NO MORE SHAMPOO! My experiment with a more natural and less wasteful form of hair care.

I haven't shampooed my hair in 3 weeks! 3 WEEKS! And you know what, I'm not sure if I ever will again.
A few years ago I heard about this radical new take on haircare dubbed "No Poo" (not to fond of the name myself) that harkens back a time before commercial hair care products were used by the average jane.
The idea is to allow your hair to adjust to not being washed all the time, therefore producing less oil and allowing you to go longer between "cleaning". This also allows your natural hair oil to moisturize your hair all the way down to the tips and not need the chemical conditioners that we normally use to replace it. As an added bonus, this method not only saves a TON of money on hair care products, but also saves all the energy that goes in to making, bottling, shipping, and disposing of the Shampoo and Conditioner we normally use.
From Wiki:
"Shampoo has only been used widely since the 1970s. Before then, either regular soap was used a few times a month or, just after the early 20th century, shampoo was used only a few times a year. It was in the 1970s that shampoo use became prevalent. Ads featuring Farrah Fawcett and Christie Brinkley asserted that it was unhealthy not to shampoo several times a week. This mindset is reinforced by the greasy feeling of the scalp after a day or two of not shampooing. Using shampoo every day removes sebum, the oil produced by the scalp. This causes the sebaceous glands to produce oil at a higher rate to compensate for what is lost during shampooing. According to some dermatologists, a gradual reduction in shampoo use will cause the sebaceous glands to produce at a slower rate, resulting in less oil on the scalp."


To prove to you that you can have clean and very manageable hair without shampoo & conditioner, here is a closeup of the top of my head/hair (click to enlarge) after 3 weeks of not a single drop of either.
The Method:
*The first two weeks
First let me warn you! Roughly the first 2 weeks are the adjustment period. You will need to last this period of time without washing, only rinsing with hot water every time you shower, and your hair WILL be funky. Don't let that scare you. Simply arm yourself with some great up do's and try to avoid using hair powder for as long as possible. You want your hair to get greasy and spread down the length of your hair. During this period I recommend brushing your hair nightly to work the oils down to the tips.
Finally when the 2 weeks are over you can do your first cleanse!

*Once a week (or so, you will need to see what works best with your hair)
Make sure you have a cup in your shower from now on.
While showering add One Tablespoon of baking soda to the cup and fill up with about 1/4-1/2 cup of water. Swirl to dissolve, then pour over the crown of your head. Massage in to your scalp making sure to massage the sides and back of your head as well, then rinse thoroughly. Next add roughly one tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to the cup and add 1/2 -3/4 cup of water to the cup. Swirl to mix then pour over all of your hair. Rinse thoroughly. Once your hair dries you won't be able to smell the vinegar I promise. Every other shower you take just rinse your hair with warm water.

Basically, the baking soda is the cleaner, it scrubs away excess oil but not EVERYTHING like shampoo does. The baking soda is great, but its really alkaline so you need an acid to balance the PH. This is where the vinegar comes in. It's pretty cool how soft it makes your hair feel too.

I'll continue to keep you updated from time to time if there is anything to report. Otherwise, I will keep on enjoying my shampoo & conditioner free lifestyle.

***I now use baking soda for washing my hair, brushing my teeth, and as deodorant. This stuff is amazing!