dr_patz
Dec 13, 2008, 10:58 PM
How to Wash Hair Without Shampoo or Conditioner
A few hundred years ago, the idea of washing your hair sans chemicals would have been commonplace. Today it seems strange or even unhygienic; yet some people are turning back to traditional methods of haircare. Whether stemming from a desire to reduce consumption, avoid chemicals, relieve conditions such as excema or dermatitis, or simply experiment, shampoo-free washing (known affectionately as 'no-pooing' or 'water-only washing') can be very effective in maintaining clean and healthy hair.
Why Washing Hair Without Shampoo or Conditioner Works
Hair becomes dirty because of two factors: trapped particles, such as dust, and sebum, a natural oil produced by the scalp which makes hair look greasy.
Washing the hair frequently with shampoo strips the hair of its natural oil, sebum. To compensate, the scalp will begin to overproduce sebum to make up for the lack, resulting in a cycle of overcleansing and overproduction of oil. Once the cycle is stopped, the scalp will eventually regain its normal equilibrium, resulting in the need for less frequent washing. A transition period of about six weeks is required to accustom the scalp to lower sebum production.
How to Wash Hair Without Products
True water-only washing uses no products at all. In this case, the hair and scalp are simply washed vigorously under water, using the fingernails to 'scritch' at the scalp to remove any particles. Some people find that alternating hot and cold water helps to break through the sebum. Finishing the wash with a blast of cold water will lock down the cuticle of the hair, keeping it shiny.
Some people, while refraining from commercial hair products such as conditioner, like to facilitate washing and conditioning with natural products. Baking soda, vinegar, herbal teas, natural oils and butters, egg yolks and even yoghurt can form the basis of commercial product-free hair washing.
Easing the Transition to Water-Only Washing
The six-week greasy period, during which the scalp learns to produce less sebum, can be frustrating. Greasy hair can be hidden under a hat or bandana, or disguised in braids, which hold particularly well in greasy hair. A boar bristle brush will polish the surface of the hair, which can make sebum look like hair product rather than grease.
It is possible to wean the scalp off shampoo. Alternating diluted shampoo washes with water-only washes will make the transition period longer but less severe. Alternatively, conditioner-only washing can be used for a few weeks before attempting water-only washing.
Some water-only hair washers experience a renewed greasy period some months into their new routine; this eventually settles down.
A few hundred years ago, the idea of washing your hair sans chemicals would have been commonplace. Today it seems strange or even unhygienic; yet some people are turning back to traditional methods of haircare. Whether stemming from a desire to reduce consumption, avoid chemicals, relieve conditions such as excema or dermatitis, or simply experiment, shampoo-free washing (known affectionately as 'no-pooing' or 'water-only washing') can be very effective in maintaining clean and healthy hair.
Why Washing Hair Without Shampoo or Conditioner Works
Hair becomes dirty because of two factors: trapped particles, such as dust, and sebum, a natural oil produced by the scalp which makes hair look greasy.
Washing the hair frequently with shampoo strips the hair of its natural oil, sebum. To compensate, the scalp will begin to overproduce sebum to make up for the lack, resulting in a cycle of overcleansing and overproduction of oil. Once the cycle is stopped, the scalp will eventually regain its normal equilibrium, resulting in the need for less frequent washing. A transition period of about six weeks is required to accustom the scalp to lower sebum production.
How to Wash Hair Without Products
True water-only washing uses no products at all. In this case, the hair and scalp are simply washed vigorously under water, using the fingernails to 'scritch' at the scalp to remove any particles. Some people find that alternating hot and cold water helps to break through the sebum. Finishing the wash with a blast of cold water will lock down the cuticle of the hair, keeping it shiny.
Some people, while refraining from commercial hair products such as conditioner, like to facilitate washing and conditioning with natural products. Baking soda, vinegar, herbal teas, natural oils and butters, egg yolks and even yoghurt can form the basis of commercial product-free hair washing.
Easing the Transition to Water-Only Washing
The six-week greasy period, during which the scalp learns to produce less sebum, can be frustrating. Greasy hair can be hidden under a hat or bandana, or disguised in braids, which hold particularly well in greasy hair. A boar bristle brush will polish the surface of the hair, which can make sebum look like hair product rather than grease.
It is possible to wean the scalp off shampoo. Alternating diluted shampoo washes with water-only washes will make the transition period longer but less severe. Alternatively, conditioner-only washing can be used for a few weeks before attempting water-only washing.
Some water-only hair washers experience a renewed greasy period some months into their new routine; this eventually settles down.