Unexpected find on MSNBC

[Alia]

Here is a lovely article detailing the no poo method. Some of the comments are...interesting. ;)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30337386/

[LittleOrca]

I remember seeing this before. :)

[Peter]

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but where would I find the comments?

ETA: Found them. And smiled many times.

[GlassEyes]

Haha, they interviewed Lorraine Massey. She pretty much invented CO-washing (or popularized it, anyway).

[Morrighan]

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but where would I find the comments?

Click on "Discuss story on newsvine" at the bottom.


A couple people on the comments thought not using shampoo would create lice! But I remember reading somewhere that oil actually repels lice because it's harder for them to grab on (not that not using shampoo makes ones hair oily or anything).

[Cassi]

Wow that first post was pretty defensive!!! I almost posted to him/her.... something snide and mean since it sounds like he/she is pretty full of him/herself!! You have a doctorate? Oh my.... join the CROUD you goofnut! hahahahahahaha. Why do so many people in the US think main stream American ideas are the only things that work? (for hair care or otherwise). Gee whiz.

[Dyan]

I read about 3/4's of the replies and started to wonder if their collective heads would explode if I posted to announce that not only haven't I used shampoo in almost 8 weeks but that I only use WATER to clean my hair!!! And my hair and scalp are just fine. My hair isn't greasy, nor does it smell. In fact, it looks very much like it did three months ago when I was using a shampoo bar. Actually, it's a little better than the pre-WO stage. My ends are slightly less tangly, and I've stopped finding mats of hair clogging my shower drain (which means that I'm not losing as much hair in the shower each day).

So let's see..... my hair looks fine and isn't greasy, it doesn't smell, the scalp is pretty darned clean and doesn't have tons of gunk clogging it, I'm not losing as much hair and my ends are less dry and tangly. Remind me again why I need shampoo and conditioner?

[Flynn]

Jeez, some people are really clueless and full of... poo.

"I am sorry to say that the scalp smells pretty badly when someone doesn’t wash her/his hair daily." (emphasis mine).

I know of no-one who washes their hair daily. My brothers certainly don't, and they are horrible sweaty teenage boys. The smell emerges after a bit more than a week of no water or anything on the hair, and even then you have to be pretty close to them to pick it. If you're standing that close to people, you're doing something wrong, not them. My boyfriend does every 2-3 days, sometimes longer, and his hair doesn't smell...

The only time I've noticed someone's hair smell without shampoo was a friend's boyfriend who went completely water only... without any combing or scrubbing. Basically, he wet his hair every few days. That did smell a little, but it smelled... human. He just smelled like a person. A little sort of musty, but you'd be insane to consider it unpleasant. It looked absolutely disgusting, though.

[manderly]

People are stupid. :rolleyes:

The only time I use commercial shampoo anymore is when I clarify. I either use soap or conditioner to wash now. I go 2-3 days between washes. I'd like to have those naysayers sniff my head for me, confirm that I smell fine, then scream "BOOYA! I haven't washed my hair in 3 days, and I haven't used shampoo in months!" :p

:rolleyes:

[Flynn]

I can't get over this idea of daily washing... So strange! Isn't it obvious that it would be bad for you?

Hey! That's it! Maybe that's why people think that less-washed hair smells! Their horrible, irritated scalps with all that damaged skin are hosting hordes of bacteria and fungi (eeew, scalp-thrush...) which then have to be controlled with frequent use of harsh detergents! Stop using the detergent, you get bacteria-smell, because your disgusting, oozy irritated scalp is swarming with too many of the bacteria that should be there only in small amounts naturally.

[longhairedfairy]

I can't get over this idea of daily washing... So strange! Isn't it obvious that it would be bad for you?

Hey! That's it! Maybe that's why people think that less-washed hair smells! Their horrible, irritated scalps with all that damaged skin are hosting hordes of bacteria and fungi (eeew, scalp-thrush...) which then have to be controlled with frequent use of harsh detergents! Stop using the detergent, you get bacteria-smell, because your disgusting, oozy irritated scalp is swarming with too many of the bacteria that should be there only in small amounts naturally.

