Give It A Try – No Poo, Take 2
Posted on August 23, 2007 by
About a month ago, I attempted to give up shampoo in favor of baking soda and apple cider vinegar, but I wasn’t impressed with the results. A few weeks ago I read about going “no poo” by using conditioner only, so I tested it out.
The theory is that most conditioners contain mild surfactants that will remove dirt and oil gently when you rub them through your hair. When harsher detergents found in shampoo are used, they strip natural oils from the scalp. This encourages the scalp to produce more oil, which is why hair gets greasy when it isn’t washed.
I was skeptical, but I figured I’d give it a try.
After a week of using only conditioner, my hair was soft, tangle-free, and not the least bit greasy, even when I skipped a day of washing my hair. I’ll still probably wash my hair with shampoo once a week, but I like this version of going no poo so much, that I plan to keep it up.
To use conditioner only, gently work it through your hair as you would shampoo. Rinse, and then apply again and leave in for a minute, rinsing with cool water. I like to use a wide tooth comb to distribute the conditioner through my hair and get the tangles out.
If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it works out!
I will be the ultimate test as I have very oily hair. I will try it but am VERY skeptical. Hmmm
My hair tends to get oily too, but it wasn’t a problem. The only thing that might be an issue is if you use a lot of styling products. I’m not sure if conditioner will break those down as well.
Let me know how it works for you!
I was once told by a hairdresser that it takes the root of the hair 24h to dry up completely (even if you use a hairdrier on the hair itself), so if you wash it everyday, the root is permanently wet. She said you should only wash it two days in a row, if you needed to wash off some substance that was even worse for your hair (salt, swimming pool chemicals, that sort of thing).
I wash my hair every other day, and it looks great. Plus, I’ve cut down my use of hair products in half.
I might give the conditioner thing a try, though.
Another option is using sulfate-free shampoo. I’ve been doing that and it makes my hair feel super-healthy!
I cannot believe this works. Every morning I am the biggest greaseball and have had to wash my hair every day since I was a teenager, so you can imagine my skepticism. Not only does it work, my hair feels like it has more body, it’s more manageable (no flyaways) and it’s not greasy the next morning! Unbelievable!!
I must be doing something wrong. I used just conditioner this morning and my hair looks greasy and limp today. I’m using Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner. Maybe it’s the conditioner. I’ll try it again this weekend with another brand. I so wanted it to work too.
The type of conditioner does matter. If it’s too thick or heavy — if it tends to cause buildup, it’s not going to work as well. If it feels like it rinses clean, it’s good. I use Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Conditioner, and it does the trick.
I’ve been in this method for 2 months and I can’t see improvement in my hair, maybe because it’s curly and I need to use products. At this moment I’m using Suave Naturals conditioner (apple one); do I need to change it??…Can I keep washing my hair every two days?? please help me.
Hi Sophie,
I have curly hair too. I’ve found luck with Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Conditioner because it doesn’t leave a lot of build up (and I swear, I’m not associated with Burt’s Bees, that’s just what I like the best after doing the rounds of natural conditioner testing).
I also really like using a (very little) bit of Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil to tame the frizzies. I used to have to use a lot of gel to keep my hair from going crazy, but after I got rid of the build up and stopped stripping my hair with conventional shampoo, I didn’t need to use it anymore. I used Suave years ago. I think it probably has a lot of chemicals in it you might want to eliminate from your routine. If you feel like you need to keep using product, look for something that’s alcohol-free. I think the alcohol can be very drying.
Thank you very much Allie, and I really appreciate your suggestion,I´m so going to take it. I’ll get rid of the Suave conditioner and use the Burt´S Bees. The only problem I have is that where I live I can’t find those products. Anyways I’ll handle it. Just wanted to thank you again. I’ll let tou know what happened.
After a extra-strenuous roller derby practice tonight, I have come to the conclusion that this method will not work for me. When I came home from practice tonight my hair was so soaked with sweat I looked like I had taken a shower. I’m pretty sure conditioner is just not going to cut it. I do use paraben and pthalate free shampoo and conditioner, which makes my color last and my hair stay so soft, but with practice 3 nights a week, skating two more times a week and the gym on other nights, I’m going to have to stick with the suds. On a side note, I’ve discovered that I don’t smell any worse after practice using crystal deodorant vs. antiperspirant. And I sweat A LOT. More than you ever needed to know, I’m sure, but maybe it will help some people make a decision about what products are effective. I’m a great person to test out alternative cleansing methods because I get REALLY dirty.
I’ve read comments from gym rats that say no poo-ing even works after a workout… maybe try the baking soda and apple cider vinegar before conditioner? I just tried that for the first time today. I hadn’t shampooed in a couple days and my hair was pretty greasy but after the bs/acv wash it feels really clean! lots of body too, without the thick conditioner weighing it down.
I’ve been doing this for several months now – it’s especially good for curly girls like me because shampoo is very drying to our hair (which needs boocoos of moisture). I recommend also using not just ANY conditioner, but a conditioner that is also free of silicones. I “wash” (or, as the curly girls call it, “CO-wash” (with the CO meaning “conditioner”)) with Suave Naturals Conditioner, and then I actually condition with Loreal Vive Pro for medium curly-wavy hair. This is the cheapest combo I’ve found, and also the one that makes me and my hair the happiest. Be careful if you go for the Vive Pro, though – read the label on it, as there are about 10 kinds of Vive Pro and only one of those is silicone-free.