Haven’t you heard about “No Poo” hair care yet? This expression has become very trendy among green cosmetic bloggers, supporters of Zero Waste, but also among those who are looking for  a care to repair their too dry hair or their too irritated scalp. This practice has proven its effectiveness: many have testified on how it rescued their hair conditions and significantly helped them to accelerate their hair growth.

So what is the No Poo hair care exactly?

The initial meaning of this natural hair routine is basically saying goodbye to non-natural haircare products containing silicone, sulfate, and chemicals of any kind  that asphyxiate your hair. The main problem being the shampoo, No Poo also implies “No Shampoo”.

What’s the big deal about those ingredients exactly?

Most shampoos that you find traditionally in supermarkets include silicone, and a lot of sulphate.

• The silicone’s role is to make your hair shiny. In truth, it covers your hair fibre, like a makeup, and makes it artificially shiny. The issue is that it does actually damage your hair in long term: they will eventually becomes dull, flat and have trouble growing.
• Sulphate meanwhile is super detergent, it will help your shampoo to foam a lot and give you the feeling of clean. But let’s be honest: a shampoo that foams enormously is super pleasant to the touch, but it is also very irritating for your scalp and your hair.
• The sulfate will also eliminate too much sebum on your scalp. As a result, your body will try to produce even more sebum, resulting in flat and greasy hair a few days after washing.
• Traditional shampoo also contains plenty of preservatives, synthetic fragrances and other various chemical products. Those are known to be potentially dangerous.

Why should you move to a No Poo hair care?

• A natural No Poo hair care will help you to get rid of all these harmful elements built up from the years of wash you made with an industrial shampoo.
• It is also one of the best ways to boost your hair health, thanks to 100% natural cosmetic formulations.
• You don’t need to commit to it during every single wash, although people that 100% adopt it are the one that got the best results.

How does the No poo hair care work?

There are many different No poo treatments and routines.

The two minimalist methods

• You can wash your hair only with water! I know I know, this seems a bit extreme and way too simple, but this works well for some. If you want to try this practice, remember to untangle your hair before shampooing. In addition, I would not recommended this method to dry hairs that need to be nourished (but if you have dry hair, tried this method and it worked really well, please leave a comment and share your experience).
• You can also wash your hair and give it a scrub with water and baking soda. This helps to remove excess sebum on your scalp. You are then advised to rinse it with vinegar to restore acidity to your hair. This method, called clarification, can be used occasionally. It can also be used at the very beginning of your No Poo new routine, before switching to a smoother method. Some people use it for all their hair washes and are happy with it. But the chances are that your hair will become dry and will suffer from breakage if you only do this all the time. So once again, try and see what suits your hair.

These two practices are certainly minimalist, but they are not always suitable for certain types of hair (especially if you have dry hair or if your scalp is quite sensitive)…

These are two more gentle methods:

The gentle No Poo methods:

• Natural Hair Mask: the use of mixture between clay and either hydrosol or vegetable oils or water and essential oil is one of the formulas you will find a lot on social networks.  White clay, pink clay, green clay and other types of clays are all great for it: you just need to choose the one that is the most suitable for your hair type and scalp. This formulation is a very effective way to clean your hair, remove excess sebum, and moisturize the hair fibre at the same time. The rhassoul – clay of Moroccan origin – is one of the favourites clays used in “No Poo” cosmetic recipes.

The only drawback with those natural hair masks is  that it requires a preparation phase. It is not necessarily long, but long enough to discourage you early in the morning before going to work or taking care of kids.

• The use of solid shampoos: Some people will call this “Low Poo”, since solid shampoos contain surfactants. This type of shampoo is composed mainly of clay, plant powders,100% natural oils and butters and essential oils. When good quality, they are very rich in active ingredients. So let’s be honest, this is is the easiest way to adopt a natural No Poo routine over the long term. However, make sure you choose a solid shampoo that does NOT contain sulphate (such as Sodium Coco Sulfate) or synthetic fragrances. A good solid shampoo contains only mild surfactants and in small amounts.

How often should I adopt the No Poo routine?

As said previously, you will get the best results if you adopt a natural No Poo hair routine in the long term. However, you can make a slow transition by alternating for example your usual care with a no poo care. You can also make a clarification from time to time to detoxify your hair. In general, the clarification is done once a month or every 6 weeks.

Does the No Poo routine work on everybody?

Everyone has specific hair needs. So there is no generic natural routine that works on everyone. It’s up to you to find the most suitable routine for your hair. On some hair, the transition to No Poo requires a little patience before getting great results. Indeed, the hair must adapt itself to this new changes. If the first washings do not give you the expected result, know that it happens to many other people. You have to persevere for a month or two to see the positive results of your transition.

On the other hand, No Poo does not mean that hair care should be avoided. If you make masks 100% natural and you have a routine bath oil, do not hesitate to continue your oil treatments. Depending on the results, you can adjust your new natural hair routine.

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