Ooh! I heard that segment too. Back around the holidays I started looking into no-pooing (no idea how I got there during websurfing). I knew I couldn't quit shampoo cold-turkey, and wasn't sure if I really wanted to, but over the last 3 months or so, I've been washing my hair only every other day (instead of every day), and it's been a nice gradual transition. Now on day 2 my hair is no longer flat and oily and gross, but actually pretty decent looking and sometimes even has some volume! I know that is still much more than some people wash theirs, but for me it's a 100% improvement!

I was introduced to the no-poo way by a deva stylist (http://www.devaconcepts.com/), which helps wavy/curly hair reach its curl potential. So, the devacurl cleanser doesn't lather or contain sulfates.

For more than a year, I've washed my hair every 7-10 days. So, washing less is great for me. And, when I do wash its with "no poo" by devacurl. Saves a ton on shampoo, keeps my hair from drying out, saves on the products I have to use, my hair is curlier, and saves on color!

I do it! I got really frustrated with my shampoo one day, because my hair was looking really flat and nasty, so I tried baking soda. It looked great! It took me a little while to get the hang of it, but now it's all i use. I wash my hair twice a week - apple cider vinegar rinse, baking soda on the roots, then a little more vinegar just on the ends of my hair. It looks good and I like that Im not constantly having to buy new shampoo.

How do you apply the baking soda? in a paste on damp hair, or dry on dry hair? And how do you store it near the tub?

While I still use shampoo, it's only every few days that I wash my hair. My hair is thick and coarse, with some natural curl, which makes it rather unruly at times. I learned a long time ago that washing every day makes it frizzy (the only exception was when I was swimming and did wash/rinse the chlorine out after every practice). Washing every other day to every 3 days actually makes it easier to manage. When it's really cold and dry in the winter, I try to go as long as possible to keep my hair from getting too dry. Since it's long, there's an infinite number of things I can do with it to change the style on the non-wash days.

And bonus! It's certainly cut down on my shower time when I don't wash and condition my hair (which involves combing the conditioner through and letting it sit).

My boyfriend had the most beautiful hair when I met him. Think Giselle Bundchen. Seriously, it was that long, and had her wide curled volume without him doing anything. He washed maybe once every week with olive oil soap to get kitchen smells out, and didn't own a hair brush.

I mainly shampoo to get rid of kitchen smells. I try to use conditioner more often though, and if I can find a deodorizer for my hair, I might actually be able to let go of that shampoo bottle.

As a side note, I only use vegan biodegradable shampoo with recycled plastic bottles in the extra large sizes to reduce packaging.

I've been doing this for about a year. It's great! Go here for a little more information if you're interested. http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html

I've found that it's easiest to start with a paste, working a bit into scalp, near the crown of your head and working outward. I used to pre-mix the baking soda and vinegar, but I found that the solutions were far too cold by the time I washed my hair! Now, I use pre-measured cubes of baking soda (very easy to make). I keep a small cup in the shower for the vinegar, which I keep in my bathroom for convenience. That way, you can dilute the vinegar with the warm water. :)

Be sure not to leave the baking soda on for too long, or it'll dry out your hair. And the vinegar smell does come out, you just have to rinse well!

My husband heard this the other day and hasn't shampooed since. I dunno, he's looking kinda greasy. I don't think he listened to the part about the alternatives.

I've never washed my hair every day, but after a short stint with a medication that left my skin extremely dry, I've switched to once every 4-5 days. Usually the 4th or 5th day requires a ponytail, but even then my hair is never actually dirty or smelly. I've never stopped using shampoo, but I try to choose formulas without sulfates. For people who can't imagine not washing every day, try rinsing and a little bit of conditioner (or just water) on the day you don't use shampoo.

I haven't used any home remedies, but I did stop using shampoo and now only use an organic conditioner with tea tree oil and very little alcohol. It's so much nicer on my hair and doesn't strip it. To prevent build-up, though, I still shampoo about once every two weeks. About once every three months, I wash with dishwashing liquid to completely strip my hair. I haven't had a problem with dryness or flyaways since i started using the conditioner. Boss!

I've been no poo for about 9 months. I will never go back to shampoo. I have dry frizzy hair and the lauryl sulfates that make shampoo foamy make hair more frizzy so I looked for alternative natural substitutes but even the natural based ones that they use still cause frizz and unruly-ness so I just went to baking soda, 1 tsp in 1 cup water, wash and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar in 1 cup water rinse. Having hard water the baking soda didn't work well for too long so now I just do apple cider vinegar and it works great for me. I can actually brush my hair without it ending all crazy. I use coconut oil as a leave in conditioner, makes my hair so soft and shiny. I don't recommend you use the coconut oil as a leave in if you have fine hair, if you do use it before your shower as a pre-conditioner. I've heard people have success using it that way.

