techniques work really well for people who already have great, resilient hair, but my hair does not take a beating well. I’ve been told to treat my hair like a delicate silk. I probably wouldn’t wash silk with baking soda. I looked down at my ends when I was out in the sun one day and almost every single hair was broken or split. They were screaming at me “please!!! I need conditioner!” A good alternative is Loreal’s everpure line. They don’t use sulfates or silicones and it’s only $6.50 a bottle. For all of you who no poo worked for you, Congrats! But for the rest of you with fine hair that easily tangles…maybe you should find an alternative.
Kelly says
I’ve seen lots of posts about no poo not affecting color treated hair. But what about those of us who have blonde hair AND get highlights? I also have super fine but super oily hair. Would you recommend no poo for me?
Sarah says
I am on 2 full weeks of dong this and I am just about ready to break out my shampoo and conditioner!!
For the first week I used method 2. I got the straw/waxy/dry hair. That’s ok, I held out for a week and turned to method 1. I deep conditioned my hair with an eggs before starting method 1. This worked great, for a day.
It has now been a week of method 1. My hair is still dry and waxy (with my roots being very greasy) and I can barely get a comb/brush through it! I do get that “slippery” feeling with the bs solution.
I REALLY want this to work, but 2 weeks and no sign of improvement I am getting very discouraged!
Any tips/tricks from anyone?? Am I doing something wrong?? Or do I still need to wait this out?? (I don’t really know if I can!!)
Thanks!!
'Becca says
Try the vinegar-only method. It is awesome! The straw feeling, waxy feeling, greasy roots, and brush sticking in the hair all are signs my hair needs to be washed; when I wash with vinegar, they go away.
Sarah says
I haven’t tried this yet, but I really want to! I have naturally super-curly hair, but a couple years ago, I over-processed my hair, and it was left fried straight. I’ve tried lots of products to get the natural curl back to no avail. I guess I was wondering if No Poo-ing would allow my hair to get the curl back or if I am destined to have this crazy funky hair for a while?
Madi says
Hi! So I just came across this, and I know there are tons of questions about swimmers, but I’m just wondering if you found out anything new for us? I’ve got really, really long hair that goes about to my waist, but it gets so greasy easily because of how much I’m showering because I’m in the pool so much! I have practice after school for two hours every day and on Saturdays, and every other weekday morning is an hour of dry-land crossfit type workouts, then an hour of swimming. And this is year round. It seems like it would solve my problems of greasiness, but I’m worried about whether or not it will get the chlorine out of my hair.
alex says
I started using no poo about a week and a half ago. I am noticing a little straw-like feeling in my hair, but other than that I am pleasantly surprised that my overly greasy hair has been cleaned pretty well! I have been wanting to wash my hair about every 2 days. Is that not spread apart enough? Or at this point how much SHOULD I be washing my hair? Thanks!
Miranda says
Hi, I want to try this and I was wondering if once I start doing this can I still wash my hair with shampoo once a week? or no..
Chelsea says
I have tried baking soda to cleanse my scalp every now and then and still shampooed regularly. I want to transition to the no poo method entirely, but washing your hair with shampoo once a week with doing the no poo method shouldn’t hurt at all!
'Becca says
I transitioned by washing with shampoo every other time and doing no-poo the times in between. It worked very well for me.
Maddie says
i found this on pinterest and thought it sounded cool. im not sure i want to do it yet. i just have one question, once i start to do no poo, do i have to keep doing it? what if i get too lazy to make the solutions and use shampoo? can i easily go back to shampoo and it not mess up my hair?
Dylan says
I’ve been doing No Poo for a full week now thanks to your blog
Arielle says
I’ve been doing the no poo thing for a couple days now and noticed that my bottle of bs solution has all the bs at the bottom of the bottle. I shake the solution to try to get it to dissolve and mix again but it doesn’t work. Does it matter that all the bs isn’t being used or is there a solution to this problem?
Kylee says
My ends feel dry and disgusting. What is the purpose of using the vinegar solution on the ends? What does it do? Would using a sulfate free conditioner on the ends only work better and make my hair feel less dry?
Kalee says
Just tried Method #1 this morning and I am surprised to find my hair feels absolutely great!! It is a little oily where my hair is parted but otherwise it feels really nice. It might help that I didn’t wash my hair for two days previously. Just thought I’d share my thoughts 🙂
Rachel M says
Hi, this is the first time I’ve really looked into the No Poo method and considered using it. My hair is very curly, not completely unmanageable but it has its days. I regularly use products like mouse and anti-frizz serums, will my continued use of these products have any affect on my No Poo results?
McKenna P says
Hi, I just started using No Poo and I have a few questions. I may have missed this but do we No Poo every day or every 4? Also, I got some coconut oil because my hair is crazy dry and gross right now but I can’t tell if its working.. I usually don’t comb my hair after it’s dry because it is curly and then it turns crazy frizzy. My question is how long does it usually take to get that great No Poo hair I’ve heard so much about and how can i fix this crazy dry mess on top of my head?
'Becca says
Start by no-pooing as often as you would normally wash your hair. Then try waiting an extra day and see how it goes. Most likely you’ll gradually be able to no-poo less often than you would shampoo.
My hair is wavy, not really curly, but I know what you mean about frizzing if you brush it when dry. What I do is brush/comb while rinsing, comb my wet hair after I get dressed, put it in place (I usually French-braid the front to keep it out of my eyes), and then leave it alone except for occasional scrunching. At night I brush thoroughly before bed, and then if there is lingering frizz in the morning and I’m not washing/rinsing my hair that day, I dampen it or use a little coconut oil at that point to get it under control.
Ali says
So I guess I just have one question, thus far. I started the baking soda wash today for the first time, and I didn’t use very much. I guess my question is, how much of the solution are you supposed to use each time? The whole thing?
Erin says
I work out almost every day. Therefore, I feel like I need to wash my hair more often because of sweating and such. Would it hurt if I did this method more often than once or twice a week?
Resha says
Thank you so much for posting this article about no-poo. I started using the method one week ago and my hair is doing good but I’m not sure if I’m doing it right. My only question is how often do I no-poo? I started by using the no-poo instead of shampoo and conditioner. But I’m still washing it with the no-poo method twice a day like when I used shampoo. I’m kinda confused please help 🙂
Rachel says
I’ve been using this for about a month and just thought I’d post a little review for those of you who are curious.
I used the first method with apple cider vinegar, for the first week my hair was kinda icky like this page said it would be so I kept it up, but then my hair started being really oiley. I used more baking soda and less vinegar like asked and that seemed to work for the next week or so but then it just went right back to feeling oiley. My hair still LOOKS nice and clean but it feels horrible and it’s really hard to brush and it’s also very staticky…I tried a few other times to adjust the amounts of baking soda and vinegar but my hair just won’t cooperate.
What I did notice was that my hair has grown noticably in a month which is good! But I just can’t stand this oiley hard to brush static, so I’ll be switching back to regular shampoo. I would definitely bring up this no poo style in conversation but I can’t say I would recommend it for anyone. In my opinion it’s just not worth the effort when your hair feels so oily and hard to manage.
Megan says
I’m having the same issue. I’ve been doing no poo for over 2 months and my hair looks clean and doesn’t feel like the sort of oily it did before when I used regular shampoo and missed a day of shampooing – BUT, it ALWAYS has an oily feel to it. Is this just a natural hair oil feeling? It looks clean, but it’s just so hard to brush and just running my fingers through it makes my fingers feel oily. I’m about to give up because I too have tried other ratios and still ends up the same. Can anyone comment as to whether this is how it always feels or whether it should actually get to a point of feeling completely clean like it used to with shampoo? Thanks!
Amy says
I spend a ton of money on foil highlights. (I have dishwater blonde hair naturally, and the hair salon foils it using a bleach bowl and a second bowl of straw/yellowish color dye.) So I have bleach and hair color on my hair. I do not want this stripped! Has anyone tried the no-poo system with this kind of hair bleach/dye??
Dylan says
I’ve been doing this no poo shampoo for almost two weeks now and I have 1 question. My hair is very cottony feeling and almost sticky?? So how long is the transition period supposed to last? I use the BS method and I make the baking soda slippery like you said. So I think I’m doing everything right.. So how long will this last?
Dylan says
Please help!! I need to know I I need to give up or not!!
Teresa says
It should last too long (another week at most, I hope!)
Try washing with an egg (see my January 28th post–I think that’s when it was). Also, occasionally I replace apple cider vinegar with white vinegar, but use less. It really helps fix it when my hair gets oily.
You can also try a honey rinse. Just need to play with it a little and find what works for you.
Andrea says
Can I use Apple Cider Vinegar instead?
Shawna says
I was wondering if this works well for African-American hair as well?
Liz says
I started No Pooing last night, I straighten my hair a lot like at least 3 times a week or more. Will No Pooing effect this in the beginning? Or even at all?
Natalie says
This sounds great but it didn’t mention anything about hair that has had product in it. I wash my hair daily because I use a volumizing powder (which can feel a little odd in hair by day 2) as well as a little hairspray to get big hair. Will this effectively wash them out? What about waiting days between this method’s washing? Will it mess around with my hair and make it greasy again because there’s product in it? I’m very interested in trying this out, just wondering about the little details!
Sarah says
Is this something you do everyday? I just made the mixtures thinking I would be using them over the course of the next few weeks but should I be using a TBS of bs with water everyday? Same with the vinager?
Ariana says
The ends of my hair are so dry and brittle. Did anyone else have this issue and how long did it take to work itself out? I am dying to condition my hair but really want to stick with this!
Veroníca says
I am really exited to try no poo! But I was kinda disappointed when u wrote “No Poo won’t remove the oil from your hair, you have to use some sort of shampoo”… Cuz now it doesn’t seemt as convenient as if I was just doing the no poo-routine without thinking about anything else. My question is – how often do u need to shampoo your hair with regular shampoo? Or do people just keep on doing the no poo-thing without ever using shampoo?
Jessica says
I’ve been using this method for about a week now. I have pretty thick hair and it has a tendency to get oily in the morning. My hair hasn’t been oily when I wake up, it’s a little dry but I’ve bought some coconut oil spray to help. My only issue is that my hair is shedding A LOT! I feel like I’m going bald. My comb is full of hair and if I run my fingers through my hair. I’m getting 20 plus strands at a time and hair all over my shirts and bed. Is this normal…?
Traci says
I have the same question!!
Tara says
Thruth is, I’m extremely excited about doing this… My hair is naturally wavy and most of the time I have to use lots and lots of mousse to keep it down and then all the curlies seem to go away , so I’m hoping I wwont have to use mousse anymore. I have natural red hair and I read in the comments that vinegar changes stuffs color….would that effect me?
Mary says
Leah…I have a question 🙂 I’m in junior high which means greasy hair and showering every day. I started no poo a week ago, but I have been washing my hair with it every day. Is that bad? I can’t really stop because I feel like it would get super greasy, and I can’t handle that…so what do I do? Btw this is a really awesome site! Glad I found it! 🙂
'Becca says
I had very oily hair when I was your age. I didn’t try no-poo then, but if I had it might have been necessary to do it every day. I wouldn’t worry that it is harming your hair. Just every once in a while try skipping a day to see if it is possible. You might try just RINSING your hair with hot water every other day, not using anything on it; that helps to loosen some oil without being harsh.
Haleigh says
I’ve been doing no poo method 1 for three weeks now! Unfortunately my hair is still very, very oily because of it. It’s calmed down a tad this week, but not very much. It’s mostly oily around the center back of my head near my scalp. I’m using white vinegar, decreased the amount, increased the amount of baking soda… Just wondering how much longer ill have to hold out on this. And any other things I can do to help the process along? I’m really missing my clean hair before I made the switch! But I know this is better long term.
'Becca says
I am seeing this over and over here! I think the baking soda is the problem. Try this: Make a strong vinegar solution with HOT water, like 1/4 cup of each. Get your hair wet. Slowly pour the vinegar solution onto that trouble spot on the back of your head and rub it in with your fingertips. Really scrub. Let it soak a minute. Then rinse it out while running your fingers down through your hair. See if that helps. It works for me!
Chelsea says
I apologize if someone has asked this already, but I have been using method 1, do I use the entire baking soda water solution per wash? I’ve noticed that when I only use some of it and leave it until my next shower, the baking soda clumps up in the bottom of the container and won’t dissolve again.
Mary says
I have that, too.
Kayla says
Heyy!! I am super interested in trying this! I am just wondering, before your scalp becomes used to not using shampoo, how often should you wash your hair with this mix? Also does that mean not using hair products afterward either, like hairspray and hair gel and etc??
crystall says
Ok I have been no poo for 1 week 4 days now, and am still hating it. Let me explain how im doing it and maybe you can tell me what im doing wrong. I have EXTREMELY thick curly hair down to my lower back, I use baking soda mixed with water on my scalp until it feels slippery and then i used a tspn vinegar mixed with water on the rest. when i first get out it seems kind of dry, lose lots of hair, then as it drys the top of my head feels REALLY oily, the rest just kind of oily. My hair seems limper and less body (that part im actually ok with because i hate my curls) Ive been using the baking soda and vinegar about every other to every 2 days, everytime i want to go longer but then i get in the shower get my hair wet and it just feels EWWWW. I dont know how much longer of this i can take, what else can i do or what am i doing wrong?
'Becca says
I feel like a broken record in this discussion…but I think what you need is MORE VINEGAR and less baking soda or none at all. The times I have used baking soda, I felt like it didn’t do anything, but the vinegar is awesome and I use a lot. My hair is pretty thick, wavy, mid-back length–similar to yours but not quite so much of it, I think–and I use 1/2 to 3/4 CUP of vinegar mixed with about 3 times as much water. HOT water. Try my method and see if it works for you!
Traci says
Ok, So i just tried the no poo for the first time. Literally just finished washing my hair, the biggest turn on to try this was the growth issue, I’m hoping to get my hair to finally start growing again. Having kids changed my entire body structure (obviously) and since having kids my hair doesnt grow, or at least really fast, and im constantly dealing with handfuls of hair loss after normal shampoo/conditioner use…. My question is, is it normal to still deal with fall fight for awhile until my hair adjusts to the full no poo thing??
Kristine says
Leah, I have been doing No Poo for about a month now and I the beginning I really loved it. My hair felt great, clean and fuller even. But lately a month in I noticed that I was losing more strands of hair in the shower. I already lose strands before starting but now I feel like this might be weakening my hair. Please give me some input from you other No Poo ladies.
Gladys says
HELP!!! I started to “no poo” a month ago and absolutely love it. One big problem though!! I did a coconut oil treatment on my hair and I can’t get all the oil out! Someone help!!! I’ve already tried the white vinegar and it didn’t work for me. I’d hate to have to use shampoo because I’d feel like I’d be back at square one. Any advice??
Chelsea says
I have done a coconut oil treatment recently and I found that I had to wash my hair TWICE (with shampoo) in order to get all of it out! I am about to embark on the no poo method. I would probably suggest making a paste with the baking soda. The water mixture seems too weak to remove the oil. Pretty much just scoop a handful of baking soda and massage it in your scalp and to the ends of your hair using only as much water as you need to get it to saturate your hair. Don’t let it sit for too long or I could imagine that it would really dry your hair out. Use a mild organic conditioner only on the ends of your hair to help it along. Better than nothing I suppose.
Gladys says
Thanks for the advice. I guess I know not to use so much coconut oil next time. 🙁 Still trying with the baking soda and still greasy.
Amber P. says
I been using this about a month and a half to two months now. I can definitely tell a difference, in fact I don’t even think I’ve found any split-ends at all even though I haven’t had my hair trimmed since November, but I am still having to ‘wash’ my hair 2-3 times a week (wash meaning with the baking soda and water mix).
I definitely already have more volume, my hair feels softer and stronger, and behaves better but I my hair still produces an insane amount of oil thus forcing me to still wash it every 2 or 3 days…by day 3 I will have to wear my hair up and tied tightly back.
Will my scalp eventually stop producing so much oil over time or is this just how my scalp is and thus I need to deal with it? …I am using my bristle brush, in which does help spread the oils but that is just momentary…like VERY momentary because about 10 or 15 minutes later it would look like it did before.
I admit, I actually switched to this no-poo thing because I have major itchy scalp issues…and while yes, this helps, it still gets super itchy by the second day after washing. I’ve read that sebum oil is naturally itchy (which would explain my itchiness since I am one oily scalped gal) but I am not for sure. I am definitely going to continue this because either way I would be washing my hair every few days so I may as-well wash it the better way. But I just thought that by this time I easily wouldn’t have to wash my hair except for maybe twice a week tops by what everyone else keeps saying.
Julie Hand says
I just started using this product and I was wondering do you use it everyday untill your hair gets used to it or do you just do it like you would with Shampoo untill your scalp gets used to it?
Mary says
I just started this, but I found that my hair already has more volume than it ever had before- no extra product needed- and although I’m in the “transition” stage- my hair looks awesome and CLEAN! (blow drying does seem to take a few extra minutes every morning- then I straighten- but still have a LOT more volume that EVER before!)
2 things that might help some people- I have used a WV rinse before- I keep it in a water bottle with a lid- Easy to handle, easy to mix into and then I can make sure that all the bs is always washed out of my hair- doing method 1 or 2.
For method 1- I’m using a recycled (once again) water bottle with the same kind of lid (kind of pointed)
I have yet to use method 2, as I’m looking for a good recycled container to keep the bs in.
Liz says
I have been doing the no poo (based on this blog) for the past 4 weeks. Just the last week my hair has become very “staticy”. How do I combat that? I blow my hair dry everyday and use the vinegar everyday and the BS everyother day.
Thanks for your help!
Monica says
I’m facing the same ‘problem’ right now. What helps me best is a few drops of jojoba oil. Make sure you take only VERY FEW drops otherwise your hair gets too oily. I hope this helps!
Stephanie says
When I pour the BS solution on my hands, I can feel that slippery feeling, but once I put it in my hair, the slippery feeling only lasts a few seconds and then I get a cottony/dry feeling while I scrub. Afterwards my hair is nice and soft and clean feeling, does this mean I’m doing it right?
Valerie says
Why didn’t I try this sooner!!!! I had given up on my thin, flat hair. I’d have to blow dry it to have any body at all. By the end of the day it would be greasy and flat on the the top, dry on the bottom. After suffering through two weeks and nearly giving up, my hair is now amazing! With just air drying, it has more volume then ever. And it’s so smooth, I keep running my fingers through it. The trouble shooting that worked for me: the boar bristle brush is a must. I kept having the straw feeling no matter what I did with the baking soda. Once I got the brush and distributed the natural oils from my scalp, my hair became silky. I also kept giving in and washing it with the baking soda every day. It wasn’t until I went three days that the straw feeling was less and less. I also used the corn starch on the roots and I can’t believe it actually works. I wish I could post before and after pictures!
Allie says
Thank you so much posting that. I feel much more confident! (: do you brush your hair when Its wet or dry? And how long was the transition period for you?
Laura says
Great article, thanks for posting! I found it a while ago and have been no-poo for about 2-3 weeks. The transition period was not too bad, but I should probably get a boar bristle brush to distribute the oils a bit more.
One major question though – I’m using the BS solution and I rinse very well, but I have been seeing a weird white residue in my hairbrush for the last week or so. It’s not flaky like dandruff, it’s more solid as if there’s soap in my scalp or something…. What is this? Will it go away on its own or am I doing something wrong? Any tips are appreciated!
Allie says
I read that it was build-up from shampoo from years past. It’s a good thing! (:
Allie says
I just started this today, I’m so excited to see how it goes! Thanks for all the information, it is very helpful to read all the questions and answers. I just bought a new bristle brush and lavender oil as well.
Quick question for those who use this method: is all that stuff true? The benefits I mean? Is it really softer and less split ends and easier to style? Because I need all of that!
Erica says
Hi there! I just started this No Poo method a few days and I have a few questions I hope you can answer. First, I’m using the BS method and I can’t seem to get the baking soda to dissolve in the water. It just globs in big chunks at the bottom of the bottle. How can I make it dissolve better? I’m using hot water. Is that a mistake?
I have been using the BS solution along with the vinegar and today I didn’t have time to wash my hair, so I didn’t. Half way through the day, my hair felt icky and had the smell of the wax buildup from shampoo. Is this normal? I just took a shower and thought it would help to use the solutions, but when I got out my hair still feels waxy and icky in the back. How can I fix this? Is this how it’s supposed to be? I just made more solution with more baking soda, so I guess I’ll see if it helps.
Do you have any more suggestions for me? I appreciate the help!
'Becca says
Try using more vinegar. Apply it especially to the waxy areas and rub it in well. It should feel like the waxy gunk is melting away.
I don’t mean to undermine Leah’s advice here, but for me personally baking soda doesn’t seem to do anything (on my hair, I mean–it’s great for a lot of other stuff, like removing tea stains from mugs!) and I wash my hair with vinegar and hot water only–and most of the problems I am seeing people posting about here are problems I have when my hair needs washing, that are solved by washing with vinegar.
Erica says
Thank you so much! I just read your blog and am inspired to try the vinegar method next. I guess I’ll find what works for me! Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Marissa J. says
I have been using the No Poo for about 2 weeks. When I shower everyday, I wash my hair with the first (BS) method solution, and use the WV conditioner solution. I have naturally thin, straight hair, and after starting this, the volume has increased dramatically (I have naturally thin, straight hair)! For the past few days maybe a week, my hair is feeling thick, waxy and like it has residue in it, but then I feel like it gets oily. I wash it everyday with the solution, and don’t know if it could be I’m using too much or too little when I wash, or washing too much. I made sure today I rinsed very well, because I read it could be that I haven’t rinsed good, well that didn’t help, it still is the same. Any suggestions or help?
Karli-Ann says
Hi! I found this through pinterest and reading through the comments answered most of my questions, but I still have one or two. I have curly/wavy awkwardness that’s pretty frizzy, but manageable. Does this really help make it less frizzy? Also, does it change the hair texture at all? One more thing, I have two dreadlocks in my hair that I absolutely love. Does anyone know if this will ruin them? I usually just wash them with my regular shampoo and avoid conditioning them. Thank you for helping!
'Becca says
I don’t know about dreadlocks, but I can tell you my experience on the other questions: My hair is the wavy kind that sometimes forms spiral curls toward the ends. When I used shampoo, I also used a heavy leave-in conditioner because without it, the entire surface of my hair would frizz. When I wash with vinegar, after it’s rinsed out my hair still feels slippery, like it has conditioner on it. Now it hardly ever frizzes (if it does, a SMALL amount of coconut oil or any other handy oily stuff–I’ve used doctor’s office hand lotion!–rubbed on my palms and then slicked over my hair will calm it) and the waves hold together well without feeling stiff like they used to.
