Archives of Our Lives » No ‘Poo Update

June 29th, 2009

No ‘Poo Update—Week 2, Baby!

As I was leaving church yesterday, a tiny elderly lady approached me.

“Have you done something different with your hair?” she asked. “I see you sitting up there playing the organ and my husband and I were trying to figure out what was different about you…”

“Oh great,” I thought, “People are critiquing my hair while I’m at the front of the chapel? Now I have to stress about how I look every week. Whatever happened to ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged?’”

I smiled through my inward groan and said, “Actually, I did dye my hair.”

“Oh, you wanted it to match your shirt, eh?” (I was wearing brown.)

“Heh. Something like that. I was tired of blond; this is my natural colour.”

She smiled knowingly, as if we were conspiring together on some great scheme. Reaching her bony, wrinkled hand up to grasp my shoulder, she pulled my ear close to her face and whispered, “That’s what we all say, dear.”

Before I could reply, she turned and sashayed away, pausing only once to add over her shoulder, “Don’t worry—it looks okay.”

…Oh. Thanks. I didn’t know I was supposed to be worrying, but now I surely won’t.

Anyway, who cares what she says? I’m feeling better about my hair now than I’ve felt since I started the No ‘Poo movement. Life is good. I have long since lost count of what day this is on my No ‘Poo experiment. I believe I’m starting the third week, but numbers and me are like oil and vinegar—as in, we don’t mesh. So I could be wrong. But I’m right.

My friends, I cannot lie: I FEEL FANTASTIC. My hair seems to have recovered from its first-week antics, and has settled in to a semblance of normalcy. The greasy feeling has lessened substantially—it feels like second-day hair (i.e. the way hair feels after shampooing it one day but skipping the next {which has always been a good day for me—back when I was using shampoo, my hair held curl and volume much better on the second day}), and it has been feeling like second-day hair for three or four days. It is starting to regain some shine. It still doesn’t smell. It’s smooth, and stays pretty well tangle-free throughout the entire day, even if it’s just hanging down in my face all day.

Quitting the ‘poo is the best thing I’ve ever done for my hair.

I’ll recap for the newbies:

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, 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 time?

One confession (if we can call it that—more of a revelation, really, because “confession” implies I’ve sinned): The day I got home from being stranded in Montana, I scrubbed my hair with baking soda and rinsed it with apple cider vinegar. The main reason I did the baking soda scrub was because my hair smelled of campfire, and that’s a scent I can’t tolerate unless I’m actually sitting in front of one (campfire, that is). The vinegar smelled a little overwhelming in the shower, but as soon as it dried, the odor was gone. As a bonus, it left my hair feeling less greasy than before; I couldn’t tell a difference in appearance, though.

No ‘Poo Sometime in Week 2:

After using baking soda and vinegar to scrub my hair, it looked just as normal as always, and felt even *slightly* less greasy. I won’t use baking soda/vinegar every day, but on especially smelly hair days, it will work like a charm for me.

No ‘Poo Start of Week 3:

At the beginning of the day, my hair was holding its curls with even more “boing!” than the week before. Boing!

Boing! Boing!

I did pin back my bangs because they are not quite the length I prefer, and therefore they annoy me immensely. If I was allowing myself to use hairspray, it wouldn’t be an issue. But for now, pinning them back will do.

By the end of the day, my curls had loosened up a bit, and lost some of the boing!, but still looked like nice waves. I was pleased…

Can’t you tell by the alligator smile on my face?

9 No 'Poo Week 2 I actually wished I could have achieved this look at the beginning of the day—maybe next week I’ll curl my hair and then try and comb the curls into looser waves. Would that work? I don’t know—I’m certainly no hairstylist.

The best news is that after sleeping on my curled hair, I woke up and STILL saw remnants of a wavy head of hair! Again, I was pleased. Before I went No ‘Poo, my hair would have needed a gallon of product to hold its curl through an entire day, night, and day again.

Repeat after me: No ‘Poo is the hairspray of the future. Chemicals are crippling. Chemicals are crippling.

It’s like every experiment I try turns to gold. If things keep going this well for me, I doubt I’ll ever go back to using shampoo.

Posted: June 29th, 2009 under Cutting Back, It's All Good, change, health and vitality, theories.
Tags: how to stop using shampoo, the no 'poo movement

Comments

Comment from Anonymous
Time June 29, 2009 at 11:08 pm

Hmm… Are you sure you aren’t just styling those luscious curls to distract from the greasiness? I have to admit, I’m still a bit skeptical. I’ll reserve judgment until I see you in just a few weeks…

Comment from Allison
Time June 29, 2009 at 11:27 pm

I have found this whole experiment most interesting. I’m usually at work when I read your posts so I don’t comment there. Not sure why, I just don’t. Anyways, I think it is quite a brave experiment and am pleased the results have been so positive, for the most part anyways.