Heather Pierce How do you make the pre-measured baking soda? I did a search and did not come up with anything.

I think I'm just one of those people who needs shampoo. If I go a day without washing my hair, it gets oily and greasy and, honestly, doesn't smell too good. Sometimes I even wash my hair twice a day. For those of you who can go without shampoo, go for it. For me, sorry, I need my shampoo.

i did the no poo routine (a baking soda paste) all last summer, followed by apple cider vinegar conditioner. my hair never looked terribly oily, but it didnt improve the quality or condition of my hair.

now i use jr liggetts herbal shampoo bar

i feel like the no poo routine would work better on thick hair, i have thin, fine hair

i have to say it was definitely much more cost efficient

I wonder if anybody in the no-poo movement lives in the Deep South. Seriously, I can see this working if you're living in a temperate climate where you don't get hot and sweaty just walking out the door, but here in Buttcrack, Mississippi? I am skeptical. Very, very skeptical.

My hair is baby-fine and there's a lot of it.

My stylist told me I shouldn't wash it any more than 2 or 3 times a week. But it was hard to follow those instructions because my hair felt oily by the middle of the 2nd day.

Then another stylist introduced me to the no 'poo way. Chaz Dean's WEN cleansing conditioners are seriously the best hair product I've ever used. They clean my hair gently, make it nice and shiny, and give me great volume.

Now, I wash my hair maybe 2 or 3 times a week, if that. (In between, I might just rinse my hair with warm water.) And I have fewer problems with it being oily or my scalp being dry. It's great.

(I also have an Aquasana water filter in my shower to get all of the chlorine and fluoride and stuff out of my "city water." It's wonderful.)

So if a guy wants to go this route for the healthful benefits (and helping to prevent hair loss) Does that mean we should also stop using hair goo to keep our hair from going wild too?

What should we use instead to keep ourselves in control?

(crossposted from AT crosspost...)

I stopped washing my hair in college, to stretch time between dye jobs, and the habit stuck when I discovered an end to split ends and flakey scalp. I have short short hair, so I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me. Wasn't aware I was in a movement, but low-intervention hair has always had a few adherents.

Does this work for people with REALLY long hair? Mine's almost down to my butt, has been dyed, and is frizzy. Also, it flakes. Not sure if no-poo will make it look better, or just exacerbate the problems.

I use no shampoo, but I just use the cheapest conditioner I can find (usually Suave). Apparently, I have heard White Rain is the best and more environmentally friendly but no one around here carries it. My color fades much slower and coarse my curly hair is getting much more tame. The conditioner has enough stuff in it to lift out the greasy and on the tough/humid/no wash days, I hit my temples with a dash of cornstarch or talc on a powder brush(eases the greasy look). Initially, I'm not going to lie, the adjustment period kinda sucked, but after about a week my scalp started producing much less oil, no flakes or itchy scalp ever and my hair is getting really shiny and healthy looking.

jyw, the reason your hair gets so greasy the next day is because you're drying out your scalp by washing it everyday. And washing it twice a day doesn't help. Greasy hair doesn't mean that you need to wash you hair, it means that your scalp is dried out and trying to over compensate.

It does take a while for your scalp to adjust to washing it only every other day (i should know, my hair and scalp used to be just like yours), but trust me it makes a world of difference! The less product (that includes shampoo!) you put in your hair, the happier it'll be.

It isn't that shampoo is bad for your hair. The chemical additives are what destroy your hair. They're found in most every grocery-brand name hair product. Same as in cleaning products, toothpaste ... well any thing with chemical additives. Go organic! Go green!

CURLY/DRY HAIRED GIRLS AND BOYS! ALERT!

stop washing your hair with shampoo. you will be so happy. echoing hazel8 in the beginning of this thread, devachan products are amazing and completely based on NOT needing shampoo.

one less bottle to buy! and ALOT less product trying to make your hair soft after the drying, frizzy, shampooing ways we all blindly accept.

I've just bought one of those 'pocket guides to green living' that rates products according to how green they are. (How much they do for the environment, how they treat their employees) And I was horrified to discover that all my favorite brands of shampoo got terrible ratings, and that I have allergic reactions to most of the cheaper higher rated ones. I settled on Dove which I think was still a C- on the rating scale.
But I just can't bring myself to drive across the city to spend 8$ on organic shampoo, seems like a wash-out if I have to make a separate trip. This sounds like a viable alternative.

