No using of shampoo is the latest trend at present. This is a concept or a method you can say to clean your hair, without having to use shampoo. It is becoming very famous worldwide, and the no shampoo method is taking center stage in hair care for some very good reasons.
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Reasons
- There are some who do not wish that their hair is stripped off the natural good oils, which is produced by the scalp.
- There are those that do not prefer too many chemical additions to their daily hygiene care
- There are even those that wish not to spend too much on commercially manufactured shampoos and conditioners, much more than what is actually needed.
Shampoos have detergent in them which cleans your hair and the chemical composition of shampoos is what makes the lather and the suds. Chemicals don’t actually mean ‘unnatural’ and ‘unhealthy’ as such. There is a lot of interest amongst consumers these days to know more about chemicals which are used for hygiene purposes daily, and how they can even affect our well-being and health.
Just because you have decided to embark on the no-shampoo (no-poo) method, it does not mean that you have to give up on washing your hair altogether. There are alternatives. Instead of using shampoo, people have adopted the hair care technique using apple cider vinegar and baking soda, or they just use conditioner.
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Are there any benefits of no poo?
Yes, there are benefits while using the no-poo method. Some of them are-
- You get healthier hair
- The scalp is allowed to produce a good amount of oil in balance that too
- Hair turns up with more volume
- Hair has better texture and thus you would not need more styling products
- Your hair would not be exposed to annoying chemicals
- Your hair gets to retain the moisture levels and the hair would not dry out all that often
- You don’t have build-ups and poo on the scalp, which forces you to use shampoo again
Can you use the no poo method!
There are no risks as such when you have decided to try the no poo method. It is only a recent trend that daily shampooing and conditioning was adopted. However, if you have skin and scalp issues; a history of them- check with a dermatologist or a trichologist and then attempt the no poo method. This is the only contraindication, otherwise, it is perfect to use the no poo method to clean your hair and scalp, and anyone can try it.
If you have fine or thin hair, skipping the shampooing would be difficult since the hair gets oilier pretty quick. Instead of quitting shampooing altogether, it would be best to stretch the frequency of shampooing- large intervals from one shampoo session to the next.
If you have very curly or coarse hair, you would see most benefits with the no poo method. This is because the natural oils produced by the scalp helps make the hair less frizzy and smoother.
Is there a best no-poo method?
It depends from one person to the next to determine how best the no poo method would work for you. You have got to try the no poo method to know the outcome. And when you are trying it, it would be wise to keep a check on the health of the scalp and the hair. If there are any health concerns at this point, it would be wise to speak to a specialist and then go ahead with what you want to do.
There would be a time for adjustment when you start out with the no poo method, say experts. In the beginning, you may wonder if your hair is getting too oily than before; this is normal, so there is nothing to worry. This is a phase which is very important to have, which helps the scalp recalibrate and to begin creating the right amount of oil needed on the head. The scalp then learns to adjust and creates lesser oil, because it is not being stripped off its natural oils by commercial shampoos and detergents on a day to day basis.
Alternatives to no shampoo
1. You can try using baking soda and apple cider vinegar
This is a wonderful alternative and baking soda helps as a good exfoliant on the scalp, while apple cider vinegar makes the hair very shiny. And these two ingredients don’t cost a bomb, and they are pretty much available everywhere. However, overuse of this method may strip the pH balance of the scalp; hence use between intervals.
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2. Try using just a conditioner
Most women use a normal regular conditioner after shampooing their hair, to condition their hair strands after the cleansing is done. But instead of using shampoo, skip it and use only conditioner. This is called co-washing, or also known as the conditioner only wash. This would be the best method to use for hair that is prone to dryness and frizziness, but any hair type can gain the benefits of using this no poo method of hair washing.
4. Do try mud washes
Clays and any mud mask, when used on the face, have always had the power to vacuum off all the dirt and the grime. Clays are powerful detox agents, and hence we should try using them to wash our hair with it. Clay and muds are great to help exfoliate and clean the scalp, and also to tame the frizz. Clay also helps leave the hair and the scalp super clean and shiny too. You can either make your own mud wash hair mask or pick up one from the market to use. The best would be rhassoul clays or bentonite clays, dead sea mud washes and other exotic muds as well.
