Okay everyone, I need a little advise.
I’ve gotten a few emails over th past few months about people who have gone shampoo-free and are loving it. My first thought was that my hair would be a greasy, stinky mess–fit only for squirrels and raccoon but after reading a little more about it, I admit, I like the idea of being more self-reliant. I also like the idea of being more natural with my approach. But, I am a little skeptical. I mean, we are talking about turning our back on a pretty widely accepted norm.
For those of you who think I am nuts {which you are right, but for entirely different reasons than not shampooing}, the no-poo revolution is basically a revolt against using chemical detergents to clean your hair. It offers a safe, effective, and CHEAP way to clean your mane.
I haven’t tried it yet personally, but all you need is two simple ingredients: baking soda and vinegar {white or apple cider}.
How to wash your without shampoo:
To shampoo, rub about a tablespoon of baking soda into wet hair and on your scalp. Let it sit for a few minutes and rinse. To condition, mix a tablespoon of vinegar and 1 cup of water into a squirt bottle {most of the options show a picnic type mustard bottle, but I am sure a water bottle would work too}. Squirt mixture onto hair, again, let sit for a couple of minutes and rinse. Voila, done.
So, before I jump onto the no-poo bandwagon, I have to ask, does your hair smell like a tossed salad?
Is there a transition period? Or will I wonder why I ever bothered with store-bought shampoo and conditioner in the first place?
Would YOU ever go shampoo-free?
Mavis wants to know!
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Melody says
I’ve been doing this for years and love it. I don’t use measurements, I have a small cup in the shower and a small tub of baking soda and bottle of ac vinegar. I pour a little bs in the cup add warm water massage into hair, rinse. Same for acv, pour a little in cup add warm water pour over hair and rinse.
No wierd transition time. I remember the first time I used it clearly, my hair was soft smoother and shinier than before. Even my husband noticed 🙂
JP says
I just started this about a month ago. I had a couple days of greasy as I figured out the ratios that would work on my scalp (had to increase baking soda, decrease vinegar). Also, I mix up the baking soda + water in a bottle too–easier to work into hair. I have *NOT* yet been able to decrease the frequency of washing—still have to do it every day, or I’m a greaseball. Will get there eventually.
My husband (thinning hair) did this at the same time, and immediately his dandruff and scalp issues went away.
If you are concerned about the smell (and really, I only smell it for a few minutes until my hair starts drying), you can also do things like boil mint or rosemary in water, and use that water with vinegar for your rinse.
Donika says
I’ve found that if I do a “dry shampoo” of baby powder/cornstarch brushed through my hair in between shampoos I can go 4-5 days between washings without greaseball hair…and i live in the muggy South!
JoAnn says
I stared using baby powder/cornstarch brushed thru my hair when I was very ill as a teenager and couldn’t go to school.
Since then when I or my kids were too ill to get in a bath or shower we used this method. It really does work quite well.
becky says
Thanks so much for telling about your husband’s experience. I have dandruff and a super dry scalp that doesn’t even change with special shampoos. I have been wanting to try this but wasn’t sure how my scalp would react.
JP says
One small clarification. I put 1-2 T of baking soda in an 8 ounce bottle, fill the rest with water. I will use this bottle for a good week or so, just making sure to shake it each time. Works well for me!
Destini says
I have been doing this since January 1st and my hair and scalp are thanking me. I used to be an every day shampooer now I can wash this way every other day. It does not smell like vinegar once its dried and my hair is softer and shinier and my scalp does not itch anymore. My hair is also not falling out as much. I think I must have developed an allergy to something in shampoo. I will never go back plus a box of baking soda and a bottle of vinegar costs maybe 3 bucks and I am still on the same box/bottle as I started in January. Try it and give it at least a month 🙂
Lila says
I have heard for the first month your hair will end up being super greasy during the transition phase. But there is also a dry shampoo you can use to help with that. its just corn starch and rubbing alcohol. But after about a month your hair gets used to it and stops producing so many oils. It also helps to brush your hair to help spread the oil all over your scalp.