My straw-thick curly hair was a frizz bomb, and I finally read this book that suggested ditching the poo, and now I've been free for six years. Even without the poo, I leave in conditioner at the end. I get frequent unsolicited comments about how good my hair smells. I'm a bit skeptical that this will work for people with really fine straight hair, but what do I know?

"(I also have an Aquasana water filter in my shower to get all of the chlorine and fluoride and stuff out of my "city water." It's wonderful.)"

Aquasana is a carbon filter, it does NOT get rid of fluoride. The only type of filtration that will remove fluoride from your water is reverse-osmosis filtration.

I used to do the no-poo thing, but since I started swimming regularly in chlorinated water, I've gone back to using a Lush shampoo bar. Bicarb just doesn't get the chlorine out.

I don't no-poo (with baking soda and ACV), but I don't shampoo every day and I only use hair products that are SLS-free. My current fave is the very affordable Kiss My Face Big Body duo. I have very fine, medium-length wavy hair that I used to have to wash daily because it would get so greasy. Now I wash every 2 to 3 days and condition almost daily. When I do wash, sometimes I will only wash my bangs and leave the rest. My hair has been wonderful since discovering this minimal hair care routine.

I had a touch and go relationship with No Poo for awhile but I'm fully back on the wagon.

When I want to make sure my hair looks good, I lather with an expensive high quality conditioner like Zerran. For every day hair I use BS and ACV. My hair is thick, curly and shiny as all get out.

I recently blogged about it: http://www.runawayoctober.com/2009/01/going-without-shampoo-that-is/

I have an oily face and scalp, and have transitioned over the last year or two from every day to every four days. I haven't had a problem with smell, but do brush out my hair (briefly - only about twenty strokes - I do have a life) in the morning and again at night. This helps distribute the oils over my long hair and helps keep my hair from looking too oily.
On the fourth day I've been using a 2-in-1 because I'm not finished it yet; I'm thinking of trying the vinegar-and-baking soda method once the shampoo is used up.

I have fine, light hair (the color matters because oiliness actually CHANGES my hair color), and while my hair is oily, it isn't out of proportion with the rest of me. I just come from sweaty, fine-haired people. If I don't shampoo, my scalp itches, my hair gets lank, the oil from my hair causes big zits on my face, etc. So, they can rip my 'poo from my cold dead fingers, as that's the only way anyone's going to get me to stop. To be honest, though, I try to buy 'poo that's made largely from natural ingredients and doesn't contain LSFs. Also, I had a housemate in college who had skin and scalp problems (she had gorgeous, enviably thick hair though), and when she switched to baking soda and apple cider vinegar, her scalp improved significantly. Everybody's different. I suspect most people could go on quite happily without modern hair products; I am certain that I am not one of them.

For those of you talking about "my hair is oily on day 2, I can't do this" -- it's because your hair is USED to having all its oils stripped out every day. It needs to recover! Your scalp will stop producing the oils as it learns it's not going to have all that protection stripped away.

If you're serious--try going every 3 days, and be willing to tie your hair back with a bandanna, in an up 'do, a ponytail, braid, whatever it is. As your scalp gets accustomed, you'll look great with infrequent shampoos (or, like me--baking soda 1x/week, vinegar 1x/month) and and your complexion will clear up if you have problems, your hair will look stunning... and you can go to CostCo and buy a $12 bag of baking soda thta will last you for two years! Take THAT, shampoo!

SoSue, sorry for the late response! I make my cubes by measuring out the baking soda (I measure a teaspoon per cube) and adding water to make a thick paste. I made some boxes out of wax paper and smushed the paste into them—an ice cube tray or silicone cupcake liners should work just as well. Anyway, after that, I let them dry out. When they're all set, I put them in an airtight jar in my bathroom.

question: wouldn't switching to vinegar actually increase the amount of waste you produce? it seems like you'd go through the vinegar reasonably quickly (plus the actual bottle is bigger). it takes me about a year to go through a normal sized bottle of shampoo (you really only need a dab).

I've been no pooing for almost 2 years. I use conditioner with baking soda combined which I put in a travel bottle. A light conditioner with baking soda works well for my extremely curly hair. I rub the product into my scalp with the pads of my fingers and sometimes use a wash cloth when I've gone longer between washings.

I no longer have the dreadful, itchy scalp that was riddled with dandruff. I've suffered from dandruff since childhood and was put on extreme medicated shampoos that left my scalp irritated and even more scaly. As an adult, I would go through a ton of shampoo products to figure out the best for me, but none ever worked. I do "no poo" for my 7 year old. It has worked well with her hair.

