Nice Side Effect of Long-term No-Poo

[Ann-Marita]

I've been using dilute vinegar rinse on my hair (as an alternative to conditioner, or the very last rinse after using it) for all of my adult life. And I've been using a baking soda solution instead of shampoo for the last few years (and no commercial conditioners).

My hair is long - past waist length. The roots tend to be oily, the middle is normal, and the ends tend to be dry.

I realized that the "oily" and "normal" parts are moving DOWN my hair. This is terrific! It means that the oil my scalp naturally produces is able to travel farther down the hair before the roots look lank or dirty.

The middle of my hair looks shinier than it used to (more oil and less damage). And I'm hoping that the ends will become less dry as this process continues.

I am certain that this is all because I'm not stripping the oils by using commercial shampoos. I'm using gentle dilutions of the products I DO use (baking soda and white vinegar), because even natural stuff can strip the hair and leave it vulnerable to damage.

I'm so pleased with this. My dh does not understand why this is a big deal to me. So, I had to share it here.

[maxwill129]

Originally Posted by Ann-Marita

My dh does not understand why this is a big deal to me. So, I had to share it here.

I understand!!! My DH had the same reaction when I got excited over no 'pooing. It wasn't until he felt how soft and clean my hair was that he "kind of" understood!

Shannon

[Spastica]

My parents think I'm crazy for telling them vinegar and baking soda work for absolutely everything. It's a good thing my boyfriend doesn't think it's crazy (at least he doesn't say it to my face), and he tries some of the things I give him. He likes using apple cider vinegar on himself and uses tea tree oil shampoos.

[little-g]

I had been following previous posts (Spastica - I think they were yours?) on no-pooing and my DP and I have tried it. Well, strike me down and call me jane, it works! haha. I love it! The first time I tried it I thought that my hair "still felt dirty" as i got out of the shower. Then, as you say Ann-Marita , I realised that it was only because not all of the oil in my hair had been striped bare by harsh detergents. And yes, a woman's gotta share these things!

[Irishmommy]

I'm glad it works for you, but it just made my hair greasy and disgusting. And I tried for months, with different amounts of each, and nada.

[Spastica]

I had greasy looking hair with no poo for months. Some of it, I think, was just transition period, other half, I think I wasn't scrubbing all my hair and using enough baking soda.

I think I was originally using a teaspoon or so of baking soda instead of a heaping tablespoon. Also, I scrubbed my scalp only and didn't scrub the rest of my hair at all. Doing that works with regular shampoo, since shampoo runs down your hair and cleans it without you having to scrub it, but it doesn't work with baking soda. You have to manually manipulate your hair.

Also, I found more success using a tablespoon of baking soda and squirting some silicone-free conditioner in it. My hair gets big, bouncy, and clean. I also use some apple cider vinegar afterward, but I can't use too much or else my hair flops.

I started no-pooing in February and use Avalon eeeeevery once in a while for special client meetings or interviews or something, but my hair didn't start looking better until just a month or so back. I still have good days and bad days and I'm still experimenting. The quality of my hair, I have to say, is better. My hair is also visibly growing, which it wouldn't do before - it would just snap off and look ugly if I tried to grow it out.

Little-G - Thanks for reading my posts! I like that I'm not addicted to this forum in vain