No. It's NOT bad for everyone. Do what works for YOU, but don't dis everyone that's not the same.

[RancheroTheBee]

Please don't give people more reasons no to wash their hair...Their hair may "look" nice, but their head stinks!!!! It's awful to see someone looking so nice and then have her (women are the majority) near and they smell like Good Will Store... Don't tell me they don't smell themselves? The worse is in a rainy day. All the bad smells come to surface. Is that the reason the A/C is always full blast everywhere? So people won't notice how bad they really smell. Shower daily, scrubbing each part of the body. Dead cells accumulate and they generate bad smells. We don't have the obligation to bear your stench. The European don't shower daily because there is no enough water. This is United States. We have plenty water to clean our bodies and clothing daily.

... WHAT? There is so much wrong with this comment. So much.*

Anyway, this makes me laugh. The comments do, anyway. I'm glad to see that no-poo methods are being publicized. Thanks for the link!

*: This is from MSNBC, not LHC. Obviously. :p

[hennaphile]

Um... I wash everyday and I've been using completely natural products for about four years now. Water only didn't work for me. I have very painful scalp issues if I don't wash every day, sometimes I even wash twice a day and that's fine. I'm also very very sensitive to how people's hair/scalp smells. Everyone I know who washes every other day has a distinct smell that I detect immediately, and even though they are by no means dirty, nine times out of ten it makes me feel kind of nauseous.

What's my point? Washing every day works well for some of us. For those who don't, you may not notice the smell of your own scalp, but others such as myself may (it isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I can smell most people's scalps when I'm near them, just saying). I understand that humans are animals and thus arguably aren't programmed to need soap, or really anything beyond clean water to clean themselves, but some of us greatly benefit from using cleansing agents on a daily basis.

I think the moral of the story is that while most people have scalps which adjust to their washing routines, some of us still do best washing everyday. And that's okay, do what works best for you :)

[RancheroTheBee]

Um... I wash everyday and I've been using completely natural products for about four years now. Water only didn't work for me. I have very painful scalp issues if I don't wash every day, sometimes I even wash twice a day and that's fine. I'm also very very sensitive to how people's hair/scalp smells. Everyone I know who washes every other day has a distinct smell that I detect immediately, and even though they are by no means dirty, nine times out of ten it makes me feel kind of nauseous.


That's interesting that you have such a sensitive sense of smell. I don't have a very sensitive sense of smell, and the only person's scalp I can smell is my DBF, and that's because I often have my face really close to his head.

:( Oh, no. I hope people can't smell me.

PS: Let's see if I can say "smell" again.

[hennaphile]

That's odd. I don't have a very sensitive sense of smell, and the only person's scalp I can smell is my DBF, and that's because I often have my face really close to his head.

:( Oh, no. I hope people can't smell me.


I wouldn't worry about it, I think i just have a very sensitive nose ;)

[manderly]

Hennaphile, so expand on your point, I've been with my BF for 7 years now, and I'm quite used to his smells. His scalp and hair smell fine if he skips a day or two of washing. I DO smell his scalp any longer than that, or if he got particularly scuzzy. I tell him he needs to wash his hair, because it gets funky.

I agree with you that there are some funky smelling people out there who are completely unaware of it (I can smell my BF a mile away sometimes, and he's blissfully unaware :rolleyes:). Saying that, I don't believe that funky scalp holds true for everyone......obviously LHC meets would be very stinky get-togethers ;)

[Runzel]

I do somewhat see hennaphile's point...after all, our human bodies are not completely scentless. And they're not supposed to be (http://www.nhne.org/news/NewsArticlesArchive/tabid/400/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4244/How-Smell-Influences-Sexual-Attraction.aspx). But with proper hygiene, our natural odor should not be repulsive, save for the few with whom health problems are the cause of a bad smell.

Being extremely sensitive to chemicals, when a friend was staying with me she had to take a break from her beloved products. As she was about to go out she briefly looked around, as if confused, then commented, "This is the first time I've ever gone out smelling like---air." I couldn't help but laugh. Have we really come so far that it's considered uncivilized to appear in public without sporting a carefully applied smell?

