Thrifty Tightwad: Stop Washing Your Hair!

Stop washing your hair!

I know it sounds crazy, right?
I thought it was crazy too until I tried it. I have long curly/wavy hair that tends to get oily very easy.
The thought of not washing my hair and not using conditioner sounded absolutely crazy and I thought there was no possible way I could ever do it.

I used to be a person that washed their hair every day because if I didn't it would be an oily mess the next day. I still really wanted to try this method I heard of called the "No Poo" method. I know the name sounds crazy too and I don't completely understand why they choose it, lol.

The "No Poo" method basically means you cease using commercial shampoos and conditioners and opt for an alternative method. The two most common methods are using water only or using baking soda to wash and vinegar to rinse your hair.

I was afraid to just jump into not washing my hair so I started by washing my hair every other day. I did this for about 2 months and whenever I could I'd try to go a couple of days without washing my hair.

I finally got brave and jumped in. I'm still in the process of getting my hair completely converted but I wanted to share now so I can keep you updated on the progress. I should have taken pictures at every stage but I didn't take one until today.

If you are unfamiliar with the "No Poo" method please see the links below for more information.

I also found a great group on Facebook for this No Poo Journey: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/?fref=nf

My Progress

1/5/15 - Regular wash/condition+ leave-in conditioner.

Hair felt normal but scalp was dry.

1/6/15 - Nothing

Itchy and dry scalp, minimal oil.

1/7/15 - Dry shampoo scalp using baby powder in my hair overnight in pony tail.

Not oily but scalp was still dry.

1/8/15 - Nothing

Little oily and itchy but front of scalp still dry.

1/9/15 - Baking Soda/ Regular conditioner

Worked great for removing excess oil from scalp, front still dry but the regular conditioner made my hair oily.

1/10/15 - Nothing

Hair is oily and itchy scalp, dry in front

1/11/15 - Baking Soda/ White Vinegar

Removed excess oil from scalp, a little excess oil in length of hair but looked good. Scalp dry in front.

1/12/15 - Nothing

A little oily around scalp but not itchy.

1/13/15 -Nothing

So sadly somehow my data from the 13th until a few days ago has all been lost. I'm going to start from here and keep tracking.
I've moved to about 3-4 days between washing and to using baking soda/Apple cider vinegar.

1/26/15 - BS/ACV and Plopping (see video and picture below).
1/27/15 - Nothing
1/28/15 - Nothing
1/29/15 - Nothing
1/30/15 - BS/ACV and plopping
1/31/15 - Clarifying conditioner only.

I accidentally got my hair wet in the shower and if I didn't add the conditioner I wouldn't have been able to get my hands through it.

2/1/15 - Nothing
2/2/15 - BS/ACV and plopping
2/3/15 - Nothing
2/4/15 - Nothing
2/5/15 - Baby Powder near the roots to soak up oil.
2/6/15 - Nothing
2/7/15 - Apple Cider Vinegar only and plopping.

Looks kind of oily but really curly.

2/8/15 - Nothing
2/9/15 - Nothing
2/10/15 - Baking Soda/ACV - plopping
2/11/15 - Braid at night, BBB, light misting
2/12/15 - Braid at night, BBB, light misting
2/13/15 - Nothing
2/14/15 - Nothing
2/15/15 - Nothing
2/16/15 - Very oily and not smelling very pretty
2/17/15 - Baking Soda and this Shea Butter Co-wash I found + plopping
2/18/15 - Nothing
2/19/15 - Nothing
2/20/15 - Shea Butter Co-wash only
2/21/15 - Nothing - hair's getting pretty oily and itchy
2/22/15 - My hair is really bad today. I will be washing it. I feel like trying something new. The Baking soda was great for a while and is great to remove excess sebum from my hair but my scalp isn't getting any better. It's actually maybe a little worse.
I'm going to try rinsing with this tea that is hibiscus, black currants, and elderberries mixed with some honey. It was good for drinking now let's see about hair :) Maybe an ACV rinse after. All I know is my hair is horrible right now. I can't even go out in public it's so bad and itchy. Today's wash may end up like a bad science experiment....(eyes bottle of aloe gel on desk....).
So I washed gently with Baking Soda and then combined my tea with a little apple cider vinegar and used that as a rinse. Now I smell like a pixie stick!
2/23/15 - Nothing
2/24/15 - Cocoa powder
2/25/15 - Scritch and Preen and aloe on dry parts of scalp
2/26/15 - Nothing
2/27/15 - Nothing
2/28/15 - Nothing
3/1/15 - Baking Soda/ACV/Elderberry, Black Currant, Hibiscus Tea Rinse
3/2/15 - Nothing
3/3/15 - Nothing
3/4/15 - Nothing
3/5/15 - Nothing
3/6/15 - Baking Soda/ACV
3/7/15 - Nothing
3/8/15- Nothing
3/9/15- Nothing
3/10/15 - Nothing
3/11/15 - BS-Wash - Mask with banana, aloe vera, coconut milk and an egg, ACV - rinse
3/12/15 - Nothing
3/13/15 - Nothing - Braided
3/14/15 - Added oil to ends
3/15/15 - Mask - banana, aloe vera, coconut milk, and egg - Rinse - ACV
3/16/15 - Nothing
3/17/15 - Added oil to ends
3/18/15 - Nothing
3/19/15 - Nothing
3/20/15 - Nothing
3/21/15 - Nothing
3/22/15 - Water Only Wash - I preened and scratched really good before washing and sort of preened and detangled during the wash. I was amazed because I'm sure I have hard water and sulfur in the water as well.
3/23/15 - Nothing - Preened and detangled by hand.
3/24/15 - Nothing - Preened and detangled by hand
3/25/15 - Nothing - Preened and detangled by hand
3/26/15 - Nothing - Brushed
3/27/15 - Nothing - Brushed