My hair texture is a little silkier than it used to be. I happened to transition into vinegar washing while I was pregnant, so I’m not sure if that made a difference, as I hear a lot of women’s hair changes a little with motherhood.
Anna says
Been loving this so far except I’ve had really bad dandruff because of it. I started about a month ago. I really want to stick with it because I love not having to wash my hair everyday, but the dandruff is embarrassingly bad. Any suggestions!?!?!
Chelsea says
I’ve been on it for 2 weeks and the last week I’ve had bad dandruff too, and I’ve never had any before! I think I may just start washing my hair with shampoo once a week to get it out :/ don’t know how else to get rid of it.
'Becca says
Try adding 3 or 4 drops of tea tree essential oil (from health food store) to the vinegar solution. It might also help to use less baking soda, more vinegar.
Cassie says
Hello! I am very interested in trying this. However, I have a few concerns and am looking for lots of feed back. I have long thin brown hair. (I dye it every few months and I perm it three times a year). My hair/skin is very oily, but then ends of my hair is super dry. I also use lots of product to “scrunch” my hair daily. Currently, I have to wash my hair daily because it gets very greasy and icky. I am wondering if I should start out with the baking soda/no poo daily at first, and then gradually try to do it ever other day/every few days.
Also, I currently use a hair pick because brushes pull out way to much of my hair and seem to make it more tangled.
Thanks!!
Cassie says
Any suggestions!? Please?
tasha says
Hey Cassie,
my hair is the same as yours. very oily and my Ends are dry. i started the no poo about 5 weeks ago and i started out washing (no poo) it every 3 days. in between washes i put Baby powder on the oily parts and let it sit for a Minute, then brushed it out. if you are brunette, you can use a mix of Baby cowder or cornstarch with unsweetened cocoa. Leah suggested this mix: (also to get the chocolaty smell of your head cause it makes you crave chocolate lol)
5 teaspoons of cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot (control how dark your dry shampoo is)
5 drops of your favorite essential oil (chocolate odor problem solved!)
for your dry ends you use the apple cider vinegar rinse (use the dimensions recommenced by Leah). if that doesnt help, try one of the moisturing honey masks Leah suggests somewhere on here. I haven´t tried any of them, i just used the vinegar rinse, will be switching to White vinegar now thought to try what it does..
And try the hair diary.. i wish i had known about it when i started no-pooing.
i hope this helps you!
Leah Dossey says
Thanks for taking care of that question so expertly…and I’m really sorry (to everyone) that I didn’t think to add the hair journal recommendation when I originally wrote the article. 🙁 I guess you could say, blogging, like no poo is trial and error. 🙂 Thanks again!
Cassie says
Thank you all so much! I am excited to try this!
DIY Donatella says
Or if you have the patience for it, wait it out. My hair is the same, greasy at the roots and very dry at the tips. I was about to trim it when I decided to try washing it out with water only after a good brush out of boar bristle brush. The result was surprising. But I recommend you dry it properly before heading out, otherwise your hair might have that waxy feel. Now I only wash with the BS/ACV once a week.
Nicole says
I’m very interested in trying the No-Poo method! Do you use the entire cup of BS solution & the entire cup of vinegar solution every time you wash?
DIY Donatella says
No, I only end up using 1/4 of or less. By the way, I use the squirt bottle method. The ACV, I only use less than 1/4 of the mixture. But the ACV rinse is a process you shouldn’t skimp on (especially in my case, as I have dry hair). Try to soak the ENDS, avoid the roots as much as you can because it will get greasy. I take a wide tooth comb to the shower with me to comb the mixture through.
Jen says
I have been using method 1 for a little over two weeks, so I’m in the midst of transition. My only concern is that my hair isn’t holding any kind of style right now. My shampoo hair would take a curling iron curl very well and hold it till the next day, but my no ‘poo hair drops the curl within the hour. Is this going to continue after transition? That would be a deal breaker for me and I would really like to keep up the no ‘poo lifestyle.
DIY Donatella says
So I can’t vouch for it at the moment because based on what I’ve read, everyone reacts differently to no poo. Did you use products to hold your curls when you were shampooing? Personally, my adjustment phase was not as bad as a lot of women say theirs went. But it definitely did not hold any sort of style for too long. Now that I’m on my 25th (I think- I hate math) day, my hair has body and volume, and looks like it’s been blow dried even when I only use a fan (and has been slept on, and untouched by water for two days). However, I have not tried curling irons because I don’t own one and I’m generally trying to revive my super damaged hair. Have hope, though. I didn’t think my hair could ever be this soft again. EVER.
Mallory says
My hair is stick-straight and thick, and if I don’t wash it with shampoo it get really oily. And I know that this is because of the terrible stripping cycle. I still use shampoo (on my roots) and conditioner (on my ends), but I only wash my hair every third or fourth day because I use dry shampoo (which is basically baking soda). The dry shampoo soaks up oils but doesn’t strip my hair of it (since the powder just sits on top), so my scalp doesn’t know to produce more oil to overcompensate. I used to go through shampoo and conditionner super fast (I have medium-length, thick hair) but now it takes month to use the same amount. So this is all just to say that if you are not ready to take the full “no poo” plunge, you can cheat with dry shampoo and still save money, water, etc… and I know dry shampoo is aerosol but I figure I can spray it because I don’t drive and I use less water now 🙂
Mallory says
Also, my hair is virgin hair (no dye) but I know this method won’t fade your color (except for maybe the shampooing at the roots).
Heather says
Hi,
I only wash my hair every 5 days on average and I use a Dry Shampoo in between. I would like to try this No Poo thing, so does that mean that I should no longer use Dry Shampoo? Will it mess up my No Poo efforts?
Thanks/
Monica says
First of all, thank you for this great and encouraging site! I just started the no ‘poo project 6 days ago. The first time i washed my hair with BS and vinegar, it felt GREAT. I went 3 days with no hair washing (usually washed my hair every 1-2 days) and my hair still looked and felt beautiful. Even better than with regular store-bought shampoo and conditioner. I was amazed by the effect. After washing my hair the second time, the transition phase started… Right now, I’m in the middle of transition phase which means that my hair looks fine but feels like someone melt a candle over my head. The waxy/cottony feeling won’t go away – even after letting it air dry and brushing it well with my boar bristle brush. I wonder how long the transition phase usually takes? What kind of experience have you had? Just wondering how long I have to stick with that feeling…;)
Oh and I was wondering if you have some advice on homemade, no ‘poo friendly leave-in conditioner? Would some kind of leave-in ‘refresh’ and nourish in between washing hair days? Or do you just use a few drops of oil (I use argan, jojoba or avocado oils for hear treatment). I’m looking forward to your answers!
'Becca says
Sigh…more vinegar…melt off that gunk with vinegar and plenty of hot water…Read all about it here! (I’m feeling silly saying this over and over, but I can see why most people aren’t reading every single comment now that there are so many.) You may have better results from using your old shampoo every other time at first.
I used to use a leave-in conditioner with shampoo, but I do not need it with vinegar. I find that just rinsing with plain hot water and scrubbing my scalp a bit refreshes my hair very well. A few drops of oil calms frizz when it does happen, but it’s rare now.
Monica says
Thank you for your advice Becca. I’ll try more vinegar and see what happens. Yesterday I tried a herbal rinse (with rosemary, rose petals and hibiscus) and my hair feels really healthy and looks awesome! I guess transition phase is almost over now…
Sam says
I just tried this, and followed all measurements and everything…… And my hair kept falling out.
jessica says
uhmm I don’t think it going to work right away o.o
Grace V says
How does No Poo work after swimming in a pool with chlorine?
carvar says
Baking soda is used to fade hair color so this method is not safe for color treated hair.
Mckell says
Hey! I just came across this and I am soooo interested in doing it! I am going to start it tonight! The only thing I am concerned about is I get my hair dyed like every 4/5 weeks and my hair dresser obviously washes it. If she uses a regular shampoo will it set me back every time? If so should I take my no poo and have her wash my hair with that? Thank you so much!!
Megan says
Hey everyone! I am considering starting the No Poo method, but I have one question first. I have naturally wavy/curly hair, and it really helps the curl to wash it with a certain curl shampoo/conditioner. But after my shower, if I don’t spray my hair with the curl spray that goes with the shampoo, the curls fall out within 5 hours after I wash. Would it be ok to use that hair spray after the No Poo? And, would it be ok for me shampoo with my curl shampoo once in a while?
Lulu S says
I have never heard of “no poo” shampooing before. I am interested in trying this but am afraid of what it will do to my hair. I have very frizzy long straight hair. I have to use a straightener on the hottest temp possible to get it to look like normal hair. I might give it a shot for a short time and see how it works.
Mon says
I’ve been doing the no poo for about 2 months now and have noticed a great difference. however, i noticed my hair gets quite tangled now. did anyone else find this to be true? any ideas?
ANN says
I also have been doing this for two months. I am not having the issue with tangling, however I do if I do not use enough vinegar. I keep a cup in my shower and fill it with vinegar and just pour it on. Then I clip my hair up and wash my body as I leave the vinegar in. Then rinse. That helps a ton. I also use a leave in conditioner (which helps mask the vinegar smell). BUT what I am having issues with is oiliness now and I didn’t as much before. I have had to up my baking soda in order to keep my hair from being so oily.
Camila says
I’ve been using method 1 for 2 weeks and my hair looks oily in the afternoons.. I tried white vinegar at first and now I’m using fruit vinegar but there was no change. What can I do?
Tasha says
use some baby powder on your hair /cocoa powder if you´re a dark brunette… it will make it less oily!
Mandy says
I already use sulfate free shampoo, so if I were to switch to no poo, would the transition be easier?
Jen says
That wasn’t my experience. Before switching to no ‘poo, I was sulfate free for almost a year. I’m going on a month with no ‘poo and transitioning pretty much as explained in the article. Everyone is different though, so who knows. Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones 🙂
Leah Dossey says
Yes! It should. Low-Poo is sorta the half way point between commercial shampoo and no poo. Let us know how it goes!
Tiffany says
This is NOT safe for colored treated hair. I just had my hair colored three days ago and used the “no poo” method today. I completely faded my hair color. I get both dark and blonde high lights done and it lightened the dark and turned my blonde an “icky” yellow. I would stay away if you color your hair. I wish I would have known it was going to do this.
Leah Dossey says
Tiffany, this should not have effected your color treated hair. There are so many variables with hair color and how your hair was processed, that I’m not sure what went wrong. I am very sorry this happened.
Tasha says
Hey there,
I´ve been using no poo for about 4 or 5 weeks (every 3-4 days) I think. I used to be a daily washer. My hair would be starting to look greasy by the end of the day even when I washed it that morning. At the beginning my hair felt very greesy, then I increased the baking soda and it got a little bit better. I do get the slippery feeling.
My hair is super staticy which is really annoying. I always put it in a bun now so I don´t have to deal with it.. but even putting my hair in the bun is hard work with all those flying hair 😀
I still have a question though… even though I feel like I´m rinsing my hair for ever (I´m using the bottle solution) there is always lots of white stuff on my brush (I know.. it sounds gross, sorry 😉 ) So…. does that mean I don`t rinse enough? Or is that product coming out of my hair? It´s been like this pretty much the whole 4-5 weeks though, I feel like the product should finally be gone already 😀 And does using baby powder close my pores and longen the whole transitioning process? Any suggestions for me? Thank you so much already! And a HUGE THANK YOU for introducing this method to me… not having to wash my hair every day is going to be super awesome!
Tasha
Leah Dossey says
So glad you are enjoying the No Poo method! It took my hair a lot longer than I thought it would to “release” all the gunk, wax and product that had built up on my hair. (Can I tell you how much hair spray this Texan head of formerly big hair has seen?) You may not be getting all of the baking soda out of your hair, but it sounds like you are rinsing long enough and you are using a dissolved solution anyway – so then again, that probably isn’t the issue. My gut is telling me it is still lingering product. It could be lint and dirt in your brush (make sure you clean it regularly so you aren’t brushing the “white stuff” back into your hair). As far as static goes, you can rub a dryer sheet on your hair, you can add a bit (just a TINY bit) of jojo oil or coconut oil or olive oil to your palm, rub till you just see a sheen and then smooth over your hair. This should tame your fly-aways. BE CAREFUL too much on your hands will turn your hair into an oil slick real quick! Let me know if this helps and keep us posted on your journey!
Tasha says
I usually clean my brush every 3 days, i think I´ll switch to every day now for a bit in order to avoid putting the stuff back into my hair eww lol. 🙂 I never really used hairspray or anything on my hair (i used shampoo/conditioner though of course).. but oh well.. I´ll just keep doing this, I´ll see when it gets better 🙂
I´ll try a dryer sheet! Thank you for your advice!
Greetings from Germany to Texas 🙂
Inês Miranda says
Hi! I’m trying this out -right now-. I was wondering if you think the use of honey to deep condition the ends of my hair is a good option – or honey mixed with olive oil! I’ve been having trouble with my hair for about 3 years now – it started to break, to fall and to look very dull. That’s why, after reading your review, I decided to try this method! loved your article xoxo
Victoria says
I just did No Poo for the first time, and my hair looks and feels the same as it did before! Do I have to do this every day for two weeks, until it’s “equal”?
Leah Dossey says
Victoria, help me out. What do you mean by “looks and feels the same as before”? Do you mean it still looks dirty or that it looks like it did when you used shampoo? Let me know and I’ll be glad to help you out. 🙂
jaime says
Leah I don’t think I have the right measurements..can you please give them to me again..my hair is not feeling great and I’ve been doing it for about a month
Leah Dossey says
Jamie, what measurements are you currently using and what method (the solution method or the paste method). How is your hair feeling? Do you have hard water? (you’ll know if your water is hard if your shower gets impossible to remove soap scum) Send me an email at social@coderedhat.com and we’ll figure this out. 🙂
nicole says
i’ve been using the method one for 3 weeks and i’m not noticing anything different. Is there something im doing wrong? am i suposed to wash my hair every day with this stuff? Help me im confused!
Leah Dossey says
Nicole, give me a little more information. What do you mean by “not noticing anything different”? Is you stuck in transition? Let me know and I’ll try to help. 🙂
nicole says
my hair still looks greasy by the second day, and also, when i get out of the shower and my hair drys it doesnt look as clean as it did when i used shampoo. And, my hair is now brittle and has a ton of split ends. And i use method one. Please help!
Leah Dossey says
Nicole switch to method two. Really massage the baking soda into your scalp and then allow it to sit while you carry on with your shower. Make sure your roots feel “slippery” before you rinse out the baking soda (rinse well). Use apple cider vinegar in your mix and apply to your ends (if you are already using acv then increase the amount). I would also recommend getting a trim to get rid of those split ends. Also, check out this article I just wrote to help ladies like you who are having dry hair issues with no poo. I also invite you to come join the No Poo / Low Poo group on facebook for further support and assistance.
Lisa says
I have sebboricheic dermatitis on my scalp. I was prescribed selsun blue with selenium sulfide which has improved my condition but not cured it. My hair also falls out a lot and seems to flare up when my scalp is at its worst with itching and irritation. Do you know if no poo could work for someone like me? I’m afraid to attempt no poo because of this condition. I really don’t want to aggravate my condition.
Leah Dossey says
Lisa, I would not recommend No Poo at this time for you. Sebboricheic dermatitis in infants is called cradle cap (in my house we called it cradle crap). This is a home remedy, so I would patch test first on an part of your scalp that no one can see. Mix 1 Tbs of jojoba oil (or coconut oil) with 2-3 drops of tea tree essential oil (do NOT over do it on the tea tree oil). Tree tree oil is anti-fungal and antibacterial and will help kill any beasties that have decided to feast on the excess skin and oil scales on your scalp. Rub the mixture into a small patch on your scalp for 3 days (do not wash the area) and see if it improves. Try it over a Friday – Sunday period where you don’t have to show up for work with perfect hair. 🙂 Again, this is a patch test only. If it helps, you can consider doing the treatments at night and following up with a low-poo shampoo. I am recommending this to you because in all likelyhood your oil glands are over producing, mixing with the natural skin debris and sloughed skin cells on your scalp and creating a scaly mess. We cleared up cradle cap in our home on both our sons using this method (per my grandmother’s old world advice). In chemistry like cleans like, so ip so facto oil cleans oil. For a homeopathic perspective the goal should be to reduce oil production not add products that remove the excess oil (which we know only causes the skin to create more oil). I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice only a friendly answer to your question. Let me know how it goes. Feel free to email me directly at social@coderedhat.com Good Luck! (By the way,the Shea Moisture shampoo mentioned in my article may be the Low Poo shampoo you want to try, should you decide to do that)
Leah Dossey says
*****IMPORTANT UPDATE*******
I’ve just created a No Poo / Low Poo Hair Group on facebook. Please join!
http://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
Thanks,
Leah
Sharon says
I am of the older generation and I do not have long beautiful hair. I do however have very thin, fine graying hair. Should I just forget making any changes or will this help me?
Leah Dossey says
Sharon, thanks for your great question. No Poo will help add body to your hair and encourages new hair growth in most people. I’m not sure why your hair is thinning – is it nutrient/vitamin related? Is it medication related? Is it due to hormone imbalance? A thyroid imbalance can cause thinning hair (on your head and eyebrows too). A dermatologist could tell you why your hair is thinning. Biotin supplementation might be a good course of action for you. You can pick up Biotin at the drug store. Going No Poo wouldn’t hurt, I just can’t promise you that it would help. You’d have to try and see. Best of luck!
Bailey says
I wash my hair EVERYDAY and by the end of the day, it’s already getting oily. I’m very interested in doing this but i have a few questions before fully committing
Is it okay to wash my hair with the no-poo recipe everyday?
Will using regular shampoo for a special occasion or something set back any progress?
My hair is very long, thin and damaged, will no-poo make my hair grow faster?
What dry shampoo do you recommend?
Leah Dossey says
Bailey, let me answer your questions:
Is it okay to wash my hair with the no-poo recipe everyday?
No. You want to go 2-3 days in between No-Poo’s to allow your natural oil production to get back into balance and stop over producing the oil that is causing you to have to wash daily. You will probably have a week or so of “icky” hair that you’ll need to tuck under a hat or wear up, or use a dry shampoo to absorb the excess oil.
Will using regular shampoo for a special occasion or something set back any progress?
Once your hair is out of the transition phase you will find that you won’t need a “regular shampoo” for special occasions because your hair will be beautiful already! IF you do feel the need to shampoo, than a low poo, like the Shea Moisture shampoo I mentioned in the article would be a good choice for you.
My hair is very long, thin and damaged, will no-poo make my hair grow faster?
That is exactly the condition my hair was in why I started No Poo. Almost a year later, I have lots of new growth, my hair feels thicker and has more body and most of the damage is gone (due to regular trimming). It is important to get regular trims (to cut away the damaged ends). Yes you may have to give up some length, but your hair will look and feel better. Do it slowly, maybe a 1/2 inch to 1 inch at a time. What ever you feel comfortable with. In my world, “hair grows” so I took a good 3 inches of damaged hair off the ends, but I know everyone isn’t comfortable loosing that much length at once.
What dry shampoo do you recommend?
Depending on your hair color you can make your own dry shampoo. Blondes can use arrowroot powder or corn starch, and brunettes can use a combination of the aforementioned combined with cocoa powder (to adjust to the right shade). Just shake onto your roots, allow to sit for a few minutes and then brush out. Join us over at FB for the No Poo / Low Poo group I’ve created: /www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
Jenene says
Hey there. I’ve been doing No Poo for about two months now and I’m really struggling. My hair feels like waxy straw and it is still quite oily at the end of the day. I started off doing Method One (usually 2TBs BS to 1C water) with only mild success, so then I switched to Method Two, which didn’t seem to make any difference. I’m now back to Method One. The BS solution I use is about 2TBs BS to 1C water; and I also steep nettle leaves in the water and add a few drops of rosemary oil because I’m trying to grow my hair out. The Vinegar rinse I started with was just 2TBs White Vinegar to 1C water. I’m now using 2TBs ACV to 1C water with a little lemon juice mixed in, because I read lemon juice makes your hair softer. I unfortunately have to wash my hair everyday because it is just feels too gross for me not to do so. I feel like I’ve tried every combination/ratio of ingredients (I’ve even tried Castile Soap) but nothing seems to be working. I don’t know what else to do, and I really don’t want to go back to using regular shampoo. What can you suggest for me?
Leah Dossey says
Jenene, Hang in there girl! Here are some suggestions for you:
1. Keep a hair journal. This will help you track your successes and the combinations/formulations that work.
2. Remove the rosemary oil and nettle leaves from your BS solution until your hair is out of the transition phase. Once out of the transition phase, add them to your vinegar rinse or make a nettle/rosemary rinse using fresh rosemary). Just steep the nettle and fresh rosemary overnight in hot water. It should look like dark tea when it’s ready. You’ll rinse twice. Once with your vinegar rinse, then with your herbal rinse. You need the vinegar to restore the PH of your hair. The herbal rinse will help stimulate hair growth and add shine.
3. Lemon juice is an acid just like the vinegar. It can lighten your hair (not bad if that is what you are after). But the vinegar will do the same thing – so for now, ditch the lemon juice too.
4. Castille soap (or any shampoo bar, like Burt Bees) doesn’t work well on long hair (in my experience) because if you have hard water it leaves soap scum on your hair (not desirable).
5. Keep it simple. Like me, when I first started, you seem to be doing a lot of research and trying a lot of different things. Stick with just the BS / Vinegar rinse for now, keep a hair journal and see if things improve. The only change I would suggest if you haven’t tried it already is to switch to white vinegar for a week. Note the changes in your hair journal.
6. If your hair feel super dry and you want to do the Aloe Honey shampoo in between No Poo’s that is cool. The recipe is located at the No Poo facebook group I created: http://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
7. Don’t give up. You seem really dedicated, so don’t let this get you down.
If I had to guess you have really hard water. Are you getting that “slippery” feeling before you rinse out the BS solution? That is critical. If not, leave the solution on your hair until your roots have a slightly slippery feeling (like your hands do, just before you know you’ve gotten all the soap off them when you are washing your hands). Then proceed with your vinegar rinse. I found it was easier for me to get the slippery feeling using the paste method. But see what works best for you.
