"No Poo?" What an Experience!

If you spend much time perusing the natural care boards on Pinterest, it's likely you've come across the "No Poo" method for hair care.  Given my interest in how to do things naturally (how on earth did people in the 1700s wash their hair?) and my recent investment in actual research, I thought I'd give it a try.  An honest try, not just a one-time deal.

So, for the last four months, I've committed to washing my hair with baking soda, or a baking soda solution, and conditioning with apple cider vinegar, and then treating any dryness with my own leave-in serum concoction (which was amazing, I must admit!).

First, I tried the baking soda solution (1T soda to 1C water), which looked great because the author has beautiful hair and also color-treats it like I do.  So, I gave it a whirl, trying to be very careful to keep the solution at the roots only.  Not an easy task because this solution is like water.  I'd get it right once in every two or three washes (and I only washed two to three times per week).  When you get it wrong, and get too much solution into the length of your hair, it doesn't seem to matter how much you rinse, your hair is going to feel like you have a week's worth of dirt and oil in it....and DRY like straw!  I could barely get my fingers through it.

But, I was committed... I hate the idea of using regular shampoo and conditioner with all of the detergents, parabens, and silicons (yuck!) in them these days.  So I persisted.

Then, I came across another blog (but I can't remember which one?) where the author was dampening dry baking soda in her hands and then massaging into her scalp.  This is a much more controllable way to clean your scalp and hair roots, I must admit, because it doesn't run all over the place or down into the length of your hair.  But, you end up using more baking soda, which leads to the same haven't-washed-my-hair-in-a-week feeling, and extreme dryness.

Boo!  I LOVE my hair, and really missed its softness.   I was also using a LOT of the apple cider vinegar to ensure a good condition, but it was all about the baking soda for me, apparently.

Don't get me wrong, my hair was still very, VERY healthy...healthier, in fact, than ever before in my life!  But, it's also very thick, and I think it's just difficult to get all of the baking soda out of it... or maybe it's because I was "washing" my hair so much less.  And we all know that the more you wash it (and dry it), the harder it is on your hair.

So, I've decided to go back to "poo," for now, but will opt for a shampoo/conditioner with no sulfates (as natural as possible) and still stick to washing every three days.  The great thing is, though, that I've learned something throughout this experience, and I do love learning!  Should the need arise, I have learned that I CAN clean my hair with baking soda and vinegar, but right now, the need just isn't there.

If you've tried the "no poo" method, I'd love to hear about your experience (and maybe some advice to make it better?).  Maybe you can convince me to go back! :)

Thanks for reading!  Till next time...