Pam says
JP, the reason you still have to wash every day is because the baking soda is a very drying substance and is still stripping oil from your scalp. I know this is going to sound drastic, but this is how I did it three years ago, and I’m still shampoo-free…
STOP WASHING YOUR HAIR. For at least a week. With ANYTHING. No shampoo, no baking soda, nothing. It’ll probably feel awful and itchy, but it’s important to do this. The oil glands in your scalp do an important job and when you strip away their hard work every day, they keep working hard to produce oil. Oil protects your scalp from drying out, just like any other part of your skin, and thus protects it from bacterial infection. Don’t undermine their work!
So maybe after a week you’re going to feel like you’ve got an oil slick on your head and it’s driving you crazy. When you can’t take it anymore, wash your hair with whatever you like. You’ll feel better, but what’s even better is that you should be able to now go several days, maybe a week, maybe even longer before your hair feels oily again. Your scalp has scaled back the oil production because now it knows it’s not losing oil as often.
I started this experiment in the first week of January 2010 and I’ve never gone back to shampoo. I also went soap-free at the same time (except for my hands), but that’s another story – but if anyone wants to know, I’ll talk about that, too.
I tried using the baking soda “shampoo” and found that it made my hair feel dry and brittle, and I used a lot less than 1 tbsp. Your results may vary, but I encourage you to give just your scalp a break from ANY stripping products and see how it settles down. My hair is shiny, soft, very manageable, and doesn’t smell. After six months of no soap or shampoo I asked my friend to run her fingers through my hair. She said my hair felt fine. When she asked why I would ask her to do that, I told her what I’d been doing. She thought it was weird, but then she said, “Well, I’ll give you this much – your hair looks great and you don’t smell.”
Good luck!
Sophie says
That is really interesting Pam! I used to HAVE to wash every other day or it looked bad even up in a ponytail. I got really sick and was at home for a few months and stopped washing every other day since I didn’t have the energy to dry it very often. Now I can go three or four days (or sometimes even more) without washing it. I don’t even get mine wet when I take a shower, I just put it up out of the way unless I am planning on washing it and then style it again for the day. I will say though that when I wear it down, I don’t ever add product to my hair, so I am sure that helps.
Susan says
I’d love to know how you went soap free!
Pam says
I found a blog from a guy doing the paleo diet and he mentioned going soap and shampoo free. I figured, heck, it doesn’t cost anything to *stop* using something, so I gave it a shot. Plus, it just made sense. Why do we use soap to strip oil from our skin and then buy lotion to put the moisture back in?
I immediately stopped using soap on my face and body, but still use it on my hands after using the toilet and before handling food. I’m not ready to go THAT “au naturel”, haha. I immediately noticed a difference in my skin, especially my arms (because I see those all day). No more dry skin. I park myself in the tub with hot water and a facecloth and scrub away.
During bath time I also merely wet my hair. No shampoo, conditoner, spray, mousse, or gel. My hair is very manageable and silky, and it doesn’t smell. Love it. Anyhow, back to the soap thing – friends have asked if no soap takes care of odor in the lady parts, but there is no odor. I’m currently in a non-exercising state of mind so I bathe every other day. When I do work out I bathe every day. I use a crystal deodorant that works perfectly well for 2 or 3 days. I stopped wearing make up and using facial moisturizers almost two years ago now. I am very lucky to have a smooth complexion. I’m 45 and no wrinkles have appeared yet! My skin feels a bit dry about every two months or so, so I do a facial scrub then. I bought some Mary Kay scrub three years ago that I’m trying to use up. I wash my face morning and evening with warm water and a facecloth.
But as for my hands, yikes, they suffer from the soap. I live in a pretty dry climate (eastern slopes of the Rockies, high altitude) and my hands are really dry most of the time. I sometimes have to give in and use lotion to keep the skin from cracking and bleeding. Sigh. I’m at university with several thousand other people so I’m very aware of what’s on my hands after sharing bus handrails, school doorknobs, and public keyboards. Lots of germs going around so I wash my hands a lot or use hand sanitizer.
I sound like a tree-hugger, I guess, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing! I’ve taken some environmental health classes and those have really opened my eyes to all the unnecessary man-made chemicals we slather on ourselves on a daily basis, and a lot of them can be hazardous to not only us, but also the environment. So I don’t use soap, shampoo, commercial toothpaste (make my own from coconut oil and baking soda), deodorant (we need to sweat, but we don’t need to smell!), cosmetics, or hair styling products. 95% of my diet is fruits and veggies so when I cook I just rinse out the pots with water. I don’t think I need to use dish soap in a put used to make rice and beans.