I also don't use gels or styling products as I used to. For a gel, I use aloe vera gel without the alcohol--the same kind used for sunburns. It is cheap and rinses out easy without that buildup of product. In between washings, to reduce the dryness and frizzyness, I combine the aloe vera and Infusium 23 leave in conditioner in a spray bottle. I spray our hair with it and it leaves it shiny and smelling clean.

I am at the post partum hair loss phase, and no poo washings has helped keep my scalp clean and less irritated because I am finding a lot of itching in those hair loss areas--the temples. I wash my hair every 3-4 days. For my daughter who has thicker and curly hair, She gets a wash a week.

I recommended this to a friend, and she didn't like the method, but she is using the Chaz Dean products, which I refuse to buy pricey products when my method works fine for us.

No-poo-er in the Deep South here!

Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar CURED my husbands awful awful dandruff issues!! And bonus it doesn't have to be done everyday! He has thick coarse curly hair.

It also brought a bit of body and life back to my thin and flimsy hair!

I have also been known to use Castille soap and a bit of ACV.

The ACV does smell in the shower but I PROMISE it does not linger in your hair and have you smelling like pickles all day!

It's also super cheap!

When I have to use product for an event I just strip my hair afterwards with non-Ultra Dawn (found at Dollar Tree) and I'm good to go again with the no-poo!

Oh and the Vingear is watered down! It's just enough to make your hair soft .. in fact you don't really have to use it.

I've also heard good things about Coconut Oil as a styling product.

I use coconut oil sometimes for shine. Its good on my curly blond hair, but for straight I wouldn't recommend. I also use it as a full body moisturizer 2x a day!

I'm so sorry... I'm blessed with the most beautiful hair, naturally, and have a lot of it (hairdresser has to make a double shift when I'm in 2 times a year, well that is when he's lucky, mostly just once a year, lol).
Anyway, I have long hair, and never bothered to wash my hair more than once a week (because it takes hours to dry with my length and volume and moist atmosphere - Netherlands).
Since a few years my hair is even more beautiful when I decided to stop on salon and drugstore hair products and just wash it with Urtekram shampoo (just a little), and do a last rinse with cold water. I use the shampoo once a week just to get rid of the city polution (and smoke... that's my personal sin, yes).
Oh, and I stopped watching tv, that also really cut down on the so-called problems I would have on my head, hehe.
When I changed to (real) natural shampoo I never had flakes, dry or greasy hair anymore...

I think this is great. But, the problem I have is when I use styling products like pomade, paste, gel, cream, etc. The only way I can really get all of it out is to use shampoo. Any advice on that?

Jake - try to cut down on the products, maybe? I think baking soda would actually get a lot of those out. It's worth a try.

I have very oily hair and I have tried many times to stop using SLS shampoo. I stuck with the non-SLS varieties for months. I added vinegar rinses. No luck. (Although they are good for removing shampoo residue.)

And no, my hair does not become less oily if I stop washing it. I've tried that too. Longest I went was a month one summer vacation.

So, I'll probably try the baking soda, but I don't have terribly high expectations at this point.

Incidentally, my husband is the world's dryest person. He shampoos maybe once a week and never needs deodorant. It's really not fair.

If hair is only oily because it's used to being washed too often, how do you explain my 12 year old having to switch from washing her hair once a week to washing it every other day over the last two years? The hormones kicked in and her hair is now greasy and smelly after day 2. The oils are the reason for frequent washings, not vice versa. Eight year old can still go a week without washing and his hair looks just fine and doesn't smell.

I've also tried washing less than daily and I tend to get horrible oily scales on my scalp and acne on my face. I'm another of those whose light colored hair changes color when oily--from medium blond to a brassy dirty reddish blonde.

I'm not generally opposed to this idea, but it won't work for everyone.

One thing that the NPR story didn't mention was that before daily shampooing became the norm, most women wore their hair long and pinned it up or back somehow. Oily hair isn't as obvious with hairstyles like that, as compared to a short, layered cut. Also, before the "permanent", you'd end up washing out your styling if you shampooed frequently.

I've got long, curly hair and baking soda instead of shampoo is great for me. I mix a tablespoon or so into a cup of warm water and pour it slowly onto my hair, working it into my scalp with the other hand. Then I rinse and use a really good leave-in conditioner for the ends. Sometime during the next week I generally need to rinse it at least once--I'm now trying vinegar for this. Vinegar seems to work about as well as just conditioner for the midweek.

Mind you, I've just been doing this since November, so it's only been winter, when my hair is generally a bit dry. I may need to change my pattern for the summer.

