Hello, cuties! Wanna be a dirty hippy like me? Stop 'pooing!
For those of you who haven't been a firsthand witness to my hair journey, I have recently decided to stop shampooing my hair.
It all started on July 9th at my friend Katie's graduation party. That morning I had jumped in the shower, washed my body, and shampooed my hair like any normal person would. Little did I know, that might be the last time I ever shampooed my hair.
While talking to Katie at the party, we somehow landed on the topic of hair. Katie informed me that as of July 9th, she hadn't shampooed her hair in 34 days. I looked at her locks and marveled; it didn't look like they went more than a few days without washing! I had read in magazines that if one stops shampooing their hair, their scalp's natural oils would slow down production; however, I had never seen that process happen in real life. I was so inspired by Katie's success that I decided to join the No Poo Movement myself!
I actually thought about giving up shampoo last summer, but unfortunately I had a boyfriend and didn't want to put him through dealing with a greasy girlfriend. This summer, however, was (mostly) about me! It was a sign!
Today I am going to answer some frequently asked questions about my hair and and teach you how I keep myself from looking like a bum! Let's get into it, shall we?
FAQs
Why in the world would you stop shampooing?
The only reason we humans have to shampoo our hair is because we've been doing it since birth. Our bodies have become so accustomed to us ridding our hair of its natural oils on a daily basis that we've unconsciously tried to compensate by overproducing said oils. Why continue on with that unnecessary tradition and make our bodies work even harder to protect our luscious locks?
Not only is shampoo unnecessary, but it's also very damaging to one's hair. I ain't about that life.
If you don't 'poo, what do you do?
In The Shower
When I get in the shower, I massage my scalp under warm water. This is to aid any excess oil in moving from my scalp down to the ends of my hair, a.k.a. the sections that need the most protection.
When I first cut out shampoo, I continued to use conditioner on the ends of my hair. Once I felt that the natural oils from my scalp had worked their way down to the ends, I also quit using conditioner on a regular basis.
Due to several important life events happening recently, I decided to try out a cleansing conditioner from a brand called Renpure. This product does everything a shampoo would do in the form of a conditioner, without any of the harsh ingredients found in shampoo. I don't think I have ever been so impressed with a product! After one use, my hair looks like it hasn't gone a day without washing. I usually only use the cleansing conditioner when I have somewhere important to be, such as school, work, out with friends, etc.
Out Of The Shower
If I choose not to use any hair products in the shower, I'll make a spray consisting of water and about 10 drops of an essential oil of my choice and spray it on my hair when I get out. I do this for one reason and one reason only: to make my hair smell nice. After all, my hair won't be absorbing any of the beautiful, artificial fragrances found in shampoo! Another great thing about essential oils is that there are so many different scents you could go for. You can mix and match and change up the smells on a daily basis! I usually go for orange or pine. Not together though.
Out Of The Shower
If I choose not to use any hair products in the shower, I'll make a spray consisting of water and about 10 drops of an essential oil of my choice and spray it on my hair when I get out. I do this for one reason and one reason only: to make my hair smell nice. After all, my hair won't be absorbing any of the beautiful, artificial fragrances found in shampoo! Another great thing about essential oils is that there are so many different scents you could go for. You can mix and match and change up the smells on a daily basis! I usually go for orange or pine. Not together though.
If I'm going to a function and feel like my hair looks a little too gnarly, I simply grab some baby powder and work it into my "problem sections". My friend Katie uses corn starch with a little bit of cocoa powder for a browner, less noticeable color.
Advantages? Disadvantages?
Not 'pooing has both its pros and its cons; I will not deny that.
Pros:
- Less flyaways and random frizzy hairs.
- Easier to brush through.
- Has more texture, holds styles better.
- Feels extremely soft and moisturized.
- Has a healthy sheen.
Cons:
- Takes a long time for body to regulate oil production.
- Looks greasy until body adjusts.
Although the cons are annoying, they are completely outweighed by the pros. The cons are only temporary, while the pros can last forever.
Do you have any tips?
If you plan on joining the No Poo Movement, there are a couple things you should keep in mind.
