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No shampoo regimen
  • discomoose87discomoose87
    Posts: 45Member
    So I've seen a lot of stuff lately on blogs about not using shampoo anymore. They all say that eventually your scalp re balances itself and you don't actually need shampoo for clean hair. Have any of you ladies tried this? Does it actually work? I have ridiculously greasy hair. If I don't wash it every single day it looks like I haven't taken a shower in weeks. If this actually works I could stop spending so much money on shampoo!
  • deviltwinsmommadeviltwinsmomma
    Posts: 2,278Member
    Screw that mess I have oily hair too. I NEED to wash my hair every day. When I was in the hospital for two weeks I couldnt take a shower for three days I felt like I had bugs crawling in my hair.. No thanks I like my shampoo ALOT. LOL
    my mother used to sing me a song. It went like this: "Life is short, life is shit, and soon it will be over.
  • NoMoreMonkeysNoMoreMonkeys
    Posts: 536Member
    I don't want to look like a hobo....won't be trying this.
  • canadamom
    Posts: 876Member
    I have done the No Poo thing for about 6 months.  I have fine curly hair.  It was getting extremely dried out as I have had medical issues for about 2 years that were finally beginning to affect my hair.

    So I put about 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a big slurpie cup, fill it with warm water and rinse my hair with that.  I scrub it around a bit.  Then I rinsed it all out.  I then put about 1/4 cup white vinegar in the slurpie cup, fill it up, pour that through my hair. Then rinse it out.  Then I put conditioner in my hair as normal, leave it there while I do everything else, rinse it out just before getting out of the shower.  The big slurpie cup holds 6 ish cups of water.

    I can get away with doing this every three/four days. How long you can last depends on how much other product you are using - hairspray, volume products etc.  Most of the sites I saw, discourage the use of anything in your hair and perhpas that is why they can go so long between "washings". The other days I just wet it down and put some conditioner in it.  I like styling my hair everyday as it then doens't look like I'm skipping washing it.  No Poo really has helped with the condition of my hair.

    It takes about 2 weeks to get throught the worst of the over-producing of oil stage. And alot of the sites have you "washing" your hair only once a week, but I couldn't take that.  It does save money as baking soda and vinegar are way cheaper than shampoo.  I still buy Mane and Tail conditioner, but a little goes a long way.

    Hope it works for you.
  • GritsGrits
    Posts: 3,749Member
    Oh, my...I'd look awful! My hair is way too oily as it is, and I don't use product on it unless its a VERY special occasion. Plus my hair is really dark, so when it's greasy...oh, my....ew. But the baking soda and vinegar thing might work. Maybe I'm brave enough to try it...maybe.
    "I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles." ~Audrey Hepburn
  • Katescrazymom
    Posts: 1,850Member
    I have very dry hair, and I only use shampoo when I've been around something smelly or once a week to use it up. I do the baking soda every couple days. I've been doing this since before Christmas and my family was shocked when I told them, so I guess they didn't notice much. I do a thorough scalp rub no matter what.
  • MegsueMegsue
    Posts: 1,864Member
    For those ladies with very oily hair: switch up your shampoo and find one without sulfates. I use L'Oreal EverPure. No more greasy hair. Usually it's a buildup of the shampoo that causes greasy hair, so change the type altogether. I also found the sulfate free shampoos are obviously less irritating to your scalp, which also produces a greasy mess. It's a common misconception that greasy hair is due to lack of hygiene. It's just an irritated scalp in most cases
  • breezybreezy
    Posts: 3,508Member
    NoMoreMonkeys said:

    I don't want to look like a hobo....won't be trying this.



    Ditto... and HI! haven't seen you in awhile.
  • battibatti
    Posts: 2,178Member
    I do it. It's true, your scalp rebalances, you're only a greasy hobo the first time. I use essential oils and a carrier oil like jojoba or grapeseed. My hair and scalp have never been better. I get a lot of compliments and don't use any styling products except occassional flat ironing my fly aways.
    EVERYONE has been asking me what shampoo/conditioner I use. "I make my own with oils" gets really weird looks but the proof is on my head!

    SMSM_s_5

  • battibatti
    Posts: 2,178Member
    Also, if you wash your hair everyday, your scalp is stripped of natural oils it needs for protection. So it actually gets greasier and more quickly because your scalp is overcompensating.

    SMSM_s_5

  • pdxmama
    Posts: 1,489Member
    @batti Do you use the baking soda and vinegar too, or just the oil mixture? My hair is super dry so I would love to know a little more about how you mix the oils and such.
  • battibatti
    Posts: 2,178Member
    @pdxmama I haven't tried the baking soda or vinegar but I am going to! I just put a little of the carrier oil in my palm, add 3-4 drops of essential oil (I choose the scent I like best, and add a drop or 2 of an antiseptic oil like tea tree) rub it into my scalp and hair, and let it sit while I'm doing my thing, then rinse it out. It's been about 8-9 months since I 'quit' conditioner and about 3 months since shampoo.