Most of what I've read recommends no-poo for curly hair. And I'm sure that some people would react badly to baking soda or vinegar, whether they had curly or straight hair. My advice would be if you generally HAVE to use conditioner after you shampoo, you might have good luck with a no-poo routine, since you are probably drying your hair and scalp out. If you shampoo every day, don't condition, and don't have a hay stack on your head (which is what I'd get), the baking soda might work, but you are still likely to need frequent washings. Your mileage may vary, but do try it at home.

I am going to try the no poo method - it's natural and it's economical plus people seemed to be getting good results. Question: can I still apply no poo method after perming my hair?

I have been 'no poo' for 4 months and so far so good. i have long, curly thin dry hair that tangles easily and always looked frizzy and dry. I use a permanent color every 3 months. i work out often and get my hair sweat soaked.

I have been using an empty 12oz bottle to which i add 1 tsp. baking soda and fill it with warm water and use it as a 'shampoo' for my hair.

Then i have another empty 12 oz bottle to which i add 1 tsp. apple cider vinnegar and fill with cool water and use as a final rinse.

i also still use a deep conditioner every 2 weeks and sometimes put cocunut oil on the ends. My hair looks better and feels better than it has in years.

i'm truly amazed that this actually works. I can't believe it actually cleans the sweat out of my hair and that my hair doesn't smell. But it doesn't- the boyfriend even commented on how good my hair smelled after i did the vinnegar rinse and got out of the shower and dried off. It just smelled clean.

So far so good. i will keep this up for as long as it continues to work. i did wonder about how it would work if i go in any chlorinated swimming pools.

It may not be for everyong, but it has done wonders for my hair. I'm sooooo glad i found out about it!

No baking soda, no shampoo.. Apple cider vinegar rinses only once a month and I wash my hair once every 3 days or else it really gets nasty.

Read the ENTIRE experience here.. I documented it all.

Washing with water only @ FabulouslyBroke.com

Oh I even have pictures of my hair after. More volume, shinier.. it feels and looks great.

For all you swimmers, a diluted lemon juice concentrate rinse does the job. I was a competitive swimmer for many years and trained twice/day, 6 days /week, I rinsed with lemon juice after each swim (my skin as well) and didn't have a problem with chlorine burn. You can also use vinegar, but I like Lemon juice better and have more experience with it.

Sounds like this no-poo is something I should try. I have very long, very thick, wavy to curly hair and it's been tame and nicer looking since I started to wash my hair only once a week (with shampoo). Maybe no shampoo at all will help make it look even better.

"i feel like the no poo routine would work better on thick hair, i have thin, fine hair"

I agree with this.

I did this for some months. My problem was and is that my hair has been destroyed by untreated hypothyroidism. It is very dry, does not grow much, etc. So.... I have kind of given up for now.

I will give it another try at some point.

I like many others do a "low-poo" method, by only shampooing 2-3 times a week - it was working so well for a while. I loved just spending 20 minutes a couple times a week giving my hair a good blow-out and styling it and not having to do it again for at least 3 days.

But, I just had a baby and am working out daily to lose the extra weight, so I haven't figure out how to not wash my hair after working out. Any ideas? I had heard of a powder shampoo that is supposed to cut down on greasiness. & really, it's only around my neckline in the back that it gets sweaty...but still.

I am a huge fan of low-maintenance hair so this was a great solution - oh and my showers were so much shorter - good thing w/ California water bills.

I use the Burt's Bee's shampoo bar, which isn't really shampoo, it's just soap. By itself, it's terrible. Combined with a vinegar rinse, it's the best thing my hair has ever seen. Vinegar is acidic, so it neutralizes the soap, which is slightly basic, and causes the hair cuticle to lie flatter (making it shiny).

Whenever I use regular shampoo (usually in a hotel), I regret it, because my not-thin but very limp hair loses all that lovely volume!

I tried the baking soda, but it made my scalp itch. Was I using too much or what? I sometimes use just a little bit to rinse out product buildup. (You can take my 'poo but I'm keeping my texturizing wax no matter what!)

I'm a curly girl and I get stopped at least bi-monthly either by women with curly hair or moms of girls with curly hair, and I'm asked how I keep my curls looking so good even with my long length. My first response is ALWAYS to stop using shampoo; they are usually taken aback, since I know I'm telling them to basically commit a hygenic sin. I even tell them to feel and smell my hair, since their first thought is usually, 'doesn't your hair smell and feel dirty?' I only use conditioner - two different types - and I have for years. I can't say whether or not it will work for other hair types, but when you realize you're basically putting detergent in your hair I'd say it's worth trying something different, even if it feels awkward at first.

this all sounds pretty good...i have thick, curly/wavy hair, usually itchy scalp, and serious frizz/control issues. however, i know a few people who don't shampoo, and i don't know if they heard about vinegar, baking soda and all that, because their hair really does look nasty all the time.

