# "No-poo"



## nordlund63 (Jul 24, 2012)

A short way to say no shampoo. I'm wondering if anyone has had any success with this. I've heard that in about two weeks your hair stops producing excess oil that most people keep using shampoo to get rid off. The admittedly little research I've done into it seems to support this. 

I'm going to try to get into it because I look best with ~1 inch hair, but it tends to fro up when I use shampoo. I want to try keeping it longer (compared to my usual crew cut). After a few days of no poo I've found that my hair doesn't look oily and stays down like I want it too. All I need to do is comb it a little.


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## StElmosDream (May 26, 2012)

No idea, did once hear from a girl of black skin tone that her hair type is better suited to not being washed for 1-3 months at a time.


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## Cetanu (Jan 20, 2012)

If you say that after 2 weeks it works... then I'm going to give this a shot.


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## Mind Swirl (Sep 7, 2011)

A few months ago, I tried a "no-shampoo" method because I thought I might be allergic to some shampoos. I was up for an experiment and figured why not give it a try? I was using the baking soda and apple cider vinegar diluted. The premise is that the baking soda (highly diluted in water) cleans and the apple cider vinegar (highly diluted) also cleans and smooths the hair like conditioner. These two things are used separately (no volcano fizz experiments). So, you are in fact washing your hair with something, just without commercial shampoo. It sounded pretty weird, but I figured I'd try it anyway.

When I tested it, my hair looked the same as if I were using shampoo. I used it for a month in place of shampoo, and it worked as long as I got the mix right. The best part was my hair was very smooth. After a month experiment I went back to normal shampoo because my _scalp_ didn't feel any better (wasn't worse either, luckily), but fixing that was my whole reason for trying no shampoo in the first place. One other reason for quitting the test was that I was also unsure of using baking soda on hair _so_ often because of the alkaline nature. Some say it can be damaging to hair, others who have gone "no shampoo" for years insist their hair is very healthy and doesn't break because the vinegar used after the baking soda brings balances it out. 

It's worth researching the pros and cons and different methods of cleaning your hair if you haven't already. I don't know about using _just_ water because you wouldn't want bacteria building on your head or anything. Mainly, I was sold on the apple cider vinegar. The pH of apple cider vinegar closes the cuticle of the hair, making it feel smoother, and usually less frizzy, even when using normal shampoo beforehand.


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## SenhorFrio (Apr 29, 2010)

I'm not too sure about this, i have gone multiple days without showering, and well it does make your hair greasy. If hair stops producing the excess oil after that time, would it still leave your saturated with the built up oil?


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## ilphithra (Jun 22, 2010)

I put that thing to test once. I tried staying without washing my hair for a few days while I was on vacation. Even though I always have short hair, my hair had so much oil and crap caked in it that I could shape it without needing gel... not to mention it's icky to the touch and reeks to hell. 

Therefore, there's no way I buy into this and don't expect me to touch such filthy hair.

What comes next? Let's not wash because the body stops getting dirty after 2 weeks? Please... even animals wash constantly.


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## quadrivium (Nov 6, 2011)

From what I have read, it takes a few months to reap the benefits.


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## Tad Cooper (Apr 10, 2010)

My dad tried this (he had long hair) and said it worked, but he left his for months at a time. His hair was always soft and looked nice, but felt a bit strange (not the kind of texture you get when very clean, but not really greasy either). I'd be more concerned over the smell, as grease can cause a weird smell in hot weather.


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## castigat (Aug 26, 2012)

I could try this, and may. It sounds like it might be worth the trouble, but damn my immature mind for getting the wrong idea when you said 'after using no poo in my hair'. XD

"Why are you worried about You-Know-Who, when you should be more worried about U-NO-POO?"


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## Gray Skies (Dec 27, 2010)

Was not what I expected this thread to be about.

Do you rinse it out with water, just not using shampoo? Sounds a bit gross, actually.


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## Coyote (Jan 24, 2012)

nordlund63 said:


> A short way to say no shampoo. I'm wondering if anyone has had any success with this. I've heard that in about two weeks your hair stops producing excess oil that most people keep using shampoo to get rid off. The admittedly little research I've done into it seems to support this.
> 
> I'm going to try to get into it because I look best with ~1 inch hair, but it tends to fro up when I use shampoo. I want to try keeping it longer (compared to my usual crew cut). After a few days of no poo I've found that my hair doesn't look oily and stays down like I want it too. All I need to do is comb it a little.


I've done it. ... It works well if you don't use many products, which I assume that you don't. Then you can basically just loosen the dirt by rubbing your scalp under the shower stream, and rinse well.


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## Snakecharmer (Oct 26, 2010)

Every time I see this thread's title, I want to come in here and talk about the benefits of flax seed and coconut oil, and eating more fibrous veggies.

Oops.

Regarding no-shampoo...no thanks. I love the feel of freshly washed hair and a clean scalp.


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## R22 (Aug 16, 2009)

nordlund63 said:


> A short way to say no shampoo. I'm wondering if anyone has had any success with this. I've heard that in about two weeks your hair stops producing excess oil that most people keep using shampoo to get rid off. The admittedly little research I've done into it seems to support this.
> 
> I'm going to try to get into it because I look best with ~1 inch hair, but it tends to fro up when I use shampoo. I want to try keeping it longer (compared to my usual crew cut). After a few days of no poo I've found that my hair doesn't look oily and stays down like I want it too. All I need to do is comb it a little.


Have you visited this site?:
The Long Hair Community

There are all kinds of threads on this (especially in the 'mane' forum). "water only", "baking soda/ vinegar rinses", "CO- washing (conditioner only)"

Personally, I prefer shampoo & conditioner (I do think the oils on your scalp can go rancid if not washed, at the very least, every now & again), but lots of people seem to love the above methods.


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## dagnytaggart (Jun 6, 2010)

Yes, the catch is finding a two month time period where it's OK to look (and smell?) like a hobo.


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