Holy moly I can’t believe I am writing this! Over three years without shampoo. Not a drop of shampoo has touched my hair in 38 months – that’s over 1,000 days. But why? And how? And why??
Resources for The No Poo Method
First, let’s get some housekeeping out of the way. When I post these updates, I get flooded with questions. And I love hearing from you! But usually the answer is just one click away. Here are some resources to help you.
- The No Poo Method website: I get more questions about no poo than anything else I write. So I created this website dedicated just to no poo and natural hair care. It’s full of lots and lots of info on how to troubleshoot your no poo experience. The FAQ page is a great place to start.
- The No Poo Method eBook: Can’t get enough about no poo? Don’t worry! I have you covered! I wrote this eBook just for you. It’s over 75 pages, has over 20 DIY recipes, getting started guides, and virtually everything you could need to get started with no poo today. Check it out here.
- My journey: This has been 3 years in the making. You can check out my previous reviews and updates here:
What is No Poo? And why would I wanna do it?
There are an average of 15 toxic chemicals in a bottle of commercial shampoo. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, allergies, fertility problems, autoimmune disorders, and hormonal disturbances. “No poo” simply means that I don’t use commercial shampoo. Natural, nourishing, healthy ingredients are what make natural, nourished, healthy hair. The idea that your hair needs chemicals to be healthy is crazy! And frankly, the commercial shampoo marketers are genius to convince us of that.
I have a history of back surgeries. After my fusion, my surgeon started talking to me about my next steps and my next surgery. Wait….what?? My fusion was supposed to be my final fix-all solution. But it wasn’t. I started researching natural remedies. I made drastic changes in my diet. I started to feel better. I started using toxic free cleaning products. I felt even better. I was addicted to detoxing my life and I was feeling better with each step I took. So I took a look at my bathroom. My shampoo had to go. That’s when my no poo journey began.
You see, this is more about hair. It’s about being healthy. I’m stronger and healthier now than the doctors said I could be. Not because of no poo. But because of all the changes I made to get the chemicals out of my life; chemicals that cause inflammation and hormonal disruptions.
You can read more about my decision to go no poo here.
My No Poo Routine
As you can tell from my yearly updates above, my routine has changed over time. And it’s changed again. I now go 2-3 weeks between washing my hair. And my sweet spot (when I have the best hair days) is after about 7-10 of not washing my hair.
- I wash every 2-3 weeks with rye flour, baking soda, or bentonite clay. You can read about those methods here. Rye flour is what I use most.
- I condition with diluted apple cider vinegar.
- I add essential oils to all of my hair care products. Find out which essential oils support healthy hair here and order them here. There’s also a chapter on essential oils and hair in The No Poo Method eBook. It’s important to understand that the oils from the drug store will not provide the healthy hair support that pure, therapeutic grade essential oils will. Sure, they’ll smell good. But if you want to see great results, you’ll want to use quality products. Same goes with all the products, including baking soda. Check out what to look for in your baking soda here.
- I use dry shampoo in between washes as needed. Here’s my DIY recipe.
- I scritch & preen several times a week. Here’s a video tutorial. I use this brush.
Pictures of My No Poo Hair
Here are some pictures of my over the last year. To see older pics, check out the previous yearly updates (1 year, 2 years).