This all sounds enticing. Question, does anyone who does this have bangs? My bangs get greasy during the day, I understand that it is worse because I shampoo everyday but I think they pick up some oil from my face, anyone with bangs use this method? Also is it ok if I get my hair wet everyday just not shampooing? I shower every day, would this be a problem?

I HIGHLY recommend anyone with thick, curly, or wavy hair go with a no-poo routine. It saved my tresses--healthier, moisturized, less split ends, just all around better...

The harsh chemicals in shampoo/condtitioner RUIN hair. I use a henna-based no-poo bar from mehandi.com (dont be fooled by the 'bar' form...its INCREDIBLE) and condition with Jessicurl weekly deep treatment which is a 100% all natural vegan product (and works wonders too...I buy it by the gallon, literally). My goal is to phase out all animal based products from my beauty routine as well as all unnatural chemicals. Have you ever tried to read the back of a shampoo/conditioner bottle?? Rule of thumb: if I can't pronounce it, I don't use it. (this goes for food products and lotions too)

As we all start to turn towards the 'green' movement with environmental sustainibility, we will see an increase in better products for all other aspects of life too--hair, skin, teeth, food, clothing, etc etc etc....

good for our bodies and good for the environment...just as it should be ;)

oh and sareduf,

I dont have bangs but Im sure the no-poo method would work for you. Basically shampoos have HARSH degergents in them that damage hair over the long run, no-poos, however, get your hair clean without the detrimental chemicals. ACV is too stripping for me (if you use it, I wouldnt reccomend doing it more than once a week, and be sire to deep condition after), but Deva Curl makes a great no-poo that works well while still being moisturizing. With a no-poo wash, you can actually wash your hair MORE often because its not as harsh on your hair.And yes, you can wet your hair without washing it...just be sure to condition with a conditioner that does NOT cointain silicones!!!

basically, the harsh detergents in shampoos were originally intended to wash the silicones from conditioner out of your hair. Silicones are often used in conditioners to make your hair shiny. but a no-poo WILL NOT clean silicone from hair. and silicone build-up will lead to dull, dry, lifeless hair! so if you still use a conditioner with a silicone in it (anything ending with -cone is a silicone) then be sure to use a regular shampoo once a month in addition to the no-poos. But the 'better' choice is to find a great, organic conditioner. There are tons of them out there. I use Aubrey organics or Jessicurl products

Sareduf-- I have bangs. If they look a little greasy at the ends, I sometimes comb through a little corn starch or cornmeal. It soaks up the extra oil. I did this when I was using regular shampoo, too.

They just re-posted this whole thread from March, old comments and all. Huh.

I dunno. I usually spend around 10 minutes in the shower and wash my hair at least other day. I spend about $25/year on shampoo/conditioner and don't use any other styling products/tools. I'm perfectly happy with the state of my hair. Sprinkling baking soda on my head, dousing it in vinegar rinses, vigorous water-only scrubbing... huh?

So I'm kind of wondering about all you no-poo-ers... what is the main reason you went this route? Were you unhappy with the state of your hair? Were you spending tons of money on shampoo? Did you do it for some environmental reason?

"I think I'm just one of those people who needs shampoo. If I go a day without washing my hair, it gets oily and greasy and, honestly, doesn't smell too good. Sometimes I even wash my hair twice a day. For those of you who can go without shampoo, go for it. For me, sorry, I need my shampoo."

If you wash you're hair every day your scalp adjusts and you produce more sebum, however, if you start leaving a longer and longer gap between washes your scalp will adjust and your hair won't grease up so much, so you don't actually need to wash it so frequently, it's as simple as that. It's not personal, I used to have to wash my hair every day when I lived in London and it played hell with it's condition, also it got greasy and smelly superfast then. London can make your hair very dirty very fast , especially if you use the tube all the time. New York
on the other hand didn't do that to my hair

I wash about every 5 to 7 days and folk always comment on how good my hair looks. Furthermore, when I tell folk how long it is between washes, and they pull a face, I point out that washing hair every day is not what most of us did untill our teens, it's not gross and you'll survive... and it's why my hair looks healthy

JYW, you have asked the best question. Why do it? What is the real point? If things are working okay, why mess with it?