The first factor to take into consideration is when you start. Your hair isn't gonna look pretty when you first set out on this earthly journey. Unless you are extremely confident in yourself or don't care what anyone else thinks of you, I would recommend starting when you have a long period of time to yourself. If you're a student, this could mean over your summer holiday. To the rest of the population, this could mean during a vacation or time away from work.
When you stop shampooing, you might think that your hair is falling out more than ever before. Although it may appear that way, this is not true. When you shampoo your hair, the strands have nothing to hold onto, which means they can fall where they may and you'll never know they're gone. When you don't shampoo your hair, the oils from your scalp create a clingy texture that can keep the strands of hair in place, even after they've dislodged from the follicle.
Before you hop in the shower, brush your hair. You should do this regardless of whether or not you 'poo, but if you don't 'poo, this will help to disperse the oil amongst the whole strand of hair, all the way down to the ends.
When you're in the shower, make sure to massage your WHOLE scalp. Although your instinct may be to run your fingers through the front of your hair like in the commercials, make sure to get all the hair from all the angles. Also make sure to focus on the crown of your head, because that tends to look the most greasy.
Whatever you do, don't use dry shampoo; it's extremely hard to get out of your hair without using actual shampoo and can leave residue. Like I touched on before, I'd recommend using good ol' baby powder.
And finally, the big reveal...
This is what my hair looks like after 65 days of not 'pooing. I apologize for my face; I had just woken up and didn't even think about putting makeup on!
(There was a piece of lint on the camera.)
Here's what my roots look like! They're still a little oily, but no different than going a couple days without a 'poo!
I hope you found today's post somewhat insightful! If you would like another post about the hair products I use, let me know and I can surely do that for you! I apologize if you now think I'm a dirty slob; however, you are correct.
Check out Katie's blog here! If you like me, you're gonna love her.
Until next time,
Jordan x
Advantages? Disadvantages?
Not 'pooing has both its pros and its cons; I will not deny that.
Pros:
- Less flyaways and random frizzy hairs.
- Easier to brush through.
- Has more texture, holds styles better.
- Feels extremely soft and moisturized.
- Has a healthy sheen.
Cons:
- Takes a long time for body to regulate oil production.
- Looks greasy until body adjusts.
Although the cons are annoying, they are completely outweighed by the pros. The cons are only temporary, while the pros can last forever.
Do you have any tips?
If you plan on joining the No Poo Movement, there are a couple things you should keep in mind.
The first factor to take into consideration is when you start. Your hair isn't gonna look pretty when you first set out on this earthly journey. Unless you are extremely confident in yourself or don't care what anyone else thinks of you, I would recommend starting when you have a long period of time to yourself. If you're a student, this could mean over your summer holiday. To the rest of the population, this could mean during a vacation or time away from work.
When you stop shampooing, you might think that your hair is falling out more than ever before. Although it may appear that way, this is not true. When you shampoo your hair, the strands have nothing to hold onto, which means they can fall where they may and you'll never know they're gone. When you don't shampoo your hair, the oils from your scalp create a clingy texture that can keep the strands of hair in place, even after they've dislodged from the follicle.
Before you hop in the shower, brush your hair. You should do this regardless of whether or not you 'poo, but if you don't 'poo, this will help to disperse the oil amongst the whole strand of hair, all the way down to the ends.
When you're in the shower, make sure to massage your WHOLE scalp. Although your instinct may be to run your fingers through the front of your hair like in the commercials, make sure to get all the hair from all the angles. Also make sure to focus on the crown of your head, because that tends to look the most greasy.
Whatever you do, don't use dry shampoo; it's extremely hard to get out of your hair without using actual shampoo and can leave residue. Like I touched on before, I'd recommend using good ol' baby powder.
And finally, the big reveal...
This is what my hair looks like after 65 days of not 'pooing. I apologize for my face; I had just woken up and didn't even think about putting makeup on!
(There was a piece of lint on the camera.)
Here's what my roots look like! They're still a little oily, but no different than going a couple days without a 'poo!
I hope you found today's post somewhat insightful! If you would like another post about the hair products I use, let me know and I can surely do that for you! I apologize if you now think I'm a dirty slob; however, you are correct.
Check out Katie's blog here! If you like me, you're gonna love her.
Until next time,
Jordan x
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