"No 'Poo" Method ?

[Ravenwind]

Hi all!

I have been MIA for a while, life has just been so crazy! I hope to start taking length pictures regularly again starting January, but we shall see.

Anywho, I have sparked an interest in this No Poo method (washing with baking soda and rinsing with apple cider vinegar). I read that it can be the best thing ever for your hair, or it can be the absolute worse. Is it really damaging? Is it better than regular shampoo and conditioner? Is it not damaging at all?

If you have tried or are currently using the No Poo method, please tell me how it's working (or not working) for you! Pros and cons?

Thanks!!

[jeanniet]

Usually the people who rave about it haven't done it for long. Almost no one can do it long term without significant damage.

[squirrrel]

I've heard that with baking soda it's vital that you don't wash any more than once every 4 days... And you need to get the ratio right so you don't use too much. Baking Soda is also the wrong PH for your skin, so you need to make sure that you give your scalp a good rinsing with the ACV/water mix - again, very important that the ratio right or you could over condition your hair...

[Akville]

I've heard its much worse than usual shampoo.
I personally would never wash my hair with baking soda.. Rather Only Water och CO.. Never ever baking soda..
And ACV doesn't work for everybody. My hair gets very dry and course, I've stopped using ACV after washes because it seams like its doing no good for my hair.
I've tried poo bars and CO and it works much better.

[sarahthegemini]

I don't understand why anyone would opt to use baking soda on their hair rather than just shampoo :-/ If you want a gentle shampoo alternative, try co-washing. Or just dilute shampoo.

[tigereye]

I tried baking soda once. Never again. :shudder:

[LadyCelestina]

It's just too much work to get the ratios right,and still far from ideal.Baking soda is very alkaline thus will mess up your scalp ph,so if the dry length won't put you off ,scalp problems probably will :shrug: if neither happens congrats.

[wilderwein]

I was about to try it and did lot's of research, I find mostly good things about it but then i found this experience http://blog.kanelstrand.com/2014/01/baking-soda-destroyed-my-hair.html wich changed my mind about it!

[Anje]

I can think of exactly one person on this forum (off the top of my head) who has successfully done No Poo long term with long hair. I think she still uses conditioner.

Pretty much every other attempt I've seen has ended, and many of them badly. Lots of it is from folks who think it's chemical-free (where do they suppose baking soda comes from???) and push forward with it long after their hair and scalp have indicated that it isn't working, for philosophical reasons. It tends to be harsh, drying, and scalps often dislike the pH of the baking soda. I don't want to discourage you from trying it, but pay attention to the condition of your hair and scalp and be willing to change what you're doing it if it's not working.

ETA: It's worth noting that the person who popularized No Poo (a blogger called Babyslime) had very short hair at the time. It looks like she's grown it to about BSL, but what you can get away with at that length doesn't always work for many of us at hip, classic, or knee. Great that it works for her, but it's not an option for everyone.

[texangrrl]

Several years ago (2007, I think) I tried no poo for about 3 months and I hated it. I did everything I was supposed to and it just didn't work out for me. My hair became dry and brittle and the reason I stuck it out for so long is because I liked the concept and I also wanted to give my hair time to adjust through the transitioning period. That being said, everyone has a different genetic makeup. I remember the blogger that Anje mentioned. If fact, her success at it (along with a little more research) is what made me decide that I should give it a try. It was a failed attempt and I'll never try it again.

[lapushka]

I wouldn't try baking soda, at all. It's very alkaline and drying. Better to use any old shampoo than that.

[Annalouise]

I have extremely sensitive skin, and in the past, when I got baking soda on my HANDS, I would get a chemical burn.

Leave the baking soda to scrubbing sinks and toilettes.:)

[spidermom]

I agree - baking soda is no good at all for hair or skin. It is, however, excellent for scrubbing out sinks and tubs, but only if you wear gloves.

[Nadine <3]

I wouldn't use it on my head either. I tried using baking soda in a homemade deodorant and it absolutely destroyed my skin! Baking soda is for the toilet.

I also tried using it as an acne mask, as recommended by the internet. It felt like I was rubbing my face with small bits of glass...

[Ravenwind]

Thank you everyone for your feedback :) while I am curious to try it, and I do like the concept, I don't think I should. My hair is finally healthy and the way I want it and I don't want to ruin it. Guess I'll stick with regular shampoo and conditioner since that's what works for me :) I figured the baking soda would be damaging.

[JellyBene]

I tried this method for about a month years ago, it made my hair feel like stiff straw. Even my pre LHC days filled with bleach and flat irons never gave my hair a texture like that. Never again!

[Wosie]

I wouldn't use it on my head either. I tried using baking soda in a homemade deodorant and it absolutely destroyed my skin! Baking soda is for the toilet.

Funny, I was just going to write that I use baking soda several times a week as a deodorant (mixed with coconut oil) and it's the only thing I can use without destroying my itchy under-arm skin.

Your armpit skin is probably way thinner than mine; I wouldn't be surprised if my skin there has thickened up after all the eczema/wounds I've had around the area for many (!) years.

[peacecat3]

I'm glad I found this thread. I'm pondering this method, but my hair is now in the wasteland between waist and classic, fine and prone to splitting. Maybe this method isn't for me . . . :ponder:

[ARG]

...my hair is now in the wasteland between waist and classic...

I believe LauraLongLocks coined the term Mid-Arse Abyss or MAA in the Waist to Tailbone thread, lol.

I did baking soda once, my scalp itched like crazy. I keep it around for cleaning and deodorizing in the house, not for personal hygiene.

My mom swears by a baking soda bath for a yeast diaper rash in babies.