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I haven’t washed my hair with Shampoo in about 1 year! So how do I wash my hair without shampoo?
We’ll it’s really quite simple all you need is baking soda!
Many refer to this as the “no poo method”. When I first heard about no poo, I originally was a little hesitant to try it as many who have, say that for the first few weeks your hair is greasy and unmanageable. Not that I was too concerned about how my hair looked for a few weeks, I was more concerned that all of the extra oils from my hair may cause acne. I was previously using an all natural shampoo, however, it still contained ingredients that I did not feel comfortable rubbing into my skin! To me if it is not edible then I do not want it absorbing through my skin.
SO….. I decided to try using no poo! And to my surprise my hair never went through the period of feeling greasy or dirty. The baking soda removes the oils from hair and my hair looked the same as it did after washing with shampoo (even during the first few weeks of using it).
However, some do experience the greasy period which can range from 1 week to several weeks until your hair adjusts. (I probably use more baking soda than most so that may be why I didn’t go through that phase.)Now, after washing my hair for about a year without shampoo, my hair is stronger, thicker, does not get oily after 1 day of not washing, and even looks shinier!
Why you should wash your hair without shampoo:
-Shampoo contains toxic chemicals such as; Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, fragrance, Propylene Glycol – just to name a few.
-Shampoo removes your hairs natural oils.
Steps of How to Wash Your Hair without Shampoo – no poo method
- Take about 5 tablespoons of baking soda and put in a cup or bottle
- Fill the cup/bottle with water (about 8oz )
- Shake well or mix well
- Rub into scalp and through hair thoroughly
- Rinse out with water
- Optional: Condition with apple cider vinegar (mix a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into 1/2 cup water)
OR
Second Way of Using Baking Soda to Wash Your Hair
- Apply baking soda to your hair when dry, rub into scalp (basically use as dry shampoo)
- Rinse with water while continuing to rub the baking soda in your hair
- Rinse baking soda completely out
- Optional: Condition with apple cider vinegar (mix a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into 1/2 cup water)
I typically use the second method because my hair is very long and I find it easier to rub the baking soda in while dry. It also saves a little time as I don’t have to make the mixture in a separate bottle.
Does anyone else use the no poo method or have you considered trying it?
I’m wondering how do you get the dry baking soda into your hair without it getting all over the place? Do you use the mirror, or does it just take practice? Do you do it before you get in the tub, or once you’re in there?
I do it in the shower or over the sink, so it is still a little messy, but not too bad 🙂
Thanks for the info! I’m tempted to try this method… Are we talking Arm & Hammer baking soda, or is there a better brand I should be using? (if I’m gonna do it I want to do it right!)
I know for ACV you should use a brand like Braggs because it has “the mother” while others are more diluted…
You can use any brand of baking soda 🙂 Yep, that’s right, make sure to use the Bragg one with ‘the mother’ for ACV.
sorry. what I meant was the no poo shampoo.
Hello, Lori. May I know if the poo shampoo is good enough to be used after I rub the onion juice on my hair?
Is the poo shampoo is good enough to get rid off the smell?
I’d love to try the baking soda as a shampoo (and stop using shampoo on the counter).
I haven’t tried using the baking soda after the onion juice. I always used castile soap to get the onion smell out. Let us know how it works for you if you give it a try.
I stopped using shampoo a few years ago. People laugh at me when I tell them that shampoo is a conspiracy! But – the more you use it, the more you will need to use it. It’s a vicious circle: shampoo, hair dries (degreases), hair produces more grease, shampoo etc. Hair is very clever, when you dry it out it reacts by producing more grease. Just stop shampooing and it will find its own balance. I use baking soda once a week, apple cider vinegar every time I go swimming and a bottle of beer (on the head not drunk) about twice a month. Beer is marvellous, strengthens and shines hair.
haha exactly!
Hi, i am pleased to see above comments, i had been using amla retha and sika kai for a couple of weeks with no results so far. I just wanted to ask before started above method, my hair are damaged due to excessive use of iron and half of my hair are gone due to either hair thinning breakage or hair fall, is their any remedy to burnt hair and then hair fall??
please help
I have been using baking soda and acv for about 7 months. I make the mix and apply to my wet hair for the baking soda. I use jojoba oil too because my scalp still gets itchy. I feel like I have a good ratio to keep my hair feeling clean and nice. My problem is that I always have white flakes at my roots. I am not sure if it is dry skin from my scalp being itchy or the actual baking soda? Any advice, suggestions.?
