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Thread: The ‘No Poo’ Method

  1. #1

    The ‘No Poo’ Method

    Has anyone tried it? What do you think about it?

    I usually wash and condition my hair once a week with some generic grocery store shampoo and conditioner. Back when I was in middle school, I washed my hair every day, and if I skipped a day my hair would be a greasy mess. My sebum production has calmed since stretching the days between washes, and my hair looks great.

    Now, I decided to do a little experiment. I thought that I would try out the ‘No Poo’ Method to feel more like an authentic mermaid. After not washing my hair for a week, I decided to wash with plain old water. I’m on my second week of forgoing shampoo. I found that my hair tangles more easily when wet, and I have to be careful in scrubbing my scalp with warm water and my finger pads so that I don’t break off hair. My hair is more fragile when wet, which is why I don’t comb it until it’s dry. My hair feels sticky, and it’s waxy at the scalp with some traces of dandruff, but it feels more hydrated.

    I’ve found that wearing a shower cap in the shower and then soaking in a tub full of warm water and swishing my hair around in the water and scrubbing works best for me. ‘Mermaid washing’ my hair in the tub after showering makes my scalp feel cleaner than trying to work my fingers through my hair in the shower. In the tub, there’s less breakage, and it’s more fun. After the bath, I put Moroccan argan oil on my ends. When my hair is dry, I gently brush from the bottom to the top and then brush my hair upside down to get volume before I style it in a braid or bun. Most ‘No Poo’ people say that using a boar bristle brush is best, but I’m using my wide-tooth sandalwood comb. I think I’ve been ‘mermaid washing’ nearly twice in a week? There’s no smell, and no one’s noticed any funkiness with my hair. My hair’s still sticky and waxy, and when I massage my scalp I get oil coating on my fingers, so I have to wash my hands afterward. If the waxiness gets out of control, I’ll try washing my scalp with eggs.

    I’m just waiting for this ‘transitional period’ to end. I hope the results will look nice.

  2. #2
    Junior Member 00phantom's Avatar
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    I do not because I have dreadlocks and have my own regimen that works for me. But my mom does.
    She uses a very specific method involving baking soda and apple cider vinegar and arrowroot powder. She absolutely loves it and says it’s super easy and makes her love her hair.


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  3. #3
    I use the "low-poo" method haha! I have very very thick and curly hair and shampooing dries it out a lot. I try to avoid shampooing for as long as I can but even though I use no silicones or sulfates in my products, I still get build up and end up needing to shampoo once a month or so. I try to use conditioner to wash my hair but it still doesn't get it all out. Still need to figure out some better products for me than Shea Moisture because I think they build up too quickly for my liking.

  4. #4
    I'm skeptical. My kid hated washing her hair. She could go for well over a week without washing it. Then she turned ten and the oil glands went into overdrive, and her hair (which she still only washed once a week) was a greasy nasty mess. She'd love to go back to not showering daily, and gets by with dry shampoo on off days, but I just don't think this method is going to work for everyone (particularly those of us with very thin straight hair that lies flat on our scalps).
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  5. #5
    I have very thick, long hair that tangles very easily. My hair also gets oily very quickly if I don't wash it. Not only can I not skip shampoo, but if I skip using conditioner my hair is really hard to work with because of the tangling issue.
    I wouldn't mind trying something different. My friend has longer hair than me and she washes her hair maybe 2-3 times a week and it is very silky, but her hair is finer than mine whereas mine is a bit more wiry.

    At my house we are growing shampoo ginger, which Native Hawaiians used as shampoo. When you squeeze the flower cone, clear liquid that has a pine cent comes out of it. I've been thinking it might be a fun experiment to collect a jar full of the liquid and try using that as my only shampoo for a week.
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  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by 00phantom View Post
    I do not because I have dreadlocks and have my own regimen that works for me. But my mom does.
    She uses a very specific method involving baking soda and apple cider vinegar and arrowroot powder. She absolutely loves it and says it’s super easy and makes her love her hair.


    Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app
    I’m glad to hear that your mom loves her hair! Did she say what changed to make her feel more positively about her hair after trying this method?

    What regimen do you have for your dreadlocks? Sounds very interesting!

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by MerEmma View Post
    I use the "low-poo" method haha! I have very very thick and curly hair and shampooing dries it out a lot. I try to avoid shampooing for as long as I can but even though I use no silicones or sulfates in my products, I still get build up and end up needing to shampoo once a month or so. I try to use conditioner to wash my hair but it still doesn't get it all out. Still need to figure out some better products for me than Shea Moisture because I think they build up too quickly for my liking.
    When did you start the “low poo” method? What inspired you to try it? I bet your hair has gotten curlier since then.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Dancing Fish View Post
    I'm skeptical. My kid hated washing her hair. She could go for well over a week without washing it. Then she turned ten and the oil glands went into overdrive, and her hair (which she still only washed once a week) was a greasy nasty mess. She'd love to go back to not showering daily, and gets by with dry shampoo on off days, but I just don't think this method is going to work for everyone (particularly those of us with very thin straight hair that lies flat on our scalps).
    Quite true! Everyone’s hair is different and reacts differently to various hair care routines. I’ve read both praise and criticism about “No Poo”, so it’s a bit controversial.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Alea View Post
    I have very thick, long hair that tangles very easily. My hair also gets oily very quickly if I don't wash it. Not only can I not skip shampoo, but if I skip using conditioner my hair is really hard to work with because of the tangling issue.
    I wouldn't mind trying something different. My friend has longer hair than me and she washes her hair maybe 2-3 times a week and it is very silky, but her hair is finer than mine whereas mine is a bit more wiry.

    At my house we are growing shampoo ginger, which Native Hawaiians used as shampoo. When you squeeze the flower cone, clear liquid that has a pine cent comes out of it. I've been thinking it might be a fun experiment to collect a jar full of the liquid and try using that as my only shampoo for a week.
    Me too! I have wiry long hair that gets in an awful tangle, although it’s probably not as thick.

    Oh my goodness, you’re growing shampoo ginger?! I’ve never heard of it. It sounds so exotic! I just Googled it to see what it looks like, and the red pine cone flower looks so unique. Is your Florida environment similar to Hawaii? Have you visited beautiful Hawaii? (I haven’t, but I’d love to someday.) Yes, it’ll definitely be interesting to try its liquid as your actual shampoo for a week. We humans love novelty. I can’t wait to hear how shampoo ginger works for you. That sounds fascinating!

  10. #10
    Junior Member 00phantom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Calisai View Post
    I’m glad to hear that your mom loves her hair! Did she say what changed to make her feel more positively about her hair after trying this method?

    What regimen do you have for your dreadlocks? Sounds very interesting!
    My mom says her hair has gotten less brittle and more shiny and soft.

    For my dreads I only wash them with Dr Bronner’s castile soap once a week or every other week depending on how dirty they get(if I work out or swim in chlorine or roll in the dirt lol).
    I do a deep clean soak every 6 months or so using baking soda and apple cider vinegar. That really gets any buildup out of them.
    If I find that they are very dry I will spray them with a water and essential oil mixture and maybe apply a TINY amount of coconut oil or other hair oil.
    If they are getting loose or oily then I will spray them with a water and sea salt mixture (so mermaid, I know)
    And that’s all!

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Calisai View Post
    When did you start the “low poo” method? What inspired you to try it? I bet your hair has gotten curlier since then.
    Oh, gee. I don't know when I started it; at this point I can't recall a time I regularly shampooed my hair lol. It was probably sometime in middle school (and I'm 20 now). My hair is very curly so if I were to shampoo often it'd just be a complete frizzball instead. It definitely helps my curls actually be curls!

    EDIT: It's kinda funny to me because my profile photo on here was taken when I was probably 11-12 or so? And it's underwater, which makes my hair very straight. So it's not a good example haha!