I heard that same NPR piece and then read up a little on some forums, and started to get mad that I'm spending money on something that is, essentially, unnecessary. We really don't have to do anything to our hair at all, just get some smells out after a a garlicky dinner or a campfire! So I chose to go no-poo back in March and have stuck with it all this time. I did BS and ACV, and I kept the BS solution in an old shampoo bottle, pre-mixed, and the same with the ACV solution -- kept it in my conditioner bottle.

At one point, when I was really flush with cash, I went out on a limb and bought the incredibly pricey, aforementioned Deva No-Poo and matching conditioner, and it really is great. Unfortunately, it may serve as a gateway because I think when these bottles are done I may just get some organic shampoo/conditioner (I've heard that J/A/S/O/N is good and no SLS). So really, I've come full-circle and have decided that I will return to shampooing at some point. Not because I have to, but because I like doing it. And the smell. Love the smell!

Eh. I'm fair with very fine, light hair. I've always been frustrated that I needed to wash my hair every day to avoid looking greasy.

I tried not shampooing for a couple of weeks to re-train my hair. I used only a dry shampoo of baby powder but rinsed my hair every day. It didn't really work.

I can go 2-3 days without washing, but only with a short haircut, and I rely very heavily on baby powder to absorb the grease in my bangs. I'm still playing around with it, but for now I'm in the "it's not for everyone" camp.

I haven't washed my hair or brushed my teeth for nearly 25 yrs! The body's natural oils and bacteria are absolutely essential to healthy constitution.
I am a freegan and I only use natural sands and water to bathe with. My skin glows like a natural, organic, native American, sustainable, whale-oil lamp!

When I do find the occasion to bathe with soap it is right before I go to the Unitarian church/co-op where I sell rocks and trinkets I find on my travels.

My life-partner thinks I smell very organic and natural. It is the only way to live truly free of corporate hegemony. There are chemicals in most modern shampoos that are cancer-causing anyway such as the emulsifying and lather agents.

How come my comment got deleted? I had some good info.

I've been doing the no-'poo routine for about a year and a half. I have fine, thin wavy to curly hair, light in color, tends to be dry. There's a great website that talks about the whole no-'poo or low-'poo approach (www.naturallycurly.com) and has tons of info about ingredients in different products, user reviews, etc. This is great for curly hair, but is also good for other hair types. If you choose to go no-'poo you CANNOT use styling products with silicones and other chemical ingredients that will coat your hair - that junk can only be removed by using harsh detergents like sodium laurel sulfate. And there definitely is an adjustment period during which your hair will look and feel sub-par - hang in there! I have chosen to go the route of using a conditioner that is sulfate-free, silicone-free and generally as chemical-free as possible (Trader Joe's brand Tea Tree Tingle is cheap and works/smells great!). Wet your hair very thoroughly, then use conditioner and the tips of your fingers to scrub your scalp instead of shampoo. Depending on your hair type and length, you can either put more conditioner on like you would normally do after shampooing, or use a leave-in post-shower. I have a short haircut at the moment, so I just scrub my scalp with conditioner and leave it on, then rinse at the end of my shower. Occasionally I put a small dab of conditioner on my wet hands and run through wet hair at the end of the shower, then twist a towel around my head for a few minutes. I can get away with doing this only every 2-3 days in the fall/winter/spring (just refresh hair with some water and a little styling product or conditioner worked through) but in the summer I usually have to "clean" my hair with conditioner every day. I only use styling products that do not contain any silicones or other chemicals that coat your hair - these aren't good for your hair anyway. Devacurl makes some nice products but they are pricey and you CAN find inexpensive alternatives - Trader Joe's, Kiss My Face, etc. Some of the cheapest conditioners you can find in a grocery store are no-'poo friendly - like VO5, Suave. Just like any other product, you will probably have to try a few before you find the one or ones that work best for you. But you have to read the ingredients, people - don't you want to know what you put on your head everyday anyway?

Don't think I could ever go the "no 'poo" route...my hair & skin are both very oily. For awhile I was able to shampoo every other day, and that seemed tolerable, but when the warm weather arrived, I began breaking out on my scalp, and forehead, and along the sides of my face, basically anywhere my oily hair touched. (Yes, I tried headbands, etc., to keep the hair away from my face, but that didn't work.) I will try the every other day shampoo again when the weather gets cooler, but I think I'm someone who just naturally has too much oil to go long without a shampoo. My compromise is to buy a brand of organic shampoo they sell @ Whole Foods (can't think of the name). It is very, very gentle, but it cleans effectively. BTW, regarding "vinegar rinses": in the old days (1960s), my mother did use a vinegar rinse occasionally, to clear shampoo & styling product residue. And no matter how much you rinse with water afterward, that vinegar scent is with you.

