the no shampoo experiment

Every now and then, there’s a new thing that all of a sudden just seems to be everywhere. Think of oil pulling or the oil cleansing method, both of which I tried. The oil pulling hasn’t stayed with me (yuck!) but the oil cleansing method has become a favorite way of cleaning my face.

So I wanted to try this new method to see if it really meant my hair would be healthier and if maybe I could do with even less bottles in my bathroom. In my dreams, I have just one bottle for everything.

Sadly, following the ‘no poo method’ as it is called,  is not as easy as quitting your shampoo. It consists of a seemingly strict routine of extensively brushing and massaging your scalp before the shower, then again in the shower, then combing your hair after. Some sites suggest using baking powder and vinegar to ‘wash’ your hair. I have tried the massaging first and I thought it was a whole lotta work for something that was supposed to be simplifying my life. Besides, my hair wasn’t really getting clean and it looked the part.

The baking soda and vinegar worked better for me. I mixed up some baking soda and water and used that as a (very runny) shampoo. Than I sort of rinsed with diluted apple cider vinegar (which is also supposedly good for everything). Using the baking soda and the vinegar worked well for my hair (it was clean and shiny) but the whole process is very messy and whenever your hair is wet, it smells like vinegar. Not a good thing.

Despite everything, I thought my hair looked wonderful. Though it was a bit oily, I didn’t have a single bad hair day the entire time without using any product. I loved that part. It wasn’t enough though. Overall, I wasn’t satisfied. It was too much work and my hair was still oily and didn’t feel clean, even after a few weeks. When finally my husband said my hair smelled like pizza (yes, he said that), I knew I was ready to get back on the shampoo.

As part of my one bottle for everything dream, I have now started using Dr. Bronner’s soap. I’ll let you know how that works out.

Would you try the no poo method?

* oil pulling (or not) / oil cleansing method / no poo method