This post has been trying to come through for a few months now and I’ve been dodging it unsuccessfully. My brain says it isn’t exactly on topic; my heart says to write it anyway. Eventually the heart always wins! And I suppose body-care fits squarely into the self-care category of holistic health and wellness, so… here we go.

For years I’ve been spending a small fortune on organic shampoos and conditioners with less-than-optimal results. Either I don’t love the ingredients or the way my hair looks, smells, or feels afterwards. I especially dislike the single-use plastic containers. Sadly, everything available in bulk locally just doesn’t suit me either. I tried shampoo bars and was greatly underwhelmed.

Last spring when my business was shut down and I was confined to home, I decided to conquer this predicament once and for all. Some online research led me to the “no-poo” technique, which (I’m happy to say!) has absolutely nothing to do with constipation.

I was surprised to read that suds simply aren’t necessary to clean one’s hair even though we have been conditioned (pun intended!) to believe they are. No-poo advocates claim that the suds strip natural oils from hair, stimulating the scalp to produce more oil and causing a never-ending cycle of greasy hair/shampoo/greasy hair… It makes perfect sense if you think about it.

Some people are able to care for their hair using only hot water. Not me. I’ve gotten hooked on the baking soda and apple cider vinegar method. I love the simplicity of the ingredients; perfectly naturally substances that come in cardboard and glass, respectively. Here’s a lovely bonus- extremely low cost! Good for my hair, my budget, AND the planet. A rare trifecta in the natural products realm!

I have a crystal-clear memory of my first no-poo experience. Afterwards, I was sitting on the back patio reading and my neighbor told me that my hair looked glamorous.

Yes, that’s right!

Glamorous!

I remember it vividly as that’s not a word that has ever been used to describe me or any part of me. I had towel dried, but not combed, my hair and was wearing my 2020 uniform of pajamas. I felt pretty much the opposite of glamorous.

Just wait. It gets better! I noticed that my hair was super soft and rarely tangled. My scalp did not get oily. It looked really good on days 3, 4, and 5. Days 6 and 7 it became a little limp and by then I’d usually gotten some moisturizer or almond butter or something in it which compelled me to “wash” again. I haven’t tested the limits of this system, but I suspect if I was neater, I could go much longer in between treatments.  

You can easily find instructions for no-pooing online. I’m just here to let you know that this cheap, simple, easy, non-toxic shampoo alternative that can last up to a week and help save the polar bears is available to all of us.

Give it a few cycles before you make your final judgment. For me, there was a sticky feeling the first few times, which I think was actually the residue of former products being released. It hasn’t happened again in the many months that I’ve been doing this. Twice I’ve felt the need to do a deep conditioning, but that isn’t new for me.

If you’re interested in spending less than $15 annually to have glamorous, shiny, healthy hair without creating unnecessary plastic waste or exposing yourself to chemicals, I can wholeheartedly suggest that you give this a try. I’d love to hear how it goes if you do!