Good luck and keep us posted. 🙂
Jenene says
Thank you so much! I’ll let you know how things go! And would you say (for future use in the nettle/rosemary rinse) that rosemary oil is something I shouldn’t use for my hair? Just curious if I will need to go out and get some fresh rosemary. Thanks! 🙂
Leah Dossey says
You can use rosemary essential oil – but if you can use actual rosemary that would be better (buy a plat, stick it in a sunny spot and neglect it, they love growing that way) because adding any oils to your hair may alter you no poo results. I always say, try it and see what works for you. 🙂
Alexis says
I absolutely love the idea of going to no shampoo and I loved your article. It was very informative, I just have a few questions: I am about to start my 3rd week of going no poo and my hair is still really oily between washes. I wash with the baking soda and vinegar every three or four days and on the days in between I do a honey rinse or just spray with vinegar because my hair has just felt like straw since I started. I’ve been doing Method 1 and using 1 TBS of baking soda to 1 cup of water and 1 TBS of white vinegar to 1 cup of water. Do I need to change the proportions? Is this all a part of the adjustment process? Is it normal that my roots are very greasy but my ends feel like straw? Can I fix that? Will my hair start to get less greasy soon? Because having to wear my hair up so much has been killing me.
Leah Dossey says
Alexis, Hang in there! Try the following:
1. Keep a hair journal. Track what works and what doesn’t and what ratios you are using.
2. Stop applying your vinegar rinse to your roots (if you are pouring it over your whole head) and just apply to the rest of your hair and not the roots (this is why I use a spray bottle – it give me better control). Apply a generous amount of the rinse to your ends since they are dry (this will help condition them more deeply). If your ends gets limp or heavy – reduce the amount of vinegar rinse you are using.
3. Try using a dry shampoo (corn start or cocoa powder) on your roots to help with oily roots in between no poo’s. Just shake on, wait a few minutes and brush out. Clean your brush afterwards.
4. Increase the amount of baking soda you are using by 1 TBS. Note the changes in your hair journal.
TIP: Only make one change per wash at a time. It will be easier to note the effect on your hair and isolate exactly what works and what doesn’t.
Let me know if this helps and feel free to join our No Poo / Low Poo forum on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
Alexis says
Thank you so much!! I will definitely try that tomorrow!!
Phoebe Weiler says
I’m planning on starting no poo but I wanted to know when your hair is transitioning how much as in how many days should I go without using the baking soda and vinegar?
Leah Dossey says
Go as long as possible between No Poos, this will differ from person to person. Just remember, the longer you go the longer your scalp starts to adjust to not over producing oil because it isn’t being stripped from your hair and scalp. A dry shampoo in between No Poo can help.
Monica says
Thank you so much for your article. I have been having problems with my hair for almost 6 months now if not longer. I got addicted to washing my hair everyday, I like to feel clean! But my hair was over producing oil, by night it would be disgusting. I looked up online different ways to tackle oil and tried vinegar and baking soda and it kind of worked but websites gave my different answers and unclear instructions. I gave up when I had to go back to uni and was self conscious. When I would go swimming at the beach in the summer that also helped dry up the oil so that worked for the mean time. But in my next uni holidays I am going to commit to giving this another go as I am still having problems every second day. It’s good to hear you say you have to push through the yucky part. When I would speak to hairdressers they would act dumb and not know what I was talking about. (but how come you can walk out of a salon and feel amazing?) I wonder if they were coning me into sales like you say. I also get greys which sucks I’m only 25! So I dye my hair a bit and that seems to dry out all the oil. Anyway, a massive thank you, there is hope for normal nice hair!
Amber P. says
I like the fact that I get the comments to my email that keep flowing in because there are questions some women have that come up that I have as well…however I haven’t seen an answer to this particular question and I reeeeeeeally want one……………………
Here is my personal delema:
I started using the ‘no-poo’ hair washing technique back in January. I knew to give it a while before my hair gets used to the new way of washing. Before, I washed my hair about 3-4 times a week. Now that I’ve been doing this for over two months I am still having to wash my hair 3 times a week. I am now putting a whole cup of baking soda into my water filled mustard bottle and so that my hair won’t be tangly I just pour a cup of straight vinegar into my hair for conditioning and let it stay while I wash my body and then rinse. Even though I am reaping the benefits of this by my hair obviously being healthier with no split ends and it feeling softer and not so weighed down it gets very oily two days after washing…like EXTREMELY oily. I don’t use product in my hair except maybe once a week if I want to curl it or something and I do use a leave in conditioner but that is only on the bottom half of my hair. My scalp is also very ITCHY still even after doing this so long. It’s not as itchy the first day of washing but each day after it gets worse. What am I doing wrong and/or when can I expect it to not get so oily so soon so I can just wash my hair once a week?
Leah Dossey says
Amber darling, GREAT QUESTION! 🙂
First, thank you for telling me what you are doing – it really helps to trouble shoot the issue.
Here is my recommendation for you:
1. Keep a hair journal. Track what ratios you are using, days between no poos and how your hair works. Only make one change to your no poo routine at a time to help isolate what works and what doesn’t.
2. Reduce the vinegar This is very likely what is making your hair so oily. If you are using ACV (apple cider vinegar) switch to distilled white vinegar. Make sure you are adding water to your vinegar rinse. You don’t want to use straight vinegar. Motherearthliving.com states, “In cosmetic products, vinegar is used to remove alkaline, or soap residue, from the skin and hair. You should never apply straight vinegar to your skin or hair; instead, dilute the vinegar with water (at a ratio of one part vinegar to eight parts water).” That ratio recommendation is a guideline. Start with the ratio recommended in the article and adjust from there.
3. Itchy Scalp Try this: Take 3 Tbs of white sugar and mix with equal parts of honey. Take this mixture into the show and scrub your scalp really well. Rinse out with just water. Don’t do anything else to your hair. Just make sure you get everything rinsed out. This should help keep your scalp from being dry (honey is a natural humectant) and the sugar scrub will exfoliate and stimulate the scalp. If that doesn’t work, make sure you are rinsing out all the baking soda before you apply your vinegar rinse. You baking soda ratio may be too high and that might be drying out your scalp. Keeping a hair journal will help you track this.
4. If none of these things help, make sure you have some low poo on hand like: Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo and then go and grab some jojoba oil or coconut oil (or combine a bit of the two), warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave (don’t burn yourself) and rub that into your dry scalp. Wrap your head with some plastic wrap and a warm towel from the dryer (to keep the warmth in) and let it sit on your scalp for 30 minutes. Using your low poo shampoo, wash the oil out of your hair (lather, rinse, repeat, maybe repeat for a third time if your hair still feels oily, then dry. This deep conditioning for your scalp should help with itch and dryness. I recommend jojoba and coconut oils because jojoba is most like our own natural sebum and coconut oil is a close second after that. You could actually put the mix on your whole head of hair for a deep hot oil treatment everywhere – if your hair needed it.
TIPS:
-Make sure your baking soda is completely dissolved before using the solution on your hair.
-Make sure you rinse out all of the baking soda solution before applying the vinegar rinse
-Try a moisture scrub on your scalp (like the honey sugar scrub) above to help add moisture back to a dry itchy scalp. (Make extra – it’s a great foot scrub too!)
-Try a deep scalp oil treatment if the above methods don’t work – just be ready to wash it out with a low poo shampoo (don’t use a regular shampoo – it will just freak your scalp out and may even push you back into the early days of your transition.
-If air drying left your scalp itchy before going No Poo, than make sure you blow dry your hair at the roots. Moisture trapped against the scalp can often cause itchy, red patches on your scalp. Just using a blow dryer on a low setting to remove the moisture from the roots and scalp solves this problem.
Amber, come join our No Poo forum on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/ and keep us all updated here on how these methods work for you. 🙂
Amber P. says
Thanks Leah! I will definitely try those ideas.
'Becca says
It sounds like you have been increasing the amount and concentration of both baking soda and vinegar as you attempt to get this to work better! It may be that you are using too much. You’re subscribed to comments, so you have been seeing me recommending vinegar over and over…but even I think there is such a thing as too much vinegar! In particular, don’t apply it undiluted. If your hair is very long, you may need that full cup of vinegar, but mix it with at least 2 cups of HOT water right before you use it. Don’t just pour it on; massage it into your scalp and run your fingers through your hair. For me, this works really well to loosen oil from the scalp and distribute it down the hair shaft. (My hair is mid-back length.)
With the baking soda, I am picturing a mustard bottle that holds about 2 cups; is that right? If so, using 1 cup of baking soda is giving you a very strong solution. Try using less.
Leah listed some good ideas for the itching. Another option is to add a few drops of tea tree essential oil to your vinegar rinse. If your itching is caused by some type of bacteria or fungus, this should help.
But I really like Leah’s idea of changing ONE thing at a time so you can see what its effect is!
Leah Dossey says
Hey ‘Becca please come and join the No Poo group on Facebook. You are so very helpful (have I thanked you for that?). Damn. My apologies. Let me fix that.
Thank You so much for all the support, assistance, help and advice you’ve given everyone. There are so many great ladies here, but I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to express my heart felt gratitude. 🙂
…wait…I think I got sidetracked…it was a good sidetrack…but back to my original request…(whine) PLEASE come join the no poo group on facebook. We already have almost 70 members and a really cool community is forming (if you are not ‘Becca and you are reading this – come join us too!). I guess I feel like you are such a valuable part of this thread that it wouldn’t feel right not to see you over there too!
Hugs & Thanks!
Leah
'Becca says
You’re welcome! I enjoy helping. I am a longtime Girl Scout. 🙂 It’s interesting seeing the various problems people come across, and it is bringing me a lot of traffic, although I’m not getting anything like as many comments over on my site, which is one reason I keep coming back to the conversation here.
I’m boycotting Facebook, so I will not be able to join your group there, but I’m glad it is useful to so many people!
Leah Dossey says
LOL, I think we may be kindred spirits – I’m a scout mom (boy scouts & cub scouts for the last 8 years and was a girl scout as a child). 😀
I understand your need to follow your heart and boycott facebook. Perhaps one day I’ll get an actual forum here on this site. Very HAPPY you are getting traffic (that’s what comment luv is all about)! We girls have to help each other. Have a great one and thanks again for all your help!
Amelia says
Ladies (and Gents)!!!! PLEASE HELP! I have a question because I just recently heard about the no-poo idea. I am active duty in the military and have to wear my hair up in a sock-bun every day (5days a week) for work. the easiest way for me to put my hair up in the bun is first thing in the morning when it is wet and freshly conditioned after a shower, however, I also have to put a good helping of spray wax and hairspray in my hair for it to stay all day with no frizz. So i find myself washing my hair daily to get rid of the hairspray. I want to stop shampooing my hair because i know its bad for it but i am not sure what else to use to get all the product out of my hair at the end of the day???!!! Please help!! I have highlights in my hair but no color so im not worried about stripping it. Also my hair can be very dry and hard to manage without conditioner. Thank you in advance for any help! 🙂
Leah Dossey says
You can still No Poo and put your hair up wet like you normally do. OR you can dry your hair and using a boar bristle brush, put your hair up. If you have never used a boar bristle brush go grab one and brush your hair smooth. Then shake your head. Your hair hardly moves at all! It’s a freaking miracle. Boar bristle brushes are sometimes called smoothing brushes because they do just that. You should be able to cut down on product you are using with this kind of brush. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you. Good luck and my personal heart felt thanks for your service to our country.
Thea says
Hi, I just washed my hair no-poo style for the first time, and for now, I’m really happy with the result… I strictly followed the recipe in the first method. My hair looks as clean as after washing it with shampoo (and I have fine, oily hair)… The only downside is that my ends feel a little dry (I have highlights so that may be the reason why) but since I read that’s normal in the beginning, I don’t mind. I was very afraid it will be greasy, and it wasn’t so I’m really happy 🙂 thank you for sharing the recipe and all the possible effects in the beginning 🙂
Thea says
+ it smells really good (fresh somehow). I added small amount of argan oil on the ends and I can actually still smell it (smells divine) which isn’t the case when i shampoo because the smell of shampoo overtakes.
Leah Dossey says
AWESOME! Try adding a little coconut oil to your ends to help with the dryness. If it continues to get drier drop me a line and we’ll figure out a solution.
Amie says
I’ve been doing no poo for 3 weeks now. I love how my hair feels thicker and has more body. I’m using a the first method, tbsp bs to 1 c of water and 2 tbsp vinager to 1 c of water. My hair is waxy/oily on the roots and straw feeling on the ends. After two weeks of no poo I got dry itcy scalp so I reduced the bs solution but I found my hair wasn’t coming clean enough so I went back to the proper solution. And it’s like my hair is transitioning all over again. It looks clean but feels disgusting.
How do I fix this?
And when the transition period is over, should my hair feel nice like it used to when I used to shampoo it? Soft and clean (when hair is dry) or by doing the no poo method will my hair always feel dirty like this?
Leah Dossey says
So glad you asked! Here’s what I recommend:
1. Come join our No Poo group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
2. Read about and then try this Honey Aloe Shampoo. You can use this between No Poo’s. This should solve your itchy scalp issue and help moisturize your ends.
3. When applying your vinegar rinse during your next no-poo allow it to sit on your hair longer, this will allow it more time for deeper conditioning. Use apple cider vinegar (most conditioning) if you are using white vinegar.
4. After your transition phase your hair will look and behave better than before – but I have personally found that my (straight, fine hair) doesn’t feel quite as silky as it did. I did some research to find out why and it is because commercial shampoos and conditioners use silicone or other products that stay on your hair shaft to make it feel super silky. After you transition your hair will feel like it is suppose to feel in it’s natural state – because that is what it will be in. Confession Sometimes I use a product like Bio-silk (cuz I have it left over from my before my no poo days) to get that artificial silky feeling.
Amie says
I read about your honey aloe. But I can’t get my hands on fresh aloe right now (winter) would a store bought aloe do the same?
Leah Dossey says
I’ve never used store bought aloe gel for this (living in Texas my aloe grows all year, one of the positive trade-offs for the heat and humidity, lol). You can try it. I would think it would work, I just can’t say that with 100% certainty.
'Becca says
When my son was a baby and we used aloe for diaper rash, I learned that it’s possible to buy pure aloe vera gel in bottles/tubes but that many brands contain alcohol as a preservative. The alcohol can be irritating to injured skin, and it might have a drying effect on your hair. So read the fine print on the label! If you have a bottle of pure aloe that is not going to get used up within a few weeks, store it in the refrigerator.
Erica says
I’ll admit I was totally a non believer, but I love no-poo! I have been at it for about 5 weeks now and am seeing beautiful results. My hair is softer, shiner, more manageable. I have long, coarse, curly hair and have never had this much control over my locks. I usually wash 2 times a week, on the days I wash I have a “curly” day and air dry my hair with a teensy bit of product for frizz. I will straighten my hair on the days in between, and brush lots with a boar-bristle. I have also noticed my face is less oily! Love not being a slave to product and styling time and love my new hair, I have never had so many compliments! Oh yah and no-poo was also very helpful with post-partum regrowth.
Jessica says
Hi Leah, I just finished week 1 of the BS solution and ACV spray. I have super thick straight hair- the roots continue to be waxy and the ends are incredibly dry and almost crunchy :/ just this morning I also noticed what looks like dandruff, which I’ve never dealt with before! I kept seeing Becca post about using vinegar to “melt” the waxy feeling. Should I use the vinegar on my roots though? Everything else I’ve seen says to keep the vinegar to your ends…
Jen says
I had the same problem with the waxy feeling. I halved the amount of vinegar in my solution and switched from ACV to white. Worked like a charm. The “dandruff” could either be because you didn’t rinse the baking soda out well enough, or it could be the build up of product being released by your scalp. My advice: make sure to rinse really, really well, and stick to it! It does get better!
Jen says
Oh, and don’t put it on the roots, only on the length.
Jessica says
Awesome, thanks Jen! Ill make those changes. I am rinsing really really well so I think it’s just buildup coming loose– so gross! haha
Jen says
It really is! I could not believe the amount of crap that was trapped in there. Thankfully, that doesn’t last long!
Leah @CodeRedHat says
You can also try the Aloe Honey Poo between No Poo’s. The aloe will actually help break up any flakes and also help heal your scalp. It leaves your hair shiny too! http://coderedhat.com/no-poo-recipe-aloe-honey/ I break down how it works – so give the article a quick read. 🙂
Tasha says
It is built up product!! I had the same thing, my brush was white for weeks! I had to clean it every day… today was the first time it´s gone! I’ve been no pooing for about 6-7 weeks now and my hair finally feels clean and nice 🙂 I´m sooo happy I stuck with it! My hair was baaadly geasy beforehand, hopefully it goes faster for you girls
Jessica says
Tasha was your hair waxy too? I am switching to white vinegar for the ends of my hair but I’m not sure if that will fix the tacky, waxy feel of my roots :/
Tasha says
Hey there,
yes my hair was awefully waxy! I had the feeling i had pet a dog for too long after i touched my hair cause my Hands felt so gross 😀
What I´m doing now is.. I upped the baking Soda in the solution (and i warm the water up before mixing it so it dissolves completely) I shake the solution before i use it. I think i didnt use enough solution on my hair at first, i´ve had the slippery feeling, but now it gets really slippery, so I´m guessing thats good. And i used less white vinegar than the “recipe” says and spray it on my whole head, not tooo much of it on the roots though. then i put lots on the ends and let it sit a bit. then i rinse it out well.
my hair (ends) were really dry for a while , that has gotten better now thank god. My hair isnt waxy any more either. Maybe try to find the right amount of baking soda for you (use a hair diary and put down every changes you make in the solution) to find out what works for you (unfortunately i didnt do that :-/ )
If your hair is dry like mine was, try the Aloe honey shampoo or find a natural deep conditioner, I´m sure Leah has a recipe on here somewhere. I never used one though, I was too lazy to buy honey, I hope my hair hasnt suffered too much from it.. whoops 🙂
Hope this helps you! The waxyness might be something though that you just have to sit out.. it´ll go away.. I´m pretty sure it´s from the built up product. Have a great week
Leah @CodeRedHat says
Tasha is absolutely correct on all counts. (Thanks for sharing and so glad your have reached the holy grail of no poo hair!)
I had the waxy and straw thing going on – and then flakes. UGH. But it will pass. Just keep your hair journal and make the suggestions above. Good luck!
Katie says
I just started this and I don’t know how often I should wash it in the first week or two. Anyone know?
Tasha says
Yep, every 3-4 days/ as long as you can take it.. use dry shampoo (babypowder or cornstarch, or cocoa powder, or a mix of them that fits the color of your hair) on the days your hair looks oily. sprinkle it on, let it sit for a bit, then brush it out. you can put about 5 drops of scented oil in your dry shampoo mix if you use cocoa, some people think it smells too much like chocolate and makes you crave it all day 😉 Make sure you mix it in a blender to put the oil in the whole mix.
Hope this helps 🙂
Ida says
Hello. I have a sort of sore, itchy scalp. Would it be dumb to do this then? I don’t want to get sores on my scalp!
Leah @CodeRedHat says
Ida, No Poo will help. Here is what I recommend:
1. In between No Poo’s use the Aloe Honey Poo (http://coderedhat.com/no-poo-recipe-aloe-honey/). The article explains why it is sooo good for itchy, flaky scalp.
2. Come join our support group on facebook: /www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
Good Luck!
Lígia K. says
Hello, thanx for the post, but I have a question. I bleached my hair white two years ago. It’s still white and I re-bleach my roots every month, so my hair is very demaged and needs A LOT of caring. I use only neutral baby shampoo on my hair, and no conditioner, instead of the conditioner I use quick hair treatment masks and once a week I use a stonger/deeper treatment mask, that also helps no keep my hair color grayish and not goldish. My question is: doing the no poo method, will I still be able to use the masks? Because I really want to stop using shampoos, but don’t think my hair will make it without the treatment masks, it would probably fall out or something.
Thanx already for any help,
xx
Leah Dossey says
It depends on what is in the masks. No Poo may not remove everything in your mask leaving your hair super oily or heavy. A low poo may be needed after your hair mask. I would suggest that you use the ACV (apple cider vinegar) in your rinse since it conditions the most. Also using a hot oil treatment (again followed by a low poo) will help keep hair from being too dry and breaking. Since you are blonde, you can also make an herbal hair rinse from time to time from chamomile tea. Just pour over your head after your vinegar rinse (don’t rinse out the chamomile tea with water). It smells good (at least I think so) and it is great for keeping blonde hair blonde. 🙂
Have you tried and egg / honey / yogurt mask? Just combine 1 egg, 1 TBS of honey and 2 TBS of yogurt. Apply to hair and allow to sit for 15-30 mintues (I wrap my head with saran wrap to keep it from dripping onto my face). You get conditioning fats from the egg and yogurt as well as protein. The honey helps to hold in moisture. Just wash it out with a low poo.
Dakoda Bassett says
Hi Leah,
I started the no poo {method 1} a week ago and my hair never went through the transition phase of dry straw-like texture instead I am experiencing a combination of itchy scalp at the base of my neck and greasy oily hair {especially at the crown}. I started out using ACV but I switched to WV in the last 4 days. I was wanting some advice on how to control these side effects. I am determined to make the no poo system work because when I use shampoo the itchy flaky scalp is immensely worse and I felt as if my scalp had huge amounts of build up when I used shampoo, now I hardly have any. Any advise will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for all of your information and great ideas! 🙂
Leah Dossey says
Hi to you Dakoda!
1. Come join our No Poo group
2. Keep the following in mind: Vinegar = Conditioner, so everywhere you are oily don’t let the vinegar rinse touch that part of your head. (I use a spray bottle to control where my vinegar rinse goes because my roots get WAY oily if I apply the vinegar rinse to my scalp).
3. Itchy scalp can happen for many reasons. Make sure you are rinsing out all the baking soda. Use the Aloe Honey Shampoo between No Poo’s to nourish and moisturize your scalp and get rid of any itch or flakes. Also, I have noticed that if I don’t blow dry my scalp, moisture gets trapped and causes my head to itch, redness and sometimes even sores – yikes! So I blow dry the roots and this helps.
4. Keep a hair journal. This will help you tweak your formulations and methods.
Have a great hair day!
McKenzie says
Today would be the 3rd day I’ve washed with BS and vinegar. Before, my hair was fine and pretty thin, but amazingly soft. I also have extremely oily scalp. My hair is very long. In the past 3 days, my hair looks and feels much thicker, but feels like straw. It’s very hard to pick and I’m afraid I’m harming my hair. My hair looks clean, but feels very dirty. I think tomorrow I may wash and condition with regular shampoo/conditioner to get rid of the dirty feeling. Is everything I’m experiencing normal?
Leah Dossey says
McKenzie, what you are experiencing IS normal. NOTE if you wash with normal shampoo you are going to set yourself back to the day you started. Hang in there. The dry feeling is normal while you are in the transition phase. Try increasing the amount of vinegar in your rinse and decrease the amount of baking soda you are using. Also, you can put oil on your ends (just enough so it doesn’t look greasy). If you absolutely feel the need to use regular shampoo use a Low Poo like the Shea Moisture Organic shampoo mentioned in the article. You can pick it up at Walgreens.
McKenzie says
Today was day 5, I washed with water only today. I went to Walgreens to find the Shea butter shampoo you recommended, and I also got the conditioner that matched it. I’m assuming its okay to use the conditioner also?