So, in a nutshell, I walked away from almost every personal hygiene/cosmetic product I ever used and I look great and feel fine. Oh yeah, and I don’t smell. 🙂
Pam says
Wish we could edit these things. I meant to say I stopped using anti-perspirant. I still use a deodorant. Our skin has a job to produce oil, and our sweat glands also have a job to do. I don’t think blocking sweat glands is a good thing to do. The crystal deodorant I use is an ammonium salt that prevents bacteria from growing and feasting on the sweat. Still lets you sweat but keeps the odor away. The crystal has no odor itself, either.
Anna Jones says
I use coconut oil with cornstarch and baking soda mixed in as a deodorant. It works very well!
Pam says
I guess I should clarify what I do…I don’t use anything on my hair. When I shower or bathe I just wet my hair and that’s it. I have hard water where I live and occasionally (maybe 3 times a year) my hair feels coated, so I do a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse and it takes off the oil/minerals combo. Give it a try! Doesn’t cost anything to stop using products
ay jay says
Hi Mavis! I HAD TO do this! Or else my scalp is flake city! I had tried everything for dandruff andd then went to this. And after a few washes…it worked! Miracle! I wash my hair about every 3 days or else it just feels to dry. But after 3 days it gets too oily and my head starts to itch.
I tried to go back to regular shapmoo and FORGET IT! My hair felt…weird. i just felt like there was still product in it. It does take a bit to get used to no suds (doesnt feel like youre washing your hair) and the non-softness of conditioner but my hair has never looked better and my scalp has never felt better!
If you’re scared about a slight vinegar smell to your hair, it hasnt happened to me, just rinse well. Also you can mix a little tea tree oil into the mix and then youll smell minty!
Hope that helps! Its worked absolute wonders on me and saves on cost (costco $5 for over a gallon of baking soda!)
ay jay says
Oh and ive been doing this for over 2 years!! 🙂
becky says
My scalp is super itchy/dry/flaky no matter what I have tried. So excited to try this.
Vicki Moffitt says
I would like to try this, but I color my hair. Does anyone have experience using it on color treated hair???
Susan says
I color my hair every so many months (to cover the gray) and I have used the baking soda and vinegar mixes with absolutely no problems whatsoever.
Leanna says
What about if you have chemically treated hair? (Perm) I have very straight hair and get a perm every 5 months or so. Plus it is t thinning due to hypothyroidism.
Lynn says
I would like to know the answer to this one too. I have highlights in my hair and get touch ups every 8 weeks. Sometimes low lights as well. What does the vinegar do to the color?
Donika says
Vinegar won’t do anything to your color but the baking soda may strip the color from your low lights and lighten your highlights
You Can Call Me Jane says
I’ve been slowly transitioning to more natural personal care products and will blog about it sometime soon. I REALLY like my lather, so I haven’t tried this method, but I have switched over to Kiss My Face shampoo and love it. It doesn’t have quite as much lather as the other stuff, but it’s enough for me. The whole family is using and loving it. And it wasn’t expensive:-).
Kathy says
Been doing this for a year or so. I am 48 and have fine, medium length self-colored hair. After a few weeks of adjustment, I am able to wash my hair with baking soda/apple cider vinegar rinse about 2-3 times a week and use only plain water/vinegar rinse the rest of the week.. My hair is fuller and healthier than ever before. I no longer need mousse or gel to obtain volume. Here is my simple routine (and we have very hard water):
Keep a small tupperware bowl with lid in shower.
Keep a canning jar of baking soda in bathroom (also use it for cleaning the shower).
Keep a spray bottle with about a 1:1 mix of water and apple cider vinegar in the shower.
I also keep a wide tooth comb in shower.
On days when I wash hair, I put about 2 tablespoons of baking soda in bowl and about a cup of warm water. Shake it up.
Rinse hair with water, pour baking soda water on head, rub into scalp gently. Rinse.
Spray hair thoroughly with vinegar rinse. Gently comb through hair. Rinse out the vinegar just before leaving the shower.
Yes, my bathroom smells like vinegar but NOT MY HAIR.
That’s it.
Oh, and when I get my hair cut I do not let them wash it! I don’t want to start the transition process all over again!
sharon says
What is the transition process?
