Experiences with no hair washing?

[Julysea]

Hello everyone, I'm new here so be gentle with me!

At the start of this year I decided I was going to stop washing my hair. I've heard/read that after 2-8 weeks people often find it 'finds its own level' and stops being greasy and stuff. So, 2.5 weeks in it's not as greasy as it was a week ago and hopefully it's getting there. But what I wanted to ask was other people's experiences of this. Does it really go back to 'normal'? Is it best to keep it dry or better to wash it with just water? Does really hard water stop this from working? Any other useful thoughts?

Thanks,
Liz

[sleepyowl]

I seldom wash my hair but then i keep it short as I'm receding quite quickly, but I must admit if you get past the itchy stage it tends to be ok

[suziq]

yeah, i did it once
lasted about 3 months and it was ok, quite soft, had some plaits in too

[Minnesota]

Well, I'm fasicated !
SusieGee, thanks for the links, I've read them through twice.
as you can see by my avatar photo, which is the real me.
I am a Guy with short hair.
if I go two days without washing my hair with the generic version of expensive shampoo and conditioner. my hair gets greasy and scalp flakes (dandruff).
are you people telling me, If I quit washing my hair,
the greasiness and Dandruff goes away ?
rinse daily with a mild vinegar/water solution (tblsp to a gallon) in the shower,
then the occasional (once ever 3 months) deep cleaning with Bicarb?

[Green Aura]

I've not used shampoo since the end of September (when the shop closed - didn't fancy smelling like a sheep while trying to flog soap ).

For the first 4-6 weeks I washed my hair with a mix of epsom salts, bicarb, seaweed, sea salt, and blackstrap molasses (just a dsp of mix in a jug of water) - and rinsed with vinegar water. It helped me get through the itchy stage unscathed and I didn't smell like a sheep!!!

Since then I've just used the vinegar rinse, with an occasional wash with bicarb. My hair's pretty good, lots of body where before it was limp.

The only problem I've had was staying in a hotel recently I didn't have any vinegar and my hair felt horrible after my shower. I didn't dare use shampoo in case I had to start again from scratch.

[Nomada]

I don't use any shampoo anymore, just a little bit of conditioner and a rinse of cool water with a few drops of rosemary oil in it and my hair's never been so well behaved and shiny.

[Julysea]

This is encouraging. Thanks for posting the previous threads, I've read through them and also interesting. I had tried using just bicarb and vinegar before and bicarb really doesn't seem to agree with my hair, or maybe it's our very hard water, I'll try giving my hair a vinegar rinse today.

Does anyone think that soft water, or using rain-water, helps the process at all? It really does seem like it workds for some people and not others. I'm wondering what makes the difference. If it's hair type, water type, or something else, or a combination.

Liz

[Keaniebean]

I did this last year after reading through the threads, but I have fine hair which gets greasy REALLY easily . I managed a few weeks and then decided that putting my hair into dreadlocks would be the best option, but it really did not work. I kept the dreads for a year mostly without washing them with shampoo but then cut them off. Now I'm back to shampoo and a bit of conditioner every day as before.

Maybe it was a combination of my very fine gresy hair and the Hard water we have here in London, but I wouldnt try it again to be honnest.

[Julysea]

I have pretty greasy hair too, but after 3 weeks of no shampoo it seems to be starting to be less greasy. Certainly the roots and ends feel fine, it's the in between bit which is still yucky.

[becks77]

Hi,
My other half started his no-poo experiment 5 years ago, and hasn't sham-pooed since! Occaissionally he will use a bit of watered down vinegar, just to combat the odd bit of red skin or dandruff. Previously his hair was quite wirey and coarse but now has reached its own level and is quite soft.
I just cant bring myself to try this though.
Best of luck

[Greenbeast]

i started my no-poo experiment a year ago this month, i wash daily with just water and have not used anything on it but water in that year (no bicarb, no vinegar, nothing)

Took a while to go through the transition but got there in the end, still find i have a greasier pillow case than the wife but that doesn't bother me, just needs washing a little more often, my hair definitely feels good

Since august i've been growing it (currently at about the 3" mark, used to use a number 4 clipper all over) and it's been great, people ask what product i use to style it, i just say 'no products touch this hair, it's all natural'. noone twigs the truth unless i spell it out.

anyway, i definitely won't be going back, thats for sure

[Green Aura]

Does that mean I've still not completed the process? B*gger - I thought I was doing so well - but my hair felt so awful, like a greasy haystack, when I just used water I'm beginning to wonder.

I suppose it doesn't matter really - I'm no longer using chemical shampoos, my scalp feels much better, though not completely clear. Do I really want to start again???? May have to ponder that one.

[Greenbeast]

also regarding your previous post, after a while of doing this washing your hair once shouldn't 'reset' the process as your head would still be used to not over-producing the oils.

going back to washing regularly and then stopping again would have you head constantly trying to adjust to different conditions but the odd wash weeks apart won't be a problem

[Gem]

I was sick a few years back and did not wash my hair for about 2 -3 months, bad example as the fever I had made me sweat a lot and that made my hair quite greasy and smelly. It did however let my hair reach its 'natural level'.. I remember when I was on the mend (tho prior to hair wash), a friend came to visit and commented that I must be feeling better if I had made the effort to make my hair look nice.

Since then I have washed my hair once a week (max) and thats more from the smell than anything (not such a problem these days but working in and around London rivers didn't do anything good for my hair!).

Very interesting reading all the tips, I have often thought of stopping washing with chemical shampoos but I have the consumers fear of stepping out of the loop when it comes to shampoo (toothpaste also though those are my only two 'must buys'). I do like the idea of vineagar but doesn't it bleach your hair in the summer?...

Either way the products are there in the first place to create the impression of health and vitality. If you are healthy and let nature take its course then you usually can achieve a close mimic of the illusion of health!

[Green Aura]

I do like the idea of vinegar but doesn't it bleach your hair in the summer?...

As I'm almost all grey at the front and only rarely see the back I can't answer that