You could try applying a little coconut oil near your roots. Just rub it into your scalp, leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes, then wash with the baking soda and ACV. I do this once a week because my skin tends to be dry.
Thanks for the advice. I have tried this. I really wanted to baking soda to work out but it just was way to drying for me. It just kept getting worse. It itched so much, it sucked. I recently switched to an all natural shampoo bar. The relief my scalp feels is amazing. I just could hack the baking soda. I still use ACV though.
Glad you found what works for you! Castile soap is also a great alternative. I’ve seen a few posts on using aloe vera for shampoo and I’d like to try that sometime.
I use all all natural shampoos, that are store bought. My favorite is Acure. You can buy it on amazon or at Whole Foods. I only wash my hair a 2-3 times a week and it never gets greasy. I have thick, wavy hair and the mint shampoo and conditioner are for thin hair. Makes my hair feel even stronger!
For more natural products, check out my blog:
http://www.lipsticksnstones.blogspot.com
🙂
Hello – when you say you have gone x amount of time without washing, does that include the bakig soda wash or completely without washing wether it be baking soda or shampoo. I’m just wondering what the end goal is: baking soda wash wkly/bi-wkly or to be weened off that eventually as well. Thanks!!
Good question! I meant that I’ve only been washing my hair with the baking soda and haven’t used shampoo at all.
After I saw this Pin, I tried the baking soda and cannot believe how well it works, and, no tangles. I recently purchased expensive chemical-free shampoo and conditioner but I don’t think I need to re-order as baking soda works great!
Yay! Glad to hear it worked great for you!
I have silky hair I’m a male 23 yrs my hair has dandruff n my scalp was itchy I tried a combination of heated coconut oil n lemon juice n another application was full egg on hair . My scalp itchiness reduced but elsewhere itching has started also on the right side on the front portion of head I feel I’m losing hair . Whenever I comb or run my hand over my hair some strands fall off plz suggest something for voluminous thick n growth of hair.
I’ve read that apple cider vinegar can also be used for dry itchy scalp. You may want to check out my post on using onion for hair too.
Is this okay to use on dyed hair?
My mom uses it on dyed hair and hasn’t had any problem with it.
Hey, I’ve been looking around online and thought this sounded like a good solution as I usually have to wash my hair everyday. For a week I watered down my shampoo untill it was just water and for the last three or four days I’ve been using baking powder (should it be bicarbonate of soda instead ’cause I’ve never seen baking soda in the uk?) anyway and my hair is still greasy- not as bad as if I was just using water but enough to make me thing oh dear I need to do something. How to the quantities of baking powder relate to having dry or greasy hair- more powder if you have more greasy hair? Plus will this be part of the transition time for me and it will pass? Thanks
It could be a part of the transition because it doesn’t strip the hair of oils as much as typical shampoo, and your scalp will adjust. Also, you could try increasing the amount of baking soda, when I did, it helped remove some of the excess oil.
hi today i tried the no poo method for the first time, after my hair loss had seemingly gotten worse. i usually rub the shampoo into my scalp n would proceed to massage the scalp. but with the baking soda, i dont feel the scalp is getting a good throughout cleanse, i cant seem to massage anything into my scalp, like there’s nothing there. is this normal? or am i doing it wrong? and im also terribly afraid of breakage, as each time i touch the scalp, literally, hair falls out…2 or 3 strands, each time! please any tips would be appreciated! tq!
I no poo method can take a few weeks to get use to, many go through a period where their hair is greasier than usual because the baking soda doesn’t strip as much of the oil. You could also try using honey or aloe as a shampoo, I’ve heard it is a little more gentle.
Hello, I’ve been doing the no poo for 3 days now and my hair feels like thick straw. I’m using the apple cider vinegar but wondering if this is suppose to be a live in conditioner because its doing nothing to untangle my hair. It also takes forever for me to dry my hair now. You mention coconut oil but this would make the hair oily, wouldn’t? I’m hopping to continue but soon won’t be able to comb through my hair if this keeps up. Help!!!
You can leave the ACV in or rinse it out. I usually just leave it in. I do a coconut oil hair mask weekly, and it does leave my hair oily if I don’t wash it out. But if you need a conditioner to use daily, you can also use avocado or coconut milk, they both work great!