Leah Dossey says
McKenzie, I haven’t tried their conditioner. Reviewing the ingredient list the only one I had to research was Behentrimonium Chloride. Behentrimonium Chloride is used in many conditioners and is used for it’s anti-static properties and to soften the hair. It washes away completely and is safe when diluted (like in conditioner) for the water system. All that being said, it makes a good Low Poo choice. It is the most gentle ingredient with the same properties used in conditioners. It won’t disrupt your no poo efforts. So give it a try. Let us know how it works. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by again (love that!) and come back and let us know how things go.
McKenzie says
Leah-
I used both the Shampoo and Conditioner this morning and that was the BEST thing I could have done! By yesterday, the waxy feeling was getting pretty extreme and I knew it needed washed some how. Again, I have very long, high-lighted blonde, fine, oily, body-less hair. This product = Amazing! In the shower, it felt -almost- like regular shampoo/conditioner. The waxy feeling is gone and it feels so clean again. I only used a small bit of conditioner and did not put it on my roots (my hair dresser told me to not use it on roots to help with my oil control so I followed this rule.) I am very satisfied and I’m glad this is available as part of a “no poo routine” !!!
Another question, the same brand makes “Yucca & Baobab Shampoo” and, I don’t remember the other but it was a coconut oil shampoo/conditioner. I was wondering if ALL their products were safe, or just this specific shampoo/cond?
Either way, this gave me a positive attitude about my transition period! Happy happy!
Tasha says
I wouldn’t wash your hair with regular shampoo if you wanna go no poo. everybody has to go through this transition Phase. I’m sure you can find a solution to your Problem, if you read through some of the comments other girls posted. my hair felt aweful for a while, but when your Transition is over it´s not a problem anymore. Try the honey Aloe shampoo Leah suggests on your days in between the no poo days.
Hope this helps
Stay strong, it’ll be worth a few weeks of waxy hair
Leah Dossey says
What she said. 😉
Leah Dossey says
WHERE TO BUY ALOE VERA PLANTS
You can order aloe vera plants from Amazon for about $5. (Who knew? They really DO have everything
Tabatha says
Hi! I’m new to this no-pooing thing and I have found the Vinegar smell really bothers me. I got nervous that I wouldn’t be able to commit to this as a conditioner until I saw the citric acid post. What is the difference between vinegar and citric acid? Will the citric acid damage my hair or have any sort of negative effect?
PS Your website is AWESOME! So many insightful tips and such a great, in-depth take on this method of cleaning hair. I absolutely love it!
Leah Dossey says
Thanks Tabatha! Glad you like it. It’s a labor of love. 🙂
There are several natural occurring weak organic acids, lactic acid (milk), citric acid (citrus fruits) acetic acid (vinegar), malic acid (apples – the sour in green apples), tartaric acid (grapes – think of the tannins in wine). Vinegar is the “go to” for the No Poo method because it is readily available and already diluted for you. Citric acid is the second easiest to come by as it is frequently used in canning. The difference is that you have to dilute the citric acid yourself. Citric Acid provides more hydrogen ions H+ per ml of solution than vinegar. This increased ion concentration provides citric acid solutions with superior retention and removal of carbonate particulate, scale, biofilm, and calcium deposits (great if you have hard water). Citric acid, like vinegar (acetic acid) neutralizes the pH of the baking soda you just used on your hair. Other than not having a smell, you use MUCH LESS citric acid than you would vinegar – so in the long run it saves you money. There is no real difference between the two (both are mild organic acids) when at the same solution. What that means is don’t go dump a ton of citric acid into your water – you will make a highly acidic solution – one that can clean coffee makers and boilers. Follow the recipe and you’ll be fine. In fact, decreasing the amount of citric acid is okay. I don’t suggest increasing the amount of citric acid in your solution unless you are prepared to do some chemistry to test the pH of your solution. At the solution in the recipe the citric acid rinse is safe for your hair and skin (not eyes, lol) and had the bonus of no odor. So give it try. I used it myself just yesterday. 🙂
Katie says
today was my tenth day washing my hair no poo style! (yay!)
I have very pretty naturally wavy hair but I do like to straighten my hair one or two times a week, that being said I have avoided doing so through my no poo process to have a natural and heat free transition period…….. until today. And it was awful. VERY straw like, and waxy. My question is that is this normal? is it possible that my transition period isn’t over? I have had no issues with oily hair or dry hair during my no poo process until today when I tried to style it. I know it is not an issue of hard water because we have very soft water where I live. I plan to continue the no poo process but I would still like to straighten my hair every once in a while 🙁 p.s. I was not a product user pre no poo, not even a shot of hairspray if I curled my hair
Leah Dossey says
Katie, was your hair straw-like before you straightened it? (like after you last no poo wash?) Let me know so I can help figure out what happened and offer some suggestions to get you back to No Poo Nirvana. 🙂
Katie says
no it wasn’t before I straightened it. My hair has had a little different feeling since no pooing but I figured its because I’m still transitioning.
Rynae says
I am starting this tonight!
I have extremely fine/easily damage hair. After perming my hair two years in a row 4-5 years ago, I lost tons of length, not to mention hair. I decided to get my hair back to normal. I completely stopped using a blow dryer, and I limited other styling tools to once a month at the most. My shampoo regimen consisted of:
Egg “shampoo” (egg, honey, apple cider vinegar) followed by a jojoba hot oil treatment. I did this one week, then the next I used anti-sulfate shampoo (only washing my hair once a week).
This worked miracles on my hair! However, the egg shampoo makes my hair too greasy if I use it every week, and I am ready to completely give up shampoo.
Do you think that I could still use my “egg shampoo” every so often, along with the BS shampoo?
Leah Dossey says
Hi Rynae, You are going to love this method but be prepared for a transition phase.
In regards to the egg “shampoo” you’ve been using – you can still use it, but be prepared to wash your hair with a Low Poo shampoo afterwards as the baking soda and vinegar will not remove all the oils/fats that the egg yolk leaves on your hair. This is a great organic low poo to try: http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-5723316-10652189?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walgreens.com%2Fstore%2Fc%2Fshea-moisture-organic-raw-shea-butter-moisture-retention-shampoo%2FID%3Dprod6056911-product&cjsku=sku6052933 Keep a hair journal and keep us updated on your progress.:)
brittany says
my hair feels waxy and dry at the bottom, oily at the root, and I have a ton of dandruff (a lot of it comes off in my brush when I brush my hair.) what should I do?
Leah Dossey says
Brittany thanks for reaching out. This is very common in transition. Here is what I recommend:
TROUBLESHOOTING OILY ROOTS AND DRY ENDS
1. Switch to the paste method. Really give work the baking soda into your roots and scalp and allow it to sit there till it feels “slippery” before you rinse it out with water.
2. Rinse Well.
3. If you aren’t already, use Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for your rinse, and really target it onto your ends.
4. Make the Aloe Honey “shampoo” and use this in between your baking soda/vinegar no poo washes. This will help to make your hair soft and will help add moisture.
5. Brush your hair with a boar bristle brush to distribute the oil from your roots down the length of your hair.
About Those Flakes
Following the steps above should eliminate the flake issue. It may take a week or so, but it will go away. The aloe actually contains enzymes that lift debris from your scalp and help to heal it at the same time. Making sure you completely rinse out the baking soda will help too.
Keep the faith! You are in hard core transition right now, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. These tips should help you get there faster. 🙂
Monica says
Hi there,
I’ve been doing the no poo for a while now, about a month and a half. I’m still not seeing the results of amazing hair. However, it has basically cured my scalp psoriasis! Maybe my expectations are too high? I use BS and ACV, but my hair still feels rather dry. I also let my hair air dry, except every other week when I go out, I may blow dry and straighten my hair. My hair is fine, and I am also experiencing tangly hair, which i have never had an issue with before. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Leah Dossey says
Monica, check out this article on No Poo Dry Hair. This has all the steps you need to take to get the soft hair you are looking for. 🙂
Taylor says
Hi! Would you recommend doing this if you’re an active person? I am a college volleyball player, and I work out 7 days a week, and twice a day about 3 days a week. So my hair gets sweaty and gross everyday. I would like to try this, but I’m not sure if it would be able to get my hair clean enough. Also, I have really long, curly hair. Please let me know what you think!
'Becca says
You will be amazed at how the clean feeling lasts! Vinegar makes your hair smell fresh almost regardless of what gets into it.
You might find, especially after you get used to the new method, that you need to RINSE your hair after every workout to get the sweat out, but that you can wash it less often. I don’t have air conditioning at home, so in the hottest summer weather I get very sweaty; I rinse my hair daily then but still only wash it about every 4-5 days.
Shelby says
Hi! I have been No ‘Poo-ing my hair for two weeks. Whenever I touch my hair there is a yucky filmy feeling. I would have thought it was product build up from before starting the No ‘Poo but I rarely ever used/use product except for leave in conditioner only on my ends. I get terrible white filmy stuff in my hair brush. You can’t see any weird film on my hair but you can feel it and if I touch my hair a lot I get it on my hands. My hair feels so gross and covered in a a filmy something. Does anyone know what it is? And how to fix it? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I am determined to keep with this and love everything all natural.
Also my hair is soooo tangly! It takes forever to brush it. And about ten seconds after I brush it it is tangly again.
Thank you!! 🙂
'Becca says
I have that problem also, as my hair begins to need washing again. I don’t use any “product” so I think it is buildup of my own hair oil. If your hair is feeling like this all the time, you need to adjust the proportions of your solutions until you find the recipe that makes your hair feel clean for at least a day or so after washing. (Then, as you adjust with time, it should stay clean longer.) I use vinegar only and that works well for me, but you can see most people also use the baking soda.
If you have been pre-mixing your vinegar solution so that it is room temp when you use it…try putting just the vinegar in your container before you get into the shower and adding HOT water just before you use it. I feel that the heat helps the vinegar to pick up and redistribute the oil.
Shelby says
For the vinegar do you just spray it all over your hair (scalp and all) and that is both your shampoo and conditioner?
Leah Dossey says
The baking soda is your “shampoo” and the vinegar rinse is your “conditioner”. Wash with the baking soda, rinse well with water then spray the length of your hair with the vinegar rinse. You can leave in or lightly rinse out if desired. Just track your results in your hair journal so you know which result you like better.
'Becca says
Leah answered your question if you are doing the baking soda AND vinegar method like she and most other people here are using.
I use a different method with vinegar only. I don’t spray it; I mix it with hot water and pour it on my scalp a little at a time and rub it in. When I rinse it out, a lot of the oil comes off my scalp, and some of it coats the hair shaft like a conditioner, while the rest just rinses away. It’s easier than doing separate washing and conditioning steps, and I did not have a difficult transition phase. Click here to read all about my vinegar-only hairwashing method.
Leah Dossey says
Shelby check out this post: Help for Dry, Waxy No Poo Hair This will help. 🙂
Shelby says
Thank you both very much!!!! 🙂
For doing the Aloe Honey Shampoo every other time I wash should I do that forever or just until my hair gets to No ‘Poo bliss?
Leah Dossey says
You can do it as often as you like (when you feel like your hair or scalp need it since it is great for hydrating and adding shine to your hair and for dealing with itchy flaky scalp). 😀
I’m a year in, and in fact I did the Aloe Honey tonight for 2 reasons: 1. to test store bought gel vs natural gel and 2. because I felt like my hair could use the extra conditioning.
Shelby says
This waxy feeling is driving me nuts! Lol! I am still playing around with my bs amounts. Would you suggest redusing my bs amounts to help with the waxy feeling or increasing the amounts to help with the waxy feeling?
Leah says
I know how you feel. I hated that waxy feeling! You are awesome for sticking with it. 🙂
Read: “No Poo Help for Dry, Waxy, Straw Like Hair”? That should help. 🙂
Shelby says
Thank you so much Becca! I started doing the vinegar only and my hair still felt a little waxy, not as bad though so I did one clarifying shampoo. Now my hair feels so much better!!! Not waxy at all and I can wear it down!! Still in slight transition but almost just like before!! Thank you so much!
Sarah says
I’d like to try this but I have terrible dandruff. Will this take care of it or is there another method that will?
'Becca says
Try this method and add a few drops of tea tree essential oil (from health food store) to the vinegar rinse. Tea tree is a natural antimicrobial that helps dandruff.
You might also try occasionally rubbing olive oil onto your scalp and then combing away the flakes. This works wonders for babies with cradle cap–I haven’t tried it as an adult because I haven’t had dandruff that bad.
Leah Dossey says
Scalp oils do help, but you need a low poo to wash it out.
Leah Dossey says
The Aloe Honey treatment “Shampoo” will clear that right up with a few uses. Find the recipe here: Aloe Honey “Shampoo”
Brittany says
Today was the first time I used the No Poo system, my hair feels and looks great! I was expecting it to be disastrous, but it air dried with a great bit of body and feels soft. I should mention that the last time I shampooed my hair was Friday morning. Today is Tuesday, so I endured that greasy, heavy hair for four days before starting the No Poo way. So far I am extremely please. Thanks!!
Leah Dossey says
Brittany that is awesome! Thanks for sharing. You are going to love the freedom.
saloni says
Instead of using the vinegar to condition, could you just put a little oil in your hair when you need moisturizing?
Leah Dossey says
Saloni, the vinegar balances the pH of your hair and also helps with tangles. You could try to not use it, but I think you’d end up with dry hair you weren’t happy with. If you are wanting to skip the vinegar due to the smell, try the citric acid rinse in the post instead. It is odor free. Just follow the directions to the letter. It’s okay to decrease the amount of citric acid, but I would not recommend increasing it. Hope this helps!
Inês Miranda says
Hi! I have been no pooing for a while now (about a month) and I don’t use vinegar. It gets my hair sooo super oily! Instead I use a black tea rinse and/or a citrus rinse, and my hair feels so much better! If it needs further conditioning, I use coconut oil or a bit or conditioner, just on the tips of my hair, while it’s still wet and before I dry it out. 🙂 And just so you’re not worrying about my scalp having an unbalenced PH, it feels amazing ever since I stared this routine, my dandruff is nearly gone and my scalp is finally not oily. 🙂
Leah Dossey says
That is awesome! I’ve used black tea to add shine – but never to wash. Gonna have to try that. 🙂 Now that I think about it, black tea is a natural astringent, so I can see how it could work for scalp health.
What I’m really curious about is the citrus rinse – are you just using lemon diluted in water?
So glad you found a method that is working for you. 🙂
Inês Miranda says
Oh, I use half a lemon and half an orange (or tangerine, depending on what I have in my house) and add a bit of water; so the solution is (kind of) 2/3 citrus and 1/3 water (I just eyeball it). I put it in a container and dip my hair tips into it, and then I turn my head to the side holding the container to my head, and follow the movement with it – so the citrus runs all the way up my hair. (gosh, I hope that made sense!).
I really love it alot better than the vinegar! When I first no-poo’ed I was a bit scared looking in the mirror, because it had no volume and was so pasty! But I started to try things out – I find that is the best way to find anything out, right? :p Sometimes I also mix aloe vera, lemon and water 🙂
Taran says
I have curly hair and i would really like the fragrance, but I am not able to brush my hair once its dry without turning it into a frizzy mess! Any ideas?
Sara says
My younger sister and I have been doing no-poo now for about a month or so. It was working out GREAT until I went swimming… It has been about three or four days since I went, and I have washed my hair about three or four times, but I can’t seem to get it back to the way it was. Can you give me some tips?
Leah Dossey says
Sara, just a few tips…
1. Make sure you fully wet your hair before swimming. This will limit the amount of chlorine that absorbs into your hair.
2. You’ve washed several times since you’ve went swimming – stop. Give your hair time to get really oily again – I’m guessing the chlorine in the water stripped your hair of it’s natural oils.
3. DO give yourself a vinegar only rinse if your hair is dry. What I mean is, pour your vinegar/water solution over your entire head (if the scalp, roots and length are dry) and allow to sit for a min. or two. This should help to restore your hair. You may have to do this more than once.
Hope this helps and remember – wet your hair first or go “old school” and wear a swim cap. 🙂
Sara says
Thank you so much! Not only is my hair back to normal, but it is softer than EVER! Thank you so, so, so much! (:
Leah says
🙂
Lisey says
No way would this work for me. My hair is constantly tangled. I’ve gone several days before without washing and just rinsing away dirt/sweat with hot water, and every time I am left with a rat’s nest to brush/comb through for at least half an hour before my hair is straight and manageable again. The only solution I’ve found is to condition the ends of my hair. Any time I try going without shampoo AND conditioner, I look like a greasy, tangled mess.
fiona says
the baking soda doesn’t dissolve in the water for me, it’s just sinking in the bottom of the bottle, should i use hot water then?
Leah says
Fiona, try hot water (just allow it to cool so you don’t burn yourself) 🙂 before using. Shake that bottle well. Sometimes letting it sit for a sec. does the trick.
Sarah says
I really want to try this tonight BUT I’m a little confused.. I have everything I need, including suaves clarifying shampoo. Do I want to clarify my hair and then use the baking soda right away or wait until my next shower?
Leah says
Great question Sarah! You want to clarify then wait as long as you can stand before your first No Poo.
Casey says
I was just wondering and it would be great if you could answer some questions please:
Does it strip the color (black)?
Is the vinager solution 50/50 vinger and water? and
How many days inbetween washes?
Please anwser!
Leah says
The vinegar solution is 2 Tablespoons of vinegar to 1 cup of water.
Apple cider vinegar provides deep conditioning and distilled white vinegar provides normal conditioning.
Go as long as you can stand it in between washes. This will vary from person to person. Try to go at least 1 day between washes at a minimum. The transition phase (if you experience it) can be a challenge but stick it out and you’ll experience No Poo Nirvana.
Jessica Goodman says
Leah,
I have two questions for you before I start trying to go no-poo:
1. Does this help split ends?
2. Does it help your hair grow?
Thank you!
Leah says
Alas (said with sad and dramatic flair) nothing can help repair split ends. You just have to trim them off before they continue to break further up your hair shaft. There are some commercial products that provide a temporary fix by coating the hair shaft so the two split parts “stick together” but they are not really repaired. No Poo does help prevent split ends because the natural oils are coating your hair shaft keeping it supple and healthy. If you use a ton of heat on your hair – nothing is going to help that but regular trims. Lots of high heat (frequent) dries out your hair and makes it brittle. So go easy on the heat if you can.
I can say from personal experience and the experience of others that No Poo has helped my hair grow. I have tons of new growth, my hair is thicker, it seems like it grows faster (to me) and WAY less fall-out. I take a low dose chemo for my chronic illness every week. Going No Poo has saved my hair (and the folic acid and biotin help too). Good luck!
Kristen says
hi,
I am anxious to try this as I have always had hair issues! One question- can I blow dry my hair while using this method?
Thanks!
Kristen
Leah says
Yup.
You sure can. Try not to put it on full “nuke” – but instead the one right beneath that setting. Takes a few minutes longer to dry my hair – but it is less damaging.
Brooke Hester says
I have a perm, and I have to put mousse in my hair everyday. Since I put products in my hair, could I No Poo?
Leah says
I use hair spray from time to time with no issues – I don’t see why you couldn’t use product. Anyone have better experience in the product department?
Marisa says
I’ve been doing this for a couple weeks now and really love it, but now I am planning on cutting my hair really short. You said avoid the roots when spraying the vinegar…
Leah says
No worries – just spritz your head and use your fingers to distribute the vinegar rinse. Just do your best not to get the vinegar on your scalp (I find it leaves most people with oily roots). Hope this helps!
Cassidy says
I haven’t used shampoo for years, but just recently switched to baking soda and vinegar. My biggest question thus far is can I still use other hair products? For example, Shea Moisture has a whole line of leave-in conditioners and such for curly hair. Will using these products effect my no poo results?
Brittany says
I have long natural dry curly hair and wash every other day. Wanting to get away from those nasty shampoos….Using the curly girl method-only conditioner wouldn’t that make your hair greasy? Also my hair has to be conditioned of some sort other wise I won’t get a brush through it if I don’t! Would vinegar be better? I also go straight more then I go curly….which means blow dry and straighten… Any answers would be great!
'Becca says
The thing is, using shampoo actually makes your hair MORE greasy because it takes away too much oil (I’d think this is even more true if your hair is naturally dry, than if it’s on the oily side like mine) triggering your scalp to produce more oil to try to make up for it. Your oil production will decrease when you stop using shampoo. I was amazed by the difference.
Vinegar is excellent for preventing tangles. It makes hair very silky. Here is my vinegar-only washing and conditioning method or you could try using baking soda followed by vinegar as Leah recommends–just choose one method or the other to try for at least 3 weeks before you draw any conclusions. It does take a while to adjust.
My hair is naturally wavy, and I don’t attempt to straighten it (or blow dry–that always makes me frizzy!) so I can’t advise about that.
Em says
So, during the transition stage, does the hair become really straw like and crappy feeling because your hair and scalp are trying to re-retain it’s natural oils that the chemicals and other compounds from the shampoos and conditioners took out of our hair? And if that’s the case, wouldn’t jojoba oil (at least somewhat) help retain some of the beauty that “disappears” during the transitioning stage, because jojoba oil resembles our natural body oils so closely?
Tammy says
Hi Leah,
Wow! I have never heard of this. I am saving this to read in more detail. I am always for trying something different and especially if it saves money in the long run and is healthier…which it sounds like this is better for my hair! I will have to give it a try, maybe this summer when we are home more!
Thank you for linking with me for Pinned it, Made it! Monday too!
Have a great week!
Tammy
Cindy says
I am now 3 1/2 months of no poo. I used to wash my oily hair every other day, now I “wash” it every 4-5 days. I use a light mix of B.S. and water in a squirt bottle and a light mix of A.C.V. and water in a spray bottle. I used shampoo once last week and my hair felt really strange, so right back to the no poo. It is tough going through the icky stage, but I am at home so it didn’t matter to much. Good luck and keep going, you will get results,to those who want to try it.
Heather says
When I go to the Hair Salon to get my hair dyed, I will bring the shampoo you recommend, but what about a conditioner? I feel silly bringing apple cider vinegar to a hair salon. Lol.
Would a regular conditioner that the salon uses mess up my No Poo efforts. I have been going strong for 6 weeks now and am finally achieving a great balance and loving it.
Thanks.
Leah says
Look for a conditioner that is silicone free to take to the salon. Here is a list of silicone free conditioners to choose from. There are a lot of choices out there – even Sauve has a few silicone free (inexpensive options). You can also call your salon and ask if they have any silicone free conditioners available.
Jonali says
I can’t wait to try this once my Apple Cider Vinegar comes in the mail! I have naturally dirty blonde hair that i bleached the hell out of for years. Recently I began the no-dye, grow-out, long, healthy hair journey!
