How to go no 'poo??

[pes3108]

So I have tried several times to wean my hair off shampoo. Its naturally curly and dry at the ends but after several days of water only washings, the roots get sooo greasy and I feel disgusting. I've tried using baking soda, but I really didn't like the way that it made my hair feel. I've also tried C/O washings, but that didn't help either. What can I do? Is there a way to ease my hair into the process??

[terryn]

Hey! Unfortunately, there is no "easy" way to go no poo that will keep your hair looking as you are used to it looking. There will be a transition period, and your hair will likely be greasy thru it, until your scalp gets used to what you are doing to it now.

When I went no poo (3 years ago now) I went with the baking soda method. I wouldn't recommend it for you though since you mentioned your hair is already dry at the ends, baking soda will only dry it out more. I would think CO would be right up your alley, and seems to be what a lot of curlies use.

When I made the transition, my hair was super short (a mohawk) so any grease at all showed and made my hair look like I'd plastered it to my head. In fact, the reason I went no poo in the first place was because my scalp was so greasy I was having to wash twice a day to keep it looking "clean." So, when I switched, I simply used a lower dilution of baking soda to water, and continued washing every day until my scalp was noticeably less greasy. Then i started stretching my washings. I think this process really helped me stick with it, and really helped my transition phase.

I guess what I am getting at, is rather than trying a new method and stretching washes, it's best to take one thing at a time, and take it slow. Also, don't try to go to the extreme opposite of hair care methods, take the steps between. If you are using SLS shampoo every day, or close to it, the transition will be a lot more pronounced than someone who only washes weekly. If WO is something you want to get to eventually, take it slow. Start with SLS free shampoo, and work your way down the scale of "harshness" this will make the transition easier, even if it takes more time.

[alwayssmiling]

I would still recommend CO washing. It takes a while to find the right conditioner, I experimented with lots and now have 3 favourites that really work for me. I also leave it on for as long as possible before massage and rinsing. I rinse really, really well before adding my moisturising conditioner to the ends. Your curly hair will be amazing!

Failing that would you consider sulphate free. It really makes a big difference - no frizz when I use bodyshop rainforest, and nicely formed curls.

[pes3108]

Terryn, do you still have your dreads?? My boyfriend has dreads, i LOVE them! I thought for a while about getting a few of my own from the underneath layers of my hair and using them as "tie dreads"... how do you like yours??

[teal]

Hey! Unfortunately, there is no "easy" way to go no poo that will keep your hair looking as you are used to it looking. There will be a transition period, and your hair will likely be greasy thru it, until your scalp gets used to what you are doing to it now.

When I went no poo (3 years ago now) I went with the baking soda method. I wouldn't recommend it for you though since you mentioned your hair is already dry at the ends, baking soda will only dry it out more. I would think CO would be right up your alley, and seems to be what a lot of curlies use.

When I made the transition, my hair was super short (a mohawk) so any grease at all showed and made my hair look like I'd plastered it to my head. In fact, the reason I went no poo in the first place was because my scalp was so greasy I was having to wash twice a day to keep it looking "clean." So, when I switched, I simply used a lower dilution of baking soda to water, and continued washing every day until my scalp was noticeably less greasy. Then i started stretching my washings. I think this process really helped me stick with it, and really helped my transition phase.

I guess what I am getting at, is rather than trying a new method and stretching washes, it's best to take one thing at a time, and take it slow. Also, don't try to go to the extreme opposite of hair care methods, take the steps between. If you are using SLS shampoo every day, or close to it, the transition will be a lot more pronounced than someone who only washes weekly. If WO is something you want to get to eventually, take it slow. Start with SLS free shampoo, and work your way down the scale of "harshness" this will make the transition easier, even if it takes more time.

I second this. The first week or two will be the worst in terms of greasies and it should taper off from there as your scalp adjusts. I hit a turning point at around 5-6 weeks. The "standard" mix of 1tbsp BS to 1c water was too harsh for me - it stripped all the oils out of my hair which just resets the clock. I halved it (so, 1tbsp BS to 2c water) and that's enough for about 3 washes for me. I wash the scalp with BS (and rinse well!) maybe once every 7-10 days, WO the rest of the time. I rinse scalp and lengths with ACV (1tbsp ACV to 1c water) after every BS wash and sometimes after WO washes. I also use a BBB one or more times a week to move sebum down to the lengths.

My hair doesn't look exactly like it did when I was shampooing and conditioning... the natural oils are there and there's some definition, but it's more shiny than greasy. Also, WO washing isn't just standing under the shower head (which is what I thought when I first started... d'oh! :o). You need to use your hands to work the sebum down the hair shaft. There's a lot of information in the WO thread on how to make this work. :)

[faithsdaisy421]

I don't think there is an easy way, either. I tried the Baking Soda/ACV combo a few years ago with near disastrous results. My hair was so nasty and greasy at the top and dry and hard at the bottom. About 3 months ago I began using SLS/Cone free stuff and started to stretch my washes, and recently was able to go CO with very little problems.

Slow, easy transitions are best. Don't give up on CO. It can take some time to find the right C for you!

[Raekwon]

Have you tried organic liquid soaps?

[terryn]

Terryn, do you still have your dreads?? My boyfriend has dreads, i LOVE them! I thought for a while about getting a few of my own from the underneath layers of my hair and using them as "tie dreads"... how do you like yours??

I do still have them, and I love them more as time goes on! They'll be 7 months old on the 14th. You can see my thread about them here:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=72540

I also uploaded a few new pics to my album, which you'll be able to see once you have a few more posts. :)

If you are considering dreads, even just a few underneth, I highly recommend checking out the get up dread up community on livejournal, it's full of tons of great info on everything you could ever want to know about dreads.

[teal]

I forgot to add - to combat dryness, especially on my damaged ends, I oil my hair lengths with coconut oil before a BS wash. I also use coconut or jojoba oil lightly as a leave-in to protect my hair and keep it from tangling so easily.

[silverjen]

I would stick with your current wash method, but start substituting in WO washes. If your hair doesn't like BS, i dont see the point of using it.

So, if you're a daily shampooer, start shampooing every other day, with WO in between. Do that for a couple of weeks, then go to every third day, and so on. By the time you get down to shampooing once a week, the transition to WO will be negligible.

WO hair doesn't feel like shampooed hair, even when it's fully transitioned. it is softer, but can also feel a bit coated and heavier. That's your sebum, doing its job of protecting the hair shaft.