Hi, guys! Is the method of washing hair without shampoo (no poo or no-shampoo) was about replacing detergents harmful to our hair with natural and traditional ingredients that could gently wash our hair with the benefit of its condition and beauty.
Nowadays, this method has become so popular in the hair blogosphere and there are so many varieties and methods of washing that sometimes it is not known exactly what no-poo is about. Unfortunately, shampoo-free methods are still equated with dirt, because “no poo” is stereotypically associated with washing with only water. And yet there are a lot of ways to wash your hair without shampooing, i.e. without the use of strong detergents. After all, we can find natural washing or absorbing substances in our kitchen, so you can immediately try the new way of washing your hair as a curiosity without spending a penny (as I did with soy flour shampoo).
Many plants contain some percentage of saponins (i.e. cleansing substances), many of them can be used to wash the hair and scalp naturally. Below I will briefly list the most popular, and more detailed descriptions of their use together with the technique and recipes will appear in subsequent entries, as each method is tested.
Washing your hair without shampooing – how?
Washing hair with conditioner
Technically, this is not a no poo method, but a less poo method, but I would like to mention it at the very beginning, because it is one of the most popular and effective methods of washing the scalp, compatible with CG – the curly girl method. What is it about? Detergents included. Water-based, emulsifying emulsion is nothing more than mild cleansing agents that will of course dissolve dirt, dust and build-ups, and also perfectly emulsify the previously applied oil from our hair.
Tuning conditioner for washing hair
Another method to increase the effectiveness of the conditioner in washing our hair is tuning or additives which are to improve its absorbing and washing properties. The method of adding clay, activated carbon, soda or more expensive to the conditioner is very well known. Or a little shampoo, which creates a mildly cleansing but highly effective cleansing conditioner.
Flour
The best known, traditional method of washing hair without no poo shampoo is wholemeal rye flour. It contains a lot of saponins, so it is often recommended for beginners. Most grain products are rich in saponins and should be able to wash your hair: chickpea flour, rye flour, corn flour, oatmeal (as well as ground flakes), buckwheat, chestnut, acorn, etc., potato and corn starch.
Of course, ordinary rye flour is the best price. I also tested soy flour, because I had leftovers of it in the kitchen for a long time, and somehow I could not find out about its taste. It was weaker than Rye, but eventually also washed my hair.
See more: Homemade rye shampoo | well poo
Egg yolks
Another traditional recipe that allows you to wash your hair without shampooing. Thanks to the high lecithin content, we can use the egg as an emulsifier. It can brush your hair naturally in a similar way to washing your hair with a conditioner. By the way, it’s also a protein treatment and a vitamin bomb. When washing, we deeply nourish the hair, but you have to be careful with reproteinning. The eggs can be used alone or mixed with flour, clay or herbs.
Baking soda (or soda with apple cider vinegar)
Also, soda will wash your hair perfectly, it will remove all impurities from it, but it is quite harmful as a method for everyday hair washing. It is a strong principle and should not be used too often, certainly not for every wash, maybe just to remove the dye from the hair or to thoroughly peel it.
Clays
All types of clays work by absorption and are perfect for washing your hair without shampooing. However, the most popular is white clay – it has a more delicate effect, so you can use it every day. You can also make mixtures or make a diy washing powder: a mixture of clays, flour, herbs and spices.
However, the clays can dull the hair too much or cause tangling, so it may be a good idea to apply them only to the scalp. You can also use clay as a gentle peeling, which will also wash your hair.
Talc
Talc can be used as a dry shampoo to refresh the scalp between washes or create a mixture with the addition of products with a matting effect from herbs, starch, clays, flours, cocoa. I myself use a ready-made mixture of Tulsi and cocoa to mask the color of the roots.
Herbs with saponins
- root soapwort
- mugwort wormwood
- medical scratcher
- nettle
- frog
- goldenrod
- calendula
- aloe
- senega
- licorice
- membranous astragalus
- Ginseng
- primrose
- fenugreek
- mydłodrzew
- comfrey
- cornflower cornflower
- ivy
- piołonicznik
- Paraguay Holly (Yerba mate)
- digitalis
- terrestrial mace
- nightshade
- St. John’s wort
- Sarsaparilla
- adonis
- agave
- fragrant violet
- common starfish
- vine
- gypsophila
- mullein
- lucerne
- quinoa
- połocznik
- astragalus
- spiny reed
- yam
- flax
- chestnut
- czarnuszka
- olives
- acorns
Ayurvedic herbs
- Reetha, Aritha, Zapian, washing nuts, sapindus mukorossi, sapindus trifoliatus, kalpi ton (a mixture of herbs) and other species, i.e. Ayurvedic washing powder or nuts used for washing hair, body and washing
- Shikakai, Accacia concinna; powder popular for use as a natural shampoo. The most popular ones are those in Hesh boxes.
- Yucca root, the king of washing no poo
Henna, Cassia, Senes and other scalp masks
Also after dyeing with henna or other herbs in the form of a compress, you may notice that the hair stays fresh for the next two days – when it cannot be washed normally until the dye is oxidized. This is obviously due to the herbs that pulled the sebum and impurities from the scalp.
Of course, this method is not very economical as washing, but I am writing about it because many girls are afraid of dyeing with henna because it is impossible to wash their hair after it. Unnecessarily, they look clean and fresh. If you additionally used linseed glutka, there is no drying out and you can easily show yourself in public. Minus smell of herbs 🙂
Washing hair with micellar water
It is the least known method of washing your hair, but it works perfectly well, especially for oily scalp that needs frequent refreshment. The lotion perfectly replaces drying dry shampoos and it is worth taking it with you on every trip outside the home, especially when you use micellar liquid for makeup removal anyway. How does such a fluid work?
Micelles are mild surfactants that are also found in shampoos, so they have a good chance of thoroughly cleaning your hair. The washing method is very similar to using a lotion. Take a small amount of liquid with a syringe or pipette and inject the scalp, massage it vigorously with your fingers until foam forms.
Washing your hair with only water
The most controversial method of washing hair without shampooing is Water Only (WO). It consists in washing the hair with running water only. It is an interesting form of care, perhaps the most natural of all no poos. After all, water can completely eliminate the problems with greasy hair and frequent washing of the head, it improves the condition of the scalp until the effect when washing your hair can be done once every one / two weeks.
However, it is not a very popular method, because you have to wait a long time for the effects to come out, and before your scalp gets used to it, your hair looks forever greasy and dirty.