I usually go about 3-4 days without washing already and I am ready to go 100% with my hair to get it as healthy and long as possible as SOON as possible. My roots get very oily easily, (when doing hot oil treatments and such, my hair stays ‘gross looking’ until i wash it again a few days later) and the ends get very dry easily (even after keeping oils on my hair during the day, i will wake up with dry, kinky looking ends) I trim my own ends once they get too split, which unfortunately happens pretty often because of how damaged my hair is!
I have aloe vera gel, grapeseed oil, rosemary oil, coconut oil and my ACV should be arriving soon. I am wondering what sort of no-poo routine to get into to make my hair healthy and strong while and also enhancing its growth naturally. Can you help me with this? I love to experiment and I am definitely going to start the no-poo journey immediately. Thank you for all of your wonderful advice !!! <3
Leah says
Jonali, I’m so excited for you and love your enthusiasm.
1. First go get a trim – get all those spit ends cut off. Even if that means (gasp!) taking a few inches off your hair. It will grow back, that’s the great thing about hair.
2. Keep the oil treatments away from your roots and focus all the goodness where you hair needs it the most (the length and ends). Make sure you get a Low Poo (here are some Low Poo Shampoos) so you will be able to wash the oils from your hair after a treatment (No Poo is too gentle for that purpose). Once you have clarified your hair, wait till your hair needs to be washed again before starting No Poo.
3. Grab a bottle of clarifying shampoo (I recommend Suave because it’s cheap and does the job) and clarify your hair before starting your No Poo journey to remove any product build-up and silicones that have deposited on your hair over the years.
4. Get a notebook to use as your hair journal. You’ll want to record what you do every time you wash so you know what is working and what isn’t Keep good notes, and only make one change at a time so you can isolate what is working and what isn’t. Everyone is different(and so it their water hardness), so tracking your personal experience will help you get out of transition faster.
6. A few things to keep in mind….if you find your hair over conditioned, heavy, limp, or oily, try switching to distilled white vinegar. (I buy the stuff by the gallon – it has about 1,000 uses, lol) Also, be prepared to use a dry shampoo between washes if needed to absorb any excess oils at your roots between washings.
7. Join our No Poo Group on facebook to get help and support from other people No Poo’ing it.
8. Be patient. Expect the worst and hope for the best when you first start your No Poo journey. You hair and scalp need time to transition to this new, healthy natural way of hair care. Once you reach No Poo Nirvana – you’ll never look back.
Amanda says
I am new to this. I have only been doing it for about 2 weeks. I wash my hair every other day, and have decided to slowly add another day between washes as I become more comfortable with the process. However, on the days I wash my hair, I notice that I experience a lot of hair loss in the shower. What might be the reason for this?
Leah says
Amanda, fear not. You aren’t the only one. With the transition from winter to spring, many of us are experiencing seasonal hair loss. Try brushing your hair before washing. It’s when you start noticing hair on your pillow that you have to worry. Bravo and going No Poo!
ashley says
I love this method, I tried it for 2 weeks and my hair loved me, shinier and silkier. However, I’m assuming it was the baking soda that was the culprit in stripping the color from my roots 🙁 So I stopped immediately, started back up on my Bumble & Bumble and now my hair is dull again. I regularly get my hair colored brunette, have been for 10 years (I’m a natrual dirty blonde). I’d love it if someone out there has found something that can replace the baking soda for this awesome No Poo method or if tere are some recommendations on a delicate/organic shampoo… Funny thing is, I use baking soda to brush my teeth and my teeth are gleaming white… Using it in my hair produced great results but stole my color!
Leah says
Sorry to hear that happened! No Poo is typically safe for color treated hair. You can try using this aloe honey shampoo as an alternative. You can also look into Low Poo alternatives.
Daisy says
I’m very interested in this method, but I’m also a bit scared. Can I also do the No Poo once a week, and the other times I need to wash my hair do it with my normal, anti dandruff shampoo? I use the anti dandruff shampoo from The BodyShop & it works amazing, so I’m not sure if wanna stop using it.
Or do you have an idea for people with dandruff who want to try this No Poo method?
Leah says
Daisy, if you continue to use your regular shampoo you will see improvement in your hair however you will find just going No Poo will actually help to relieve your dandruff (especially if you use the aloe honey ‘poo) in between your no poo washes.
Alex says
So I went no poo a while ago and it worked well, but my hair was dry, my roots oily, and my scalp itchy, so I started doing low poo with natural shampoos and that still hasn’t helped. I would love to go back to no poo. Is there something that I can do to help my hair stay be more balanced?
Leah says
Alex, sounds like you were in hardcore transition when you switched to Low Poo. Read this article on itchy scalp and this one on oily hair. That should help when you go back to No Poo. 🙂
Nohely says
Hi, I’m just wondering if this will work on curly hair? I am mixed and have a mix of tight and loose curls. I currently use a shea moisture product but it’s their shampoo from their curly hair line. My hair is considerably less frizzy since I started using this product but I still have some frizz and have noticed that I have dandruff now, which is actually why I am looking to the no poo method. I didn’t notice anyone mention they have curly hair so I figured I’d ask. I’ve tried only using water and conditioner before, read that that was good for curls, but it was a disaster for my hair, mainly my scalp.
Leah says
No Poo can totally work for curly hair, but (since I have straight hair) I find that a lot of curly girls find the Curly Girl Method to work best for them.
Sarah says
I am a swimmer and have been reading this article over and over again trying to decide if I should do it or not. I swim almost everyday before school followed by a shower of course, but I was wondering if you have any suggestions on how I could do the no-poo method? Please let me know because I would love to hear what you have to say about it!✨
Jen says
From what I understand, you can totally go no ‘poo, you just have to saturate your hair before getting into the pool. It will help minimize chlorine absorption. Someone asked about it on the FB group page; you can join and check out the other responses.
Grace says
if i use shampoo once in a while, will that undo all the hair progress i’ve made?
Jen says
It will. The detergents in the shampoo will strip all your scalp’s natural oils and you’ll have to start again from scratch.
Grace says
Okay, so what should I do if my hair is just feeling like it needs a good wash?
Leah says
Grace – that’s the easiest question so far. Just wash it! You can do any of the following:
1. Aloe Honey Shampoo
2. Rosemary Herbal Hair Tea (just use this rinse after you wet your hair in place of a ‘poo or add it as your final rinse after the aloe honey wash)
3. Water Only “wash” just massage well (works best if you have soft water)
4. Use some Low Poo, like any of these (I like the Shea Moisture featured at the top of the page).
Sabrina says
By chance does the no poo method help with damaged hair or split ends?
Leah says
No Poo helps the over-all health of your hair, that in turn helps to prevent future breakage and damage. However, nothing can “fix” split ends except getting them trimmed off. Having suffered from MASSIVE split ends when I was younger (I’m a hair twirler) I just had to come to grips with the fact that I needed to chop off the damaged ends and let my hair grow. Keep your hair trimmed regularly, avoid high heat if possible (keep dryers and irons at the lowest setting possible to achieve your desired style) and don’t twirl! 😉 No Poo (in my experience and others) helps your hair grow faster – so getting back that length you loose when you get a trim takes less time (SCORE!).
Frances says
would it be safe to use baking powder instead of baking soda? I ran out of baking soda and I really don’t want to run to the store at night time to buy some if baking powder will work the same.
Rynae says
DON’T DO THIS! Read my comment at the end. It is much harsher on your hair.
Leah says
Sorry, Frances. Baking Soda and Baking Powder are like apples and oranges. Not the same stuff at all.
Angie says
I tried it for a week and my hair felt so gritty and dry. Is that normal and will that pass?
Leah says
Angie,
1. Make sure you RINSE, RINSE, RINSE. You shouldn’t have any gritty feeling unless you are not getting all the baking soda out of your hair.
2. Dryness can come from using too much baking soda (which may be the case here since you are experiencing “grit”). First make sure you are rinsing well, and if that doesn’t solve the problem, decrease your baking soda. Also, take a moment to read my post on Help for No Poo Dry Hair.
Bree says
I tried this for four months. I didn’t get the results that I was hoping for, there were both pro’s and cons to no pooing. The pro’s was that my hair wasn’t greasy anymore, I was washing my hair every 3-4 days, I didn’t have anymore split ends, my hair grew like crazy and my hair didn’t fall out nearly as much. My hair looked normal but the cons were that as soon as you touched my hair it felt stiff and dry, it felt like there was a lot of leftover residue, my hair wasn’t soft, it tangled very easily, was hard to brush, my hair had horrible static and what the final straw was is I started to get dandruff. I tried both vinegar conditioners and changed the amount of my baking soda less and less to no difference. It was actually great at first but then got worse. But honestly I’m really happy that I did the no poo method. I was able to finally get away from normal and damaging shampoo. I finally switched from no poo to DIY natural shampoo that has coconut milk in it and is a lot greater for my hair. No poo didn’t work for me but I know it works for some and I would recommend you to at least try it and if it doesn’t cut it then do natural shampoo instead. I guess I look at the no poo method as a preliminary deep cleans before I transitioned to natural shampoo.
Leah says
Thanks for sharing Bree! I’m glad No Poo worked for you for awhile. A friend of mine said, “No Poo is like your own personal science experiment for your hair. You have to figure out exactly what works for you.” Which is why switching to a natural method is so awesome. Once you figure out what works for your hair and scalp – you are really doing the best thing (chemical free) for your hair and your wallet and the environment. 🙂 Thanks again for sharing.
Jes says
I tried this for a week and felt that it was ruining my hair. My scalp isn’t overly greasy and my hair isn’t dry, but since I have hair that is down to my hips, the ends were crackly and I could hear the breakage. I felt that my hair was on a path to complete destruction that would only be rivaled by bleaching. I work in an industry that requires me to look good and maintained (I’m a professional server) and this was not something I could do. I commend those that were able to make it work, but with a lot of stick-straight fine red hair, I had to go back to my commercial products. My next plan of attack will be to get a professional hair consultation with a company that uses natural products for a low-poo commitment.
Leah says
Jes, I’m sorry to hear this method didn’t work for you – and I can completely understand why you stopped. Your plan of finding a Low Poo product that will work for your hair is a great idea. There are several good brands on the market. I personally, would stay away from WEN. Not only is it expensive, but it has some questionable ingredients for natural hair care. Good luck and let us know how your Low Poo journey goes. At the end of the day, my hope is that everyone find the most natural hair care routine that works for them. Our hair is so important to feeling beautiful. You gotta love what you see when you look in the mirror. 🙂
Rynae says
So, I’ve done this for 4 weeks. I’m the girl who was using the egg shampoo concoction, along with sulfate-free shampoo every alternate week. I made this transition easily, not even noticing a “transition phase” like so many have. I suppose it was because I already didn’t wash my hair with shampoo, except for every other week. I did have some issues one time…I put the mixture in my hair, and suddenly it felt like my hair was twisting and turning into dreads! It was all tangly and I couldn’t figure out why. Then I realized….I had used baking POWDER instead of baking SODA. Ha! Needless to say, I had extremely frizzy hair the next day, and I learned to pay more attention.
Leah says
Rynae, Thank you so much for sharing – cuz (sorry to say) I’m laughing right now. I’ve SOOOO done things like that before. Salt instead of sugar in my coffee, baking soda instead of baking powder in my biscuits (hockey pucks)…the list goes on and on. I’m glad things are going well for you and the No Poo method. I love hearing Happy Hair stories!
Beth says
THAT’S WHAT I WAS DOING!!!!! I’d been no ‘pooing for about a month on bicarbonate of soda (I googled it and apparently it’s the same as baking soda only it is has a different name in Australia and the UK) and it was going fine but I felt I wasn’t no ‘pooing properly since I was using bicarb instead of baking soda but I couldn’t find baking soda anywhere in Northern Ireland! Anyway, I had the same deadlock feeling when I was washing it and it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to brush and I was shedding like some long haired dog ALL the time! That would be the problem. THANK-YOU!!!!!!
Katie says
First, do you need to do this everyday? I’ve heard some conflicting things… Second, I’ve been looking at this post for a couple of days, trying to decide whether or not to do it, and I JUST BARELY got why it’s called no poo… Lol
Leah says
{giggle} Since you just got the No Poo thing – let’s see how you like this one.. No Poo is the sh!† (bahawhwha). Time to be serious. You want to wait as long as possible between No Poo washings. The objective here is to allow your scalp to get back in balance. Once that happens you’ll find you’ll have to wash your hair 1-3 times a week or less – instead of everyday – and you get beautiful hair to boot!
Please come join our No Poo / Low Poo Group on facebook. We talk ‘poo everyday and share our experiences and questions.
sky says
Hi Leah,
I have been doing the no poo method for a few weeks now and Im really liking it. But I have noticed my nails are suppppper weak and brittle and just keep splitting and ripping. They were really strong before, and this seems to be the only thing I have changed, and I haven’t changed anything in my diet. Just wondering if you think this could be related or if anyone else has noticed this
Olga says
It must be the baking soda. I can’t even explain it scientifically but my fingers and nails also feel pretty dry and kind of stripped every time I use it for any reason. Burt’s Bees has a concoction called Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream. It helps my nails a lot. But you have to massage it into your cuticles and nails every day (I do it before bed) and it kinda gets old. But as soon as I quit my nails go down the hill – life consists of choices. 🙂 I’m sure other natural cosmetic brands make nail and cuticle treatments of this kind too. Or you can find something on Etsy – there are a lot of natural products sold there. Just something that consists of beeswax and a bunch of nourishing oils. It should help.
Amanda Stanford says
Maybe put on some rubber gloves while using the baking soda? Just an idea.
'Becca says
Maybe wear gloves when you’re washing your hair? Those yellow rubber gloves sold in every drugstore and supermarket are great protection even for very wet jobs, and reusable. If you have been using your fingernails to scrub, you won’t be able to do that through gloves, but try a ventilated brush (slots between bristles) or wide-tooth comb.
I use only vinegar (no baking soda) on my hair, but I do use baking soda to scrub pots and dishes–works like a charm! But like Olga, I’ve noticed it is very drying to nails and cuticles, even though I seem to have less sensitive skin than most women. I save my almost-empty bottles of cooking oil and use those last few drops to moisturize my hands!
Leah says
Hi Sky! That is a question I haven’t heard before. No Poo should not effect your nails in any way. You’ve got me stumped on the cause for this. I can suggest taking some biotin. It will help your nails and hair – so that’s a bonus all the way around. 🙂
Olga says
Hi Leah, I found this post a few days ago and was intrigued. I already tried it out and have my experience to share and a couple questions. But first of all I want to thank you for sharing this and for still responding to everyone’s comments – there are a few volumes worth, it’s extraordinary! 🙂 I haven’t read all of them so sorry if it’s already been said and asked but here goes…
Yesterday was my first day of “No Poo” and guess what – my hair feels and looks great! I’m kind of happy and disappointed at the same time. I’ll explain. A few years ago, after giving birth to my child I started noticing too much scalp showing through my hair. I panicked, cut my hair short, visited a dermatologist, switched to an ungodly expensive Purology shampoo – no results. I think now that it was just something hormonal, my Mom lost a lot of hair after she had me too. The difference is – she had enough hair for 4 people to start with, so even after having lost a half that’s still 2 heads worth and even at the age of 67 she still has more than I do now or ever did…
Anyway, eventually I realized there was nothing I could do and accepted my destiny. It’s not like I gave up – I’ve been taking hair and nail supplements religiously, switched from Purology to Giovanni shampoos (that seemed a lot more natural but a lot less expensive), started treating my hair with henna again (a habit from my very young years)… I guess my hair got a little better but it’s still rather thin. It’s pretty and healthy, it’s just kind of scarce. 🙁 So when I read about your new growth, I got all hopeful that “No Poo” could do something of that kind for me. And of course after reading your post and all the comments I expected my first BS wash to be horrible. Imagine my surprise when after the first time I got clean looking and feeling, shiny and bouncy hair!
At first I was happy but then my high turned into low – I realized that I had probably been pretty Low Poo already (I forgot to mention that I never washed my hair every day either, only every other day) and there would be no miracle transformation. 🙁 Some advertizement for Giovanny shampoos, huh! Maybe I should tell them this story and they’ll send me some free products. 🙂 Only I don’t want any free products now. 🙂 I don’t know, maybe it was some weird accident and my second BS wash will yield the horrible look and feel everybody’s talking about? But I couldn’t wait to tell you. 🙂
So I guess if you are really dreading that transitional phase, try a few years of natural shampoos, then your first BS wash will be glorious. 🙂 Though when you switch from a bad shampoo to a good one your head will still go through a mild adjustment phase, maybe just not as drastic as when you dump the poo cold turkey. 🙂 I still hope that there will be at least some improvement with my hair. I’m mostly concerned about it’s quantity, the quality seemed OK as it was. Though there’s always room for improvement. 🙂 But now I have a couple of questions.
Question 1. Does anybody know if “No Poo” washing has any effect on henna colored hair? I do it for both color and nourishment and wouldn’t want to lose the color part of the benefits.
Question 2. What happens when after a month of No Poo you go to a hair salon (you have to prune it now and then, right?) and they wash your hair with their shampoo? Will you have to detox your head all over again? Of course I’ve been visiting a salon on a regular basis for the last couple years (got me a short cut) and it didn’t seem to have prevented my first No Poo washing from feeling great, but then who knows, I was still using Giovanni instead of BS at home, maybe the difference wasn’t as drastic? Any advice about that?
Once again, Leah, thank you for this post! Despite everything I’m converted! 🙂
Leah says
Olga,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I have to tell you that my hair has gone through several phases of “thinning” over the years (post baby, chronic illness and most recently the addition to a low dose chemo to my medication routine) and No Poo has done wonders in helping with new growth and decreased fall out. I also have to take folic acid daily (due to the chemo – it blocks folic acid) and I take biotin as well 2-4 times a week (when I remember) to help with my hair. I don’t want you to think that it’s the supplements that made the biggest difference – because I started No Poo before I started using them. They have just helped provide a “1-2 Punch” in getting my hair to start to grow and fill in again. I would visit your doctor (if you haven’t already) and make sure your hormone levels and iron levels are where they need to be (low levels can contribute to fall out). Adding folic acid and biotin will help – it will just take a month or two before you start seeing results. Keep your scalp massaged and stimulated and use the rosemary herbal rinse on your scalp to help with circulation.
In regards to Henna – no poo will work fine with henna on your hair. In fact several ladies have reported that the henna actually improves the texture of their hair. 🙂
When you go to the salon you have several options:
1. Wash before you go and just have them wet your hair.
2. Bring your low poo with you and have them use that.
3. Ask if they have a sulfate free shampoo available (most do).
The adjustment phase sucks for everyone (long or short) but in time everything will fall into balance. I just returned from Vegas yesterday and it was amazing to see how my scalp and hair responded to being in such an arid environment (I live outside Houston where it is uber humid all the time). My scalp started to flake and my hair was stick straight and flat with ZERO volume and tons of static. (Not so amazing, now that I think about it, lol) As soon as I returned home, my hair started to behave normally (as I expect it to). My point is seasonal changes, climate, and a myriad of other factors can effect the way your hair behaves from time to time. Because you’ve chosen such a gentle and natural hair care method the minor changes can appear in your hair more readily than when you use traditional “stronger” shampoos.
So glad you have joined the No Poo movement. Please come join our no poo facebook group.
Miranda says
Hello!
This method seems amazing! But I’m not sure if it’s right for me. I am a lifeguard during the summer so I was wondering if this would still work with my hair being dunked in chlorine every day? Last summer I bought some shampoo that treated against chlorine damage and used it every few days but my hair was still kind of dry. Do you think this method would work better or would it end up being pointless?
Leah says
Miranda,
You should be able to use this method by just following the normal steps for chlorine protection:
1. Wet your hair first before entering the water to limit the amount of chlorine absorbed by your hair.
2. Rinse your hair after exposure to chlorine
3. Wear a swim cap if needed.
Stephanie says
This question has probably been answered but there are sooo many I’m talking the last route LOL.. Once you no poo… Does it cancel out everything you just did if you apply styling products afterward? I have thick, naturally curly hair and can’t imagine going without… Thank you for this fabulous article!!!
Leah says
Try to use products that are free from silicones and are as natural as possible. Doing this will help ensure your no poo success while still using styling products.
Abby says
Hi Leah and company,
I have a question, but I want to begin with a Thank-You: this page was a godsend! I started No-Pooing about seven weeks ago and for the first time my hair has body and a little wave, or “personality,” — because since my teenage years I’d been dealing with a fine, flat grease-slick. I’m very happy with my hair now.
It’s what’s coming off on my hairbrush that puzzles me. I’ve read this message thread and found a couple posts on the “white gunk/residue” that comes off the hair and onto the hairbrush, and I’ve read that it should only last a few weeks. I’m in week 7 and still brushing off a powder that turns my bristles white and is so fine that I’m having a tough time washing it off (and I wash my boars bristle brush every day). When I take the powder and rub it between my fingers, it turns into a grey gummy substance. Is this leftover silicone from old conditioners, or is this coming from my scalp (like dandruff or cradle-cap or something similar)? I’ve taken a strand of my hair and looked closely, and I’ve seen the tiny little white dots stuck to the hair shaft all the way to the ends, almost like lint.
Anybody who’s experienced this, or has a fix, I’d love to hear it. Just for more context, I have very hard water, a fine hair texture but a whole lot of it, and I’m a bit of a sweaty-oily gal. Thanks again!
Leah says
Abby I’m so glad the No Poo Method is working for you. 🙂 In regards to the “white gunk” it could be silicone, lint, dry skin, or baking soda residue. I would suggest the following:
1. Make sure you rinse, rinse, rinse to remove any baking soda residue from your hair.
2. Make sure to clean your hair brush frequently so you aren’t putting the gunk back into your hair when you brush.
3. Try using the Aloe Honey “Shampoo” to help break up any gunk actually on your hair shaft (aloe naturally and gently does this). You can use this in between your No Poo washes or in place of them until the issue resolves itself.
4. Check your scalp for dryness. If your scalp is flaky, a hot oil treatment will help. Warm some coconut oil (warm, not hot) and massage into your scalp and hair. Wrap your head in a warm towel (just pop it into the dryer) and wrap up your head. Wait 30 minutes or until the towel cools and then wash your hair twice with a good low poo shampoo to remove the oil from your hair and scalp. This is a great treatment for dry scalp and for your hair. Do this once every two weeks until the dry scalp goes away.
Keep a hair journal to see what works and what doesn’t. You’ll isolate the issue in no time and have a record of what worked should the problem pop up again. 🙂
BatbaraJean says
I Am currently deployed. The water we use here is highly chlorinated. Also i have been shampooing and conditioning everyday and it has done a number on my hair. Do I still use the same amount of baking soda in my mixture.
