It has been six months
since I stopped using shampoo. It all started as a short experiment when my
editor asked if I'd try the ‘no poo’ method just for the month of January. I
agreed reluctantly, and together with Margaret Badore, dived headfirst into the
world of extremely alternative hair care.
Our experiment resulted in this post:
“The No Shampoo Experiment.” While Margaret went cold turkey for a month, I
continued to ‘wash’ my hair with baking soda and condition with apple cider
vinegar.
I never dreamed I'd still be doing it at the beginning of July, but
here I am, a staunch convert to the ‘no poo’ method with no intentions of going
back.There are so many things I love about it, and this is what I tell people
who are curious about my strange hair-washing habit.
There was almost no
adjustment period for me, which I think is common for people with really thick
hair, or hair that is washed no more than once or twice a week. The biggest
hurdle for me was psychological and getting over the fleeting smell of salad
dressing in the shower as I poured vinegar over my head. (Don't worry – it
dissipates immediately and there's no residual odour.)
My hair is getting
healthier and more manageable the longer I avoid shampoo. It gets less greasy
and I can go longer between washes, usually 4-5 days. It is softer, shinier,
and less frizzy than before. I have fewer bad hair days, and can get the
natural, loose curls I like with just a bit of coconut oil rubbed into my damp
hair.
There have been only two times that I used natural shampoo instead of
soda and vinegar, and that was when I travelled to Honduras and Mexico for
writing assignments this spring. Both times I thought it was better not to get
questioned about a strange white powder in my luggage.
I saw a big difference
after washing with shampoo. My hair was drier and frizzier, and it looked
greasy within two days. I also noticed that my scalp was itchier after using
shampoo, perhaps because the natural oils were stripped away.
I love how the no
‘poo method fits in with my quest for Zero Waste living. In six months, I've
gone through one cardboard box of baking soda and I'm only halfway through the
same jar of vinegar. There are no empty plastic bottles of shampoo and
conditioner to toss in the recycling bin, nor the accompanying host of hair
care products that I relied on to tame my hair.
If the no ‘poo method has
intrigued you for a while, why not give it a try? You might be pleasantly
surprised at the result. Here is what I do:
Measure 2 tbsp baking soda into a
500 mL/1 pint glass jar. Wet hair. Fill jar with water and stir to dissolve
baking soda. Pour over head and scrub into hair. Rinse. Measure 2 tbsp apple
cider vinegar into same jar. Add water, pour over head, and rinse almost
immediately.
(These amounts are for long hair. If yours is short to medium
length, use 1 tbsp of baking soda and vinegar in 1 cup of water. If your hair
doesn't seem clean enough once it's dried, use a bit more soda next time.
