When I told my friends and family that I was going to try to not wash my hair for a month, every single one of them reacted with a strong statement: "That's really gross." After I explained that I would still shower, people were generally more supportive.
I've thought about doing this for a long time. I have really thin hair that gets greasy easily, to the point where I couldn't shampoo it at night and wear it down the next day. It was also flat and damaged from years of mistreatment. I had read in magazines and online about women who had done the No Shampoo Challenge, and it had worked wonders on their damaged or greasy hair, but I could never imagine going a whole month with greasy hair.
And then fate stepped in. I ran out of shampoo at the beginning of the summer, and when I went to buy more I accidentally bought conditioner. I took this as a sign that it was finally time to try it. This is what it taught me:
1. You still have to shower. I can't support not showering for a month unless you are in the wilderness, and in that case, unless you're in the middle of the desert, please at least rinse off in a stream or something.
2. Baking soda is the closest thing we have to magic. Honestly. Its list of uses goes on for days, and it works as a great way to degrease hair without stripping it the way that shampoo does.
3. Hats are everything. I did this in the summer, so I only used the baseball hat. But if you decided to go shampoo-free in the winter, you have several options available to you, including beanies and those fun earflap hats!
4. Buns, braids and ponytails. Oh my! Get used to wearing your hair up.
5. It sucks. This process (especially in the beginning) is pretty difficult. If you're like me, then you are probably really self-conscious about having greasy hair and you hate the way it looks. The first week or so you'll just feel dirty, and if you aren't careful about washing your face, you'll probably break out, which does nothing to make you feel better. But if you can push through the discomfort you'll get to #6.
6. Confidence is key. Before this experience I was really self-conscious about my hair. I hated when it looked greasy (which I only made worse by constant washing), and it was damaged and flat. If this process taught me anything, it was to have confidence. Yes! My hair looks really gross right now! And I don't care! Throw it into a bun and don't think about it. Hair, makeup, clothes-- in the end, none of it matters. Feeling good about yourself comes from within. If you're able to push past insecurities like greasy hair, you'll be a much happier person.
7. It's cool to accomplish something. When I first decided to do this I didn't think there was any way that I would make it a whole month without breaking down and shampooing. But I did! I didn't climb Mount Everest or learn to speak Arabic, but I set a goal for myself and I reached it, and that feels good.
I would recommend going shampoo-free to everyone. Within the first two weeks I could see that my hair had more volume and looked healthier. In addition, it's probably good for your body to give it a little break from rubbing chemicals into your scalp. That may sound dramatic, but hey, whatever it takes to get you through the month.