[Carolyn]

I tried to post a comment but it wouldn't go through.

[Flynn]

No. It's NOT bad for everyone. Do what works for YOU, but don't dis everyone that's not the same.

Have you ever tried not? Maybe your scalp would stink! XD

(Just in case you missed it, I'm mostly joking, love.)

I still have to say, I actually feel that daily washing is the disgusting habit, not the other way around.

Quick survey of the office gives the answers: six for "every second day", two for "twice a week" (me and another longhaired girl, actually!), one for "when I think of it... if I think of it", and one for "every day at the moment, I guess, but I swim in chlorine every day" (one of the guys, as a matter of fact.) Opinion on daily washing? "Doesn't your scalp like, fall off?" (one of the second-day-ers) "Hahaha, that sounds like such a marketing ploy gone terribly, terribly right!" and "It's not great... I wouldn't if I didn't have to."

[longhairedfairy]

I do somewhat see hennaphile's point...after all, our human bodies are not completely scentless. And they're not supposed to be (http://www.nhne.org/news/NewsArticlesArchive/tabid/400/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4244/How-Smell-Influences-Sexual-Attraction.aspx). But with proper hygiene, our natural odor should not be repulsive, save for the few with whom health problems are the cause of a bad smell.

Being extremely sensitive to chemicals, when a friend was staying with me she had to take a break from her beloved products. As she was about to go out she briefly looked around, as if confused, then commented, "This is the first time I've ever gone out smelling like---air." I couldn't help but laugh. Have we really come so far that it's considered uncivilized to appear in public without sporting a carefully applied smell?

I almost never wear perfume (as in once every few months at most, more likely once or twice a year, if even that). If I wear any kind of scent it's never a very strong one, such as a lotion that fades in a few minutes. :shrug:

[physicschick]

I still have to say, I actually feel that daily washing is the disgusting habit, not the other way around.
That's a very strong statement to make, considering that people in this thread have admitted to washing daily. You may think it's unnecessary, but let's not call other members' hygiene "disgusting."

[Fethenwen]

"The European don't shower daily because there is no enough water. This is United States. We have plenty water to clean our bodies and clothing daily."

:p bwahaha! That's all I have to say. Fun stuff.

[GlassEyes]

Washing everyday works for some, and not for others, however, condemning those who don't is odd.

However, I will state that before coming to LHC, the idea of not washing with shampoo everyday was disgusting to me. It's culturally bred into American's sense of hygiene. I mean, once you do something out of 'the norm', people are going to think it's odd until they stop to think about ti, and often they never do.

I mean, come on, admit how many of you thought it'd be odd to not wash everyday before coming here, nevermind with conditioner or water only? :p

Also, I still wash daily, but not with shampoo.

[SimplyViki]

Oh yeah, I read that no-poo article a few weeks ago, I was quite surprised to see it.


...Being extremely sensitive to chemicals, when a friend was staying with me she had to take a break from her beloved products. As she was about to go out she briefly looked around, as if confused, then commented, "This is the first time I've ever gone out smelling like---air." I couldn't help but laugh. Have we really come so far that it's considered uncivilized to appear in public without sporting a carefully applied smell?

At that, I just had to laugh - my roommate always wears perfume (I mean always, she re-spritzes even if she's just going to the grocery store). I don't have anything against perfume, I actually have a bunch of them, I'm just so gosh-darn lazy I never bother to apply them. Anyway, she's always commenting in puzzlement that I don't smell like anything. I should tell her next time that I do smell like something - air!

[xoLegallyAubrey]

Some of these people are just plain rude!

They should come here for a visit, we'd show 'em. :)

[GlassEyes]

"The European don't shower daily because there is no enough water. This is United States. We have plenty water to clean our bodies and clothing daily."

:p bwahaha! That's all I have to say. Fun stuff.

Lies. We all know that you Yer-oh-pe-ans are just dirty, dirty people that don't shave, bathe, of make yerself otherwise presentable. Ya'll should be ashaaaaaaamed.

