Author Topic: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo) ETA: meaning: no-shampoo  (Read 4012 times)

milliemchi

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We already have two threads on risks and benefits of going soap and/or shampoo free:

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/has-anyone-tried-not-using-soap-and-shampoo-when-they-bathe/

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/here-is-what-8-months-of-no-shampoo-just-water-looks-like/

so let's not rehash all that information here. I do have a very specific question. I tried the no-poo thing for 6 weeks last year, and it was just going from bad to worse to awful, and when I exhausted my vacation time, I had to go back to shampooing. Was I doing it wrong? Some people talk about rinsing with hot water, was I supposed to rinse every day with hot water, to release the oil build-up? Was I supposed to rub the oil off of the hair? With fingers? Towel? Do I have to use vinegar? Do I have to keep using the vinegar later on? Do I have to use powder? Is there a trick? I don't use any products aside from shampoo, I don't have build-up from that, just my own body stuff, and hair is chin- to shoulder-length, mostly straight with a bit of wave. Right now I have to wash every other day, at least, or it's bad. After those 6 weeks, I was back to every other day, there was no improvement. Any advice? I would give it another try when I get more vacation time if there's hope.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2016, 05:00:57 PM by milliemchi »

MsPeacock

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2016, 06:59:25 PM »
I could never get it to work for me. You took 6 weeks vacation time to try to go no poo?  I just accept that I shampoo my hair and use dry shampoo (actually baby powder) on days I don't wash my hair.

Kris

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2016, 08:16:08 PM »
I don't use shampoo, I conditioner-wash (co-wash), meaning that instead of using shampoo, I use cheap conditioner and scrub it into my scalp.. I don't know if that is acceptable to you.

If that is something that interests you, I can explain more, but I get the sense that you are more interested in either using no product or using something "natural" like cider vinegar.

woopwoop

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2016, 09:02:53 PM »
I'm curious too. Tried going conditioner-only for a few weeks and had the same experience: oily, limp hair. I've heard that straight hair isn't as good for no-poo. Trying again this month because I've run out of shampoo, but would be interested to know if anyone else has tips to make it work. If it doesn't work I'm going to try the Dr. Bronners castile soap that you can use as a shampoo instead.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2016, 05:17:27 AM »
My no-poo/low-poo experience is that I didn't stop all at once but gradually went longer and longer washing my hair. I have tried suddenly stopping before and it was just horrendous. This past winter, I went from washing every other day to every third day for a month or so, then every fourth day, then every fifth day, etc. It takes time. Six weeks is a good trial, but it's not really that long in the grand scheme of things. My recommendation is that you try either:

1. Each month, extend the time between hair washings by one day.
2. Each month, dilute your shampoo by half or use half as much.

It'll probably take six months or maybe even longer to 'train' your head, but once it's used to it it'll just tick over as long as you don't wash it with shampoo and have to start over. I don't have the best hair ever, but if 1 is disgusting and 10 is freshly washed, mine settled at about an 8. I can deal with that. I don't use any product at all (if you're getting into all that vinegar faff you might as well just use shampoo) but I rinse it every few days (when I remember/can be bothered/get it wet anyway) in the shower. I don't blow dry my hair, which I think helps. I just towel it off a bit and then let it air dry (it's pixie-cut length so it doesn't take too long). It also helps to buy a bristle brush and brush your hair thoroughly every morning, both with your head up and bent over if it's a bit longer.

Not to get all TMI, but I was hoping that stopping using shampoo would stop my dandruff. It didn't, but then neither did any of the commercial anti-dandruff products so I'm in about the same boat as I was before. And it's certainly less hassle and less expensive than my shampoo-buying, hair-washing days.

Kris

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2016, 06:03:44 AM »
I'm curious too. Tried going conditioner-only for a few weeks and had the same experience: oily, limp hair. I've heard that straight hair isn't as good for no-poo. Trying again this month because I've run out of shampoo, but would be interested to know if anyone else has tips to make it work. If it doesn't work I'm going to try the Dr. Bronners castile soap that you can use as a shampoo instead.

I tried it the first time a couple of years ago, and had the same experience as you.  The second time, it worked like a charm, and the trick is this: I wasn't using nearly enough conditioner.  I had been thinking I should use as little as I could so it wouldn't be greasy, but in fact the opposite is the case.  Buy a cheap water-based conditioner (Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut is my go-to), use more rather than less (essentially, you can't really use too much, but depending on how long your hair is, you want a good slathering), and scrub your scalp with it.

I had absolutely no transition period of greasy hair.  Now, granted, this is not a Mustachian option necessarily (except that the conditioner is really cheap).  I did it because my hair is fine and fragile and I wanted to stop drying it out with shampoo.  As I said, it's been over a year now and my hair has never looked better.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2016, 05:46:00 AM by Kris »

historienne

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2016, 07:30:44 AM »
Also, do you know if you have hard water?  I had to give up my no-poo routine when I moved to an area with super hard water.  Now I use a clarifying shampoo once every 1-2 weeks.  Apple cider vinegar rinses can also help with this, but it wasn't enough for me.

catccc

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2016, 08:04:15 AM »
I really liked no-poo- just baking soda, no vinegar- for about 2 years.  I continued to use conditioner, otherwise it was too tangly.  Then I realized my hair was getting kinda dry and break-y.  So I stopped no-poo.  Before no-poo, I'd regularly go a long time between showers, though.

