Before I go into detail about my current haircare routine I have been getting many questions regarding the “No-‘Poo” method (no shampoo) and the benefits of it. I wanted to quickly mention a few things about shampoo’s and conditioners.
Why you shouldn’t use commercial Shampoo: Shampoo was only introduced in the early 20th century — before that, people relied on soap and healthy oils, which can wash hair just as well without removing important oils. Most Shampoos on the market include an array of synthetic and harmful ingredients. Although lather isn’t necessary for a shampoo to clean well, most consumers usually expect their shampoo to lather in order for their hair to “feel clean”. Most liquid shampoos contain synthetic lathering agents like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which draws moisture from the skin and can in turn cause dryness and irritation. Most of the chemicals in commercial shampoo’s strip the hair of all the healthy oil your body naturally produces and makes your scalp much more exposed to the chemicals you are putting on it. Remember that your scalp is one of the most absorbent parts of your body. According to one of my favorite books, “No More Dirty Looks“, they state that “The scalp is basically a sponge that sops up whatever you put on it. It’s also your most sensitive skin, and it extends all the way down to your eyes, so it stands to reason we should be extra careful what goes on or near it.”
Washing with Shampoo Bars: Shampoo Bars are typically made from Vegetable based Soaps that are specifically formulated for hair. Vegetable Oils, Vegetable Butters, Essential Oils are extremely beneficial for the hair and scalp and tend to lather quite well, sometimes even better than all-natural liquid shampoos. Shampoo Bars also are compact and easy to travel with and will last quite awhile (longer than commercial or natural liquid shampoos) and you will ultimately be saving money when switching over to Shampoo Bars. If you do not have very dry hair you might not even have to use conditioners anymore which will save you even more money.
To condition or to not condition: It is a very common misconception that one must condition their hair in order to have silky, smooth and manageable hair. This is just not true. Unless you have extremely dry hair (which in that case it is recommended to condition your hair but only a few times a week) you do not need to condition your hair every day, or even at all if you choose. I personally find that when using Shampoo Bars that my hair looks and feels better when I don’t condition. Our hair is made up of natural oils. When you use commercial shampoos these strip our hair of the natural oils that are there for a purpose. If you stop using shampoo and conditioner you will notice over time that when brushing your hair on a daily basis (to evenly distribute the natural oils from your scalp) and washing once a week that your hair will be naturally soft and shiny. If you do want to use conditioner here and there you can make a very simple conditioner from equal parts apple cider vinegar and water. I made a blog post about the benefits of apple cider vinegar hair wash as I swear by it. It’s the best conditioner I have ever used. I now use this rinse once a week and it is the only thing that I use to condition my hair aside from the occasional deep conditioning treatment I do (mentioned below).
My Current Hair Care Routine:
I wash my hair with my current Shampoo Bar of choice – the JR Liggets Coconut & Argan Oil Shampoo Bar. I do this only once a week. This bar has made my hair so ridiculously healthy and soft that I do not even need to condition anymore. In between washes I will do my Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse to get rid of any build-up throughout the week and to give my hair an added shine and softness. Since I just stopped using liquid shampoo my hair is still getting used to the process of only washing my hair once a week and so if I feel like my hair is greasy I will wash with plain Baking Soda and water. I also like to use the Lulu Organics Hair Powder which helps to get rid of excess oil and also adds some body to the hair! You could also just use Kaolin Clay or Arrowroot Powder to achieve the same effect!
I do a leave-in conditioning treatment once a week. I am currently using the Badger Seabuckthorn Hair Oil. This oil smells amazing and is a wonderful deep treatment for the hair. I leave this on my hair over night and rinse out the next day. I like to do a deep treatment as well (once every few weeks) and for this I love to use my Honey, Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask or just plain Coconut Oil.
I also brush my hair daily. It is extremely important to brush your hair to evenly distribute the naturals oils from your scalp down to your hair. It will help to make your hair look healthier and feel softer and more healthy!
If you stop washing and conditioning your hair with commercial liquid shampoos, eventually your scalp with restore it’s natural balance and produce the perfect amount of sebum for healthy and beautiful hair.
I will be sure to update on how my hair is responding to my new routine and will also be doing a video.
Have you ever gone “No-‘Poo”? What is your favorite way to wash your hair?
xoxo,
Britanie
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I’m having serious hair envy here Britanie! I’ve been using the No Poo method too and it really does make a huge difference. My coarse and wavy hair type is always prone to frizz and dryness but I find that the no poo method and of course Badger’s amazing hair oil really helps.
