Anybody do water only "no poo"?

[bentlaj11]

I started using BS a few weeks ago, and my hair got waxy- was using way too much! So, I stopped and have just been using WO to wash my hair. It has been less waxy, but I think I'm still going through some detox (it's not really greasy, but it's not soft either). My question is if you do WO, do you ever do anything else? My ends are really static-y, so I've used a little honey (not much) with no help. I've also done a few lemon juice rinses (which makes my hair feel less waxy in the shower, but once it dries, it's back to its weird state. ETA: We have hard water, so I don't know if my hair will need something besides water at some point. I have read about using salt, so I may try that soon.

Also, can you recommend a good hairbrush. I don't have a natural bristle one, yet, but I need a new one anyway. Thanks!

[lookatreestar]

i tried no poo... but really WO feels better to me. i did have a break and washed with regular shampoo/cond so i am in the oily detox phase.

[HannahW]

I have been really interested in this but do not know much about it. Could someone please explain how it works? BS= baking soda? WO= water only?

I do know that they put salt in water softeners so that should help a hard water problem.

[bentlaj11]

Hannah- Yes.. BS = baking soda, WO= water only. You may also see ACV = apple cider vinegar. Yeah I had read about salt in water softners too. My ends are really dry, so I am kind of scared to use salt. I think most people do a little bit of BS dissolved in water followed by an ACV rinse. I've read that you will go through a detox phase (anywhere from a few weeks to a few months- depending on how much product, etc you used before). I think the easiest way to just cut back on how often you shampoo, and that helps the oils you produce regulate. I was too lazy and just stopped cold turkey. I SAH, so I can deal with weird hair (ponytail or baseball cap!).

Lookatreestar- I like WO, too! I've never had non-shampoo'ed hair, so I don't really know what it is supposed to look and feel like- It feels heavy, but I'm sure I am still detoxing, too.

[rush2ady]

I tried it for a long time, and think I've read every single website and post on "no-poo" in existence!  Ultimately, it simply did not work for me.  I did try it for several months.  My very fine flyaway hair alternately looked like a constant greaseball, or after a BS wash, was so dry and brittle, it did not feel or look healthy at all.  WO did not work for me, my hair was disgusting.  From my vast internet research, those with my type hair (extremely fine) don't do as well.  Whereas those with thicker or curly hair do great after the initial adjustment period. 
I soooo wanted it to work, and to improve my hair health and thickness.  It did help me not need to shampoo as often.  I shampoo about every 4th day now (with Aubrey Organics shampoo).  Before, when I was shampooing daily, I would've been a total greaseball if I skipped a day.

Also, I love my boar bristle brush.  It has hard nylon bristles in it as well.  The 100% boar brushes were too soft to effectively brush through the hair.  I wash my brush on every shampooing day, if I don't, it will make my newly cleaned hair too oily. 

[TrishWSU]

Originally Posted by rush2ady 

Also, I love my boar bristle brush.  It has hard nylon bristles in it as well.  The 100% boar brushes were too soft to effectively brush through the hair.  I wash my brush on every shampooing day, if I don't, it will make my newly cleaned hair too oily. 

I have the same kind of brush and I love it! I never thought to wash the brush itself though-I'll have to try that!

I don't really no-poo; tried the BS & ACV route for a while but my hair was always staticy and dried out. Now I'll just do WO for 2-3 days and wash with Burt's Bees shampoo and condtioner every 3-4 days. My hair seems much healthier, shinier and softer now. Sometimes, like on that 3rd day of WO, I'll put just a little bit of vitamin E oil on the ends of my hair while it's still wet (I'm sure jojoba or olive oil would also work.) It helps tame the fly-aways and make the ends feel softer. 

 

[bentlaj11]

Thanks rush and trish! I've been trying to read as much as I can, too. And, I agree with you, Rush, it does seem like everyone it works for has thicker hair. I am on the fine/straight end, so maybe it won't work as well. Especially with hard water! I tried some salt water last night, and I think it's worse today (more greasy). I guess I will keep at it until I go somewhere where I can't sport a ponytail!

