No-Poo and other Hair Washing Philosophies

Do we even need shampoo?

Hair washing can seem like a chore, if you go by the number of people on the internet asking about how many days in a row can they can use dry shampoo for.

Why would you avoid shampoo?

Commercial shampoos contain many artificial chemicals which can be detrimental to our hair’s overall health. For example, many commercial shampoos contain sulfates which are a chemical detergent. While doing a good job at cleaning, sulfates are very harsh on the hair and scalp, stripping them of moisture.

Some might note the drying effect of shampoo and resort to extra conditioner to counteract its effects. CSC is one such hair washing technique. An abbreviation for condition, shampoo, condition, CSC-washing is meant to protect the hair from the drying effect of shampooing.

If you need to go to such lengths to protect your hair from shampoo, it begs the question of whether something could be done so hair washing would not be so harsh in the first place?

The production of shampoos, including their plastic packaging, is also artificial and harmful to the environment. After use, the shampoo bottle often ends up at the landfill.

These are some of the reasons people may choose to ditch commercial shampoo and go for a natural alternative instead.

What are the alternatives?

There are many shampoos made of natural ingredients which produce less damage on hair, scalp and environment. It is also possible to use home made products for hair washing, such as a baking soda/vinegar combo.

Some choose to skip shampoo altogether. “No poo” is a term coming from “no shampoo”. Never washing the hair with shampoo avoids stripping the hair of its natural oils. The natural oils are beneficial as they protect the scalp. Removing these can lead to dryness and itchiness.

These natural hair cleaning methods are also more affordable as there is no need to spend money on shampoos and other products, but utilise cheap and common house supplies instead.

No-poo Methods

Conditioner only (CO-washing)

Some people skip the shampoo and do conditioner only. The water alone is enough to refresh the hair, and conditioner prevents it from drying out.

Washing your hair with water and conditioner alone is probably best if you wash your hair frequently and there is no product on the hair. If you do use hair sprays, dry shampoo or other products on the hair, you will probably need an actual detergent to make the hair feel really clean.

CO (conditioner only) washes might also benefit people with naturally curly or dry hair as it avoids stripping the hair of moisture.

Washing less often

Some choose to stretch out the period between washes for a longer time. People might stretch out the interval between washes and go even for weeks without washing their hair.

Technically you might call stretching the period between washes “less poo”.

You might choose to alternate your hair washes, so that every other time you wash with shampoo, and every other time with water (and conditioner) alone. This way the hair gets a refresh more regularly but without too many shampoo sessions drying it out. This might be useful for example if you exercise regularly and want to rinse off the sweat without drying the hair.

Baking soda + ACV

One natural hair washing method is a concoction made up purely of easily accessible ingredients.

The baking soda plus apple cider vinegar wash is a natural alternative to shampoo and conditioner. It does not lather, but it cleans the hair and the ACV conditions it.

Read more about how to use ACV here.

Benefits of no-poo

• Less spending on hair washing products – save on shampoo money!
• Lessen product build up on hair.
• Lessen reliance on products. The cycle of washing hair with shampoo dries out the hair, which makes us reach for the conditioner, which weighs on the hair and makes it greasy, which makes us reach for the shampoo again!
• No unnatural chemicals on hair – eg silicons, sulfates.
• Hair may feel more voluminous.
• Preserves natural oils, for a healthier hair and scalp.
• Lessen the need for styling products. Washing the hair with natural products may improve hair texture.
• Less packaging waste.
• Easier to style. There is a reason many hair dos are better on unwashed hair rather than squeaky clean hair!

Should I go no-poo?

If you’re curious, why not try if it works for you?

You might well decide to alternate between methods – eg every second wash you do a CO wash, with conditioner alone.

If you have very dry scalp, you might benefit from skipping shampoo – if not altogether, maybe every now and then. On the other hand, if you have an oily scalp you might need to shampoo more regularly. The same goes if you use product for your hair.

You can also try extending the period in between hair washes. This might even be the easiest to adjust to, as it does not change the hair washing routine itself, only the frequency. Start slowly, for example by going from every second day to every 3rd day. You might notice that actually third day hair is not as bad as you expected!

It is worth considering your specific hair type and its needs. If you have dry, coarse hair you might benefit from extending the period between washes. The natural oils smooth the hair, making it less frizzy. Thick, curly hair is also less likely to look flat than thin, straight hair and can go longer in between washes.

Colour treated hair may also benefit from less frequent washing. Coloured hair often suffers from the drying effects of shampoo, and extending the period between washes helps prevent hair colour from fading too quickly.

If your reasons to cut back on shampoo are more focused on lessening the chemicals from shampoo, you might want to consider switching to a more natural shampoo instead. I like Faith in Nature – they do shampoo bars as well as the traditional bottled shampoos, so the plastic waste is reduced too.

In general, you can reduce product use by giving the hair only what it needs. Wash it only when it needs washing. Use only the amount of shampoo needed (as a general guideline, a quantity the size of a walnut is enough). Use shampoo on the roots only, use conditioner on the ends only. Rinse thoroughly so as not to leave product in the hair which would weigh it down and make it greasy.

Unless you have a lot of product to wash off, you probably don’t need to shampoo twice.