:mad: Bunch o' filthy varmints.

XD; I don't know which is more offensive, the idea that Europeans don't shower, or my attempt at channeling a very backwards deep southern 'gentleman'.

[enfys]

"The European don't shower daily because there is no enough water. This is United States. We have plenty water to clean our bodies and clothing daily."

:p bwahaha! That's all I have to say. Fun stuff.

Yeah I was trying to figure that out. I don't remember Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water, the people we pay the bills to) ever sending out the memo that we can't wash. Are there lots of deserts in Europe? Ok, we have been in officially in a drought for about 3 years, but there's not even a hosepipe ban.

I don't get what's so wrong with not using shampoo, or why people get so uncomfortable about it.

And lice like clean hair, so we are mosly a bit safer from them. :p

[Buddaphlyy]

Hmmm, I can't even imagine how many weeks it would take of not washing my hair before my scalp would start to stink. Not willing to find out either. I don't co wash or shampoo daily, but I don't look down on others who do (either method). Some of those posters just make my head hurt with their misinformation.

[Kirin]

Hmm, its articles and topics like this in threads that make me tilt my head askance a bit. I think mostly because, what works for one may not work for another, and frankly, in so many powder keg topics, neither side has actual proof...... beyond.....

"Hey it worked/did not work for me!".

The problem with this article, in general, is it encompasses ALL no shampoo methods into one, like a conglomerate that they just about all work the same. They don't. There's a big difference between not washing at all, water only washing, Baking soda/vinegar washing, and Conditioner washing. These somehow equate in how they are presented with "not washing".

[shadowclaw]

Those comments were indeed amusing. I only read part-way down the page of comments, but I was amused the most by the person in the beginning who left two comments saying almost the exact same thing. As if the first comment wasn't enough. :rolleyes:

Sometimes I wonder if people are just dumb or if they don't bother to read the whole article and just comment on the title. People were talking about how dead cells needed to be removed and not washing was disgusting... but the aricle didn't once suggest that we not wash our hair, just that we wash it in a different way (CO, baking soda, etc). I'm pretty sure all of the methods suggested would remove dead cells and dirt.

I personally use the CWC method roughly every other day (sometimes I go a little longer if my hair feels fine). I used to wash everyday before I decided to dye my hair and it worked fine for me. Now my hair needs to be cared for more, so I've decided to shampoo less. On occasion, I wash with baking soda followed by vinegar and lemon juice. My hair usually feels a bit dry and brittle on the first day using this method, but by day 2, my hair feels great. It isn't weighed down by the conditioner, and the oils seem to be able to move down my hair more easily and give it a nice sheen.

[HalcyonDays]

"The European don't shower daily because there is no enough water. This is United States. We have plenty water to clean our bodies and clothing daily."

:p bwahaha! That's all I have to say. Fun stuff.

*looks out at driving rain*

Yep, worst drought we've had in decades.


Most people I know (except for other teeneagers, who wash their hair once a day or never) wash their hair every other day. Everyone over 60 washes their hair once or twice a week. Still have showers every day though.
And who repeats?? I thought that was just something they put on the bottles to make you use it up faster - I never knew anyone actually did what it said.

[RancheroTheBee]

Sometimes I wonder if people are just dumb or if they don't bother to read the whole article and just comment on the title. People were talking about how dead cells needed to be removed and not washing was disgusting... but the aricle didn't once suggest that we not wash our hair, just that we wash it in a different way (CO, baking soda, etc). I'm pretty sure all of the methods suggested would remove dead cells and dirt.


I think the fault is partially on some of the readers who don't bother to critically examine the article, or even read it fully. It is also kind of the author's fault, since the article was sensationalized as "OMG some people don't wash their hair!!!"

And you're right, a lot of the methods do. I guess some people just don't want to hear about it. Sigh. Oh, well.

[hennaphile]

I tried to be very clear in my post, maybe I wasn't clear enough.

- I have a very sensitive nose for odors that people emit.
-These odors do not indicate that a person is dirty by any means, I can just usually detect them.
-Unfortunately, this smell does not agree with my stomach, I'm not saying "you make me sick," I'm telling you my physical reaction.

