Have thought about forgoing traditional shampoo and looking up some tips for going no poo? "No poo" is a term used to describe the gentle cleansing of hair without using commercial shampoos that can dry or damage your hair. Yep, you can use natural ingredients to cleanse your hair without all the sulfates and chemicals that are in so many shampoos these days. Keep reading more to get some helpful tips for going no poo!
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1. Prepare
Before we get into the actual tips for going no poo, let’s prepare ourselves for what to expect. For the first two weeks, your hair will probably be very greasy and it’s okay. This doesn’t mean you have to wash your hair more frequently; in fact, you can decrease the frequency of how often you wash your hair. Your hair and scalp are just readjusting to the new routine. Feel free to wear your hair up in a bun or ponytail while your hair adjusts during this time.
2. Pick
Typically when you go no poo, you swap shampoo for baking soda and conditioner for apple cider vinegar. Some people prefer to still use commercial conditioner and use a natural alternative to shampoo. There’s no right or wrong way and you might have to experiment before you figure out what works best for you.
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When deciding to go no poo, consider the unique needs of your hair type and texture, as these factors can greatly influence the effectiveness of your chosen method. If your hair is naturally oily, you might find that baking soda works wonders. But if you have dry or curly hair, you may want to opt for gentler cleansing agents like rye flour or clay. Remember, transitioning to no poo is often about embracing a more natural look and feel, so be patient with your hair as it adjusts to the new routine.
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3. Mix
Now for our natural no poo shampoo! Combine about a tablespoon or two of baking soda with just a small amount of water to make a paste and stir it until it dissolves. Jump in the shower and apply this mix to your hair, focusing on the roots. This mix won’t lather up but should leave a smooth, clean feeling. Make sure you rinse well and get ready for conditioner.
4. Condition
This next no poo tip is how to condition your hair. As previously mentioned, you can use regular conditioner, but using apple cider vinegar is a fantastic natural alternative. Grab 1 cap full of ACV and mix with a cup of water. Work this mixture all over your hair or just the ends and rinse well. You can also add a few drops of essential oils if you like.
5. Exfoliate
While you’re going through the no poo transition, your scalp might feel itchy or it might have a lot of build-up. You can easily remedy the situation by exfoliating your scalp! Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar and slowly apply to your scalp in a circular motion. This will help shed dead skin cells and help invigorate your scalp!
6. Adjust
Once you get in the groove of things, you might find that you want to adjust the amount of baking soda or apple cider vinegar you use. Everyone’s hair is different so don’t feel like you have to stick to the suggested amounts here and feel free to experiment. You can also make your no poo mixes ahead of time and store it in a bottle.
7. Be Patient
The last no poo tip is to be patient. Patience is key if you want to make the no poo method work, because you’re probably going to miss the lathery shampoo and the way your hair felt before. If you try no poo for a few weeks and you’re just not getting results, don’t feel bad. Most women find that their hair is soft, shiny and full of body after going no poo for awhile but it’s not for everyone.
Going no poo is a cost-effective and gentle way to cleanse and condition your hair minus all the chemicals. The majority of women who try no poo report having luxurious and smooth hair that they never thought they could have, so it’s definitely worth a try. Have you ever tried the no poo method?
Comments
Ginger: As a hair stylist we have been known to mix a little baking soda in with shampoo to remove an excess of product buildup on hair. Just sprinkle a little on the shampoo you squirt on your hand. Then mix together and shampoo. It won't lather As well but the buildup is gone. This works great for those clients who go crazy with hair spray and only get their hair styled once a week. It works wonderfully.
vintage_audrey: Oh my gosh, this post is has so much info omitted. No, you can't just mix the baking soda with water, your hair will have noticeable buildup on it in about a month. This is because most homes have no water softener. You need to mix the baking soda with the filtered water you buy in jugs from the store and then pour it on your head and rinse like normal. You also won't be able to use the baking soda every day because it will dry out your hair so much. This is for people that are going to be washing their hair once a week or less. Also pouring olive oil on your hair is a big fail waiting to happen, it will be hard to wash out and your hair will be an oily mess. If you need to exfoliate because of dandruff, switching up with pine tar soap is a better option.
Susan: 1. Baking soda is harsh and abrasive on its own. I once had a bad reaction to it, so test on a patch of skin before covering your scalp in it. A much better alternative is mixing it with shampoo every 10 days or so. 2. Apple cider vinegar is a great clarifying treatment, but if you color your hair, it will strip the color! Also speaking from personal experience on that one.
Krista: Ick. One of my clients does this and the smell makes me sick to my stomach. So gross. I can barely breathe through their haircut.
Bailey: I've been doing no poo for months and have done hours opinion hours of research and this is the best thing you could do for your hair. ESPECIALLY using the olive oil treatment, contrary to its name, it's amazing for battling oily hair. Oh haha, baking soda? Harsh? Try comparing that to normal shampoo, which strips WAY more oils put of your hair and is terrible for hair. It's a little funny because shampoo with many sulfates make people need to wash there hair more often. Think about, the more it strips your hair the harder your body works to replace those oils, replacing leads to oily hair and -voila-. So the less your product strips your oils, the less your body tries to replace the oils.
Espi: Are you kidding baking soda for shampoo is a big no no, it's strips your hair from natural oils that your hair very much is in need of. I don't use shampoo anymore but don't use baking soda.
Marta: What do you use then??
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