I have been no-poo for almost three years now. My hair is shiny and manageable and fantastic. I can’t praise this method enough for what it has done. Switching also brought it to my attention that I am allergic to sodium laurel sulfate. I was constantly breaking out along my hairline and I had horrible dandruff and itching until I switched to no-poo. Since then I have begun washing my face with olive oil which cleared my entire face with the exception of my jawline. I realized that was the toothpaste! So I went for baking soda for the teeth. My skin has never been so clear. As for a slight itching at the base of the neck try Tea Tree oil. Rub it in and leave it for twenty minutes or so before washing with the no-poo method. Clears it right up. Then you can go a few washes before doing it again.
So glad to hear your good results!
Please let me from where i can get Apple cider vinegar?
Thank you,
Hi Moyna, I use Bragg’s ACV.
I have been suffering with skin issues on my scalp and ears since I was fifteen years old. Now that I’m in my late thirties and after spending so much time and money on fruitless attempts at finding a cure, I have found the “No Poo” method. I started four months ago and I will never forget the moment when I realized that my skin on my scalp and in my ears wasn’t itching, flaking yet was actually healing. I sat on my bathroom floor bawling my eyes out in triumph! Then I became very angry that I’d spent all those years in pain and dispair wondering what was wrong with me when all along it had been the toxic chemicals found my shampoo and soaps. The world can be a very scary place in which you have to be your own advocate in every compartment of your life. My regret is being naive and to listening to everyone but my own body which had been screaming at me for years. Try this method and be patient. It’s a little to get used to if you are an in and out of shower kind of person. Don’t worry about smelling like a salad either just take care of properly rinsing. Once your hair is dry you can’t smell it. After four months now I’m noticing that my hair has more bounce,feels thicker and doesn’t grease up as fast. Most of all my skin is healing and I’m able to wear my hair pulled back in public, something I haven’t been able to do in years! 😀
Thanks for sharing! So glad to hear it is working great for you!
I’m a little desperate 🙁
I’ve been a no-pooer for about 4 months. I wash with 1 tablespoon of bi-carb soda diluted in water and rinse with 1 tablespoon ACV diluted in water, but afterwards my head feels sticky and I assure you it’s not lack of rinsing, I get bored of rinsing that’s how many times a do it. What can be the cause of this? I thought it might be the amout of bi-carm I use so I’ve lessened it to 1 teaspoon diluted in water, but it still feels sticky and when it dries it looks clean but with product in it 🙁
Help!
Hmm..I don’t see how baking soda could cause it to be sticky. Do you have oily hair? My hair looked ‘dirty’ or like it had product it it when I wasn’t using enough baking soda though.
Hi, today is my second day of using no poo method my hair is soft and smooth and cleaned well but i felt they were bit tangled so I have used 2-3 drops of JOJOBA OIL as hair serum and it worked well for me. I am so glade that I have found you god bless you dear.Many Thanks
Thanks for sharing!
hi, i am 15 years and my hair is oily i have started using baking soda and veniger since one week. i hope this works . but i used alot of shampoos and evrything my hair falls out alot more then 60 to 70 strips i dont know what to do . my hair is week and it was very thick but now its so damn thin i get scared of it . is their any good oil so that i use it on my hair .? i wana strengthen my hair !
hi, i am using this method since a week now. my hair is oily but it falls out . i tried everything but doesn’t work . i will stick to baking soda and veniger will see what happens. but i don’t know why my hair falls around 70 strips daily . i use to have very thick hair . but now its very thin 🙁 . is it good to apply oil on oily hair? because i wanna strengthen my hair .
Hi Lori!
You mentioned that you sometimes put coconut oil in your hair as a conditioner – I am really curious how you get the oil out without using any soap! Do you just use a lot of baking soda/water mixture? I would love to get some tips on this. I really want to switch to the no shampoo method, but I love conditioning my hair with oil regularly so I hope you can get back to me soon! Thanks. 🙂
I use the coconut oil as a deep conditioning about once a week. It is hard to get the oil out (I use quite a bit) so I add a very small amount of baking soda to get out the excess. I also use Apple cider vinegar (diluted with water)every day and it is a great conditioner!
hiii can honey be work out as conditioner..plz suggest how to use that.my hair is normal and is falling too much these days..can u suggest how to stop hair fall
I have heard of it being used as a conditioner, but haven’t tried it myself yet. Several years ago I noticed my hair was thinning and after seeing a naturopath and getting a full blood work up I was able to correct a few nutritional imbalances and see great results. Naturopaths can be very helpful to find out the cause.
hello I realized this was posted a year ago. I came across a recipe for natural hair rinse I thought you may like. It’s blending 2 tablespoons of raw honey into half a cup of aloe vera gel or juice. I love it.