You’re so sweet! I honestly cannot imagine ever going back to liquid shampoo again. This bar shampoo is just so amazing. The Badger hair oil is wonderful. I am so happy I saw your review on that. It’s lovely. So happy that the no-poo method is working for you as well! thank you for your comment and compliment! ❤
You have beautiful hair! x
Thank you 😉
I used to love shampoo bars. I’ve not tried the no-poo method in quite sometime, but those lush locks of yours make me want to give it a go again.
awww 😉 ❤ You should give it another try!!! It's the best thing I've done for my hair since I discovered the ACV washes. This shampoo bar is my favorite so far that I have tried.
all you girls with thick, wavy hair make me sick! i am very bad about trying no-poo. i have such fine, oily hair that is just really can’t handle it. i’ve done dry shampoo a bit, and it doesn’t do much for me … but i also have it in my mind that i hate it. one of my resolutions is to give it another shot and at least try the every other day method of washing with dry shampoo in between. i am very intrigued by the shampoo bar! i also love ACV rinses, but i have some color in my hair now so i need to research that a bit to make sure i wont mess it up. UGH HAIR! thanks for the fun post and inspiration to TRY to be a natural hair girl … i just feel like a greaseball 🙂
my hair was never wavy until recently! I swear it’s from my hair routine. It also seems to be getting thicker the less I wash it. It’s crazy! I don’t think washing only once a week is for every hair type but I will say for most it works but the hard part is sticking through it. You have to give your scalp a chance to reset it’s oil production on it’s own and while that happens your hair will get greasy and feel gross but if you can get through that process, your hair will feel and look so amazing after awhile. If you do decide to give it another try I would recommend using the shampoo bar I mentioned or another one from that brand that is for color treated and oily hair. You could even just wash every other day to start out and use dry shampoo between washes! It’s worth another shot! ❤
p.s. I think you have beautiful hair!!!
I’m the same way! My hair is crazy oily to the point where I would wake up and my hair would look wet. I find that training my hair really helped me. I used Batiste Dry Shampoo (I got it at Walmart for $6) and I would use that daily until I absolutely had to wash my hair. Go as long as you possibly can without washing it and your hair will adapt. As far as the no-poo, I just got the Coconut and Argon Shampoo Bar today and I’m excited to try it! My question is with the no-poo method, can I still use styling products like hairspray and my dry shampoo? I’ve grown very addicted to both!
Hi Britanie!
Thank you so much for this post!!
And you have amazing hair!!!
I am currently using clean liquid shampoos, but I’m so curious about the soap bar!!
My hair is quite fine, oilier at the roots, so the version for oilier hair should suit me better…
Lately i’m having such a hard time with my hair, as it gets soo static, no matter what i do!!
I will definitely give a try to the soap bar and another try to the no poo method!
It’s soo difficult to pass the gross hair phase!! 🙂
Hi Clara!
You are so welcome. I would definitely give the shampoo bar a try. Your hair will get greasy between washes especially if you are used to washing daily. It is hard to get pass the gross hair phase but it helps to use natural dry shampoo or to wear hats or put your hair up, etc. It is worth it in the end to have even healthier and more beautiful hair! My hair used to get really really static as well but my new routine seems to be helping with that. I think it’s worth trying and I’d recommend the shampoo bar I am currently using to anyone. I love it!
Congrats on going no poo! I am hoping to get there in the next couple of months!
Also, I just a warning to anyone who might have hard water: that shampoo bar will literally leave scum in your hair. I was super excited to try it a whiles back, but I figured it didn’t work out because of the hard water in my apartment. I would love to try this again soon because I’m about to move. It smelled really nice and I liked the idea. But it’s something to consider before you buy!
Hey! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Did you use the same shampoo bar? eek that sounds awful! I haven’t experienced any left over residue after using the bar – my hair literally feels so clean and soft afterwards! That is good to know though. I hope you have a better experience when you try it again or maybe try rinsing with acv after? The acv helps with build up, etc.
I also read that hard water can not really be suitable for going no poo…
in my town the water is quite hard, but my experience with no poo was quite short! i can not say it did not work for me bcs of the hard water, or bcs i used wrong ratio of baking soda or acv….
I will try the shampoo bar, though, as they sound so nice and i have never tried them!
Yep it was the same brand and I rinsed with ACV, the problem was just the hard water. If you know your water is soft, it will probably work great. I think there are shower heads you can buy and several other ways to soften water, which would be a great investment if you weren’t renting like I was. Hard water doesn’t work with real soap shampoos like JR Liggett and it dries out your skin and hair, so it can wreak havoc all over the place!
I haven’t started the no poo method yet myself as I’ve been researching it and have posted a few questions on other websites I want to have answered before I start but I have read on quite a few websites that if you do have hard water, you should boil the water first before you add BS or ACV to your bottle to mix it. That way it kills any minerals, etc before you use it. I have also read if you don’t want to boil it first, try buying distilled water and use that instead.
Hope this helps if you haven’t come up with an answer or resolution yet!!
