What am I doing wrong? No-pooing

[Amy0417]

I know there are some old threads that might help me but I'm so busy with my studies I don't have time to search. I started No-pooing last Thursday. At first it was going great! I was doing a tablespoon of baking soda with water and poured it over my head and gently scrubbed. Then an ACV rinse (1 T and water). I would "wash" every 2 days.

The problem is my roots are really greasy now. If I run my hands through my hair it feels thick at the roots. I feel like I can't do anything but put my hair in a pony. Is this normal? Is this what they call the transition phase? Or is there no transition phase? I want no-poo to work because it has helped my acne a lot

[texmati]

lol! i clicked this link to suggest watermelon.

[Amy0417]

Originally Posted by texmati

lol! i clicked this link to suggest watermelon.

Haha! I knew someone would do that... thanks for the tip though... I could use that too

[karika]

I went no poo years ago, for about a year and a half. I had a transition phase where i just looked greasy and dirty, even though I was washing my hair with water daily and baking soda once a week or month. It got better. I used products again like crazy for about 2 years, then went back to only using products occasionally, then no poo again, except this time i don't do baking soda and vinegar (well I have done it twice) for the last 3 years. I had a transition phase again. so, my guess is it is a transition phase. If it troubles you and you have somewhere to be that demands not greasy looking hair, try putting powdered baking soda on your hair dry and working it in. Be careful not to get in your eyes, or sweat so that it runs in eyes because it stings... but the dry baking soda works to absorb the greasy look with no problem, although the whiteness has to be really worked in to not look strange or like grey hair.

[ASusan]

Transition, IME. Can you get a good (natural hair) brush? Brushing your hair distributes these oils down the shaft.

Don't do too much BS, as it will make your hair try to compensate by making more oils.

[Amy0417]

Thanks Mamas- I used my wooden comb in the shower and it did help a bit. I feel a little stinky though. I do think I used too much baking soda one day and my head probably made too much oil.

Would it be a bad idea to do a really diluted Dr. Bronners wash and then go back to no-pooing?

[Amy0417]

Originally Posted by Amy0417

Thanks Mamas- I used my wooden comb in the shower and it did help a bit. I feel a little stinky though. I do think I used too much baking soda one day and my head probably made too much oil.

Would it be a bad idea to do a really diluted Dr. Bronners wash and then go back to no-pooing?

Dr. B's didn't work.. I'm still greasy. I think I'm going to have to do some sort of wash because I'm going to a family party tonight, which will involve lots of hugs and kisses. Darn it! I want no-poo to work!

[swd12422]

I ended up going water-only and using a TINY bit of BS/ACV once a week, then tapering off to every few weeks. It's working much better for me, my roots aren't greasy at all and the rest of my hair isn't all dry and brittle like it was starting to get with the BS. I also just started using a shampoo bar once every 2-3 weeks instead of the BS, and I like that better, too, at least so far... I keep hearing that BS is too harsh, and I found that difficult to believe at first, b/c it worked so well! But I guess at least for me, it is too harsh...

[treemom2]

Could it be your water? I've been no pooing for years and recently moved to a place where the water is so hard you even have to put salt in the dishwasher (like a box)--it's crazy. Anyway, since moving here I haven't been successful with no pooing. My hair is soooo greasy. Do you have hard water??

[Amy0417]

Originally Posted by treemom2

Could it be your water? I've been no pooing for years and recently moved to a place where the water is so hard you even have to put salt in the dishwasher (like a box)--it's crazy. Anyway, since moving here I haven't been successful with no pooing. My hair is soooo greasy. Do you have hard water??

Hmm you know what we might have hard water. We don't have to put salt in the dishwasher though. We haven't even been living here a year yet so I'll have to find out. Thanks!

[columbusmomma]

Have you heard of the book Curly Girl? Great reading for no poo haircare,etc. and not just for curly hair. I use a "low poo" vs. "no poo", but both products are available in salons, products this author created. They smell great too!You can check out her site" www.devaconcepts.com