There are other smells that don't cause this reaction. I'm not saying people who don't wash their hair everyday are dirty, or stink. If I could go longer between washes I would.

Does this clarify without stepping on other people's toes?

[Flynn]

That's a very strong statement to make, considering that people in this thread have admitted to washing daily. You may think it's unnecessary, but let's not call other members' hygiene "disgusting."

Well, I've just been told that apparently the majority in your country think the majority in my country are filthy and stink, I think you can forgive me being a bit upset. Anyway, where's the corresponding note to those insisting, even in this thread, that non-every-day-ers who still shampoo frequently are nauseatingly smelly, something which is actually quite false, unless you have some sort of medical condition?

[hennaphile]

Well, I've just been told that apparently the majority in your country think the majority in my country are filthy and stink, I think you can forgive me being a bit upset. Anyway, where's the corresponding note to those insisting, even in this thread, that non-every-day-ers who still shampoo frequently are nauseatingly smelly, something which is actually quite false, unless you have some sort of medical condition?


FOR THE LAST TIME:

I am not calling you nauseatingly smelly. I said that I HAVE a VERY sensitive sense of smell, and I can detect when people don't wash every day. And that smell elicits a specific reaction IN ME.

You can't say that I experience a reaction "is false," unless someone has a medical condition. EDIT: I am not stating an opinion of a value judgement, I am telling how my body reacts. I can detect the scent of people who are perfectly normal and healthy. And I'm not calling people who don't wash every day dirty or smelly. I am reporting MY unique reaction, with zero intention of insulting.

Please read posts more carefully.


EDIT: I don't think that a single poll can really tell you what the majority of people think, or that one insult justifies another.

[Lamb]

I know of no-one who washes their hair daily.

Now you do (at least virtually).

I have washed my hair daily for 7 years or so. Sometimes shampoo only (pre-LHC), sometimes CO, CWC, water only, whatever. I like it this way.

I really don't get why people make such a fuss about such an insignificant, marginal thing. Gee, why not write an article about squeezing the toothpaste tube on the wrong end? I'd have a good time reading comments on that.

How often you wash your hair depends on a lot of things, some of them very personal and intimate, and also very practical. If I were a SAHM in a small town with clean air, I definitely wouldn't bother washing my hair daily. As it is, I am a grad student in a big, smelly, windy metropolis. I also happen to have fine and none too thick hair. Washing daily is appropriate to my personal taste and living conditions. It is not a moral statement, it's a practical issue. End of.

ETA: I got a kick out of the "Europeans don't have enough water to take showers daily" comment, even when the article was first posted here a couple weeks ago. For the record, I come from the Wild East of Europe, guess that stereotype is total :bs:

[Flaxen]

Well, I've just been told that apparently the majority in your country think the majority in my country are filthy and stink, I think you can forgive me being a bit upset. Anyway, where's the corresponding note to those insisting, even in this thread, that non-every-day-ers who still shampoo frequently are nauseatingly smelly, something which is actually quite false, unless you have some sort of medical condition?

Flynn, please read this thread again. I think you will find that the majority of the support is for less frequent washing and that the rude comments about European hygiene were made in the article and were only quoted here to point out their absurdity. Please contact the moderators at MSNBC if you would like notes written to the people who commented on the article. In addition, if you have cause to question a TLHC's moderator's comments, please PM one of us to discuss it rather than posting in a thread. :)

[missmandy]

That article is really interesting! I always thought my hair would get really greasy if I didn't shampoo, cause it can get pretty gross if I don't shampoo it everyday. But now I'm considering doing it!

[Fractalsofhair]

My scalp gets a very odd smell if I don't wash it daily, but I don't have bad body odor in general, more just dry scalp leads to sores and well, that's not good if I don't use conditioner and I need a cheap fragrance free DEEP conditioner.