Thank you for the recommendation, my favorite oil right now is pro naturals moroccan argan oil which has helped me to restore my hair. 😀
Your welcome 🙂 I will have to look into the naturals argan oil, so happy to hear it’s helped your hair! Argan oil does wonders
i wanna try it. what other brands make a shampoo bar?
Do you put anything on your hair afterwards? Like a leave in treatment?
I don’t anymore. Once a week I will put in the Badger Hair Oil and leave it on over night or I use Jojoba Oil or Coconut Oil or DIY hair masks but I usually just wash with the soap bar and that’s it!
WOW thats amazing! where did you get the soap bar from?
Hi !! Beautiful hair !! I’m new to this and am weaning myself off of reg. shampoo. I noticed that oil you use. I’ve read up on hair oiling which is popular in India. I find that to be the cheapest healthy method of deep conditioning seems to be just that. I weekly oil my hair. ( I buy Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for less than $6 for the 16 oz glass jar & use that for cooking.. scrapes, in my kefir smoothies/oatmeal/Cream of Wheat/sometimes in my popcorn/& now deep conditioning my hair by massaging it deep into my scalp with my fingertips and then start working some throughout to the ends of my hair. I put my hair in a bun & leave it for like an hour or even longer… until I’m ready to get in the shower. I might also use a small amount once my hair is dried if I notice flyaways or frizz. I just ordered Raw African Black Soap and Chagrin Valley shampoo bars mentioned from a youtube no poo user review.
No-Poo Step by Step: How I wash and condition my hair
Chagrin Valley Shampoo Bar Review
My Hair Secret
—————————————————————————————————————–
oil massaging short hair (Champi)
oiling long hair
This one is good but long so you should probably start at around 6 min. 45 sec. in (6:45) because the beginning is a looooooooong reg. combing process of dry hair to remove tangles before oiling.
I forgot to mention that a filter in your shower is supposed to make all of the difference too since it removes the chlorine (that dries out the hair and makes it have brassy highlights).
I’m so glad I found you via Brianna! This hair routine makes a lot of sense but I’m confused about one thing.
I read once that using vinegar rinses balances the pH of your hair as shampoo bars are more
alkaline I think? So is it necessary to use a vinegar rinse?
Thankyou!
Hey! aww yay I am so happy you found my blog, too! Thank you so much for commenting. You are right — Apple Cider Vinegar does balance the pH of your scalp and hair. It is not necessary to use a vinegar rinse after washing with the shampoo bar as the oils will not strip your scalp and hair of it’s necessary oils, however using the ACV rinse can help to leave your hair feeling and looking extra soft. Some people prefer it. It really depends on your hair type. I find that I don’t need to rinse but I do an ACV rinse every few weeks or so just to add a bit of shine and on days when I don’t wash with the shampoo bar I just use the ACV. If you are using regular shampoos then the ACV would be necessary to help balance the pH after stripping the hair. I hope that makes sense!
xoxo
hey britanie! thanks so much for writing all this good stuff on hair health. also, you are insanely gorgeous + like everyone else in the comments, i have serious hair envy!
i’m curious though… do you think this routine would work for an athlete? like someone who exercises for at least an hour everyday and gets super greasy hair as a result? would i follow ur routine but wash my hair with baking soda and water 6x a week, and use the shampoo bar and vinegar once a week?
Hi Sarah! Thank you so much for your comment and your sweet compliments!! I do think this routine would work for an athlete, though I would recommend not going as long without washing as you are sweating more. I would recommend washing 2-3 times a week and using the vinegar once a week.
Hi Sarah B and Britanie, Just curious if you have heard anything else regarding athletes and the no-poo routine? I train for races and exercise almost everyday and can’t imagine NOT washing my hair after a workout. I currently use CV shampoo bars, no acv rinse since I smell the vinegar everytime my hair gets wet, even the next day. Sarah B, any updates on what you’ve tried? Britanie, have you heard from any other athletes?
I have to say I love your hair! I went no-poo for some four years now, but I just started using a organic, raw and vegan shampoo and conditioner since I wanted something I could travel with. I still do an apple cider rinse almost every time and the baking soda every once in awhile. I only ever washed my hair twice a week, unless I felt greasy or sweating in the summertime. I still use my argan oil and other oils when needed. The only thing I hate when switching hair care is having to adjust as my hair still feels a bit oily, but I may skip conditioning all together since I never needed it.
Wow, your hair looks so lovely and healthy! I’ve been trying bicarbonate of soda and water and acv rinses, which work well, but I’ve felt that I’ve needed to wash with a clean shampoo every wash or so, as my hair gets a bit limp after two or more bicarb rinses! Also, I’m a curly girl, so brushing every day isn’t an option unless I want a huge 70s frizz wig! ; ) which I’ll be honest, I enjoy sometimes for fun, but isn’t my favourite look, hehehe… maybe gentle combing with an afro comb will be enough??