Given your experience, I'd switch to a milder shampoo, or something like very watered down castille soap- just something simpler.  I'd try to stretch the time between shampooing either by hopping in the shower and giving your scalp a good massage with warm water, or using cornstarch as a dry shampoo.  I would stay away from baby powder (at least the typical johnson and johnson variety).  They just got slapped with a big lawsuit because this product is linked to some type of cancer.  Maybe ovarian cancer?  Can't remember.  I've never used baby powder for anything, but cornstarch is great for a dry shampoo, a translucent face powder (bare minerals veil product's first ingredient is cornstarch), and super for getting sand off of your kids' skin after a day on the beach.  And lemon meringue pie.

Lastly, people's body oil production can really vary, so you just kind of have to work with what you've got.

little_brown_dog

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2016, 08:11:18 AM »
It didn't work for me - the no-poo movement always claims shampoo causes dandruff but my scalp was dry and flaky when I stopped shampooing! I did the baking soda and vinegar method, where you use the baking soda and apple cider vinegar once or twice a week and then just rinse the other times. When I started getting flakes, I just did the vinegar but felt like my hair looked greasy all the time. As far as I can tell, I was doing it the most gentle way possible without completely avoiding ANYTHING but water. Baking soda is really stripping, so if you struggle with dry hair or scalp, I would scrap it completely and just go with an apple cider vinegar rinse a couple times a week and see how you do.

Maybe you have to be willing to accept greasier hair with no-poo? I couldn't seem to find a middle ground, so now I just buy my expensive phthalate, paraben, petroleum free shampoo and call it a day.

« Last Edit: May 17, 2016, 08:19:51 AM by little_brown_dog »

StarBright

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2016, 08:22:23 AM »
No-Poo didn't work for me either. I also have long, fine, straight hair.

I work from home so after lots of experimenting and a very long transition period I was able to cut down to two washes a week. It took a long time for my hair not to be super greasy on day 2.  My "low-poo" routine works pretty well for me.
 
Sunday- wash hair
Monday - still looks good
Tuesday - sprinkle of dry shampoo if I'm going to see people
Wednesday- Hair in a top know because this day is gross
Thursday - hair mask in hair for several hours. I don't put it on my roots, just the length. Wash Hair again
Friday- Hair looks good
Saturday - hair generally looks okay (I attribute this to hair mask on Thurs)

If I'm going into the office I wash my hair every other day. I only go into the office, for a week every other month or so and it doesn't seem to "reset" oiliness with the every other day washing.

Speaking of crunchy internet personal hygiene - the worst thing I ever did was try Toms Deodorant. I swear it was worse than not bathing - it actively made me stinky!

Retire-Canada

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2016, 08:05:51 PM »
I was very impressed with 6 weeks of no-poo when I thought you were trying to save money on TP.

letired

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2016, 10:54:14 PM »
I'm also in the fine straight hair club for whom the baking soda/vinegar version of no-poo just. didn't. work. I also have relatively oily skin/hair and always have. I also have hard water.

So no, I don't think you did anything wrong. Shit just doesn't work sometimes for some people.

One thing I did have major success with was using vinegar as a conditioner. It takes longer than regular conditioner, but my hair is suuuuper soft. I dilute it ~50/50 in a spray bottle, and spray it all over my wet hair and massage it in. I let it sit while I wash other bits, then give it a good rinse. The key is letting it sit on your hair for longer than the few seconds we're used to doing with conditioner.

I've also done the 6+ months slowdown, though for me, it was more like a year+. A few years ago, I had to wash my hair every day because it was a grease pit. These days, I can go 3-4 days, depending on how presentable I need to be,  if I've washed my bangs or not, and how itchy my scalp is.

DeltaBond

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2016, 10:00:30 AM »
Also, do you know if you have hard water?  I had to give up my no-poo routine when I moved to an area with super hard water.  Now I use a clarifying shampoo once every 1-2 weeks.  Apple cider vinegar rinses can also help with this, but it wasn't enough for me.

Hard/soft water can make a difference.  You can also get a water softener for just your shower.

ABC123

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2016, 10:58:01 AM »
I tried the baking soda/apple cider vinegar thing and had to give it up after a week.  My hair was truly disgusting.  I work in an office, and I don't have to be super fancy or anything but I do have to be neat and clean, and that just wasn't working for me.  But it wasn't a complete waste, as I learned that I really do like the ACV rinse instead of conditioner.  So I now wash my hair twice a week (I did an experiment for about 6 months where I tried to see if I could train my hair to only be washed once a week, but twice a week is what really works best for my hair.)  I currently use Yes to Carrots shampoo with the ACV rinse after.  Works great for my shoulder length, naturally wavy hair.

jjcamembert

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo)
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2016, 11:14:32 AM »
I generally progressed from baking soda and diluted apple cider vinegar every day to...never. DW has also scaled down, but I think still needs to refresh sometimes due to longer hair.

When I first started I did baking soda and vinegar every day. Then I noticed the baking soda really dried out my scalp, so I did baking soda every-other day, but vinegar every day. Then baking soda once/week. Eventually just vinegar daily for a while, but still got flaky sometimes.

Now, just water every day. Vinegar only if I have scalp build-up or especially greasy hair. I don't know if the progression was necessary but that was my experience. I also moved from a moist climate to a dry climate and so I think the dry air makes it so I don't need baking soda / would kill my skin if I did use it.

mozar

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Re: Looking for very specific tips (no-poo) ETA: meaning: no-shampoo
« Reply #15 on: May 18, 2016, 11:18:42 PM »
Instead of shampoo and conditioner I do a deep condition the night before with coconut milk, honey and olive oil. Then the next day I wash my hair with a bentonite clay and acv mix. I have an oily scalp with extremely dry hair.

 

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