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5. Try the good old plain water washing
No prizes for guessing, but the plain old water only wash would also be one of the best no poo methods to clean the hair with. This is by far one of the most cost-effective no poo methods of washing your hair. For the same, it would be wise to use plenty of lukewarm water to wash your hair with. This helps remove the oils from the scalp and the hair. However, if you are following this method, you then need to wash your hair regularly with lukewarm water. In the beginning, your hair may retain some oil build up, which again is normal, but once a few weeks pass by, the hair will adjust and the water washing method will adjust to work for your needs. What you need to understand is that with water washing, you would need to wash your hair like you would shampoo your hair. Do it just as you would normally shampoo your hair, sans the shampoo of course and for the same amount of time you spend as well. In the beginning, you might feel that your hair is oily, but over time it won’t feel the same.
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The Benefits of not using shampoo
1. Lesser exposure to chemicals
One of the most important benefits of not using any shampoo would be that you would be lesser exposed to harsh chemicals. It is a fact sadly that most shampoos you see around and even those for kids and babies alike have chemicals in them- formaldehyde for example. In this day and age, you also find sulfates in the shampoos, which seem to be standard ingredients. Sulfates are used because they are great detergent agents. They clean up well and that is why even industrial cleaners and even de-greasers use sulfates as an ingredient. We do not need such extreme cleaning processes for our hair and scalp, now do we?
Another ingredient used would be Phthalates. It is a chemical group that can cause severe birth defects, and are found as common shampoo ingredients. On the shampoo bottle label, it would be disguised as ‘fragrance’. In shampoos, we also find parabens and methylisothiazolinone, which are chemicals and can cause a lot of harmful outcomes, say experts. Now think about all of these harmful ingredients, not being a part of your regular hair washing and cleaning routine. Isn’t it a blessing with the no poo method?
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2. You get to manage lesser frizz
When the cuticles of the hair are not closed, the hair does not remain flat. This is what makes the hair frizzy. For the hair to be flat, it needs to have enough moisture and should be well-hydrated. Even the right pH balance is needed for the hair and the scalp. The pH of the hair and the scalp is always around 5.5. if it goes a notch higher than this, the cuticles of the hair would open up and that is how we see the frizz. Most shampoos would have pH levels which force the cuticles to open. This is because, without opening the cuticles properly, the hair would not be cleaned well. When the cuticles open way too much, frizz occurs. With the no-poo cleansing method, you can typically fight the frizz and promote the cuticle closing too. This is why the no poo method helps tame the frizz and the hair appears to be shiny and nice.
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3. More moisture for your hair
When the cuticles of the hair open too much, it can lead to dryness of hair. This is because, with open cuticles, the hair moisture escapes pretty soon from the strands of the hair. The no-poo method, on the other hand, does clean your hair very well, and it does not allow the hair cuticles to stay open for long though. Moisture is held within and hence the hair does not turn dry.
Now that we have told you what the no poo method is all about and what are the benefits of not shampooing your hair, let’s take a look at some tips to have healthier and cleaner hair.
Tips on having healthier hair
A sign of overall good health would be healthy hair, period. You need to have the right diet, eat well, and drink a lot of water for the hair to grow healthy and nice. Speak to a nutritionist to know what your diet should be like.
If you have to use shampoo, use it only on the scalp and not on the ends of the hair. And always use conditioner after the shampooing is done.
Use the no poo method as and when you need it only. If the hair is too oily in the beginning, it is normal, so there is nothing to panic about. The scalp will soon realise that it has to stop producing too much oil.
Final words
Making the switch to the no-poo method may seem to be cumbersome and daunting when you begin, and it does take a little time to create and make your own no-poo method of ingredients too- using apple cider vinegar and baking soda or even the DIY mud wash techniques mentioned. However, once you get used to the no poo method new routine, it would be easy for you to follow and then you would not be bothered about spending those extra few minutes making your no poo mix for the hair cleansing ritual.
We hope this post on the no poo method comes in handy? If you have tried the no poo method in the past or are using it at the moment, do write in and let us know your experiences with the same. We would love to hear from you and how you deal with not shampooing your hair the traditional way?