April Emery says
It is basically when you are doing the Poo-Free method but your scalp is adjusting to not being stripped and coated with harsh chemicals. It still puts out oils like it used to with store-bought shampoo and has to get used to not having to over produce. You hair can be gunky or more oily for a short period and then it regulates with your washing routine. It’s important to be consistent in how often you Poo-Free. I wash my hair 1-2 times per week and don’t have oily issues.
wenfu says
Love your site Mavis!
I used a ketchup squirt bottle. Throw in a couple of heaping teaspoons of baking soda in and shake it up. I just leave it in the shower and give it a good shake before every use. The tip allows me to get right to the scalp. A couple of squirts with a good rubbing is all I need. Rinse. If your water is hard, your hair might feel like it has a thin layer of scum on it. This is where the vinegar comes in. I keep a small bottle of ACV nearby with a small plastic measuring cup. Fill up the cup in the shower and then pour in a nice dose of ACV. Pour on hair and message around. No need to rinse. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell, it will disappear, guaranteed. (Vinegar work great for removing nasty smells in the house too!)
I found 1 tsp. of baking soda waaay to much. Made my hair feel like straw. I don’t know about the necessity to go no-poo unless you want to save water. I just hate the idea of sending nasty chemicals down the drain into the water supply.
Instead of no-poo, I’ve gone no-soap (almost). Soap really is used to remove oil… so unless you sweat a lot, it really isn’t necessary. Water does a good job of washing away dirt. After all, soap has the same effect on the body as shampoo. If you use less soap, you need less moisturizer after your shower too.
Denise A. says
Good afternoon everyone,
The no-poo thing is really good for those of us with curly hair. I “wash” my hair with conditioner and about every two weeks (or sooner when I feel it needs it) I use a sulfate free shampoo on my hair. I think that baking soda on my already too dry hair would not be a good solution for me. I haven’t tried vinegar but I can see where it would remove the hard water deposits that are in my southern California tap water. I say go ahead and try it, washing your hair too much is as bad as not washing it enough. Everyone’s hair needs are different and can vary depending on what point you are in the lifecycle. Baking soda and vinegar at the very least will not harm your hair.
Melissa says
Denise, What conditioner do you use? I’m sure I have beautiful curls somewhere under all this frizz!!
sharon says
I have curly hair I recommend coconut oil. It is amazing. But do not use too much. I used it after I wash my hair also whenever it needs a little moisture on dry hair. I havent gone with backing soda & vinger yet but am thinking about it. Fyi aluminm free backing soda is best if you are trying to avoid things that are bad for you.
Lisa says
How do you use the coconut oil?? I’ve been using acv for a rinse, which works good, but Im curious if the coconut would be better on my curls.
sharon says
After I am done washing & conditioning my hair I rub a smal amount in. Then style hair. I also use it once my hair is dry or at night extra to deep condition. I am looking at the wole no poo to add in.
April Emery says
ACV mixed with water also works well. Just use about a tablespoon of the vinegar though.
Vicki Moffitt says
Okay, I’m convinced. I have color treated, curly & dry hair. Going to give it a try. Will report back in a couple of weeks. Thanks everyone!
Zoe Dawn says
I really want to try this but yeah, I’m scared, too. I did try a conditioning thing with coconut oil recently. I thought that was really nice but I was still using my regular shampoo/conditioner, too. I’m going to give this baking soda/vinegar thing a shot one of these day!
April Emery says
See my comment a little below yours. Poo-Free goes against all we have ever been taught about hair care. But it really really works … and you will wonder how on earth you ever loved store-bought shampoo 🙂
Cecily says
I started using listerine on my scalp before washing and conditioning. After about 2 bottles there was no more itching or flaking. 1-2 capfuls on wet scalp, rub in, wait 5 minutes and rinse. Now if I could only get rid of split ends. I have very thick, long, straight hair, DH calls it “mermaid hair”, and nothing I do prevents the split ends.
Linda says
Going to give this a try! Sounds good!
Beth says
I tried this about 2 1/2 years ago and couldn’t get it to work for me, but since then I’ve made some other changes to my hair routine and I think I’m ready to give it another go.
I stopped using conditioner in 2010; I found that the silicone buildup on my hair was a LOT ickier than my natural hair oils. I also quit shampooing as frequently; I used to shampoo every other day, and now I can go 5 days without shampooing. My hair is much healthier and I find that I don’t feel as frustrated with it. It’s more manageable, too, and doesn’t get as frizzy.