  12. #12
    So, this is the beginning of the third week of forgoing shampoo for me. Yesterday, Sunday, I beat three eggs in a bowl. I decided to beat whole eggs instead of just using egg yolk or egg whites. I wet my hair in the kitchen sink with cool water and poured the beaten eggs over my scalp. I made sure that all of my hair got the egg treatment. I rinsed with cool water, and my sopping wet hair felt silkier. Then I went upstairs to soak in the tub and swish my hair around to try to find and remove any egg remnants. It was kind of troublesome to remove all the tiny white bits I could find, but I was curious about the results. My hair air-dried for the night, and I braided for bed without brushing.

    In the morning, I gingerly brushed my hair from bottom to top and picked out more white bits as I brushed. My hair still felt waxy, but my scalp looked cleaner, and it was voluminous without me brushing my hair upside down. I decided that I didn’t need to brush upside down this time. My ends felt dry, so I ran argan oil-coated hands through my length. I smelled my hair, and I couldn’t trace any egg stink, but I sprayed a bit of raspberry-scented perfume in my hair just in case. I don’t own any essential oils, which I think would’ve done the job better than perfume, and I’d love to try essential oils some day.

    I hope I won’t have to do an egg treatment too often because it’s hard to get it all out of my hair, but I heard that it’s good for the hair. Next time I wash with eggs, I’ll do it over the tub instead of the sink because my hair’s super long. I have waist-length hair, and I want to grow it even longer. Also, I’m eyeing this Etsy shop that sells shampoo bars with shampoo ginger in it... Might try that out at some point!
    Last edited by Calisai; 11-25-2019 at 11:55 PM.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Calisai View Post
    Me too! I have wiry long hair that gets in an awful tangle, although it’s probably not as thick.

    Oh my goodness, you’re growing shampoo ginger?! I’ve never heard of it. It sounds so exotic! I just Googled it to see what it looks like, and the red pine cone flower looks so unique. Is your Florida environment similar to Hawaii? Have you visited beautiful Hawaii? (I haven’t, but I’d love to someday.) Yes, it’ll definitely be interesting to try its liquid as your actual shampoo for a week. We humans love novelty. I can’t wait to hear how shampoo ginger works for you. That sounds fascinating!
    Haha I wish it was like Hawaii here! I'm barely in Florida. I can look out across the bay and wave to Alabama so I don't live in a super tropical part of Florida. However, I'm a tropical plant nerd so I try to grow a lot of different hardy tropical plants here. I certainly want to go to Hawaii since I love all things tropical and I love Hawaiian culture. Hopefully someday...

    Our shampoo ginger has basically died back now, but it is very vigorous and will grow back really well next year. I'll have to wait to make shampoo out of it next year, but it should be quite the interesting experiment. I know putting the liquid on my face always feels refreshing since it smells so good. It has a consistency a little thicker than water, but it looks like water.

    Congrats on going without shampoo for three weeks! That is impressive! I'm definitely curious to see if this helps you grow your hair longer.
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  14. #14
    I tried it but the baking soda and the apple cider vinegar built up over time in my hair and made it feel sandy and gunky. I gave it up and started using higher end shampoos and it's been a lot better on my hair. I see no-poo works for other people but not for me.
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  15. #15
    What kind of shampoo are you using BlueCorvidae?
    I used to use a basic Suave shampoo but I got a free sample of Loreal Elvive Total Repair 5 in the mail (quite random I know) and I thought it was really impressive so that is what I have been using for both shampoo and conditioner.
    www.youtube.com/MinxFox
    I love: Peacocks - Mermaiding -
    Tropical Plants
    That was her magic, she could still see the sunset, even on those darkest days. - Atticus



  16. #16
    It sounds like an exciting experiment, Alea! I know how boring it can be going through the daily motions, so sometimes it helps to spice things up by doing random, different activities.