Leah says
When you say you have been shampooing and conditioning everyday, do you mean No Poo or by traditional means?
Emily says
HI! I tried this last night and thought i rinsed thourouly but i can feel a lot of the baking soda in my roots…it’s horrible. Am i not rinsing well enough or is it because i didn’t creat the perfect slippery combination? And i don’t really understand how to get it to be slippery ? help please!
Emily says
Love this idea! I have been trying it for 7 days now with mixed results, but I am working on it. 🙂 I was wondering about some other ‘low-poo’ shampoos. Are baby shampoos (Johnson and Johnson, the yellow stuff) and the Mane and Tail shampoos other ‘low-poo’ options?
Celia says
Hello Leah
This article is great, thank you so much. I’ve tried no-poo once but I guess I did something wrong. I did it for some time, enough to feel the difference in my hair but I exercise so I felt my hair smelled like sweat so I could not stand that so I stopped. I really want to try it again but I have so many questions. I’ll just go ahead and number them.
1. What did I do wrong, why did my hair smell? Can you exercise and still do the no-poo method?
2. I also love swimming and I do frequently but to protect my hair I use coconut oil. Will the no-poo method be enough to get the coconut oil and chlorine out of my hair afterwards? Is there some other concoction I should learn to do?
3. I use henna to color the 3 gray hairs I get, but specially to enhance my almost red hair and make it shinier. When I do it I have to wash about 3 times with shampoo and 3 with conditioner to get all the henna out. How do I get rid of the henna with the no-poo method? Should I poo on those occasions?
4. I live in Mexico so I don’t think it will be easy to get the fancy special shampoos to prepare my hair. Will the aloe vera and honey recipe be enough? Can I make some other special shampoo?
I think with the answer to this questions and all the valuable information you wrote I can try it again with success. Thank you so much, again.
Shelby says
Hello again!
I have been doing the vinegar only method and it has taken away the waxy problem but I cannot get my hair to stop being so greasy. Anyone know how to help with the greasiness? I was using acv but the last time I showered I used white vinegar. I also think I got coconut oil in my hair (my hair was still greasy before i got the coconut oil in it), will the vinegar remove that or do I need to do something else to get the coconut oil out?
Ericasky says
Great post! I am so glad to have found this! I have looked into no pooing but most articles out there don’t seemed geared toward the still pooing folk out there! this article alone has answered most of my questions but I still have a few geared more specifically toward my personal situation. I have very long (a couple inches from my rear) hair, but it’s also very very fine. I,m only 21 and experience hair loss due to a thyroid disorder and although I don’t have bad spots yet I am know one day I may because my mother has the same situation going on with bald spots. I would love to be the ‘guinea pig’ for my mother and I on this.
I have very dry ends and dry psoriasis scalp, but very oily roots. I HAVE to wash my hair (or at least roots) everyday or else my roots look WET the next day. Sometimes I can get away with one day, but by that night I’m oil again.
I was wondering if I could get away with doing the baking soda routine everyday if need be at first? I can’t really pull my hair back in up-doos and hats aren’t an option for me at work.
I was also wondering if even when I do (and my God am I excited for it!) reach the point of washing once or twice a week if I could still wet my hair in the shower every day even without the shampoo?
Sorry for such a long post, but I am so excited to try something for this hair loss thing! I know regular shampoos and conditioners are not helping and I simply can’t afford expensive products to help (not to mention all the horrible things they put in there!) Thank you so much for your time into this post and helping people out there!
Ericasky says
((…I could still wet my hair in the shower every day even without the *shampoo?)))
*Sorry I meant the BS, not shampoo -old habits die hard!
Leah says
Absolutely! 🙂 Or just put your hair in a shower cap. You can also just rinse your hair with a tea rinse made by steeping a tea of your choice, allowing to cool and pouring over your head.
Leah says
First let me say I am envious of your long, glorious mane. 🙂
Second, I would work with your doctor to keep your thyroid in balance and confirm with them that adding biotin and folic acid would be okay. (It should be, but always check first). 🙂
These supplements are great for your hair (and nails!).
You can do the baking soda daily if desired – but you may experience a very dry, itchy scalp, so be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse.
On the days you don’t wash your hair you can just run water though it or put it up in a shower cap.
In regards to your ends, the only thing that will help really dry ends is a trim. Get an inch or two trimmed off and you’ll see a vast improvement. You can also apply a very small amount of coconut oil to the ends of your hair to help with dryness. Just don’t over do it – you’ll end up an oily mess.
Please keep a hair journal – and if you find the baking soda isn’t working for you – use the Aloe Honey “Shampoo”. This will help the condition of your scalp.
If none of these methods work, please try a low poo, like
Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo (it’s pretty cheap compared to others) and a little goes a long way. You can focus on just your roots and scalp and use the vinegar rinse on the length of your hair.
Please let me know how this works for you, I want to be there to help. I know (from my own chronic illness) how your hair can be effected and how hard it is to deal with the fact that not only are you ill, but now your hair has to suffer to (it sucks!). Good luck to you and please come join my No Poo group on facebook. 🙂
Leah says
Shelby,
The only thing I know of to remove oily build up is a low poo (and you usually have to lather, rinse, repeat to get all the oil out).
You should start to see improvement in the overall oiliness of your hair now that you’ve switched to white vinegar (ACV is super conditioning). Keep a hair journal and try the following:
1. Decrease the amount of white vinegar in your rinse solution and see if that helps.
2. If you don’t already, rinse out the vinegar solution with cool water before stepping out of the shower.
Give your hair a week or two to start seeing any changes from using the above suggestions.
Let us know how it goes and please, (and this goes for everyone) come join the No Poo Group on facebook for support. 🙂
'Becca says
Hi, Shelby! Here is my article on washing with vinegar only and you can comment over there too for “tech support” if you like.
I think Leah’s advice is good. You might even want to use your regular shampoo for every other wash and vinegar on the times between–that is how I transitioned. (From what I’ve heard, going back to shampoo is a setback when you’re using baking soda, but with vinegar only it wasn’t, until I reached the point where my hair “told” me to quit shampoo by reacting badly to the shampoo–and vinegar totally tamed that reaction.)
Definitely rinse, rinse, rinse and run your fingers through your hair as you rinse so that oil from your scalp runs down the hair.
Is the greasy feeling more in your HAIR or your SCALP?
Shelby says
I have been using white vinegar for a few weeks now (rinsing it out with cold water) and I am still having bad problems with greasiness. Becca, my hair is more greasy at the scalp but my whole head is very soft.
I don’t know what to do!
Laurien says
Hi!
I have tried this method twice now, and i don’t really get it. After i washed my hair, it’s still very oily..
I have a few questions and it would be great if someone would answer them!
First, i would like to know how the solution of bs and water should look like? Does it have to be like a paste or thinner?
Second, how do you know or feel in the shower you spread the solution well enough? If Iwant to spread it all oer my scalp, i have to use very ,uch of the solution, or am I doing somethig wrong?
I hope someone can help me!
(Sorry if my English is bad)
Laurien says
And I have one other question, what do you exactly mean with that ‘slippery’ feeling you’re talking about?
Leah says
Laurien, don’t worry about your English. No apologies are needed. 🙂
When you mix the baking soda and water, the baking soda should be dissolved in the water.
Pour the solution onto the roots of your hair (all over your head) and massage into your scalp. Allow the solution to sit while you continue to shower (don’t rinse yet). Check your head and it should feel “slippery”. What I mean is that the roots should feel “slick”. Just like the feeling you get right before you wash all the soap from your hands. Not super slippery, but it should have some “slip” to it. When you rinse – it will not longer feel slippery. I hope this helps. 🙂 Thanks for your questions.
Laurien says
Thank you very much for the quick reply! I am looking forward to see progress and I hope in a while I will be able to wash my hair once a week (or less!)
Grace says
if i just need to wash my hair, could i use baby shampoo? also, is Organix a good brand?
Leah says
I have never used Organix – so I cannot speak for the quality of the brand. Check the label and do some research on the ingredients. You are wanting to avoid sulfates, silicones and parabens. 🙂
If you need to use a commercial shampoo, diluted baby shampoo would be a gentle alternative. Just know that some baby shampoos still contain ingredients you are trying to avoid, so again, read labels. Good luck!
Nina Rae says
My question is, will the no poo method be ok to use since I will still use product in my hair such as a heat protectant?
Leah says
All heat protectants have some kind of silicone in it (look for an ingredient that ends in ‘cone’). Ideally, you want to eliminate ‘cones from your hair care – but if you use high heat frequently you may need to keep this as part of your routine. I still blow dry my hair – but only after I wash, so I’m only blow drying 2x a week now instead of daily, and I use the lowest setting that will still achieve the style I want. Since I don’t apply heat often and it isn’t high heat, I haven’t found the need for a protectant. You can No Poo and still use product. It just depends on how “all natural” you want to be. 🙂
bahar says
Do you think my hair grow faster with this baking soda washing?
Jen says
Everyone is different, but mine is growing a little faster 🙂
Leah says
Many, many people (myself included) have experienced new and faster hair growth using the No Poo method. It won’t hurt your hair – so give it a try.
Joy says
Hi! So I’ve been wanting to start this but I was wondering if it would be okay to use organic coconut oil every once in a while once your hair gets “straw” like?
Leah says
Joy, you can totally use oils on your hair when you No Poo. Depending on your hair (and how much oil you use) you may have to wash the oils out with a low poo if hair gets too oily, but I love smoothing some coconut oil over my hair to tame fly-aways.
Joy says
Hi Leah so I’ve been doing this for about 5 days now and it’s been going pretty good but for so,e reason today after I showered and washed my hair it my roots feels really dry. Kind of like I didn’t rinse out all the baking soda but I stood there for a good 5 minutes rinsing it. Do you know what I’m doing wrong? I did method 2 today
Leah says
Dry roots? That’s one that doesn’t happen often. You should easily be able to fix this by pour your vinegar rinse over your whole head (scalp and roots included). Should clear the problem right up. 🙂 I recommend keeping the vinegar rise off the roots and scalp because most people will get oily roots if they do so – since you have the opposite issue – using the vinegar rinse on your roots will be fine. If your roots start to get oily – then go back to keep the rinse on the length of your hair. Good luck Joy and keep us posted. 🙂
Joy says
Okay so the vinegar has helped with the dryish feeling at the root but I think I’m doing something wrong because when once my hair is in the process of drying, if I run my fingers through my hair, I feel like I’m getting a residue that is coming off my hair. Sorry if that didn’t make much sense. But ever since I started this I feel like when I run my fingers through my hair I get this residue that comes off. Is there any way to fix it?
Leah says
Hi Joy! What kind of residue are you feeling? Waxy? Powdery? Did you clarify your hair before going no poo and how long have you been using the No Poo method? Knowing these things will help me troubleshoot this with you. I also invite you to join our No Poo / Low Poo Hair Care Group on facebook.
Joy says
I guess it’s more of a powdery residue but its gross.. And my hair has gotten about 2X harder to brush and style. For the clarifying I was already using a shampoo without any bad silicones in it.
Joy says
Okay it’s there is defiantly a powdery residue coming off my hair. When I run my fingers through my hair white powdery stuff comes off. If you can tell me what I’m doing wrong that would be cool! Let me know ASAP. I’m starting to get doubts about all this and thinking about stopping but if it can be fixed let me know I really want to continue this no poo!
Joy says
Hi! So I’ve been wanting to start this but I was wondering if it would be okay to use organic coconut oil every once in a while once your hair gets “straw” like? Also is it okay to use dry shampoo every now and then when your hAir is greasier than normal?
Thanks!
Jen says
Coconut oil in small amounts has been recommended for taming frizzy hair after cleansing, so you can use that. Dry shampoo is also fine; many girls in the FB group make their own.
Gina says
How do I know if all the baking soda is rinsed all the way out? Also when conditioning hair with the vinegar should I use the whole 1 cup and 2 TBS? Or should I just spray the hell out of it and call it good once it feels soft? And lastly how long does it usually take for hair to feel more normal again? Whats the most common length of time it usually take?
Hoping to hear back ASAP
Leah says
Gina, great questions! Let me answer them for you.
1. How do I know when all the baking soda is rinsed out?
While the water is running over your hair, go ahead and give yourself a nice scalp massage to ensure you get out all the baking soda. You shouldn’t feel anything gritty in your hair and it should feel “squeaky clean”.
2. How much of the vinegar conditioner should I use?
Spray the length until it is saturated. Depending on the length of your hair the amount used will vary. The vinegar conditioner should last through several washings. (you don’t use it all at once)
3. How long does transition last?
This varies from person to person. Hair type and water softness changes the length of time to reach No Poo Nirvana. You expect the process to take anywhere from 1 – 6 weeks (average 4 weeks)
Elayne says
Started this method 5 days ago. Two questions: 1) How much of each solution should I be using at each shower? Is it the full cup of each mixture? 2) What product do you recommend to be put on after washing for wavy hair. I need something to control the frizziness! Thanks : )
Meg says
This sounds great, I want to try this out. However, tell me something, what about those in humid countries – like I am – where my hair/scalp gets sweaty by the end of the day? Do you still not wash? I have tried just washing with water, and when it sweats – my hair starts to stink… 🙁 What do you say? Is this no poo method only restricted to good climate conditions?
Thanksxx
Leah says
Meg how humid are you talking? I live in Houston, Texas as it is SUPER humid here – and hot and I haven’t had a problem. If you are experiencing scalp odor that could be an indicator of bacterial growth on the scalp. Adding tea tree oil – 4 drops for every 2 oz of water in your baking soda solution should help. You can wash daily with no poo if needed.
Caroline says
Hello! So I have been No-pooing for about a week now and I was surprised by how well it washed the first day trying this! But i been washing my hair everyday and now I’m on day two without washing my hair and it’s already looking greasy. It’s a little less greasy than when I would wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner but I was don’t know if I should wash my hair or just let it stay greasy. Also my hair has felt a little straw like but by the next day it’s softer. But when I get out of the shower it feels really straw like. Is there a way to reduce the straw like feeling more? Other than that I’ve had it pretty good no flaky scalp or SUPER greasy hair or itchy scalp so hopefully the rest of my transition will be as easy!
Leah says
Give it time. You are only a week in. It can take as long as 4-6 weeks for your scalp to adjust and reduce sebum (oil) production. Check out this article on No Poo Dry hair. Hope this helps!
Heidi says
I’ve been doing the no poo method since March 20th of this year. I’ve been using method one as of recently because I just could not get the hair paste to feel slippery (we have very hard water where I live). I’m past the cottony stage but now I’m experiencing dandruff. I had very little to no dandruff prior to going no poo so I was concerned if this was normal or not?
Leah says
Heidi, is it dandruff or dry scalp? They are two different things. Dry scalp is small white flakes. Dandruff tends to leave patches of yellowish or grey, waxy scales on the scalp that start to flake off (larger than dry scalp). Seasonal changes can cause dry scalp. Try the aloe honey shampoo. This should help the issue.
Heidi says
Oh wow, I never actually knew that dandruff and dry scalp were two different things. Dry scalp is what I have then. I will try out the aloe honey shampoo and see how that works out.
Allison says
Hey! I’m a high school all-year competitive swimmer, and as ya’ll all know, its horrid to your hair. But I also have really dry hair with oily roots and would love to try this. Can I use the no poo method and still clean my hair to make it not smell like chlorine? I’ve been told that the pool smell is my hair’s smell all the time, and I would like it to either not have a smell or smell great (: thanks for the help guys!
Leah says
Allison, congrats on being a competitive swimmer! (that is soooo cool!)
No poo or not, you should always do the following to protect your hair from chlorine:
1. Wear a swim cap. I know, it isn’t pretty – but other than helping to reduce friction in the water, it protects your hair from that horrid chlorine.
2. If you don’t wear a swim cap, wet your hair first so minimize the amount of chlorine that is being absorbed in your hair.
3. Rinse your hair immediately after getting out of the pool. Don’t let that chlorine dry on your hair.
Hope this helps and good luck this season!
Jacelynn says
Hi! 🙂
I just recently came across your blog/site (which is super helpful!!) and decided to try going no-poo! So far I love everything about it, even though it’s only been about 4 weeks and my hair is probably still getting used to it! I have long thick hair and wasnt sure if I would like it! But my only concern is that I always like my hair to smell good (I am a homeschooled highschooler 😉 like when you take it down, swish your hair around and etc. 😉 And so far I have tried spraying essential oils in my hair (wet and dry) and putting them on my hair brush like you said, but nothing seems to last for more then 5 minutes 🙁 and my hair still smells like..well…hair haha I know I could switch to the citric acid wash but I still want my hair to smell pretty! Do you have any other suggestions or recomendations as to what I could use or try? Maybe something that has a stronger (nice) smell that last longer? Thank you so much for your time and for helping me out! 🙂
Leah says
This one is pretty easy – grab your favorite fragrance and hold the bottle about arms length or so over your head. Spray and allow the mist to fall down onto your hair. Give your hair brush a spray too and then brush your hair. Most perfumes use your body heat to help release the fragrance so if by the end of the day (like before you head out to hang with friends) hit your hair with some heat from your blow dryer. This should “re-active” (so to speak) the fragrance.
Jacelynn says
Thank you so much!! 🙂 I will definately be doing this!!
Elizabeth says
I read through a bunch of the comments trying to find the answer to my question and didn’t see anything. (But there are a lot of comments!) I’ve been doing the no poo for about a week. I do have the waxy heavy feeling, but the ends around my face look like they are fried and break really easy. Is this pretty normal stuff or am I totally ruining my hair?! I do color my hair. Blonde and dark brown highlights. I don’t know if that has a part to play at all? Thanks for all your info on this!
Jen says
The breakage is likely old damage that was being masked by the silicone in commercial conditioner coating the hair shaft. You can probably prevent that in the future by getting regular trims. I don’t know how coloring effects transition. Come join the group on FB, there are a bunch of others that can help!
Elizabeth says
That is what I wondered….so is it going to go back to normal with some different conditioning ideas I’ve read about on here or will I need to cut most if it off? Hopefully not!!!
Leah says
Hair breaks easily when it is dry, over-processed and damaged. I would recommend getting a trim (to remove the dry ends), doing a hot oil treatment (you’ll need to wash it out with a low poo shampoo), and using ACV for your vinegar rinse. Really let the vinegar sit there to allow for deep conditioning. Keep a hair journal so you can see what works (and at what ratios / time / etc.)
No Poo should not cause breakage, however if you are concerned, do the hot oil treatments (as above) and then for the next week or so wash with just the aloe honey “shampoo”. Keep us posted and I also invite you to join our No Poo / Low Poo Hair Care Group on facebook.
Luann says
I was told from the manufacture of Arm & Hammer baking soda, that you should only use baking soda once a week to clarify your hair and NO more as it could dry your hair out! Just Sayin’…..
Jen says
I’m sure there are those that react negatively to it. It kind of goes back to the whole “everyone is different” thing. There are hundreds of women (that I am aware of, there are very likely a helluvalot more) that have done it long term and only have good things to say. Personally, my hair has never looked or felt better and I am seeing a ton of new growth. Don’t knock it till you try it! Or at least till you talk to some people that are actually doing it on a regular basis.
Leah says
Baking soda alone has the potential to dry out your hair with frequent use. However, using baking soda 1-3 times per week and following with a vinegar rinse conditioner prevents dry out. That being said, everyone’s hair is different – some oilier and some drier than others – you have to find what works for you. Some ladies (like myself) can successfully use this no poo method, while others wash with water only, conditioner only or or aloe/honey. Just like there are many shampoos available on the market there are several no poo methods.
Bethany says
I washed my hair with the daily clarifying stuff tonight!! In a few days I’m going to try the no poo method! I have shared this with all my friends and am looking forward to great results! Thanks!
Leah says
Can’t wait to hear your results!
Jessie says
Hi! So I’ve just started this and I’m a little confused what my hair’s supposed to be like during the transition. I’ve washed with the baking soda solution and a white vinegar solution twice so far and my hair seems mostly normal. It is a little greasy right in the back, but is this what it’s supposed to be doing? Everyone seems to talk about having straw hair during the transition period and that’s definitely not what’s happening. I’m not complaining, I’m just afraid I’m doing something wrong since I’m not getting straw hair.Basically, what is my hair supposed to be doing?
Thanks! Sorry if this is confusing.
Celia says
Hey Jessie. The same is happening to me it’s been about 2 weeks for me and my hair already is looking better. It is so soft I can’t stop touching it and it gets a little greasy at the roots after 4 days. I have no more flaky scalp, which I had everyday while I used poo. It never got straw like thank goodness. The only problem I had is that I once decided to try coconut milk and aloe instead of BS and it got so greasy I washed it with BS the next day. I must confess I do the vinegar a little different I have a cup in the shower where I pour a little ACV and fill with water I then pour a little on top oficina my head an the rest through the length oficina my hair. I do this because it was the only way to keep the scales from my scalp under control back when I used poo. I’ve been meaning to stop this and use a spray bottle like everybody elae but old habits dye hard. And my hair looks and feels so nice I don’t really feel the urge to change anything. Oh and I also put a couple of drops of coconut oil the palms of my hands and smooth the length of my hair with it.
Jen says
Everyone reacts a little differently; some are thrown into transition right away while it takes a couple of weeks for others. Then there are the lucky ones that seem to pass it by altogether! As long as you feel like your hair is clean, keep doing what you’re doing. It’s working for you! If you still have questions, come join us in the FB group.
Ingrid says
I have very fine hair that breaks easily. I’m twenty and my hair has been like this basically forever. I’ve lately been getting even more split ends, and I’m trying to find something to help. Would this method be good for hair like mine?? I’ve always wanted to grow my hair longer, but end up cutting it because of the damaged, dead ends.
Jen says
I can’t speak to how it works on very fine hair, but I can say that since I started no ‘poo my hair has been shinier, has more volume, is more manageable, and has been growing faster. I have also seen a ton of new growth. It will bring the oils on your scalp to a more natural balance which will improve the overall health of your hair. If you use a lot of heat to style it though, then you can always expect to have some level of damage. If you have more questions, the ladies in the FB group are happy to help.
Leah says
Ingrid, I wish there was a miracle cure for split ends however the only way to really repair split ends is to have them cut off. Get a trim (I know it sucks, but the great thing about hair is that it grows. 😉 ) No Poo should work well for you. If you hair breaks easily, look to your diet and water consumption. Hair is built from the inside and if your hair is weak, nutrition is likely the culprit. Increase your consumption of water and veggies (especially dark green leafy veggies) daily. You can also add Biotin (5mg) and folic acid (1 mg) to your diet or a quality multi-vitamin. It will take several months before you hair sees the benefits of these nutritional changes, but you will be building and growing stronger hair. Likely, your finger nails are brittle or weak too – these dietary changes will help strengthen your nails too. Good luck!