Really, using baking soda and ACV seems like a logical next step.
Mavis says
5 days? That is awesome!
LaToya says
I color my pretty locks, but I also get like sores on my head and I’m pretty sure it’s from the color-treated shampoos. My concern would be a way to do something more pure/natural like this without losing a $100+ dye job.
Meximeli says
Use a tea.
Black tea for dark brown or black.
Rosemary tea for browns.
Chamomile for blondes.
Red Habiscuss for reds.
Brittany says
Hey Mavis!
I’ve been doing this for about 4 years now and love it! Although I use a more diluted solution of baking soda and a more concentrated version of vinegar. I usually do this about once a month or two:
Using 1/4 cup baking soda to 4 cups water ratio, boil about 1 gallon of water. Turn off the heat then slowly add baking soda to water (really slowly! It’ll bubbly like crazy!) Allow to cool. Store in once of those large drink dispensers and use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of this B.S. rinse on your scalp. Make sure to scrub your head with your fingers really well! Rinse it out.
Use 1/2 cup vinegar (I like white) to 4 cups water ratio, pour 1 gallon of water into one of those large drink dispensers and add vinegar. That’s it! Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of this vinegar rinse after the BS rinse. Let it sit for a minute or two on your head then rinse it out.
I boil the water for the baking soda because we have hard water in our apartment and I’ve found the baking soda works best on my hair this way. I like doing it this way because I’m not dealing with paste or powder in the shower which feels weird to me. It just feels like a couple cool cups of water on my head.
I have waist length hair that’s fairly thick. You may have to adjust the bs/vinegar proportions depending on your hair. I found that’s when I had the worst transition period was when I was using either too much baking soda (hair would feel dry and krinkly or even have white residue left over) or too much vinegar (hair would be super oily the next day). It took me about a month to figure out the best mix for me.
I haven’t ever gone back to shampoo/conditioner. I have used it on vacations and such and as people have said above, it doesn’t feel the same. It kinda feels gross to use shampoo on your head after you do this for a while. I also find that when I use shampoo for too long now (like a week) I get dandruff super bad. Never have that problem on the No-Poo wash!
Brittany says
I mean I make the gallons of solution once a month!** lol
I wash my hair maybe 2-3 times a week depending on if I used product or not.
D'Anna says
The dandruff could be the type of shampoo you were using, certain ones (like Pantene) make my head itch after the first few uses.
Michele says
I have not yet tried “Baking soda” shampoo on my hair. I still use a commercial shampoo everyday. However, I rinse with ACV (1 c. water/2tsp ACV) about once every three days or so. I no longer use any commercial conditioner. I find that this keeps my hair soft and shiny and eliminates itchiness and shampoo buildup. This may be an option for those who want to make the change gradually and in steps. For me, the next step is to try shampooing every other day rather than every day.
Denise Hanley says
What great timing for this article! I have chemical sensitivities and realized that I felt awful after showing. It dawned on me that I was using way too many chemical filled products. So a few months ago I started searching for natural alternatives. I had not yet found a good solution for replacing shampoo – and will try this baking soda idea.
But I have an alternative to the vinegar as conditioner. HONEY! Just rub it on your wet hair…rinse…shampoo. Your hair will feel luxuriously soft & fluffy!!
I also use honey to wash my face…just rub it on and rinse off. It’s really not a sticky mess – you’re in the shower anyway. And I make a facial scrub by adding nutmeg and cinnamon to honey (it smells great~!!).
So now I am reducing the chemical overload on my body – not to mention the extreme savings! I’m ready to toss my shampoo now!
darlene says
Eek! No, I couldn’t do it. It kinda reminds me of when my mom would “clean” our hair the day before school pictures. I remember food products like mayonnaise, beer and eggs. Can’t wait to get your review though =)
Nicola says
I had to comment on this as my friend has quit shampoo and is doing the egg yolk with water and that’s it she said it takes a while for your hair to get use to but I have not heard of the vinegar and baking soda. Might want to try out the egg yolks as you have a lot of eggs.
darlene says
Eek again!!!
dropofrain says
Your hair will love you, it does work wonders!
ay jay says
I personally couldnt get the egg to work for me… my husband made me get back in the showe because i had egg white snot still gooped in my hair…
but i dont even dilute the baking soda or vinegar. I just rub some baking soda into the problem areas of my scalp, dilute some with water, squirt and rinse thoroughly. And then for the vinegar i Just have it in a condiment bottle with a point, run it through my hair so its in contact with my scalp, let sit about 2 min, rinse and im done!
