Have any of you heard of the ‘No (sham)Poo ’ method of cleaning your hair? Read the article below:

http://www.naturemoms.com/no-shampoo-alternative.html

I gave up shampoo about a month ago, maybe a bit longer. I haven’t had time to devote to doing the baking soda & Apple Cider Vinegar rinses, but I’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Soap (http://www.drbronner.com), which is just as good.

Dr. Bronner’s is a wonderful product. You can use it for anything from cleaning your bathroom, to your laundry, to even your body! It’s completely organic, biodegradable, and vegetable-based, uses fair trade organic and essntial oils, no synthetic ingredients, and is packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled containers. You just can’t beat it! I use it for my hair, my body, and for cleaning my menstrual cup. I plan to use it in other ways eventually.

Now, when you do ‘No Poo,’ (as the article says) most people go through a period of time where they have pretty oily or oddly-textured hair. I’ve been going through this for a few weeks now, and for the first time, my hair is “normalizing” this week. Back when I was using regular shampoos and conditioners, I could go 2-3 days without washing my hair before it looked greasy. Now… without the harsh chemicals and synthetics it was used to, my hair “wigged out” and started creating lots of oil. Hence why I’ve been so interested in trading for head scarves lately. Gotta cover it up!

But lemme just say it feels really good to be using something so natural and earth conscious on my hair and body. Has anyone else tried the No Poo method or used Dr. Bronner’s (or something similar) before? I’d be interested in hearing!

I’m not really adding much to this. While I have heard of No Poo before, I have yet to try it. I’ve wanted to try Bronner’s products for about a year now. I was thinking of Dr. Bronner’s for cleaning around the house and laundry. I’m a bit weary of using it on my hair or as a face cleanser though. Does it depend on the type of hair you have? I’ve used some Giovanni products. Also, the skin on my face is super sensitive…I could try baby mild and see how that works maybe. Looks like I have to cut this short for now….have to shut down the computer. Anyway, thanks for writing this and informing others. Hardly anybody, including me, writes in this section of the forum. Kind of a shame.

I don’t know that the use of Dr. Bronner’s so much depends on the type of hair you have. My hair is naturally straight as a bone and is thick, and generally is easily maintained. Doing no poo is a big transition for pretty much everyone who does it. I mean, I am still experiencing oiliness in my hair, and I’ve been doing this for over a month. But so many people swear by it, I wanna keep going. It’s so cheap to give up all the shampoo and conditioner I used to use!

oh Kate, that sounds wonderful. I haven’t heard of no-poo actually until I came across this post. I am wanting to try and do the same except my scalp becomes itchy and oily within 2 days. I wash my hair everyday so it’s going to be tough to stick it out. I think I’ll give in within a week but it doesn’t hurt to try. I may last a MONTH. Ha! Your doing pretty well and as I see in your avatar, your hair looks lovely :)

Bakersfield, CA

Yeah, that was about 1 week into no-poo (when I took that picture). My hair looks good for less than a day, typically… which is a big change from how it used to be. I definitely have to wash it every day.

I think I am more conscious of how it feels and looks. I think I FEEL like it’s more greasy than it is, because it has a different texture. Peter (my boyfriend) says my hair looks fine, although I am more prone to bad hair days… which I never used to get. My hair is so straight and smooth naturally, so it’s taken some getting used to.

If you aren’t up for the baking soda/vinegar rinses like the article talks about, you can get a Dr. Bronner’s-like product (for cheaper than Dr. B) at Trader Joe’s. It’s store brand peppermint castile soap. I got some tonight and I’m gonna give it a try. 16oz bottle for $2.

Dr. B’s is great stuff. But if you’ve got expensive highlights or haircolor, please beware: after less of a week of using Dr. B’s for all our sudsing needs while on a white-water rafting trip (because it’s so eco-friendly), my normally brown-haired BF became a redhead! So if you’ve just blown your paycheck at the salon, you may want to stick to a more conventional line of haircare products… or if you’re ready to make a change, check out haircare lines like MOP (Modern Organic Products).

Fountain Hills, AZ

Thanks for the heads up, Julie. I hadn’t heard that before. I don’t really dye my hair anymore, so it won’t affect me, but I can totally see others finding that info useful. :-)

Huh. I’ve never heard of that other stuff, but I LOVES me some MOP. Just a quick and slightly off topic question – how does that menstrual cup work out for you? I know what they are and am considering getting one, but need some reassurance.