Alison says
Is it possible to use the baking soda as a shampoo, and then using coconut oil to condition? I know if you use coconut oil, you usually use it before you shampoo, and leave it in for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then you rinse it out super well. After that, could you just use baking soda on your scalp like usual?
Leah says
Alison you can use coconut oil before hand but baking soda alone will likely not remove all the oils and leave your hair greasy. You’ll want to wash oils out with a low poo. No matter what order you do things in, you can’t skip the vinegar rinse. It is needed to balance the pH of your hair and condition it after using the baking soda.
Melissa Wright says
Thank you so much for this post! I linked to you in my no poo post (http://www.moetalksalot.com/2013/05/i-cant-remember-last-time-i-shampooed.html#.UZ0Ko7XVB30). you have seriously figured out all the trouble shooting one could! i’m really excited to try to herbal washes, I haven’t done that before!
Leah says
Thanks so much Melissa!
I’ve worked really hard, done lots of research and No Poo’d for a long time before I wrote this post in an effort to be able to help others with the No Poo Method and reach No Poo Nirvana.
Shay says
So I was confused with the cleansing shampoo. Can I do this and then the no poo in the same showering experience? Or do I have to do both separately in 2 showers?
Jen says
Do you mean the clarifying shampoo? I think its only recommended for one or two separate showers. Then switch to the baking soda for the next shower.
Leah says
You will want to clarify and then wait until it is time to wash your hair again before you start your No Poo journey. Good Luck!
Christina Hutto says
Thank you so much for this info! I have been no-poo since feb 2013 and am loving it! My friends all think I’m crazy when I tell them I only wash my hair twice a week. Then I have to explain. My hair has grown sooo much also. At least 3in since feb. Thanks again!!
Leah says
I LOVE happy No Poo stories! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Carissa says
I have super super thick wavy dry hair. I’m nervous about the vinegar as conditioner substitute. I use globs of conditioner just to get a comb through my hair. Do you think I would have an issue with the vinegar not softening my hair enough?
Celia says
Hi Carissa
There are probably people with way more experience out there. But all I can tell you is my experience. Y also have wavy thick hair. I’ve always had to untangle it all the time. I’ve been trying the no poo regime for about 3 weeks and I’m loving it. I tried it about a year ago but didn’t have enough info so even though my hair felt great I exercised so felt I smelled like sweat so I stopped. I read Leah’s blog and decided to give it another try and I’m so glad I did. I haven’t had any transition. I don’t know if I’m one of the lucky ones or if it has to do with the fact that to stop my scalp from scaling I started using vinegar as a rinse after my poo and conditioner. When I forgot the vinegar my hair wasn’t as soft and got all this dandruff-like scales I just hated. I washed every other day.
Now I can go for 2 to 4 days, depending on my activities, without washing it. I even used henna in my hair yesterday. I rinsed it out just with water and when I felt it was all out I just washed the no poo way.
My routine goes like this. First I use the BS solution method, massage my scalp looking for the slippery feel. When I get it I start untangling little by little and very carefully from bottom to top (I have almost waist long hair). It helps if you have the water running through your hair. When I get to the top I rinse very well and use the comb sometimes to help rinse better. Then I use ACV but a little different, I have a cup inside my shower I fill about 1/8 with ACV and the rest with water from the shower. I pour it from top to bottom, it’s probably not necessary anymore, but I’m used to it because of the dandruff thing. I leave it for a couple of minutes while I wash the rest of my body and my face, with natural hand-made soap. Then I rinse thoroughly and use my comb again a couple of times to help with the rinsing. When I get out of the shower, my hair is almost tangle-free. I sometimes use a little coconut oil, just enough to get my palms a little greasy and then I kind of try to wipe them in my hair, then comb or brush and let it air dry.
Now it doesn’t get frizzy, it’s soft and I feel less flyaway, it also feels I can style it easier.
Hope this helps.
Leah says
Carissa, the Curly Girl Method may be best for you. It involves washing your hair with just conditioner. There are many curly girls who successfully use the method above, however for many conditioner only washing works best for them.
'Becca says
I have thick, wavy hair that is somewhat oily, but I used to “need” a heavy-duty leave-in conditioner when I washed with shampoo. You can see a photo of my hair in my guest post about washing my hair with vinegar only that just went up this week. It gives lots of details on my method, which is similar to how Celia described doing the vinegar rinse–lots of water running through your hair, combing, adding hot water from the shower to the vinegar, pouring from top to bottom. It works really well for me!
Shay says
So I just tried this for the first time and my hair feels like doll hair. Like plasticy and heavy. I rinsed for a good 10 min hopping it would get better but frankly it got worse. I had so many knots in my hair I could run my fingers through it to really make sure I was washing everything out. I cross my fingers that this will work. Is there anyway I could have done something wrong???
Jen says
No, what you’re describing sounds like you’re in transition and is normal. I would need a little more information on what method and how much of the mixture and how much of the mixture you’re using to try and help you figure out what changes need to be made. You can also ask questions on the FB group page, everyone there is super helpful.
Leah says
Shay,
Tell me exactly how you washed your hair and we’ll see if we can trouble-shoot this together. I also invite you to join our No Poo / Low Poo Hair Care Group on facebook.
Carissa says
Thanks Celia, I’m going to try it out. If it doesn’t work,worst case my hair is going to look and feel the same. It’s really dry and brittle thick and wavy so I’m willing to try anything to make it more manageable.
Julie says
So I have been using Method 1 for 9 days… I have curly hair so I never use to brush my hair when it was dry, at all. (I know I should have but whatever) I usually just used a special curly wet hair comb. So I am having trouble adjusting to the brushing thing since I can only do it before a rinse or wash. Anyway so I have brushed it 2-3 times since I stated this method. When I do brush I get this like dusty looking substance on my brush and I can see it on my hairs that fall out… It is waxy feeling (and so is my hair). I have a few theories and was wondering if anyone had any similar experience or insight? Is is like dried baking soda or something? The harsh crap from regular shampoo still coming out? Actual dust?…ew. I have been just rinsing my hair in water everyday this week but still having the issue. Help?
Jen says
It’s probably product build-up being shed and should stop in a few days.
Leah says
Julie, did you clarify your hair first? The residue could be:
1. Baking soda (so rinse, rinse, rinse)
2. Left over product
You are still in transition, so be patient and use the aloe honey shampoo between your no poo washes to help moisturize and help get out of transition a bit faster.
You are not required to use a hair brush (especially if it doesn’t work for your hair). A boar bristle brush helps distribute the natural oils, but curly girls have a hard time brushing those curls, so skip it if you need to. I also invite you to join our No Poo / Low Poo Hair Care Group on facebook.
Lydia says
Can you please add a section for us curly/wavy hair folks? I brush my hair before a shower and never ever otherwise. I’m concerned that I would not be properly distributing the oils, that my hair would be impossible without conditioner, and that the curls would not behave normally. I saw some comments about this but no one clear answer.
Leah says
Lydia, there are several No Poo methods. The “Curly Girl Method” which is washing with conditioner only is what many girls with curly hair use if this method doesn’t work for them. I am not an expert in that method, but you can learn about it here. Thanks for the suggestion – I will add a section to the post. 🙂
'Becca says
I have wavy hair, and you can read all about my washing method here. My partner has extremely curly (spiral ringlets 1/2″ wide) hair and washes with shampoo, but he also brushes while rinsing before and after washing like I do. We both find this very useful for distributing the oils to control frizz and avoid having an oily scalp. Give it a try!
Maggie says
Now is this the shampoo and conditioner method or do I use this method for shampoo and then use regular conditioner? It does only say “no poo”
Jen says
The no ‘poo method replaces both. The baking soda for the shampoo and the vinegar for the conditioner.
Courtney says
Thinking of trying this. Lately my hair feels like straw and like there is always waxy build up on it. the shampoo and conditioner that I have used for years isn’t working anymore and everything I have tried works for a few washes and then it is a waxy, straw like build up mess again. Wondering how you know how often to “no poo” I usually wash my hair everyday. Would I need to use the baking soda and vinegar rinses every day?
Jen says
If you’re planning to do this, you should probably start with a clarifying shampoo for a shower or two and then switch to the no ‘poo, it’ll help shorten your transition phase. You start off cleansing every day or every other day (depending on your normal regimen) and then only cleanse when you feel like your hair is dirty, adding more time as you feel comfortable. I’ve been doing it since the middle of February. Started out as an every other day thing and I can now go 5-7 days between washes.
Leah says
Courtney, this would be a great method for you. 🙂
Make sure to do the following (this is a little different from what I tell everyone else based on your description above):
1. Clarify your hair, wait till it needs to be washed again and repeat.
2. For your third wash, use the aloe honey shampoo.
3. For your fourth wash, start using the baking soda/vinegar no poo method described above.
Taking these steps should help remove the buildup on your hair and give you a better start to your path to No Poo Nirvana.
Shay says
Seriously what am I doing wrong?!?!? When in washing my hair it turns into a huuuuuuuugee…. HUUUGEEEEE HUGE, crying my ass off HUGE knot. All of it. A knot. Just a HUGE KNOT!!! I have long curly thick hair. I have tried little vinagar and a lot. Both times letting it rinse out completely! I have lost more hair trying to un tangle the knots that I could probably consider it a hair cut! I know I’m in the transition period but this is hell!
Leah says
Shay, this may not be the no poo method for you. Take a deep breath – you aren’t doing anything wrong. You just have thick curly hair (envy). Try the curly girl method and use a detangeling comb if needed. HUGS darling. It’s going to be okay.
Sarah Stevens says
Can i use my normal products after i “wash” my hair? like leave in conditioners, serums, etc. Like if i wear my hair naturally curly can i use my products that I normally use to enhance my curls?
Nikki says
Hello, I am curious of your thoughts on going No Poo on children’s hair? Thanks in advance for your thoughts : )
'Becca says
My son is 8 and has not been willing to try it so far because vinegar stings so much if it gets in your eyes, and because it is thin and watery he feels it would be easy for it to get into his eyes. He’s just learning to wash his own hair. So he is still on shampoo for now, but I hope to get him to try vinegar in a year or so when he is more adept.
Nikki says
I have not tried it on my boys, but it has made a huge difference with my daughter! She used to get nasty rats nests from slipping. Not anymore, very few tangles, and her hair stays silky smooth. We have only been doing it for about a week.
Emily says
I have a question. I swim a lot and I was wondering if the No Poo method is efficient in getting out chlorine.
'Becca says
My experience has been that it will get out most of the chlorine, but my hair feels weird until after the next washing. I don’t swim often, just a few times a year.
You can minimize the effect of chlorine on your hair by getting your hair soaking wet with plain water before you go into the pool.
Marlee says
Ive been doing to no poo method for a little over a month. I really want it to work. It sounds fabulous but it’s just not working… It’s making my hair terrible. It’s really staticy, it’s not nearly as soft or shiny, and it’s really hard to work with. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I understand the ‘slippery’ feeling you’re talking about and it just isn’t happening. I’ve even sat in the shower for about 40 minutes waiting for it to feel slippery. I’ve tried washing my hair with just water in between washes and it just turns out worse. I really really really want this to work. I just don’t have the patience or time to wait for the slippery feeling… Please help?!
Jen says
If you’ve recently started, you’re in transition, so everything you’re describing is normal. Try upping the amount of BS you use to attain the slippery feeling. To tame the static, use a very small amount of coconut oil (or something similar) and smooth it over your hair. Transition can last a while, so don’t lose heart! If you have more questions, the people in the FB group are very helpful. Good luck!
Marlee says
Ive been trying the no poo method for a little over a month now and it has turned out terrible. I really really want it to work and I am determined to stick with it (I quit on everything). Since I started it my hair is really staticy, it’s not even close to how soft it was before, it feels kinda waxy, and it’s really hard to work with. I understand what you mean by the ‘slippery’ feeling and it isn’t happening. I think that’s why my hair has turned out like crap… No matter how much or little baking soda I put in my hair it doesn’t ever become slippery. I’ve even tried standing in the shower for nearly 40 minutes without it ever turning slippery. Maybe it just doesn’t work with my type of hair? I’ve tried washin my hair with just water in between washes, and it’s just turned out worse. Ive been really tempted sometimes to switch back to using normal shampoo sometimes… I would love for this to work but I am not that happy with the way my hair’s turned out. I also don’t have the time or patience to wait for that ‘slippery’ feeling to come. Please help?!
Nicole says
When starting no poo, how many times should you wash your hair using the No Poo method. I started this morning, and my hair is getting really oily. Should I wash again tomorrow?
Jen says
Only do it when you feel like your hair is dirty and needs to be cleaned. It may start out as an every day thing, but try to stretch it as long as you can stand it. The longer you go, the more time your scalp has to regulate itself.
Blaine says
I used your information to start my own “No Poo Journey”! Thank you for the information! I wrote a blog and posted your link so others could learn more behind the method! Hope that was ok! Here’s the post: http://bit.ly/13h1Mho
Joy says
So my hair has a powdery residue coming off it. I have no idea what I’m doing wrong and on the verge of stopping the no-poo! If anyone can tell me what I’m doing wrong that would be great!
Jen says
You’re probably not doing anything wrong! It is very likely old product build up that is being shed. Stick with it, once you get past transition it’ll all be worth it! If you still have questions, the people in the FB group are very helpful. Good luck!
Amber says
When using the clarifying shampoo, do you used it every time before you wash with the baking soda and acv rinse?
Jen says
You’re only going to use it for a couple of showers before you start no ‘pooing, not before every wash. It’ll help to make your transition easier and maybe shorter.
Amber says
okay thank you and I also forgot to ask if I would use the clarifying conditioner with it or just shampoo?
Jen says
I was actually unaware that there was a conditioner. I don’t think there would be a problem using it, but I would consult the FB group to make sure.
Macey says
Okay, I really would like to try this but I have a few questions first..
I’m a 20 year old college student with SUPER thick hair. Thick as in, I donated it twice and each time my hair dresser had to separate my hair into five separate pony tails around my head just so her scissors could go through my hair. My hair has usually grown a little faster than the average person’s hair. But, sadly, since I’ve been in college, I have gotten numerous gray hairs and my hair growth has slowed down quite a bit. I assume this is from stress. I get it trimmed regularly and eat healthy, but I know my stress and sleep patterns are not helping. So, I would like to try No Poo but since my hair is so thick, I don’t know which method would be best or how much to even use. Or, should I just try the Low Poo method? Even though my hair is thick, it gets oily very easily. Even if I skip one day without washing it, I get a visible greasy scalp and my hair overall feels heavy. So I fear that if I start No Poo, it won’t work out so well since my hair gets so oily. So…help?
'Becca says
You might try my vinegar-only method and see if it moves enough oil from your scalp to your hair shafts (prevents frizz!) and gradually reduces the oiliness (which can be a rebound effect after using shampoo that strips away too much oil).
To deal with so much volume of hair, try this: After you get your hair wet, divide it so that it’s hanging down only about 1/2″ thick on the left and all the rest of the hair is flipped over to the right. Scrub the scalp just under that hair on the left, running your fingers down the hair to encourage the oil to run down. Then pull another 1/2″ to 1″ of hair from the right to the left and wash that part, and keep going until you’ve done your whole head. My hair is only kind of thick, not super-thick, so I do larger sections than this, but working on one part of the head at a time works well for me–especially if certain areas, like above my ears, feel more oily, it is important to give them special attention.
Kari says
I have a few questions: 1. when you have bangs do you put the vinegar mixture on them because its making mine look oily? 2. if you get your hair cut and the hair dresser washes your hair with shampoo, can you just go back to No Poo or do you have to use the clarifying shampoo again to get rid of the shampoo?
I just started a few days ago. I really hope I’m doing everything right because I really want my hair to be healthier.
Jen says
I had to avoid my bangs in the beginning because they just looked so awful and greasy. I had to slowly incorporate them. For the hairdresser, you can ask that they use a low ‘poo with no sulfates (or bring your own), or you can wash before you go and ask that they not use anything but water.
Codye says
Okay so I’ve been using this method for about a week now and my hair feels like it’s greasy towards the ends. Is this the cotton feeling that I’m supposed to feel? Please help! 🙂
Jen says
It’s a normal part of transition. Leah has an article that addresses the oily/greasy feeling (No Poo Hair Care link at top)
http://coderedhat.com/no-poo-help-oily-hair/
Good luck!
Shelby says
Be been trying to go no ‘poo for a while now. So far I have tried bs and vinegar, vinegar only (distilled and ACV), I have tried bar soap, and a honey mixture. NOTHING has worked for me yet! I feel so gross and unkempt having constantly unpleasant hair. I have no clue what to do! I don’t want to stop using no ‘poo but I don’t want to live with hair that I cannot make look nice and smell nice. What should I do? I do t want to do anything with aloe Vera and I just don’t know what to do! I really want something that doesn’t require a ton of extra steps and uncomplicated ingredients or it will drive me mad lol!! Please help me! Thank you so much!!! 🙂
Shelby says
*i do not want anything with aloe Vera. Silly typo 😉
Jen says
How long did you stick with a certain method before deciding that it wasn’t working? Transitioning off of commercial products can take upwards of four weeks or more. Come join the group on FB, we can try and help walk you through and hopefully find something that works for you.
Shelby says
I spent one month doing the bs and vinegar, and a few weeks of vinegar only right after the bs but my hair smelled like vinegar an was super greasy, right after that I tried the honey, I only did it twice but then it grew mold and my hair had a weird feeling so i decided that method wouldn’t be quite what I was looking for. They have all had a while and I am starting to wonder if I am going to have to go back to shampoo! I really don’t want to do that but I am going crazy! Lol!
Shay says
I’ve decided that I don’t like the no poo method. I’ve been doing it for a mbout a month now and I feel no change to the claimed magical hair. My hair feels like straw. I can’t brush it. It looks pretty gross and frizzy. I think with the type of hair I have, long thick and curly, the no poo method isn’t for me. Your advice has been helpful! I hope it works well for everyone else. If y’all are so wondering if ill go back to shampoo, I probably will to clarifying shampoo and a clarifying conditioner. This way I can attempt to keep my hair healthy and get that tangled problem to go away. Thank you for the journey!
Sarah says
Since you said you have curly hair this isn’t for you! Curls need moisture and this method doesn’t provide enough moisture that curly hair needs! I have the same problem and tried this method and relized it wasn’t working. Google the curly girl method or look it up on Pinterest because that is what I do and my curls are bouncy and moist! Hope that this helps!
Ash says
Okay so I have a few questions:
1. What do you do when you go to the salon? Do you let them wash your hair with shampoo or will one time ruin all the hard work?
2. Is it okay to use products like leave in conditioner and/or heat protectant?
Sage says
This is the first time that I have heard of the no poo method and I found it very interesting. I have a couple question though, can you use leave in conditioner or would that defeat the whole purpose? Does the vinegar solution help with tough knots? And would it still be safe to apply heat (straightening and curling) to your hair?
Celia says
I’m no expert but I guess it all depends on why you are doing it. I’ve read about people who only use conditioner as a no poo method. It’s like being a vegetarian you can either eat dairy and eggs or no animal products at all. Me? I go all the way, I don’t want any silicone crap from conditioners in my hair. I’m into all natural stuff but I guess it’s a personal decision.
At first knots may be an issue, depending on how damaged is your hair. Hair gets tangled because it’s damaged so as it gets healthier you won’t get as many knots. Vinegar leaves my hair very soft, it did even before I started my no poo journey. So it does help.
About the straightening and curling, I guess it’s up to you but probably you want healthier hair and extreme heat does damage it. There are many no hair straightening and specially curling methods. Rags, socks, sock buns, headband, bandu knot, cocoons, wrap around your head, etc.
Hope it helps but there are so many people in the facebook group that know a lot more, are really nice and helped me a lot.
Teen16 says
I deep condition my hair with olive oil but I haven’t since I started this method, is it ok to use clarifying shampoo after I deep condition or will that put me back at step one for no-poo?
Arin says
Hello!
I have been trying the “no poo” method for a little over two weeks now. I use 2 tablesoons of baking soda per one cup of water (but am still struggling to get the “slippery” feeling) and one tablespoon of apple vinegar per one cup of water. I am using apple vineger instead of apple cider vinegar because I live in South Korea and that was the closest thing I could find.
My issue is that my ends feel broken and brittle. Before starting this method, I didn’t have this issue and now I find myself not being able to run my fingers through my hair without them getting stuck at the ends. I have yet to experience the “soft” hair that many people seem to experience, but I also haven’t experienced greasy hair at all. My hair does feel a little sticky/waxy though.
Do you have any tips for me? I am trying to stay motivated to continue, but I can’t help but feel like the no poo method is actually damaging my hair
Oh, and I just started using coconut oil on my hair as well.
Thanks for your help!
-Arin
Lacey says
Hey there-
Several friends of mine have tried the no-poo method, with great results… I would love to give it a go, but I am a little nervous. I have a horrible cowlick on the back of my head, and I HAVE to wash and blow-dry my hair every morning or it looks terrible. First off, has anyone had any experience with this possibly helping a cowlick or something like that? And second, if the cowlick sticks around, is it OKAY to blow dry my hair when using the no-poo method? I’m not sure what I would do on mornings I didn’t wash it…
Any ideas?
Marylee says
I have cowlicks also. My suggestion is really in the blow drying and basically if you just take the cowlick area and blow dry the hair in the opposite direction it wants to go. My mother has the same and I can always tell when she just blow dried her hair strait back.
If the cowlick is at the top/front of your forehead, then just make sure you put that portion strait down and forward (like pulling them to cut your bangs for example) and dry the scalp area there first. I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager and not a sole would know that I have cowlick.
If it didn’t work one day (like it does with my mother on occasion) then just spray the section with some water, blow dry and restyle.
Good luck!
Dani says
I tried the no poo method for two months. I have very fine thin hair that is past my shoulders in length. I have never had a problem with having oily hair. My hair felt awful the whole time I did it. It stripped the crap out of my hair. I tried using more acv and less baking soda and this did not help. I used coconut oil, jojoba oil, Argan oil, anything to help the dry broken hairs and all it did was weight my hair down. I went to get it cut at a salon and the lady there told me was extremely damaged. I wanted to cry because I wanted this to work so bad. I hated being dependent on commercial crap to wash my hair.