Nicole says
I’m so glad you posted this Mavis!! I have been interested in trying this and found many comments very helpful. To everyone who is already poo-free, does your hair feel different when you blow dry vs air dry?
dropofrain says
I did this since I was born to about 30 yrs old until I moved to the USA. I remember washing my hair only once a week and it never looked greasy, did not use any hair sprays, conditioners, or any other styling products. And then I started using store-bought hair products Oh the convenience of those store bought products. I have issues with my scalp, it itches, flakes, and produces tons of oils. I have to wash my hair daily to look OK, but still do it every other day. So, I am about to start going back to the old, care-free days. I know it works because it did for the very first 30 yrs of my life. It’s funny, because I am looking back to the simplicity of my previous life in Ukraine.
Brittany says
I’ve reeeally been wanting to try this! I love all of the suggestions in the comments and will definitely be switching to the “no poo” method once I’m out of my regular stuff.
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
I’ve read that the first few weeks are hard as your hair and scalp and skin transition.
Personally I would never do it. I won’t even go a day without a shower that includes shampoo, conditioner and then later a blow dry. But that’s just me. We all have our “thing” and that’s mine. 🙂
KK
Angela says
I tried this method (baking soda & vinegar) and I really wanted it to work, but my hair ended up dry and feeling like straw. I also had a very hard time getting all the baking soda out of my hair, so I ended up with white flakey looking hair. I have fine, wavy/curly hair. I went back to regular shampoo and conditioner but I don’t wash my hair everyday…only every 3-4 days. I would like to try something more natural on my hair, but that transition period gets me, lol. It’s not fun!
WindyInHere says
I’m fairly confident that if you tried again with more watered-down ratios of your BS and vinegar solutions you would have much better results. There is a bit of variation in the ratios and methods that work for people. For me it’s a teaspoon of BS in a cup of water and at least a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of water. Some people use less BS and vinegar (which I would highly recommend you try!) and some people apply the baking soda to their scalp as a paste. The paste method made my hair feel like straw, same as your results.
Another thing to consider is how hard your water is. If you have very hard water the BS cannot do its job as well. I have heard hard water issues can be solved just by mixing your BS with distilled water before applying to your hair. Rinse with your shower water and follow with a vinegar rinse.
Charity says
I tried this for about 2 months. Before I tried, I was only washing my hair once every 2-3 days anyway. Like Angela, I really wanted this to work. But it didn’t. Not at all. I could never find the right ratio of baking soda to use. I finally figured out how much vinegar, but my hair still always felt dry and stiff because of the baking soda. It was extremely greasy, and I’m still trying to get my scalp back to what it was before. I have problems with dry, itchy scalp now that I didn’t previously have. I hope it works for you. It just didn’t work for me.
WindyInHere says
Hi, I just replied to the post above yours with this suggestion: Your water could have been to blame. Do you have hard water? I have heard that you can get around hard water issues by mixing your baking soda (BS) with distilled water instead of tap or drinking water. You can further avoid hard water issues by not wetting your hair with shower water before you apply your diluted water/BS mixture. Rinse as normal and follow with the vinegar mixture.
Kath Mason says
I haven’t used shampoo or conditioner for almost 2 years (or soap either except for my hands). My hair is very curly and every few days after washing it with water and towel drying it I get some coconut oil on my hands and rub it into my hair, especially the ends. Lately I have been using a coconut oil blend called “Vatika” from an Indian store that also has neem, lemon and rosemary oil among it’s ingredients. But plain coconut oil is fine too. I had no problem in the beginning with a transition period.
Karin says
I’m totally going to try this! I’ve already gone deodorant free thanks to some of the comments on your baking soda post! Baking soda works even better than deodorant and no chemicals. It’s amazing! So bring on the “no poo”! I’m trying it today.
Joan F. says
I’m right in the middle of transitioning to no poo. I downloaded the Diane Kidman ‘Wild’ series of books for free off of Amazon (with my prime membership). She has a lot of great recipes for skin, teeth and hair care.
