No Shampoo – revisit after a month

Not wanting to belabor the debate from last month, I have completed my first full month without using shampoo. After my visit to the barber yesterday, she said I have a beautiful head of clean and healthy hair.

No Shampoo to me does not mean ‘not cleaning’, but it does mean not using any of the mass-produced common brands of shampoo available on the shelves of the local store. Instead using alternative natural, organic and eco-friendly methods for clean healthy hair. This also includes using a natural boar hair bristle hairbrush multiple times daily as required to spread the natural sebum along the shaft of the hair.

My typical weekly pattern has been:
Sunday I use a mix of Baking Soda (1 Tblsp) rubbed through the scalp and roots with a shampoo brush followed by spraying a mix of 3-part water, 1-part vinegar, 1-part fresh lemon juice, massage the mix into the hair and scalp with the shampoo brush and rinse well.

Monday I use about a nickel size squirt of an organic Shikakai soap made with Organic White Grape Juice, Organic Sucrose, Organic Coconut Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Organic Olive Oil, Organic Shikakai Powder, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, and Tocopherol (vitamin E);

Tuesday is just a water only day, rinsing the hair with a shampoo brush to massage the scalp;

Wednesday I go back to the Baking soda, water/vinegar/lemon mix;

Thursday is another Shikakai soap day;

Friday another water only day;

Saturday is a day for any of the above, or if camping a day without and use Shikakai soap upon return from camp.

After one month, I have noticed the expected initial increase of sebum production has been minimal and it seems like I have reached a good natural balance fairly quick. The baking soda, water, vinegar, lemon juice mix does tingle a little as I massage it through the hair, but feels really good after I rinse.

Is this cheaper than mass produced? I believe so.
Does this have a lower ecological impact? Again, I believe so.
Does my hair stay clean? Yes it does.
Do I feel good about this? I most certainly do!
Is this for everyone? Obviously not, but like everything else… YMMV

While interesting, seems like too much work for me..... (I say this as I just completed a 4 pass shave with a compound of varying shaving products for my later).

What was your hair type?

pyrrhusmj said:

While interesting, seems like too much work for me..... (I say this as I just completed a 4 pass shave with a compound of varying shaving products for my later).

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I guess it how much 'work' (besides being a 4-letter word) is all relative.

pyrrhusmj said:

What was your hair type?

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Before, it was stringy and became oily very quick. Now it has a clean healthy shine and does not get oily nearly as bad as before.

Sounds to me like you "shampoo" your hair. lol

I thought you just rinsed it with water. Yuck!

goby said:

Sounds to me like you "shampoo" your hair. lol

I thought you just rinsed it with water. Yuck!

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Exactly!

The discussion last month was "water only", which was at the heart of the disagreement.

You are using products to clean your hair which are apart from "water only".

I salute your experiment, and I am happy you found some "eco-friendly, green, environmentally renewable, zero carbon, biodegradable, conservational, natural, recyclable, low pollution footprint, sustainable products" that work for you.

But this result does not change my original opinion in the least bit.
I am quite happy with the commercial shampoo that I use, it's a one step simple process that makes me feel clean, and works well for me.

I can't see how using water alone would be bearable in the least bit, but to each their own!

As they say - YMMV

My hair get the same special treatment that my beard does -- lathered in a wonderful soap/cream by a badger hair brush. My razor then takes care of the rest. I think my hair was getting jealous of my beard and its special treatment so I wanted to be fair.

alabamalawyer said:

My hair get the same special treatment that my beard does -- lathered in a wonderful soap/cream by a badger hair brush. My razor then takes care of the rest. I think my hair was getting jealous of my beard and its special treatment so I wanted to be fair.

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Very diplomatic of you!!

luvmysuper said:

Exactly!

The discussion last month was "water only", which was at the heart of the disagreement.

You are using products to clean your hair which are apart from "water only".

I salute your experiment, and I am happy you found some "eco-friendly, green, environmentally renewable, zero carbon, biodegradable, conservational, natural, recyclable, low pollution footprint, sustainable products" that work for you.

But this result does not change my original opinion in the least bit.
I am quite happy with the commercial shampoo that I use, it's a one step simple process that makes me feel clean, and works well for me.

I can't see how using water alone would be bearable in the least bit, but to each their own!