    SMSM_s_5

  • shadylaneshadylane
    Posts: 3,071Member
    A couple months ago I decided to try to train my hair to be less greasy, and it did help. I just started washing every other day and using dry shampoo in between. It took several weeks but now I can go a day or 2 without washing and it doesn't look greasy, which is a huge improvement for me. I started using sulfate free shampoo too and my color isn't fading as quick. It def saves money using half as much shampoo and conditioner.
    ~slim shady~
  • canadamom
    Posts: 876Member
    That is another huge bonus to the baking soda/vinegar routine and No Poo - the dye job does not fade out hardly at all and I can go 8+ weeks between colors- or until the roots really show.  I keep it dyed a very similar color to my natural color so that upkeep is not so critical.

    My hairdresser could not beleive the difference in the condition of my hair or how long the color lasted.
  • Luvlyssa
    Posts: 2,911Member
    I wish I could do this but my hair is so oily I'd fail within the first week. ugh.

    I tried it one... went to every other day washing (Intending to go to every two days every 3) and... no. just no. I have baby fine stick straight hair. it just doesn't work that way for me!

    Yuck.
    Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.
  • Ashdawn684Ashdawn684
    Posts: 851Member
    Now that school is out I seriously might try this (defiantly when I will be home for several days!) the baking soda/vinegar deal anyway
    ~Live life to the fullest, or die trying~
  • [Deleted User]
    Posts: 7,052
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
    well behaved women seldom make history
  • primalmommaprimalmomma
    Posts: 1,137Member
    it takes a while to adjust. took me a couple weeks.  and there are ways to put powder in your hair to help collect the "grease"  .... but everyone will adjust who tries it. and finds their own balance for the "baking soda" shampoo :)  I have gone back & forth between regular shampoo and baking soda/vinegar.  Still haven't committed all the way to baking soda only cuz I love the smell and lather of real shampoo... but my hair gets real yucky after I use regular shampoo.
    “I did then what I knew to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” (Maya Angelou)
    http://www.primalmomma.com
  • primalmommaprimalmomma
    Posts: 1,137Member
    I found that if I boil my water for 15 min ahead of time and use that water in my baking soda and vinegar mixture...it helps.  not sure if it's the chemicals in the tap or not.
    “I did then what I knew to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” (Maya Angelou)
    http://www.primalmomma.com
  • [Deleted User]
    Posts: 2,509
    I just don't even want to try this! No way in hell. I have a ridiculous amount of hair. Thick, heavy, long, wavy hair. And I actually LIKE shampooing my hair! If I couldn't shampoo every day in the shower, I would die. Dead. Done. Poof!
    Get me a damn beer.
  • CoffeeQueenCoffeeQueen
    Posts: 227Member
    I would love to have the guts to try this...but oh dear Lord my hair is already oily enough. I know in the long run it might help, but in the meantime, I'd have to look like a total grease ball. I'd have to wear a bonnet or something to cover the mess up. ;)) Plus I like the scent of shampoo.  I don't know...maybe I'll try it after school is out and I don't have to be seen in public except at the lake, where I can just get wet and no one will know my hair is "adjusting" to not being washed lol
  • WillileeWillilee
    Posts: 1,007Member
    I'm too chicken. I wash every 2-3 days.  My hair goes: day 1) varying degrees of earth mother frizz, day 2) rock star, day 3) long-time homeless person.  I could never get away with it at work past day 3.  Plus day 3 I always smell dirty hair; DH says my hair always smells good but I am really paranoid.  Sticking with the shampoo :(
  • shadylaneshadylane
    Posts: 3,071Member
    that's why u use dry shampoo on the in between days! it really works, my hair was super oily too. i can still only skip 1 day though, 2 at the most. but it still saves me money on shampoo, conditioner and color.
    ~slim shady~
  • primalmommaprimalmomma
    Posts: 1,137Member
    shadylane said:

    that's why u use dry shampoo on the in between days! it really works, my hair was super oily too. i can still only skip 1 day though, 2 at the most. but it still saves me money on shampoo, conditioner and color.



    think some ladies need to be converted...bring 'em over to the "dark side!!" ;p 

    “I did then what I knew to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” (Maya Angelou)
    http://www.primalmomma.com
  • SofaQueenSofaQueen
    Posts: 171Member
    I have been trying the no 'poo baking soda/vinegar method. It seems like my adjust net takes a really long time. Like weeks and weeks. I am trying to stick it out, but after about a month I say forget this and break out some shampoo. I just try to wash it gently with the poo and stay away from scrubbing my scalp, then go back to no'poo.

    I am using about 1 Tbsp baking soda in 1 cup water and about a 50/50 acv-water mixture every other day.

    Ay suggestions?
  • Emylibef
    Posts: 6Member
    I do this. It's been a few months now. I love it - my hair went from greaseball to actually kind of normal. The baking soda is actually kind of fun to use bc I essential oil it up. I can't do the vinegar more than once a week though.
  • canadamom
    Posts: 876Member
    @sofaqueen - perhaps you are still "washing" it too much by using the baking soda and vinegar every other day?  I try to go 3-4 days before I use it and only wet and recondition my hair in between.

    I also dilute the vinegar way more than you do - like 1/4 cup vinegar into 6 cups of water - so you could be stripping too much of the natural oils away making your adjustment phase way longer than it should be.
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