I’m using honey for face soap and my face loves it. My hair color was already fading but has been stripped due to the baking soda. Haven’t found the right ratios yet as I come up a little too clean or too greasy. But I’m working at home for the next two weeks and can suffer through or wear a ponytail:)
Next big step is to lighten my hair with a honey/lemon/olive oil combo. Or to step it up with Cassia & Henna (which I’ve never worked with).
Good luck!
Lisa says
What about those of you with fine hair? I have a lot of hair but it’s really fine and even before the end of the day is hanging because of how oily it can get. I cannot go a day without washing at all. I’ve heard about a lot of you with thick and/or curly hair but nobody with fine (not thin) hair.
LisaB says
Don’t worry, you’ll love this. Most greasy hair gets that way from the commercial shampoo. It strips your natural oils and your scalp overproduces trying to compensate. Baking soda doesn’t strip your natural oils. After a few days, you’ll notice your hair not getting greasy as quickly.
Susan says
I guess I’m in the minority here. Shower and shampoo every day!! 🙂
maile says
Picked up some Bob Red Mill Baking Soda and some Braggs ACV and tried it out.
Store bought shampoo and conditioner moving to the guest shower room. No-poo moving into mine.
Deb L says
I say try it, you never know. You’ll always wonder if you don’t. Worst that can happen is you have a few bad hair days! I did try it, and some variations too, and didn’t really like it (I really wanted to like it, pretty snazzy hippy-card to have if you ask me, haha). I think a lot depends on your scalp/hair type and your water you use.
Katie says
Do it!! I’ve been doing it for a year now and will never go back! My hair is very frizzy and I really have to work at it to make it look decent and it used to frustrate me so much because I would spend so much time taming the Afro and then the second I would step outside it would usually puff back up and look awful. Now my natural oils stay in my hair and its never puffy. Even on rainy days it looks like I just styled it. But it also gives me so much satisfaction to not have to walk down he aisle of chemicals at the store any more. Even my young kids do this method and like it. For about three days there my hair was yucky while it was transitioning. Not bad for the outcome.
Lisa says
I tried it, but after a few days I gave it and went back to regular shampoo. There wasn’t any smell, and my hair LOOKED okay, but it felt really greasy to me. Plus when I was applying the “shampoo/condition” it was hard to do because it was basically just watery. I felt like there was nothing to lather and get it clean. I really wanted it to work and since others love it so much maybe I’ll give it another try with the squeeze bottles.
D'Anna says
I use chemicals to color my hair, chemicals to style it so of course chemicals to clean it would be the next step. I’m also far too particular about what hair products work best for me and the rest of my family so no, I can’t say as I would even want to give it a whirl.
Susan says
I was surprised at all the comments about will it be a problem with my dyed/colored/ treated/chemical laden hair!!
Why bother unless you are truly wanting to be chemical-FREE!!
I’m with you on this! 🙂
Sarah says
I love no poo! The first few times I tried it there was definitely a transition time. But this last time there hasn’t been any problem. I just keep a bottle of ACV & a jar of baking soda in the shower. I have a cup that I mix some water & soda with, wash it through my hair. Rinse the cup out and put some water & acv in as a rinse….but I only use this on my ends. My hair is really oily! There is no way I would have thought I could miss a day of shampooing but now I only do the no poo every 4 days and my hair is soft and nice : )
April Emery says
Hi – I wrote a lengthy comment on here a day or so ago that hasn’t been approved yet. Was curious if it was something I said 🙂 I tried to contact you via email but your contact form wasn’t showing. Let me know please
Mavis says
Hi April, I checked my spam folder and I don’t see your comment. Sorry about that, sometimes that happens.
April Emery says
I know, the Poo-Free method goes against all we have ever been taught about scalp and hair care & cleansing. But it REALLY does work. I have been using it for over two years now and will NEVER go back to store-bought shampoos … even herbal ones.
I have thick, heavy, wavy hair and the Poo-Free method is the only way I can get my hair to have body without poof and frizz. It retains curl all day in stead of going flat.
Actually, putting baking soda straight on the scalp doesn’t work as well as mixing one tablespoon in a squirt bottle with 8oz water. Give it a good shake and then squirt just enough to get your scalp wet (don’t worry about your ends). Massage the scalp and then rinse.