(I've gotten better with the coconut milk and only a small amount of shampoo/conditioner). The comments are pretty funny, the ones about Europeans not having enough water and such. I have friends who live in Europe, who might have different customs than we in America do(In Greece it's fairly acceptable not to shave/unheard of to do so in the northern parts(One of my friends saw pink razors and kept on asking if there were gay men in the town. We tried to explain to her, but she thought we were lying. Poor dear thought women with out armpit hair were all infertile due to their weight(Including non overweight people) which in her mind caused issues with hormones leading to lack of body hair! Of course, she was also very liberal and lived with liberal people etc, so it's possible she didn't know cultural norms. Plus I was the first American she met. XD) and many people in Germany do not wear deodorant(according to a friend who lives in Spain who was shocked by that), but they generally shower daily, in Spain and Greece at least, and wash their hair daily/every other day, and generally have similar/better hygiene than some in the US who claim washing hands isn't needed but a daily shower is. No thanks, washing my hands before I eat is more important than showering daily. Perhaps people in 3rd world countries might have issues with hygiene due to poverty and lack of water, but even there there are traditional methods to keep clean. The countries in Western Europe are nowhere like truly poverty stricken 3rd world countries though!)

However, I use a natural shampoo that doesn't lather(Alaffia) and heavy conditioner daily. A lot of people think conditioner is unhygienic as it adds oil. There are teenage guys that don't shower, don't wear deodorant, and well, don't eat very healthfully and as a result, have an odd smell. However, most people will not be like that if they simply reduce shampooing etc. Now, I like my daily hot shower despite it being horrid for my skin, and I get many people like a daily shampoo. It's not needed for most people though, and to think most people have horrific problems if in good health that they need to hide with heavy scents is silly. Human bodies may stink if we never shower with just water even, but really it's pretty easy to prevent a bad odor, and adjust it to what your body needs. I can go about a week without my scalp looking greasy after a shampoo, just the smell gets weird. Baking soda and vinegar, or just COing only, that shouldn't create any sort of odd smell, just a lack of product smell. WO smells might occur if a person is not careful or is not in perfect health etc, but with COing which is what the article advocates, I doubt anyone could notice a smell?

[Flynn]

FOR THE LAST TIME:

I am not calling you nauseatingly smelly. I said that I HAVE a VERY sensitive sense of smell, and I can detect when people don't wash every day. And that smell elicits a specific reaction IN ME.

You can't say that I experience a reaction "is false," unless someone has a medical condition. EDIT: I am not stating an opinion of a value judgement, I am telling how my body reacts. I can detect the scent of people who are perfectly normal and healthy. And I'm not calling people who don't wash every day dirty or smelly. I am reporting MY unique reaction, with zero intention of insulting.

Please read posts more carefully.


EDIT: I don't think that a single poll can really tell you what the majority of people think, or that one insult justifies another.

Sorry, that wasn't so much at you. As I read you, you just said "I can smell people!" To which my first reaction is... "Yes...? Shouldn't you be able to?" People have a smell.

The poll was meant to be illustrative, not proof. I know that second day washing is the norm in this country, unless you have some high maintenance hairstyle that needs blowdrying every day (e.g. businesswomen with serious power-'dos.)

[Flynn]

Now you do (at least virtually).

I have washed my hair daily for 7 years or so. Sometimes shampoo only (pre-LHC), sometimes CO, CWC, water only, whatever. I like it this way.

I really don't get why people make such a fuss about such an insignificant, marginal thing. Gee, why not write an article about squeezing the toothpaste tube on the wrong end? I'd have a good time reading comments on that.

How often you wash your hair depends on a lot of things, some of them very personal and intimate, and also very practical. If I were a SAHM in a small town with clean air, I definitely wouldn't bother washing my hair daily. As it is, I am a grad student in a big, smelly, windy metropolis. I also happen to have fine and none too thick hair. Washing daily is appropriate to my personal taste and living conditions. It is not a moral statement, it's a practical issue. End of.

ETA: I got a kick out of the "Europeans don't have enough water to take showers daily" comment, even when the article was first posted here a couple weeks ago. For the record, I come from the Wild East of Europe, guess that stereotype is total :bs:

Turned out I do IRL, too. (The guy who swims and sits next to me in my office.)