Hey, this may seem like a dumb question, but can you still shower and get your hair wet, or do I need to invest in a shower cap or something?
Hi I just want to enquire if you can recommend a natural hair dye? I’m trying to go free with my hair and body products but I have a lot of grey hair and need to cover it! I don’t want to use commercial hair dyes any longer.
Henna really does a good job on covering gray hair but only works arker colours anywhere from red to brown or black (so no blonde). Otherwise I’d suggest any natural cosmetics brand, which I’m sure you can find easily on the internet 🙂
Hey Britanie! You have gorgeous hair. Thanks for all of the tips. I am currently in my second week of using chagrin valley bars and am trying to get used to my new chemical free hair. I’m excited about the outcome but it’s definitely been an experiment. I do end up wearing my hair up a lot or wearing hats. I was searching for what people say they do between washes and ran across your argan oil comment. Will you let me know how you do this process? How much you use etc? Thanks!!
Just found your blog from Pinterest, it’s lovely! 🙂 So I’ve been doing no poo for 4 or 5 months now…. And the top/middle of my hair is soft but my ends and shoulder down (my hair is long) is so dry and course. Any recommendations? (I do the baking soda water mixture once a week, but only my scalp and occasionally acv on the ends)
Hey. I am so happy you like my blog, thank you! First off – Congrats on 4 months no poo! That’s awesome. My recommendation for the middle and ends of your dry hair is to use oil on your hair while it is still damp. I would put a few drops of jojoba oil in your hands and massage the oil into the ends and middle of hair. Not too much. Then dry and brush. This should help your hair to be softer and also silky. Another recommendation is to do a good deep hair mask once a week. Do you do this? If not I would highly suggest using Coconut Oil once a week. Leave it on overnight. This will definitely help to maintain healthy and soft hair. You could also try using a natural conditioner in your hair after the baking soda and before or in place of the acv if you find that your hair is still really dry. I hope this helps. Please let me know if any of these work for you and if not I can try and give you more options! xx
hi britanie!
first off i love your blog. it is my complete go-to for organic selfcare advice
i was wondering if you know of people who get rashes from the ‘no poo’ method?
i’ve been trying it out for a while and the results on my hair are great, but my skin alwyas breaks out in a big, nasty rash.
i’ve lowered the proportions of baking soda and apple cider vinegar but i still get this rash.
any advice?
xo ella
Quick question.. when styling your hair do you still use any products (mousse, hairspray, etc.). I have thin fine hair and feel as though I still need product to have volume or make my hair hold its style. Does it make a difference with the no-poo method?
Hi Britanie,
I make soap myself and at the moment are trying out a shampoo bar I bought from a fellow soap maker. I have been using this bar for about a week (washing 3 to 4 times a week) and my hair feels horrible!! It’s waxy and it’s getting worse by the day. Today I washed my hair and it feels like I have dreadlocks…. I don’t use ACV or anything else, no product either. Is this just a ‘detox’ fase or do I need to swicht to another bar? Made a bar myself, but it’s still curing (CP soap).
Thanks in advance!
Hi 🙂 I went no poo about 4 weeks ago. If you do oil treatments (or DIY mask for your hair), what do you use to wash out the oil (soap or baking soda) AND do you wash your hair twice to get rid of oil/mask? Thank you 🙂
First of all, I love your blog and your hair is beautiful! I am completely new to this whole no poo/low poo movement! I actually order the J.R. Liggets shampoo bar and got it in the mail. I have two questions….1) this may be silly but is there any special way to lather/ wash with a shampoo bar? (I’m used to liquid soaps)
2) do you know of any stores that sell J.R. Ligget products? The shampoo bar was only $7 which is a decent price but shipping cost me almost $8!
Thanks so much 🙂
i got mine off of amazon and the shipping was like 2 bucks, are you out of the states?? because 8 bucks for shipping is ridiculous!
Hi!! I was wondering if you had any sort of transition stage when you started using the shampoo bar? I just started with the shampoo bar and my hair feels so dry and tangled. Will this get better??
Hey, how inspiring! I really going to give shampoo bars a try! I have one question though, I like to do oil mask in my hair almost erytime before I wash my hair and I was wondering if you can use the shampoo bar to wash it out? Or do you have to use regular shampoo or ACV? Really like your reviews thnx!
Dear Britanie!
Loved this post. Your hair is absolutely divine.
My haircare routine is almost identical to yours, but I do have one struggle. When I do deep condition my hair, I simply cannot seem to get the oil out – not with the soap bar and neither with ACV. Do you have any suggestions?
Xx
About the problems with hard water. http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/idascorner/shampoo-hair/how-does-your-water-affect-your-hair
Hi Britanie,
Could you tell me where the comb is from?