To condition, apple cider vinegar is what you want to use instead of white vinegar. To combat dry scalp, dandruff, flaky scalp you can mix a squirt bottle with half white vinegar and half water. Give it a good shake and then squirt on to a DRY scalp before doing the baking soda/water rinse. I do this first thing in the shower, then “wash” my hair with the baking soda/water, and occasionally the ACV conditioning rinse. I have found I don’t need to condition as often as with store-bought because the Poo-Free method helps regulate the scalps natural oil production. Healthy scalp = healthy hair.
Vinegar, especially when mixed with water, will not smell once you rinse your hair. If you are concerned about an odor you can add a few drops of essential oil in to the rinse for a natural fragrance. Some EOs actually can help certain hair/scalp conditions!
I got in to lots of detail, including common questions and how to troubleshoot scalp issues like dandruff, in my post on my blog (Holistic Homemaking).
I recommend a one-to-two week transition period, depending on the kinds of products you have used and your scalps current condition. Those with oily scalps might have a longer transition, but find that their oily scalps no longer become an issue once going Poo-Free. That has been the case for me. For the transition period have some hats or bandanas on hand to wear when you venture out if you are self-conscious about the way your hair looks. You only need to do the Poo-Free method 2-3 times a week at MOST. I do about 1-2 times a week … and I used to have very oily scalp.
Hope this helps you and anyone else considering going Poo-Free! I cannot say enough good things about this method!
LisaB says
I’ve been doing it for a year now and will never go back. I would definitely not recommend plopping it on your hair and scrubbing (woooo frizzy!) I tried that the first time. Yeesh! I use an empty vinegar container and fill it with 16 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda (it’s a finer grade than arm & hammer), 16 drops of vegetable glycerine, 16 drops of my fav organic shampoo for scent, and 16 C of water. Then I fill a condiment bottle (helps get it to your scalp) which lasts me 2 washings. Mixing it up each time you take a shower gets a little tiring, so I definitely suggest doing the gallon ahead of time. I used to do a vinegar rinse (the smell goes away once your hair is dry) but haven’t found a need for it since I started using vegetable glycerine. When you use the no-poo (I just call it hair wash), just use it on your scalp, lightly scrub and there you go. It has dramatically decreased my flakes and I can go much longer between cuts because I don’t get split ends very often.
Rebecca says
I tried really hard to get this to work and used this method for almost a year. I have always had very greasy hair/skin, and while the oil production did slow down a little bit, I was still never able to go more than three days between washes before my hair looked dreadful. This was complicated by the fact that the water here in the Boulder area is quite hard, so it is pretty difficult to get the baking soda to dissolve. I had to work around that by putting the baking soda into boiling water and letting it cool before use, making a batch every couple of weeks. My hair was fairly long at this point and it became more and more easily tangled, until it was getting very hard to brush, so I cut it short again, which is where it really became a problem, because now I no longer had the length to absorb the amount of oil I was still producing, coupled with my scalp becoming increasingly irritated and flaky. It was in a state of constant simultaneous frizziness/greasiness, and I eventually gave up and changed to a natural shampoo/conditioner. Unfortunately, my oil production ramped back up and I have to use that every day again, but my hair and scalp are, overall, far healthier than they were using the baking soda/apple cider vinegar combo. I know this routine works well for some, but it’s definitely not universal.
For those wondering how it affects color, I do not dye my hair (it is brunette), and this routine noticeably lightened my hair and brought out the red highlights in it quite a bit. That wasn’t really a bad thing for me, but I would use caution if you do dye yours.
Brandie says
I have been a hair stylist for over 14 years now and I have heard and seen it all when it comes to hair. There is no sure cure for everyone. We are all different. But I will say this…every time someone comes in and says they only shampoo their a couple times a week it never fails that they smell like wet dog as soon as their hair get wet.
Debbie says
How does this affect Henna’d hair? The henna doesn’t last long and I really don’t want to spend all that time putting the henna on and then have the color disappear in a few washes.
Sara says
So Mavis… what is the verdict… how are you liking it? Do you smell like a salad?
erica says
I wash my hair everyday. I know that’s supposed to be bad. I started using the Shielo Hydrate Shampoo, my hair looks and feels so healthy. I barely need to use any shampoo, a quarter-size only, and I have a ton of hair. Typically I’ve had to rinse and repeat , but with Shielo – I use just the quarter-size and its perfect. Feels soooo good and its super hydrating.
I would recommend this to any gal with thick hair prone to getting dry.