No ‘Poo Experiment Days Four, Five, and Six
Yesterday I spent an hour writing a No ‘Poo update post, complete with detailed reports and graphs and pie charts and photos…
Don’t worry, though: I tweeted my way through the grief.
“What a waste of time that was,” I decided, so today, I’m going to give a *brief* update with fewer photos, because you just never know what post is going to be a complete bust. I hated wasting that hour of my life last night. I absolutely loathed it.
So. Briefly: I am not washing my hair with shampoo anymore, for forever, or until I can’t stand it any longer. You can read the background to this experiment here and here, Day One results here, and Days Two and Three results here, if you’re so inclined. But I wouldn’t blame you if reading the fine details of my hair care regimen isn’t high on your list of priorities. I can think of two million things more important, as a matter of fact. Heck, why am I even here?
No ‘Poo Day Four:
Nothing changed from Days Two and Three. My hair smelled fine, felt fine, looked fine. It even tasted fine. [I just wanted to see if you were paying attention---I didn't actually taste my hair.] Amen.
No ‘Poo Day Five:
Day Five was the first day my confidence in this experiment actually began to waver. After I showered and scrubbed my hair with water for the fifth day in a row, I got out and towel dried/blow dried it, and found myself with rather greasy locks.
Method: Same as always.
Woes: Much greasier-feeling hair than usual. Even though it looked fine, it felt heavy and limp. The extra greasy feeling seemed to weigh down my bangs. Without the benefit of chemical-laden hairspray (I do miss it), I became quite frustrated with it. My hair went into a ponytail for the first time since I started the experiment.
And I was none too happy about my failure.
Touch Test: Greasy. Greasy to the max. So greasy, that after I ran my fingers through it, they felt moisturised, like I had used lotion on them. It was not pleasant.
Whiff Test: Poor Kyle and his mother and the secretary from his work (hi, Shannon!) all swore it smelled like normal hair.
Day Five Verdict: The half-full bottle of Herbal Essences™ was looking pretty seductive. Ditto the can of hairspray sitting on the bathroom counter. But I stood my ground. I am strong.
No ‘Poo Day Six:
Method: Like usual, I scrubbed my hair with just water and my bare hands in the shower. I got out, towel dried/blow dried, brushed thoroughly with a boar bristle brush, and began to style. I wanted to see how well my un-shampooed, unconditioned, and un-hairsprayed hair would hold a curl. In another life, without all my PRODUCTS (read: life-sucking chemicals), my hair would have been flat within an hour. But guess what? It actually held up pretty well…
This photo was taken as soon as my hair was styled in the morning. While it didn’t stay exactly this fresh and lovely throughout the day, by bedtime, there was still a definite curl to my hair. I was shocked at its resilience.
Woes: My Day Six hair was as greasy as Day Five, but not any moreso. I was actually getting used to the feeling. I started to realise that “greasy” does not necessarily equal “gross.” In fact, a better word for the texture of my Day Six hair is “waxy.” It felt like I had styled it with pomade the night before, and slept on it without washing it—in other words, it felt exactly the same as the morning after a high school formal dance. I suspect that the waxy feeling contributed to the curls’ resilience. Homemade pomade. Sweet.
Unfortunately, the natural pomade in my hair didn’t help my bangs become any more manageable. Bangs are a mistake; at least, they have been very troublesome for me without the use of hairspray. In the end, I had to pin them up weirdly. I know they were ugly, but trust me: it was the only way I could live with myself that day.
Touch Test: Waxy.
Whiff Test: Either everybody is lying to my face, or my hair really truly doesn’t smell bad. People just keep saying, “It smells like hair.” I take that to mean, “It doesn’t smell lovely like it would if you were using Herbal Essences™ and BioSilk Silk Therapy™ and VaVaVoom™ Volumiser and leave-in conditioner and a spritz of dollar-store hairspray, but it certainly doesn’t reek.” That’s my interpretation. Who knows, though? Mabye I’m just in denial.
I’ve been a few days stranded in the mountains now, and the best thing about being stranded on the No ‘Poo diet? I don’t miss the shampoo I didn’t pack. Awesome.
Now if only that bonus would extend to my sorely miscalculated ONE pair of spare underoos…
Posted: June 24th, 2009 under Cutting Back, It's All Good, health and vitality.
Tags: the no 'poo movement
Comments
Comment from Cristin
Time June 24, 2009 at 9:15 am
I don’t know what’s worse right now, your hair or your underwear situation. Your hair looks nice, but I’m not entirely convinced this is a good thing yet. Remember, I want to see ONE MONTH at least.
Comment from ann marie
Time June 24, 2009 at 9:56 am
I wondered how it would be once you styled it.. Glad I found out.
I LOVE your cute towel holder! :)
Your making the hair work! You go girl!
Comment from Aubrey
Time June 24, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I’m thoroughly intrigued by this experiment!
Also, how do you get those BEA-utiful curls in your hair?? I’d love for you to do a tutorial on that :)
Comment from Lindsey Layton
Time June 24, 2009 at 1:09 pm
That first pic with your hair curled is BEAUTIFUL!!! I absolutely LOVE it! I’m also loving this experiment.