As they say - YMMV

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I agree the original Water-Only Washing- No Shampoo discussion started on the water only concept, and there were several varied comments to the idea.

After reviewing those replies and looking at the topic from different perspectives I started to experiment. Through my experimenting over the last month with more natural methods and products has completely eliminated using shampoo and implemented water only into 30% of the daily routine. I think that puts the attempt around 60% complete.

Yes, I am using "eco-friendly, green, environmentally renewable, zero carbon, biodegradable, conservational, natural, recyclable, low pollution footprint, sustainable products" to clean my hair, for which one or more of those qualifiers is important to a number of people out there, including other members of B&B.

Putting a realistic perspective to the subject I do not believe attaining a 100% Water-Only regime is possible or feasible. Yes, I agree the general perception is

Sue said:

eeeewwww....no thanks.
Sue

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I know many / most out there will continue to use shampoo, conditioner, maybe a $h!t sandwich or whatever else, but if just one ‘silly idea’ (like holding a target over your head) can encourage someone else to springboard off that idea and come up with a variation, or a newer improved concept that contributes to reducing the impact on the planet, I’m all for it.

DESkydiver said:

I agree the original Water-Only Washing- No Shampoo discussion started on the water only concept, and there were several varied comments to the idea.

After reviewing those replies and looking at the topic from different perspectives I started to experiment. Through my experimenting over the last month with more natural methods and products has completely eliminated using shampoo and implemented water only into 30% of the daily routine. I think that puts the attempt around 60% complete.

Yes, I am using "eco-friendly, green, environmentally renewable, zero carbon, biodegradable, conservational, natural, recyclable, low pollution footprint, sustainable products" to clean my hair, for which one or more of those qualifiers is important to a number of people out there, including other members of B&B.

Putting a realistic perspective to the subject I do not believe attaining a 100% Water-Only regime is possible or feasible. Yes, I agree the general perception is


I know many / most out there will continue to use shampoo, conditioner, maybe a $h!t sandwich or whatever else, but if just one ‘silly idea’ (like holding a target over your head) can encourage someone else to springboard off that idea and come up with a variation, or a newer improved concept that contributes to reducing the impact on the planet, I’m all for it.

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As I said, I salute your experiment. It just ain't gonna happen with me!

Shampoo rinse in the drain = Waste Water Treatment Plant Jobs!!!!

If I'm not active, I just give my hair a good rinse in the shower that night... If I've done any sweating over the day, I use shampoo. Even if I haven't been doing anything for a few days, I'll shampoo on day 3 or 4.

Got rid of dandruff

I could shower daily, switching days between 2 shampoos, and have flakes. I keep my hair trimmed between 1/2" and a little over an inch before I buzz again... so it's not products at all. I was over washing my hair.

"it does mean not using any of the mass-produced common brands of shampoo available on the shelves of the local store. Instead using alternative natural, organic and eco-friendly methods"

It use to be the norm to shampoo once per month. There was once a New York Times a column (publised in 1908) advising women that it was OK to wash their hair every two weeks. Mind you they also use medications that were extremely poisonous and thought that driving a car over 35mph could "suck the air" right out from your body.

I don't know chaps. This sort of thing interests me a bit. I am one of those who simply cannot shampoo my hair every day with a commercial shampoo. It dries my scalp out and gives me a horrid case of the flakies. I have used some very good solid shampoo bars and they were great. I have to check out more options on that front. However, i am back to using commercial stuff for now and it is only every 2-3 days that I can comfortably shampoo. Water rinses in between and usually a good friction lotion treatment to boot. The tonics really do help with scalp flake if you spend a good four or five minutes working it into your scalp. I think I will attempt to dupe some of the OP's approach toward this. My hair runs normal/dry and over washing really dries out my scalp and makes it a miserable itching mess. Thank you for posting your results. It gives me a starting point.

Regards, Todd

I wash my hair every day during the summer and when I work out. I use a very small amount of shampoo when I do. I also use Jaris Hair Tonic with out oil inbetween shampooing.

Im glad you found something that works well.

It sounds like you are still using shampoo which defeats the title of this thread.

Many woman only wash their hair a few times a week especially if they have curly hair and straighten it.

I see your point about not using the mass produced product, but I don't think I could give up my Dr. Bronner's.

+1 for Dr. Bronner's and besides its biodegradable anyway.