That sounds like a great recipe!
I’m considering this no poo method but I have thick hair and always need conditioner in order to brush it. I want to try using the baking soda as a dry shampoo then get a sprayer for the apple cider vinegar to spray on last. I have been looking for help with my dandruff and I just tried a hot oil treatment of coconut oil and tee tree oil, can I still use this? I read about using coconut oil but how and for what? I usually put my hair in a bun everyday (I know not good but it is what it is) and I realize that I don’t let it dry before I put it up so then at the end of the day it still is wet. I figure this may be causing the dandruff so I’m going to allow my hair to air dry as much as I can before putting it up. So just want to know about the coconut oil, hot oil treatments and if the apple cider vinegar will make my hair soft or manageable?
Sorry the same person for these last two. My computer was being goofy didn’t know I did it twice.
Hi, I am considering doing the “no poo” method but I am nervous. I have a dry, itchy scalp with dandruff and I have been scouring the internet to figure out what will help. I just tried my first hot oil treatment with organic coconut oil and tee tree oil. This made my hair so soft and help with the dandruff a somewhat but still there. I understand it will take time but will I be able to do this if I go no poo. I have always been a person who needed conditioner or else I won’t get a brush through my hair because I have think longer hair. I hear talk about using coconut oil but how do I use it? Can I still use the hot oil treatments or will I not get that oil out of my hair with baking soda? The chemicals in shampoo and conditioner are not to concerning to me but I would like to help my scalp. I’m going to try the baking soda as a dry shampoo and get a sprayer for the apple cider vinegar but wonder what to do about the hot oil treatment. I usually put my hair in a bun everyday and that’s not good, I know but I’m used to it and I usually don’t let my hair completely dry before I put it up so that can be the cause of my dry scalp but any help would be appreciated.
I use the coconut oil about once a week as more of a deep conditioning, it is hard to rinse out with just water so I usually add a dot of baking soda. The baking soda takes the applied oil out of my hair very well! Apple cider vinegar and avocados both work great for conditioning too. I think it also depends on how much baking soda is used, whether it causes hair to dry out too much. I started with a small amount to test it out first and then judge if I needed to use more. Hope this helps!
I love the idea of washing my hair this way but I have to ask does anyone have a problem with there hair being very, very, very dry after washing? What am I doing wrong? and is there anything I can do different that would help this problem? Thank you everyone!!!!
When I first started out my ends were a little dry, but using less baking soda helped a lot! I also use ACV as a conditioner and sometimes add in coconut oil or an avocado as a conditioner too.
I use baking soda and rinse with apple cider vinegar – I’ve been doing it for 5 years. I also use only crystal deodorant and virgin coconut oil on my skin. I started this because although I am not a drinker, I was diagnosed with cyrrohsis of the liver. I had been using equal. I did some research and decided that my problem must be the excess chemicals in my body. I cut out artificial sweeteners, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, air fresheners, etc. Two months later my tests came out fine. My doctor wanted to know what I did.. this did it. We are poisoning ourselves with excess chemicals in our lives.
So glad to hear that! It’s amazing what some simple changes can do!
I have really thick, wavy hair and lately it has become very dry and damaged looking (I color it). I usually let my hair dry naturally after I wash it because it’s such a pain to blow-dry. It always poofs and frizzes when it dries. I’ve tried all kinds of deep conditioners and masks, and nothing seemed to work. I used the Shielo Smoothing Shampoo and the Shielo Conditioner and noticed immediately when I was combing it that the ends didn’t feel brittle and my hair looked shiny. It actually dried curly instead of frizzy and is really bouncy! I love Shielo – and te smell is amazing!!!
Hi Lori
I went “poo free” for around a year, but I found that it dried out my hair terribly. My hair felt stripped. I am back on shampoo but my scalp feels tingly, although my hair looks better.
Just to let you know that I haven’t used any soap on my face for two years. I have a naturally oily skin and use olive oil to cleanse which I then steam off using a very warm face cloth and I rub macadamia nut oil into my skin. My skin is much happier and pores more closed.
Thanks for a lovely site!
I am actually thinking about switching from no-poo as well. I found this great recipe using a combination of coconut milk for shampoo and aloe for conditioner. It may be a great alternative that is less drying and does not remove as much of the natural oils from hair.