Comment from Crissie
Time June 24, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I’m really fascinated with your no poo experiment. I think the curls are absolutely lovely. Just so you know, I love to add my two cents in whenever I can….so in going totally natural with your hair, would you ever consider using something like a little baking soda in some water to run through your hair instead of shampoo? I know it works great to clean teeth :)
Comment from raygon
Time June 24, 2009 at 2:59 pm
you know I brush my teeth with baking soda and “wash” my face with olive oil? I also dont use lotion anymore, I use coconut oil in its place. YUM!
So you can always try those and go back to using shampoo. I wont judge.
I will admit, I shampoo and condition almost daily using an all natural, 100% organic hemp product. it is free of the nasty stuff and packaged in recycled plastic, and the label is printed on recycled paper with soy ink.
But granted, that makes my showers much longer than yours, and I am wasting water.
your curls look spectacular! I am really diggin the brown hair too. Looks great!
Comment from Jennifer
Time June 24, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I so badly want to FedEx you a pair of Wonder Woman Under Roos right now…1.)for taking on the grease monkeys of the hair underworld single handedly–very “Wonder Woman-esk” if you ask me and 2.) well, for obvious reasons of course.
Comment from anna
Time June 24, 2009 at 4:41 pm
This is a fascinating little experiment to follow, I hope you know. Because either you’ll give in or I’ll be convinced to follow suit.
PS Just b/c you don’t like people that argue over everything, I’ll argue back at your comment… in a pony tail, my hair is no thicker than one of my fingers. Not joking.
Comment from RatalieNose
Time June 24, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Your hair is absoloutely beautiful.
I’m jealous.
Comment from RatalieNose
Time June 24, 2009 at 6:41 pm
P.S.
I REALLY like your hair in a pony tail.
It’s sassy.
Comment from Jethro
Time June 24, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Hi Shannon too!! I didn’t know you worked at the fam biz. Do they need a chef, and/or someone to make sammiches for lunch?
C., i know you know i know it works. Trust your hubby and your mil, they are incapable of lying. We don’t do that here…nothing to hide kinda thing. Ye’hair still looks great, and, DANG, is my hair NOT burnt to you where know where since i turfed the hair gel.
Comment from niki
Time June 24, 2009 at 8:31 pm
i love this experiment!
your hair is holding up great! i know for a fact mine would not! yesterday was day 3 for me(not cuz i’m doing an experiment, just cuz i’m lazy) and it looked wet and nasty.
i was noticing how nice your ‘girls’ looked in the pic for day 5…i’m just sayin…
Comment from Anonymous
Time June 24, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Hmm… You’ve definitely piqued my interest. I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks bring!
Comment from Sariah
Time June 25, 2009 at 12:03 am
I’ve been experimenting with no ‘poo for awhile. First I just wanted to wash it less because it was really dry and damaged. I started shampooing every other day but while I was in the shower I used conditioner. After reading your blog, I tried just “washing” with hot water. I massage my scalp and try to spread the natural oils throughout my hair. So far, so good. I haven’t given up on nasty chemicals all together. Today is day three, and since I have to bee seen in public (darn job), I opted to add some gel and let it go curley. So far the grease is tolerable. Thanks for the added inspiration. Looking forward to future posts.
Comment from Irene
Time June 25, 2009 at 6:53 am
my hair just looks a lot greasier than yours… it’s only the first week, but this weekend I’m going to the beach, which means sand and salty water… I’ll take my shampoo just in case… keep on!!!! :)
Comment from Tisha
Time June 25, 2009 at 11:28 am
So, I was talking to my sister (who is a hairdresser) about your experiment and she was saying that its actually reccommended to only wash your hair once every three weeks. She said that makes it so that it (your hair) holds styles, ect. better. However, she said not washing your hair at all isn’t good for your hair because you have good oils as well as bad oils in you hair. Also, most of us apparantely have microscopic bugs on our hair. They’re not dangerous unless their left there too long so shampooing your hair gets rid of the buggies! Just thought I’d put in my two cents!
Comment from Molly Rawlins
Time June 25, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Last night, I just used my dandruff shampoo and no conditioner, and i felt like a soldier! I am very impressed with this endeavor… is it bad that I am waiting for you to cave? (perhaps I shouldnt have admited that)
Comment from kat
Time June 29, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I really, really expected to read: “Day six, the day I caved and dumped the entire bottle of Herbal Essence on my scalp!”
Pingback from No ‘Poo Update—Week 2, Baby! | Archives of Our Lives
Time June 29, 2009 at 10:33 pm
[...] here and here, Day One results here, Days Two and Three results here, and The Rest of Week One here, if you’re so inclined. Which you shouldn’t be, because meh, who has the [...]
Comment from anne
Time December 20, 2009 at 9:23 am
I would love to try your test. They say that it is good for the hair to have their natural oil to come out. I know someone who do the same for the reason she wanted the natural oil to come out but she didn’t wash her hair in 5 days either. Since from your test even if you wash your hair without shampoo the natural oil will still come out. I would love to try your method since I have a dry hair. I hope it will work on me.
Comment from Deemarie
Time June 24, 2009 at 8:43 am
Way to resist!! My stylist only washes her hair once a week (and with a shampoo made of all natural products) and usually by the last 2 days she leaves it curly or pins it up… So you’re not alone there.
ALWAYS pack extra undies!!! :)