Interlachen, Florida

Ahhh, Menstrual Cups! I could be the resident menstrual cupper :-) I loooove my menstrual cup. I have been using them for about 8-10 months now, and I only wish I had known about them sooner!
So, menstrual cups are basically a bell-shaped silicone (or latex rubber) cup about the size of a shot glass, some smaller. They are placed internally and they catch the menstrual fluids internally, as opposed to absorbing fluids or catching them externally, which can be more messy. I use them because they are better for the environment (no more paper products going into landfills), but also because they save me so much money!
It took me some time to get used to them… there’s certainly a “learning curve” to using them, usually lasting 1-3 cycles, but for me, I got it right before my first cycle was even over. There’s so much I could say, but the best resources to check out are these:
WIKIPEDIA “Menstrual Cup”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cup
LIVEJOURNAL MENSTRUAL CUP COMMUNITY: http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/
If you have any other specific questions, please ask. I have a diva cup, which is the most popular and inexpensive, but I prefer my Lunette and my Lady Cup. :-)

Cool! Thanks for the info. =)

Interlachen, Florida

On the no poo: I’ve been doing it for a while, but when I bleach my hair I have to use shampoo afterwards. I do still have my organic shampoo, just for emergencies. It takes about a month for your hair to stabalize, and then it rocks. Try using an all natural wooden comb to help distribute the oils in your scalp. It helps to spread it from root to tip, which always rocks. I got mine off of ebay. I get compliments on my hair all of the time. The pink is gone, but I am keeping it blonde. And not using shampoo helps to keep it from looking brittle and straw like. One thing about the no poo process, your hair will feel thicker. YES! My hair is already pretty thick, with about half of it really wavy and the other half straight as a stick. And it feels thicker! I use Dr. Bronners castille soaps (they are naturally vegan, thank you) for making laundry soap, and washing my body, and other things. It didn’t do well on my face, though. And I’m not really putting it in my hair. As far as the face stuff goes, I know a woman who swears by witch hazel and shea. But I still get acne, so I am a lil hesitant to try shea. A good all natural cleanser, and moisturizer, are very important, though. I’m in the process of trying different acne treatments, though. One actually made things worse, and now I have acne in a spot on my face I never did before. I have a friend who swears by the menstrual cup. But not for environmental reasons. Seems her super light period is irratic, and she tosses them after each use. I have though of trying them… but am hooked on organic non-bleached tampons (with applicator, please). Maybe one day I will try a menstrual cup… but I can promise I will never go back to pads. Anyone else heard of using natural sea sponges like tampons? I’d go through an ocean full in two days, I swear…lol.

Aiken, SC

I’ve never tried the sponges, but I bought a pack of the Instead disposable cups to try the concept out before getting a reusable one, and I’m hooked. You should definately give them a chance. Hell, I’m considering buying a box just to offer up them here for people who are curious.

Interlachen, Florida

i would trade for a box to try

Kris: That’s what I was worried about mostly…using the Bronners as a face wash. I’m afraid, even with dilution, it could be too harsh. My face is oily/acne-prone, yet still very sensitive/reactive. Therefore, most, if not all of the face washes I used to use to treat the actual acne would end up making my face red, too dry, etc. It seems like a lot of products geared toward sensitive skin might not clean enough either or are for dry, sensitive skin (too moisturizing). When you say you’re in the process of trying different acne treatments, did you mean prescription (like from a dermatologist) or just store bought products? I’m not sure how sensitive your skin is nor how bad your acne is. One thing that has worked for me (at least more than anything else I used to use) is Aubrey Organics Vegecol Cleanser and toner (the sensitive skin line). They have a moisturizer (which I haven’t tried yet…due to shortage of funds) and a mask too. They also have a line for Oily skin (which I haven’t tried, except the mask), etc. Not saying it will work for you or everyone, but it has helped me. The cleanser from Aubrey is the only one that has ever toned down my skin (ugh..sorry…this sounds like an infomercial, lol). About the shea…I’ve used shea butter on my arms before, but like you, I’m afraid to use it on my face for fear I could break out more. I honestly don’t know how comedogenic it is/isn’t. Also, I’ve heard of the menstrual cups and the sea sponges, but have yet to actually take the plunge, so to speak, on trying either of them.

Rebecca: I skimmed the link you posted the other day, concerning the Instead cups. I’m curious, but what I’m concerned about (and how do I put this delicately)...is um…what about not so light days, lol?