Marylee says
I have not officially done the no poo method but am thinking about starting and doing the same with my 8 y/o daughter. I have however been washing my hair with normal over the counter products every 7 to 10 days for the past 8 to 10 years. Many are of course shocked and horrified to find out that I do this but I have used baby powder in place of cornstarch when my hair gets a bit oily. I love my hair when it’s “dirty” by at least a day as the first day I wash it is the worst for how it looks and is unmanageable. So that is my reason for being willing to switch no poo all the way. Happy to find such detailed instructions! Thanks~
Anna says
Been doing this method for about 3 years, and it’s amazing. One thing I would recommend (especially for long/thick hair girls… I say this bc I have neither, and this is what I do)… Leave the vinegar in. Sounds crazy, BUT I promise, this is what you want to do. The smell goes away before it dries, and it continues to nourish your hair while it sits. Happy Cleansing 🙂
AlexRaye says
great, comprehensive post! two things-
1. suave clarifying shampoo is NOT okay as a clarifier. it actually has silicones in it. other suave shampoos dont though 🙂
2. baking soda should NEVER be used as a paste on hair. it’s way too harsh for that. wayyyy too harsh.
just wanted to put that out there to help anyone 🙂 im coming up on my year anni of being no-poo, and am currently a water-only gal. I love it!! my whole blog is dedicated towards no-poo and other natural beauty things. 🙂
Laney says
Right now I don’t have any vinegar on hand. Is it possible I could just skip the vinegar ‘conditioner’?
Jen says
Skipping the vinegar rinse would not be a good idea. Baking soda is alkaline and will really dry out your hair if you use it all my itself. You have to use some kind of acid to re-balance the pH of your scalp. If you don’t have vinegar, you can try citrus juice. If you don’t have either, I would suggest you hold off starting no ‘poo until you have everything you need.
Laney says
Right now I don’t have any vinegar on hand. Could I just skip the vinegar “conditioner” all together?
Geli says
Hi everyone, the no poo method sounds great and I’d really like to try it! But I’m living in Switzerland and the apple cider vinegar isn’t avaiable here, I just found apple vinegar. Am I going to get the same results with this?
Arin says
I don’t know the science behind the different vinegars, but I do know from experience that plain apple vinegar was not the same for me. I live in South Korea and that is all I could find as well. I used it for the first three weeks and my hair felt kind of “sticky” ( I guess that is the best to explain it). I could not run my fingers through my hair at all. After trying different ratios in the mixtures, I decided it might be the vinegar I was using. I finally found apple cider vinegar at http://www.iherb.com. They deliver to Korea; I am not sure about Switzerland, but it’s worth a try. Now that I am using apple cider vinegar, my hair is starting to feel MUCH better.
Like I said, I don’t know the “science” behind the different vinegars. Apple vinegar might be the same as apple cider vinegar and your hair might do fine with it, but for me it did not work out.
Good luck!!!
katie says
I have been doing no poo for two weeks and two days now and my hair is still sooo greasy! I thought the transition period was two weeks…what should I do? the greasiest part is the back middle of my head. should I put more of te baking soda solution or less back there ? thanks!
Jen says
Transition lasts anywhere from 6-8 weeks, so you’re still in the thick of it. Focusing more of the BS solution on the area you’re having trouble will help. Make sure you’re getting the slippery feeling and really massage it in. I would also suggest pinning it up for a few minutes before rinsing it out. A couple other things to try: 1) if you’re using ACV, switch to DWV 2) reduce the amount of vinegar in your rinse.
Shruti says
Hey,
Thanks for the great article. I started the no poo method a few weeks ago. The thing is that I oil my hair regularly between washes. I use olive oil or coconut oil. How do I remove that oil from my hair? Shampoo solves the purpose because of the chemicals, but what can I do if I want to continue using the no poo method.
Thanks!
Lexe says
Hi Leah!
I am REALLY excited to try the No Poo method soon! Except I’m going to ombré dye my hair next week, which means bleaching and dying it. I’ve heard that vinegar and baking soda will both mess up and not mess up bleached hair. Can you help clear all this up for me? And would the No Poo method be safe for me to try on my ombré hair? thanks
amanda says
thoughts on no pooing with the use of keratin treatment?
Brittany says
What exactly does it mean by the transition phase. Like what does it do to your hair during that phase?
'Becca says
If you do the baking soda and vinegar method, you will likely experience a couple weeks of transition like people have described in the comments: Your hair may feel waxy and sticky, it may feel dry and straw-like and be hard to style, or you may have very oily patches on your scalp.
Here is my my newer article on how to wash your hair with vinegar only–I do not use baking soda. I transitioned into it by washing with vinegar every other time, and shampoo for the washings in between, until the point where shampoo made my hair awful. This worked very well for me. When I have the kinds of feelings people describe from transitioning to baking soda + vinegar washing, that just means my hair is dirty, and a vinegar-only washing will correct it.
jamie says
Sorry about all the questions, lol. So I know this has been asked, but I have naturally brown hair but like to keep it dyed blonde. I am very interested in trying the no-poo method, but am wondering what I should do after dying my hair? I use dyes out of the box from stores and they are always the permanent colors. Most also come with their own conditioner, so should I just do something like a coconut milk rinse after instead of the conditioner? Also, is it possible to add lemon juice or something like it to my conditioner rinse to help keep it blonde longer? Right now I’m using a color keeping shampoo and conditioner. Thanks in advance 🙂
Nadee says
hello, usually i massage coconut oil before shampoo my hair, if i use no poo method, should i use coconut oil before wash my hair? What will happen to my hair after 1 months?
Jen says
You can absolutely do a coconut oil treatment, but no ‘poo will not get all the oil out. You should have a sulfate free low ‘poo on hand for that. Transition takes anywhere from 6-8 months (unless you’re one of the lucky ones), so you’ll still be in the thick of it after a month. Everyone’s hair reacts differently, so there’s no way to know in advance how your hair will react. I would recommend joining the FB group for help and troubleshooting. Good luck!
Andrea says
I have been using the No-poo method for a week now and have washed my hair every day with it. Should I not be doing that? My hair feels really waxy and heavy. I also have been shedding more with this method. Any suggestions as to how to get rid of the waxy/heavy feeling?
Jen says
No, using baking soda every day is pretty harsh. It will make your hair very dry and cause excess fall out. Your goal is to allow your natural sebum production to regulate, which it can’t do if you’re stripping it every day. This method isn’t the same as using regular shampoo. The minimum amount of time between baking soda/vinegar washes should be about 48 hours, but longer is better. The heavy/waxy feeling is just a normal part of transition. To combat that, try reducing the amount of vinegar in your rinse and if you’re using ACV, switch to distilled white vinegar. Good luck!
Amanda says
I use organic shampoo and conditioner without sulfates. Would I expect less of a transition time since I’m already without sulfates? What would be the difference between no poo and organic shampoo?
Carrie Thomas says
What about people that use hair wax, mousse, or hairspray? Does it get that stuff out too?
Lana says
My hair is super dry, dull, and frizzy and I was wondering if this would help! The thing is, I wash my hair every four to five days already and my hair doesn’t get oily or dirty very easily. Would going no-poo help? Also, I’m Asian if that makes any difference with hair!
Camille says
Hello!
I had been going low-poo for a few weeks and just a few days ago began to transition to no-poo. I re-read this post to make sure I’ve been doing it right, and I’m wondering about the boar-bristle brush. I have a pixie cut, and it seems like I shouldn’t have to worry about using a fancy brush since my hair is so short. Am I correct, or will the brush really make that big of a difference?
Stacey says
The point of a boar bristle brush is to help distribute the scalps natural oils throughout the rest of the hair. This is supposed to help if you are in transition and your ends are dry, like mine are right now, so I’m using mine like the dickens. It takes some of the oil your scalp is producing and brings it down. Since you have a pixie cut, you may find that you don’t have an issue with dry ends, but I still wouldn’t use a regular brush because those are really damaging. Just finger comb or use a wide tooth comb, but other benefits of boar bristles are they make your hair nice and shiny and combat frizz.
Emily says
I was just wondering, can you still do this even if you sometimes get dandruff? I don’t have it most of the time, but sometimes it starts acting up if I’m not using a dandruff shampoo once a week. What would you suggest? This sounds awesome, but I don’t know if I can do it!
Jen says
I don’t personally have experience with this, but it has been discussed on the FB group. Adding a few drops of Tea Tree essential oil to the vinegar rinse seems to help most people that complain of dandruff.
Karissa says
I have a pixie cut and I noticed that the instructions for the baking soda is to keep it purely on the roots but with such short hair that is a hard thing to do. When I start with the No Poo method will this affect the health of my hair at all??
Kate says
How do you get the chlorine out of your hair after swimming? Does the vinegar/baking soda work for that?
'Becca says
It does work, but you may find that your hair does not feel right after washing and isn’t really back to normal until after the NEXT washing. I don’t know how it goes if you swim several times a week–I only swim once in a while.
Your hair will do better if you get it soaking wet with plain water BEFORE you go into the pool–it absorbs less chlorine that way.
Beth says
Okay, I’m loving this whole “no ‘poo” thing but really, if you’re not in America then the ingredients list is totally messed up!
White vinegar = distilled vinegar
Baking soda = bicarbonate of soda
Tara says
Hi, I just started the no-poo method about 3 weeks ago. As is, I can go about 2 days with my hair feeling great, then the third it gets greasy. I’ve just been dusting some of my makeup powder on my roots to get through the day without looking gross, and I’ve seen on these blogs that using corn starch and cocoa powder is suggested. I was only wondering if it would be okay to use the store bought dry shampoos instead of the natural ones? And also I’ve been using the Chi silk infusion oil after I shower, is this bad?
Frances says
I read this article and am interested in trying this method. I have pretty oily hair, but in the past I switched to just washing my hair with shampoo a couple of times a week and it worked really well for me, so I think this will too.
I just had a couple of questions to those who have done this:
1) This is something you do every 4 days or so – but what if you were to go out and get sweaty/dirty, and your hair needed a wash, but you washed the day before? Is it safe to repeat so soon, as long as it’s not frequently?
2) My biggest hair problem is that I have bangs. I LOVE my bangs, but they do get the oily look faster since they are so short. I often have to wash just my bangs in the morning to get them to look good for the day. How should this be approached? Should I wash my bangs with regular shampoo, or should I just try rinsing them, or something else? How have others coped with this?
Thanks!
Jen says
1. Using BS too frequently can dry out your hair, so it’s not the best option. There are a few different things you can do: a hot water rinse with scalp massage, honey/aloe is very gentle and great for washes in between BS/V days (recipe also found here), or an egg wash.
2. I have heavy bangs, so transition kind of sucked for me in that regard. When I did the BS/V wash, I had to pay special attention to the bangs with the BS and avoid getting vinegar on them altogether. On the in between days when they got disgusting, I used cocoa powder to soak up some of the oil. I have dark hair though, so if your hair is lighter, you can use cornstarch. I patted it on the trouble area with a kabuki brush and then brushed it through the length with a boar bristle brush. That method got me through to the next wash.
Hope that helps!
Stacey says
Hi, I’m on my 4th or 5th week of no-poo, can’t remember lol. But my hair is doing okay, I wouldn’t say it’s perfect yet, but I’m still trying to figure out my ratios. It looks kinda bad and dry the first day i wash it, and the second day it looks pretty good-okay, and after that I have to put it up because the roots start to get too greasy, and cornstarch seems to just make it worse? Idk I get this really tacky feeling and the oiliness doesn’t go away completely, but I feel like if I use more it will get powdery and gross, and then after using dry shampoo it seems to get greasier FASTER. No clue what i’m doing wrong. I want to be able to leave my hair down more often than put it up, you know what i mean? The ends get really dry and I lose a LOT of hair after I wash, so I want to reduce the baking soda and add more acv, but I’m concerned that my roots will get oilier faster, since they did for this last wash. Can I safely use 1/2 tbsp of baking soda and 2 tbsp acv without the roots getting oilier before I would normally wash again? I’m on my fourth day of not washing and they are a greasy MESS. It might be because I added a tsp of aloe vera juice to the baking soda mix last time in order to help with dryness, maybe I shouldn’t have done that? I won’t do it this time. Haha, i’m sorry I’m rambling!
Question on the aloe honey shampoo though….so you can use that on the days with not washing when you feel like you need to wash before your next baking soda/acv wash? or should you use that IN PLACE of the bs/acv wash one time?
Also, for help with the smell, I’ve read you can put a few drops of essential oils into your acv mix, or into a spray bottle with water to freshen up dry hair on non wash days. Could you also use fragrance oils? i don’t really like the smell of most essential oils. i know fragrance oils are synthetic, but if I get ones that are alcohol and pthalate-free, would that be okay to use?
thanks for any advice you can give!!
Jen says
This sounds pretty normal for where you are in transition. To combat the greasy/tacky feeling, you’ll actually want to REDUCE the amount of ACV you’re using (or switch to distilled white vinegar), the 1/2T of BS to 1C of water is perfectly fine though. To help with the dry ends, get yourself a good boar’s bristle brush and use it a couple of times a day. That will help distribute the sebum down the length of the hair shaft. I don’t have experience with aloe juice, so I can’t say whether that would help or not. You can use the aloe/honey shampoo in between BS/V washes as it is a very mild cleanser and using BS/V too often will dry out your hair. If the aloe/honey works well for you, you can skip out on the BS/V altogether. I can’t help with the fragrance oil question as I’ve never used them. I have been known to spritz my hair with perfume though. Not sure if that’s a no no.
Stacey says
Okay, thank you, I will try that! I didn’t see this comment before I reposted on the fb group lol, but maybe I’ll get some advice there too. I just hope this transition doesn’t last much longer, I want pretty hair before I leave for study abroad:(
Tina says
I am so allergic to coconut – we’re talking anaphylactic reaction – is there something I can use instead when I need to do extra conditioning? I have very dry, very straight reddish hair.
Stacey says
if you still want to use an oil, you could use a very very small amount of pure cold pressed argan oil on dry hair, avoiding roots. You can buy this at whole foods or amazon, but it’s a bit pricey. I have fine hair and it’s a bit too heavy for me, so use caution.
Amanda says
I started using the no poo method about two weeks ago. I’ve been washing regularly about every 4 days. Strangely, I don’t seem to be going through a transition period. My hair is softer and better than it ever has been.
I use significantly less baking soda and it works just fine for me.
I think I may not be having the bad transition because I did vinegar rinses fairly often before switching. It seems I’m lucky, I guess!
Thanks for sharing this! It makes my hair feel great.
Chelsey says
About how long does the stuff crunchy feeling last when you first start. yes i know everyone is different so it may be longer for others or is that just something that goes along with this?
Abi Rose says
Hey everyone!
Can i ask, i am pro oil for hair, i have oil in my hair constantly and i have even began thinking of doing the co-washing (Not washing with shampoo but with conditioner!) but i just cant imagine (no matter what is said) that that way cleans your hair/scalp enough.
If i use this no-poo method, use the vinegar and then add my mixed oil (a bottle full of different pure, extra virgin oils, ex.- coconout, almond, jojoba, etc!) as a hair serum or a sealing strand method, is this okay?
Will the no-poo method suffer from me using pure oils on my hair? or can you not use oils on the hair that much anymore if you switch to no-poo?
Any advice would be great!
Also, i have blonde, damaged hair. I havent had heat on it for years, never blow dry it, always put coconut oil in it… But i do dye it.
Please if anybody has ANY advice on how to get blonde, damaged hair into better condition im all ears… ive tried everything.
Thanks everyone! 🙂
– A, Rose. xx
Cecilia says
Hey,
I’m just starting to go no poo and I was wondering if straightening or curling my hair with some sort of hot iron would be a bad idea, considering air drying your hair is what’s recommended?
Jen says
I have to use heat on my hair; it just will not cooperate otherwise and looks like a bird’s nest if I leave it to it’s own devices. My only option during transition was blow drying. My hair would NOT hold a curl for a good two months after I started no ‘poo and using a flat iron made it look really oily. Also, if you’re using heat every day, you need to know that there will be damage. To help minimize the effects, I would wait until a section was like 80% air dried before hitting it with the heat. I also get regular trims to keep it as healthy as possible. Hope that helps.
Caitlin says
When I went to Washington for my honeymoon, my hair had a HORRIBLE reaction! My hair got gummy and kept wet (never fully drying in most parts) and the other parts that would dry turned to complete straw and would break off. I believe the water was either really hard or soft compared to what I was used to, also I believe chlorine could be a big culprit in this. I ended up not being able to brush or comb my hair out as it would break off, and I had to get it all cut off. I really want to try this method however I am very nervous about big changes with my hair…..Do you think it would be safe? I can’t afford losing that much hair again. It was two huge handfuls when I combed (and it fell out.)
Stacey says
i’ve heard conflicting views on raw honey (the opaque kind) vs. pure honey (the filtered, pasteurized, clear kind). I heard that raw honey is unfiltered and therefore has beeswax in it that can cling to your hair and make it waxy. Would using a deep conditioner or shampoo of pure honey not moisturize right or be sticky and hard to wash out? or would it have the same effect? I tried washing with the aloe/honey shampoo with raw honey, and it left my hair heavy and greasy, not clean feeling.
Camila Damm says
Hi, your post is very complete and helpful. I’m really compelled to try this method for quite some time. I’m 18 and my hair is very dark and long, with curls. I love the curls so I try to take the best care of them, so I never use heat or chemicals, I put a natural mask on them every week (usually mayo with olive oil and honey), and wash with a shampoo low on salts and silicone (it’s not a low poo properly, we don’t have those in Brazil). With this routine I only need to wash my hair every 8 days, but I feel some itchiness on my scalp. Do you think I would benefit with the no poo method? My aim is specially stronger, hydrated hair. I like having really long hair, but the curls make it difficult for the natural oils to reach the ends of my hair, so the ends are often dry and weak, breaking easily. I also will try your other natural recipes, because I want to use as many natural products as I can (and so replace my leave in and curl defining cream by natural alternatives). Thank you
R says
Great article, and I *love* the idea of this, but I am having mega problems at 14 weeks. I’ve definitely made it through the transition phase, and my hair does appear to have a bit more body and less frizz now, but the overall quality is not great. I have very long, very fine hair (mostly straight with a few waves) that tangles easily, and No ‘Poo seems to be making it worse. Within an hour or so of being combed, my hair starts clumping together, looking stringy, and is full of horrible knots…it’s then impossible to get a comb through and takes absolutely forever to detangle, and every time I try I get handfuls of hair coming out in the comb. Worse, this breaking/shedding hair and the teeth of my comb are caked in white, waxy powder–no matter how vigorously I rinse my hair in the shower.
Am I doing something wrong? Or is this method just not for me? I’m leaning heavily towards going back to some form of shampoo, but I also want to continue reducing the amount of oiliness in my hair (the No ‘Poo routine has helped somewhat but not nearly as much as I was expecting/hoping) and I’m not sure what to try.
Thanks!
Cecilia says
I’ve been going no poo for almost 2 weeks now and have noticed that I’m losing lots of hair! Whenever I run my hands through my hair I have clumps of hair coming out!
Is this a regular side effect of no poo or should I be worried…?
Stacey says
probably 1-3 things are happening:
1) are you still using a regular brush? don’t. very damaging. Only finger comb gently or use a boar bristle brush (preferably). also try not to brush your hair or comb it much when it is still wet, this is its most fragile state.
2) you may be using too much baking soda in your mixture. try reducing it and be sure to follow with the acv mix and a cool/cold water rinse.
3) it is normal to loose about 70-100 hairs per day. since you are washing your hair less (if you are doing no-poo right and waiting a few days between washes), then the hair that you would normally lose each day sort of builds up and doesn’t fall out, because like i said, your hair is most fragile when it is wet and thats typically when the most will fall out. so you appear to be losing more on the days that you do wash, even though you are losing the normal amount.
believe me, this happened to me too and i freaked the first couple of weeks. it’s normal. baking soda is also very harsh to the hair, and your scalp isn’t used to it. reducing my baking soda to 1 tsp in 1 cup distilled water helped me tremendously, and using that bbb to distribute oils when it’s dry will strengthen the hair. you can use an egg mask to give the hair protein if you are really worried about it, but don’t do that too often because too much protein will actually make the hair more breaky, oddly enough. i still lose quite a bit of hair when i shower, but i know its because it’s built up over a few days, and it is way less than when i started.
good luck!
Makenzie Hall says
If my shampoo has only one silicone ingredient in it, is it okay to use instead of clarifying shampoo?
Kaitlyn says
How long does it take till your hair goes back to normal again? Like does it stay greasy long? And how long does the straw feeling last for?
Kaitlyn says
Oh plus I use a leave in conditioner “Live Clean argan oil leave in spray” to be exact. Would it efect the no poo treatment at all? Or do I have to stop using it?
Shelby Garner says
I used the No Poo method for the first time today…. and my hair is totally normal. It is not dry or oily and there is no straw-like or cottony feel at all. I used the second method and used 1 1/4 cups water to 1 1/4 tbsp vinegar for the spray bottle conditioner. I eyeballed about 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp baking soda into my hand and made it a little pasty before rubbing it onto my scalp. It did not feel slippery at all. In fact, it almost didn’t even feel like it was there. It was a little bit gritty. I then rinsed (a lot) in hot water. I have two suspicions about why my hair is normal. 1) I am doing it wrong. 2) I used a silicone free shampoo (Pantene Ice Shine) and Ice Shine conditioner (also Pantene and I don’t think that was silicone free) for a week to a week and a half before I started no poo. What do all of you think? Any advice or answers to my questions? Thanks!
Shelby Garner says
Oh, and I also have hard water. And another question. Should I wash my hair every day at first and reduce over time, or should I wait a few days before I wash again?
Michelle says
I have been doing no poo for about a week and a half, I can tell that my hair is a little different, but I am not sure I am doing it right at all! My hair gets tangly super easy now, and it’s hard to get my fingers through unless just recently brushed. It feels like it’s covered in like a residue and I seem to be loosing more hair through out the day and in the shower than I ever had before. Nothing else has changed except for using the no poo method. Is this normal, possibly not doing it correctly, or just the transition?
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Rachel says
When you first start using the No poo method do you wash your hair every few days or is it an everyday thing at the beginning?
Ashley G says
Don’t make the same mistake I made. Only wash your hair with the BS solution once every 3-4 days because if you do it everyday it will damage and dry out your hair and you won’t be able to get a brush through it at all. I had major breakage and fall out. I plan on trying it again to see how it turns out this time. I got my hair cut today so it feels great and I’m really not looking forward to a head of straw again 🙁
Erin N. says
So glad I have found this! Been looking into switching from organic/low poo to no poo! Some thing you ladies can also do if you start to get dandruff is make a water lemon juice solution and poor it over your hair at the end of your shower, do not rinse it! It keeps dandruff at bay and gives hair a nice smell! Works great with an organic low poo!
Kat says
I finally did it. Just got out of the shower, there was a lot of hair to wash, and I got it all clean. But I must ask… should my scalp be tingly?
Allie says
I’m scared to try this because I’m in high school still and I don’t want my hair to look disgusting everyday until my hair gets used to the “no poo” method, does it really make your hair grow fast? Because my hair is a little bit below my shoulders and i want to grow it out super long but my hair grows so slow!