Don't Need No 'Poo - 4 week update!

It's official. I've been off 'Poo for 4 straight weeks. Things are going pretty well. I've been conditioning twice weekly with Burts Bees Conditioner and doing a vinegar wash twice a week as well.. Did the baking soda things three times. I only really noticed results from that the last time, when my hair got really soft. Other observations are that my hair seems way more tame - its super easy to comb (I only combed it once this whole time, I had given up combing to reduce damage months ago), and that it goes straight fairly easy. Of course, this straightness is against what I would prefer, but I have some ideas...

Looking around more, I found a couple how-tos for going no 'poo. I also have perused, more thoroughly, this curly girl site and what they're all about. It's like a cult almost. I kind of feel like I'm not curly enough to be reading all about it. ANYWAY, they have some good stuff on there though. I think I will be trying this oil thing because it apparently moisturizes the curls and makes them happier. I also might try this brown sugar scrub thing.

I have been continuing to use styling products almost daily. It doesn't really stay curly without it. AND I'm going to try this plopping thing that the curly girl people talk about. That seems like it might work. Overall, I am fairly pleased but not like drop-dead sold on this no 'poo thing because nothing totally drastic has happened to my hair.

"Sometimes" - BTW... No Poo 2.5 weeks

Sorry about the lack of updates on No 'Poo. I have been packing and moving for like five days straight.

It has been two and a half weeks of 'poolessness. It's going pretty well. I notice that combing is super easy, the combs just slips through my hair. I, as of yet, have not obtained the glossy ringlets I desired from this experiment. But it certainly is easy. I started putting gel in it to make it curlier again. Sometimes I think that it looks greasy sometimes, but most of the time it seems fine. I have been putting conditioner on it sometimes, and sometimes washing with a vinegar rinse. I haven't done a baking soda rub since the initial first week. Doesn't seem to make a difference to me, apparently. I like to use the gel because it makes my hair seem more girlie smelling, like all the other girls. Boys like girls that smell girlie, I think.

Most importantly, I got hit on today! So it can't look that horrible, right?

Update: Here are some Day 18 No 'Poo pics, sorry for the poor picture quality, the lighting is not the best in my new apt. I put gel in my hair today to hold the curls better. Big and fluffy as ever!

I ain't 'fraid of no 'poo!

Sooooo. Many of you haven't heard of this particular movement, BUT there are people around the country abandoning shampoo for a more natural approach. I, myself, have officially been no 'poo for one week.

Day 2 of No 'Poo:


Why would someone do this, you might ask. Well, everyone has their own reasons. Personally, I was sold by a comment made on this blog by a woman who sounds like was in a similar situation to mine - could get curly hair with the use of a lot of product, but then when she went no 'poo, her hair ended up being in gorgeous shiny ringlets! I want shiny ringlets! So anyway, that was pretty much it for me, and since I'm off the boys right now, I figured now was the perfect time to go through an ugly phase, if my hair did turn gross and greasy and disgusting during the transition. Plus, its fun to experiment with different things sometimes. I mean, our hair didn't evolve to be shampooed everyday, so I figure something interesting will come of this, at least.

Day 4 of No 'Poo (Did a vinegar rinse the night before):


One of my initial concerns was that I didn't want to smell like a dirty head of dreadlocks. Not that all dreadlocks are dirty... But you know what I mean. I was assured by this article that my head wouldn't smell. After all, you do still "wash" it everyday in the sense that you get it wet and rinse it whatnot.

Day 5 of No 'Poo!:


So, during this week, I took a shower everyday and worked through my hair a lot with my fingers to try to distribute whatever grease was up there. At first, it just felt waxy more than greasy. I did a vinegar rinse (link above) on the night of the 3rd day, and the waxy feeling gave way almost instantly to a smoother, silkier feeling. As you can see, it fluffed up nicely everyday. Ever since I cut my hair shorter, I've been going for the super volumized curly sort of 80s look. I am pleased to say that I have been able to maintain this without shampoo OR any styling products whatsoever. Some other blog that I can't remember said that you can wash with a little commercial conditioner and that it will clean it up a little, so I actually did that the 5th day or so. I did another vinegar rinse the night of the 6th day. And then, this morning, one week after my last time shampooing, I tried the baking soda "wash" followed by a vinegar rinse. For those of you who are wondering - I actually also used styling products last night and it worked perfectly, super giant and curly ;)

Day 8 after no 'poo!:



I happen to think that I have the right kind of hair for this sort of thing - coarse, wavy, and lots of it. I think I will keep going with it for a while and see what happens. As a side note, I found FOUR gray hairs while checking out my head this week. Makes you think about your own mortality, that.

UPDATES:
2.5 weeks no 'poo
4 weeks no 'poo