Comment from Lindsey Layton
Time June 29, 2009 at 11:52 pm

Your hair is looking good. But I must say, I don’t like that old lady from church… Who does she think she is anyways?

Comment from Irene
Time June 30, 2009 at 4:32 am

Chemicals are crippling!
I’m glad it’s working for you =) [see that smile?] I’m still at the beginning but I’ll manage to tame my hair sometime. Fortunately, my hair is already wavy so I only use mousse to get it curly (though never really really curly). Anyways, my first week of the experiment wasn’t so succesful. I’ll keep you posted! =)

Comment from Jenn
Time June 30, 2009 at 7:00 am

“Don’t worry—it looks okay.”
Wow, who says that? I think it looks beautiful. I tried No ‘Poo just once this week out of laziness, and it was not a success. But my hair is quite long and oily, and it’s very muggy outside this week.

Comment from kate lines
Time June 30, 2009 at 8:10 am

huh, i am impressed. i love the idea, i guess i should just try it for myself.

Comment from kate lines
Time June 30, 2009 at 8:10 am

oh yeah, what about swimming?

Comment from DeAnna
Time June 30, 2009 at 10:06 am

Lookin good! As you know I have mostly silently joined the no ‘poo band wagon, I forgot to take pictures of the before, so really taking update pics just wouldn’t do much good. I am just about to day 10 and I amazed at how my hair actually looks different, do I dare say healthier. I am also amazed that the baking soda/water works even when after work, which for me includes everything from drywall dust to paint splatter. I like Kate’s question bout the swimming. You just have to wash your hair with the baking soda/water afterwards to get the chlorine or salt out of your hair. Even regular soap is harsh on the hair, so avoid using it.

Comment from Niki
Time June 30, 2009 at 10:34 am

You’re really making me want to try this. I think a great time for me to start will be after I have the baby. Most new mothers dint have time to wash their hair for weeks any way. And in answer to your question, curling then combing should definitely give you the wave look you desire. The tighter your curl starts out, the longer the wave will hold. Oh, and girls are still lookin good;) I think it’s the slight arch to your back when you snap the pic. Ask pk if he thinks I’m right.

Comment from bRAD
Time June 30, 2009 at 12:24 pm

As Lindsey always says, “you dye clothes and color hair.”

bRAD

Comment from Alyssa Kirby
Time June 30, 2009 at 2:30 pm

HAHA! Please go read my update on my last blog post. I’m an idiot…who needs to stop avoiding the eye doctor, because I honestly see 2 ‘s!

Your hair looks fabulous curly by the way! Wish my hair would curl like that.

Comment from raygon
Time June 30, 2009 at 2:53 pm

I cant say it enough….I love your hair brown. And those curls look beautiful!

Comment from Molly Rawlins
Time June 30, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Dude. You look hot. Your hair looks awesome, and old people aways say weird and strange thiings, but they are old, so its expected :)

way to go.. keep on keeping on… I just use my dandruff shampoo once a week now and thats it, and i feel great, too!

Comment from RatalieNose
Time June 30, 2009 at 4:31 pm

That lady’s a punk.
I wish I knew how to curl my hair…
Lookin good girl!

Comment from Christopher (AKA: CaJoh)
Time July 1, 2009 at 2:51 pm

This is what I get for not paying enough attention in class…

You are brilliant– Simply brilliant! I never thought of not using shampoo. Of course, the shampoo manufacturers don’t want to know that it works, but great for you.

Comment from malia
Time July 1, 2009 at 10:02 pm

I’m so happy it’s going well for you. It looks great, not greasy at all. It shouldn’t especially if you are using baking soda and vinegar which is a form of cleaner anyway but not a stripping sulfate one.
I am trying a new shampoo without sulfate and I’m getting used to it. I’ll have to let you know how it goes.
and in my opinion, I think your natural color is beautiful

Comment from V
Time July 2, 2009 at 2:49 pm

i’ve been no-’poo-ing for over a year now, and just using water (daily) for about 4 months and it’s awesome…when i was in upstate NY with the humidity i could have a day or two without even wetting it, but i live in NM and the dryness seems to do funny stuff to my slightly wavy hair, so i rinse it every day to get it looking good! but for anyone else considering this no-poo, it’s amazing, your hair gets soooo happy!!!