What You Need to Know About No Pooing

Before you start having gross images cross your mind, no pooing is just the idea of not using shampoo anymore. Now this in itself may sound gross, but probably not as gross as what you thought "no pooing" really was! So before you get turned off of no pooing, read this article to see if it's right for you.

What is No Pooing?

The idea of no pooing is a recent movement where an individual cuts out using shampoo altogether, or weans themselves off of their shampoo regimen gradually. Some No Pooers wash their hair with homemade "shampoos", other only use conditioner only, while the most extreme only use water to wash their hair.

Why Go No Poo?

So you may ask yourself what is the real benefit from going No Poo? There are a few reasons behind going No Poo so let me break it down to you. It may sound strange but shampoo was not introduced until 1930! So shampooing your hair is actually a recent "trend" Shampoo was actually created to help us wash our hair no matter if we had hard water or soft water because reportedly those who had hard water could not effectively get their hair clean. But most shampoos are nothing shy of harsh detergents that completely strip your hair of natural oils, making your scalp over produce oils to make up for it. And here comes the biggest reason to go no poo! Going no poo has been shown to even out all kinds of hair issues, from overly dry, overly oily, flaky, itchy.... You name it! And no pooing gives your hair more strength, shine, and better manageability.

Another reason people try to go no poo is to go green. People feel all of those chemicals in shampoo (go on ahead and read the label on your bottle...it's scary!) may be absorbed by the body creating possible health risks, as well as being washed down the drain to infect our planet. So for some no pooers, eliminating shampoo is reducing their "thumbprint" on the earth.

How to Go No Poo

There are various options to going no poo. Some wean themselves off of shampoo by stretching the amount of days in between shampoos, others use natural products like baking soda and vinegar to wash the hair and others go conditioner only (known as CO washing). I have found that one size does no fit all in the no pooing world! It may be trail and error, so reading up on forums which specifically deal with the no poo movement is the best way to educate yourself on the no pooing how-to's.

What Can I Expect When I Go No Poo?

Expect that for the first two to six weeks your hair may be overly oily. This is the adjustment time that your scalp needs to balance itself out from over production of sebum (your hairs natural oils) Many people cope with this time period by wearing their hair up in pony tails or wearing hats or other coverings. Some report that their transition period of no pooing was much shorter, and very manageable, while others decide to throw in the towel at this point. If you can make it past your no pooing transition point, your hair will thank you! Almost all no pooers are surprised at the amount of comments they get on their hair from friends, family and complete strangers.

What Now?

If you are interested in the no poo lifestyle start looking up more information on it through various forums and articles. I have provided a few links to get you started, and in the near future I will be writing more on this no poo movement!

Sources:

http://www.naturemoms.com/no-shampoo-alternative.html