I live down here in sweaty, humid Coastal Texas. I have chin-length hair, no bangs. I stopped using shampoo in June this year. For a few weeks, my hair would get very oily after a couple of days. On those oily days, I would scrub my scalp with baking soda and rinse with dilute apple cider vinegar. After a few weeks, my hair became less and less oily. Now I don't really need the baking soda. I use the vinegar rinse most days though, because it makes my hair a little easier to comb out.

I also run two miles every morning. After my run, I rinse my hair thoroughly under warm water, massaging my scalp the same way I would have done with shampoo. The sweat and salt just wash away, and I haven't had any problems with smell. My hair just smells like hair.

I used to have problems with frizziness, but those are gone, and I have smoother waves in my hair. My hair seems to dry faster, my showers are quicker, there is less 'stuff' cluttering up the bathroom and the earth, and I save money.

i once remember coming back from a trip to the grand canyon, one that did not involve any creature comforts including shampoo. on my arrival back home i went to a beauty store, no names mentioned, and the woman asked me what i 'did to my hair' because it looked so amazing!
i replied that i have not washed it for a week. she in turn looked at me like i was some kind of freak and i left the store feeling uneasy and turned off. this made me realize some things about the whole beauty industry.

all my life i could never stand the chemical smell of shampoo - they try to mask it but it just stands out more. so for the last two decades i've used the no sls shampoos and whatever most 'natural' products i can get but i find they leave a residue and make my hair limp with a weird texture. i've done the vinegar rinse for years to get rid of that texture and have used lavender and rosemary oils to help the scalp.

today was the first time i've ever tried the baking soda and i love it!!! i already don't shampoo that much and have a less oily scalp so this was easy to do. i'm definitely gonna keep this up. thank you!
i'm just curious how this method will perform after a chlorinated swim, as i do swim a couple x a week.

I have really fine hair that used to be really oily so that I had to wash it every day and even then - and even with short hair - it would be gross by the evening. Not to mention an itchy scalp and dandruff.

My hair has gotten progressively better anyway, the further I get from puberty. But since I have short spikey hair, which always has goo in it, I need to wash it out every day.

I went no-poo/baking soda about 10 months ago and it's the best thing ever. I've not used it for a month or so because I dye my hair often and I was using the little shampoo thingy that comes with the dye cos it seemed a shame to waste it - but I've just started getting dandruff again. Ick! I am soooo going back again. I haven't quite found a completely easy way of storing and getting to the baking soda in the shower, but it's worth it.

Does anyone know of any easy, low entry cost gel/wax type things I can make myself? I tried a gelatin one that was on the site linked up the top of the comments, but in order to get my hair spiky I had to use heaps and my head spelt like meat. It was SO GROSS.

By reading all of these posts, I am excited to try this.

I have been following the baking soda/apple cider vinegar
(BS/ACV) regime for a few months now and I am very, very happy with the results.

Everyone has their own reasons for doing this, here are mine.

1. My hair used to be very dry and frizzy, even though I didn't shampoo more than 2-3 times a week. After using the BS/ACV system, my hair looked remarkably better after the first week. Plus, it's always completely tangle free and smells very clean. I have dark (color-treated), medium-thick, shoulder-length hair, and I wash my hair about 3 times per week, on average. My hair color hasn't faded much either, which is an added bonus.

2. Costs less money. Why spend so much money on marketing? High-quality, environmentally-friendly products are expensive.

3. Less packaging. I refill my vinegar container and my resealable bag of baking soda in the bulk section of my local grocery co-op. Not possible for everyone, I know, but for most it's still possible to find large container formats at large supermarkets or club stores. (Think that's too much baking soda and vinegar to buy? Add dishwashing liquid and lemon juice to the mix and think of all the other household cleaning products you can replace.)

4. Products are more environmentally friendly. How much more earth-friendly can baking soda and vinegar be? This is the best benefit, in my opinion. No more feeling guilty for using products that don't quickly and readily biodegrade.

In response to some of the comments:

If you like the fragrance of shampoo, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your rinse water.

After going to the gym, just rinse your hair with water. That usually does the trick.

I use light styling products on my hair (though less now than I used to due to less frizz) and the baking soda solution seems to remove them completely.

Finally, I encourage everyone to give it a try, even if you're skeptical or not sure how the results will turn out. You can always fall back to shampoo.

going without shampoo takes time, and your hair's going to be greasy for a while as you wean yourself off. you have to train your scalp to produce less oil.

i'm not able to go completely off because when i tried i got INSANE dandruff. i was so itchy i actually convinced myself i had lice. now i shampoo once or twice per week with head and shoulders.