[hibana]

Ex-WO mama here. My hair is fine and fairly straight, and it worked well after the adjustment period. I stopped recently after 2 years because I had too much hard water buildup, so I switched back to using shampoo & conditioner once a week.

I did my hair upside-down in a basin of the hottest water I could stand, then rinsed it upside down in the shower under cool water to close the cuticle. I found that very hot water was necessary to get rid of the waxy feeling. As long as you follow with a cold rinse, it doesn't seem that hot water alone will damage hair. Washing it upside down made it dry much faster because the hair wasn't stuck to my scalp.

In addition to the boar bristle brush, do invest in a nice unfinished wooden comb. It will help clean your hair when you use it-- even when my hair looked and smelled perfectly clean, the comb would have grey gunk on it when I finished. (clean it with a toothpick or your fingernail) For the static on the ends, use a little oil.

hope that helps!

[swd12422]

My hair is thick and curly, but on the fine side, so this may or may not help... If you want to try to make WO work for you I definitely recommend hibana's method of washing your hair with hot water, scrub your scalp upside down too, to really get your hair clean from all angles, and then do a really cold water rinse to close the cuticle. I don't like to use any products on my hair, and this is the only way I can get enough volume at the crown to not look like a wet dog. (I don't have time to blow dry my hair, but if you do, blow dry upside down too, as that will give your hair more body.)

[HannahW]

Ok! I took the plunge, and on day three I am loveing it. I was down to only two shampoos a week already. I BS and ACV on the first day, then rised my hair after that. So far it is not greasy at all and even softer than before. So far, so good.

[bentlaj11]

Thanks Hibana and SWD for the tips! I didn't find a wooden comb, but I did get a boar bristle brush! I did end up using a little of my DS's CA baby soap on my crown the other night, and it has done pretty good so far. It's still very dry here where I live... so major static. I will probably end up doing a once a week wash with something, but I'm going to try mainly WO for awhile. I do think I will get hard water build-up.

Good luck Hannah! It's been fun trying out different things. I hope you get a head full of gorgeous locks with minimal up-keep! What started me on the journey was seeing my mom's hair get really dry. She's pretty low maintenance, too, so I wanted to go a different route. I've also started washing my face with honey, and I love it! I use brown sugar with it sometimes to exfoliate. It's good stuff (literally..haha!).

[TrishWSU]

Good tip about washing it upside down! My hair tends to mat to my head when it's wet and I have a hard time getting the stuff in the middle.

[maydaymom10]

I've tried the BS & ACV three times so far and so far am pleased with the results. I have to admit, and this is kinda funny, that I didn't wash the ACV out of my hair the first time I did it. I went and worked out the next morning & all I could smell was vinegar! I was really hoping that I wasn't suffocating the person next to me with the smell.

One question though regarding the BS... do you we your hair before applying it or put it on dry? I've been wetting mine, but thought I'd check. Thanks.

[simplyc]

I used to no poo and usually alternated between BS and WO.  -I would use BS and ACV once a week and during my other showers use only water.

I stopped no poo a few months ago and I hate how often I have to wash my hair!  I could go up to 4 days without washing my hair (not even washing with water) and you couldn't tell...I think it made my hair much shinier and I never needed condition other than the weekly ACV rinse.

[tracymom1]

My hair is pin straight and super thin so no-poo doesn't really work well for me most of the time. I had dreads for many years in my late teens and 20's so I got used to not washing and having to go back to it was so strange! I only use shampoo and conditioner once a week and I only shower every 3rd day so I am probably a stinky mess most of the time. I really love a long, hot , luxurious shower with nice smelling oils and lots of exfoliating but rarely have the time!

I tried using ACV but I have such a strong aversion to vinegar that it just didn't work for me. Just one whiff of it gets my gag reflex going. I do sometimes brush through some BS if my hair feels particularly oily.