Should You Ditch Your Shampoo?

Many people have started swapping out their bottles of shampoo and conditioner for all-natural ingredients that can be found right in their kitchen.

This no ‘poo movement is inspiring people to ditch their store bought hair products and go shampoo free. But for many of us, it’s not an easy switch. Joining this movement requires some research and quite a bit of patience—you can’t expect to have quickly growing, frizz-free, shiny, healthy hair overnight!

Before you throw away all of your hair products here are a few things you should know about going shampoo free so that you can decide if no ‘poo is right for you.
The Benefits of Going Shampoo Free
Many shampoos, conditioners, and other hair products are full sulfates, sulfites and other questionable ingredients. These chemicals not only strip the natural oils from your hair causing it to become dry and brittle, but they can also be absorbed into your scalp.

All-natural natural ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and coconut oil are highly effective at cleaning and conditioning your hair. These ingredients can help also help heal and restore your scalp and hair without stripping away its natural oils.

How to Start A No ‘Poo Lifestyle
There is no one size fits all method of “shampooing” your hair with all-natural ingredients. It requires some experimentation to find out which mixture of ingredients works best for your hair. Here is a popular method with apple cider vinegar and baking soda that can be used and tweaked to fit your hair needs.

Add about a tablespoon of baking soda into the palm of your hand, add a touch of water to and then massage it thoroughly into your roots. Let sit and rinse.
Mix two teaspoons apple cider apple cider vinegar with a cup of water and pour this on the ends/tips to condition hair.
In the beginning you may have to “shampoo” a few times a week, but eventually you’ll have to cleanse less and less.

Although the apple cider vinegar works great as a conditioner, most of us might need a little bit more conditioning, especially in the beginning.

If you find that to be the case for you, then try deep conditioning with coconut oil by mixing about 1/3 cup of warm water with ½ teaspoon of melted coconut oil. Add coconut oil mixture to hair and focus on the ends. Leave on for 2-5 min or longer for thirsty hair. Rise with cool water.

What You Can Expect
Less chemicals touching your scalp and skin, and a decreased impact on the environment
Lots of experimentation. It will take a few weeks after you transition to figure the right ingredients and routine for your hair
Increasingly better hair days after you ditch the shampoo (you’ll want to give it at least 3 weeks to see results)
Healthier, stronger, shiner hair!
Going shampoo free is a big change so it’s natural to have a ton of questions in the beginning and throughout the process. Here is a helpful resource that discusses using the ‘no poo method in more detail.