Some of you may have heard of the ‘no-poo’ or shampoo free way of washing you hair. If you have, you probably thought, “How can you wash your hair without shampoo???”, which is a valid question. I’m here to help you understand how it works.
Traditional shampoo and conditioner contains a lot of chemicals that most people can’t even pronounce. So what's the big deal? Well, when you wash your hair, the chemicals get absorbed through your skin and into your bloodstream. Not good. It takes an average of 26 SECONDS for toxic chemicals found in cosmetics and hygiene products to be fully absorbed. What we put on the outside of our bodies, eventually finds its way into our bodies.
The most prevalent chemicals are sulfates. They are what make shampoo foam. The foam might feel cool, but it can also cause itching, irritation, redness, and they can contribute to scalp chemical burns. Shampoos heavy in chemicals cause more breakage, strip your hair of natural oils, and can cause hair loss over time. Other common chemicals include Isopropyl Alcohol, which is also found in products like Antifreeze, Formaldehyde which is a carcinogen, and Parabens which are linked to reproductive damage and organ toxicity. Yikes. There’s a reason why companies only advertise the good of their products.
When I first read about the benefits of calling it quits with old hair care routines, I was very skeptical, but I was willing to try. I read dozens of articles on the best untraditional ways to washing hair, and tried a couple of them out. Here’s what happened.
My first attempt was honey. I know it sounds weird to put honey in your hair, but it actually does clean it. Once you mix honey with water, it's no longer sticky. I had a jar of honey and a spoon in my shower. I only used a little bit, and massaged it through my hair the best I could. this method worked for about two months, but because honey is so thick, over time it built up a residue in my hair. Yuck.
To get rid of this heavy-feeling layer on my head, I used baking soda to wash my hair. I mixed one part baking soda with two parts water, in a container or cup, then poured it and massaged it through my hair. Washing hair with baking soda is known to “clarify” it. My hair felt light and looked the healthiest it ever had. I was so happy with how it looked, that I decided to keep using it. My hair has more natural volume and doesn’t look dull like it used to. For the past four months I have washed my hair about 5-6 times a week with baking soda, and that’s it. Once a week I will take a little bit of avocado or argan oil and massage it through my hair, or at least the ends. The oil serves as a conditioner, but you don’t really need one when baking soda is your shampoo. Conditioner puts moisture back in hair because conventional shampoo strips hair of it. Baking soda doesn’t strip hair of oils that much, so you don’t need to add any back in.
Since I switched to using an all natural way of washing my hair, my hair feels softer and cleaner. The switch takes time to get used to and your hair needs time to adjust to it, but the benefits are worth it if you are looking for a healthy alternative to shampoo and conditioner.