    And thank you! It’s the fourth week now, Tuesday. I haven’t washed or wet my hair since last week on Sunday when I washed with eggs. My hair is getting oily again, so I’ll probably mermaid-wash my hair with water tonight or tomorrow morning. If I need to, I’ll wash with eggs again. Although it’s tough getting out all the egg from my hair, I’m really impressed with the results and how long I’ve gone without washing. Washing with just water had me submerging my scalp twice a week. I’m sure that, with daily scalp massages to stimulate the follicles and oil coating the ends of hair shafts (to help protect from split ends), anyone’s hair will grow more rapidly.
    Last edited by Calisai; 12-03-2019 at 12:23 PM.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by BlueCorvidae View Post
    I tried it but the baking soda and the apple cider vinegar built up over time in my hair and made it feel sandy and gunky. I gave it up and started using higher end shampoos and it's been a lot better on my hair. I see no-poo works for other people but not for me.
    I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you. I’m glad you tried it, at least! How does your hair feel now with your new shampoo(s)? What brands do you like?

    For me, personally, I’ve only been using water + scrubbing motions with my finger pads to “wash” my hair while submerged in the tub. The floating hair strands are easier to move out of the way to reach the scalp. Last week I whipped up three eggs and poured them over my scalp and scrubbed. I’m a bit wary on using baking soda (BS) and apple cider vinegar (ACV) because I read somewhere that they’re a bit harsh on hair, and the damage shows over time. However, 00Phantom and her mom are using BS and ACV for their particular regimes, and they haven’t had any problems so far, only benefits, so I‘m not sure.

  18. #18
    UPDATE: Nearing the end of the 5th week, and I’m really excited about the transitioning changes! I only mermaid-washed last Thursday or Friday(?), and I haven’t washed it since. I’ve been trying to get in the tub these last couple of days, but I couldn’t find time. My scalp feels itchy. I’ve managed to keep my hair looking voluminous and fluffy, these last couple of days, by not brushing the scalp area. Brushing the scalp flattened my hair and showed the oiliness. So, I brushed the ends and massaged the scalp. The hair’s not really tangled because I braid before bed every night. Still trying to find time to mermaid-wash in the tub, but I’m surprised I lasted this long. The transition is definitely happening because my hair is losing its waxiness! My hair looks so healthy and hydrated. I’m having dandruff issues, so I’ll probably do an egg wash again soon (that seemed to help) or buy tea tree essential oil to dilute with water or coconut oil and massage into the scalp. Speaking of coconut oil (in my kitchen pantry), I haven’t tried putting that stuff in my hair before, so maybe that alone might do something.
    Last edited by Calisai; 12-12-2019 at 05:02 PM.

  19. #19
    Oooh fun Mernetwork has a no poo thread now I alternate between no poo en low poo, I started over 7 years ago lol. Would never go back. My hair goes past my hips, it's lush and wavy, and very, very thick and shiny. I get compliments by strangers all the time. People who are considering trying this or are in the middle of transitioning, go for it! It is WORTH IT! Eventually, that oily scalp will go away as long as you don't give up. Usually, it takes 6 to 8 weeks. Oh, and I do NOT recommend dry shampoo.

  20. #20
    I’m beginning the 7th week. I haven’t washed since 11 days ago, although a wash is due. My scalp feels itchy again. My hair reaches my belly button, and it feels so silky and smooth. My hair has less frizziness. The only waxy area left is the back of my head, and that’s going away. I saw my boyfriend over the weekend, and he thought my hair was very pretty. I’ve noticed that the oilier my hair gets, I find less dandruff compared to when I last mermaid-washed to find dandruff everywhere.

    One thing I never mentioned in this thread was that, since I started this hair journey, I had to clean my wooden comb several times. My scalp continues to leave a gray residue between the comb’s teeth. The residue is probably a film created from a mixture of sebum and dead scalp skin cells. I’m not sure if this is something I’ll have to get used to or if the symptom will eventually go away. I’m trying to be as honest as possible about my results, both positive and negative.

    I’m struggling to find time to do another egg wash. The holiday season eats up my time, lol.

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