Healthier Hair with Less Shampoo
Posted on June 05 2017
About a year ago, I was a completely disgruntled shampoo user.
I have a ton of allergies and sensitives, so the beginnings of the frustration were simply
finding a product that didn’t burn my face or make my scalp itch like I had head lice.
Add into the mix that I only use quality health and beauty products made from natural
ingredients…it was a recipe for frustration.
I found a shampoo and conditioner combo that meet all my criteria,
but my hair was still not healthy, and my oily scalp was not ideal.
Everywhere I looked, it seemed, were articles on how to go “No Poo”
Attractive name, can we please, oh please, give it a try???
I did read about the No-Poo Technique, despite the 8 year old boy potty jokes bouncing
around in my head.
It seems if you use less shampoo the oily scalp resolves itself over time.
Now, there is a general school of thought that some of these mass marketed health and
beauty products are designed to exasperate the very problem you are seeking to solve.
Things like nail polish weakening your nails instead of strengthening them.
Tampons and pads that make your period longer (I have firsthand seen a 3-5 day
decrease in my cycle after switching to cloth pads….but that is another blog post
entirely). So, shampoo that makes your hair feel oiler was not a far stretch of my
imagination.
There is another school of thought, called “Co-Washing” where you reduce the amount
of shampoo used, but still use the conditioner. As a person who wishes to live as natural
a lifestyle as possible, reducing conditioner usage also seems to make the most sense.
You’re using less product and reducing the resources it takes to produce hot water.
And, let’s be real, isn’t a better name for this technique “Co-pooing”???
My Hair Baseline: Oily at the scalp, thin, lifeless and not great. I was washing my hair
every other day in the winter and every day in the summer, with a dollop of shampoo
and conditioner larger then a quarter. Minimal use of styling products.
My “Less Poo” Strategy:
I started in the winter, because that’s when my hair was less greasy. Instead of washing
my hair every other day washed it every three days. At first, I was desperate to wash
my hair at the end of day two. And it was visibly oily looking. So, I bought some dry
shampoo just to ease the transition, but quickly stopped needing it.
After a few months, I moved to three days in-between “pooing”.
Then I decided to start using less shampoo, decreasing product usage to a dollop the
size of a nickel. Keep in mind, my goal is not to go “no poo” but to just reduce product
usage to see if oily scalp goes away.
Then I moved to four days in between shampoo and conditioning.
This is all over the course of a year. I survived the summer without looking like I was
not practicing good hygiene.
My New “Less Poo” Routine:
1: Shampoo with a dollop of product the size of a nickel. Same thing for conditioner.
Repeat every four days. When I shower on the non-poo days I use a shower cap.
Apply Argon Oil to the ends of my hair when it almost dry, on poo days only.
Use minimal amount of styling products.
2: Brush, brush brush!!!! Using a high quality natural bristle brush (I like boar’s hair)
can detangle gently, without causing breakage. If you brush from scalp to ends of
hair 3-4 times a day, you are also brushing out dirt, fuzzies and grime.
Gross? Yes, but this is a chemical and product free process, that works!
Keep a good brush in your purse for a quick brush out during the day.
3: Get a haircut!! Every 8 weeks is the recommended amount for a trim, says my
awesome and beautiful hair stylist. Being a busy working mom
with kids, for years, I would only get a haircut twice a year. I was super frustrated with
my hair, but didn’t take the time to give it what it needed. A ¼ of an inch trim keeps split
ends at bay and leaves your hair healthier then just skipping the cuts all together.
Healthier hair with regular trims needs less product. Somehow, getting regular trims
allows your air to grow out better #imconfused
My New Less Poo Hair Baseline:
My hair is full, thick and growing at a record pace. I have had less static/flyaway issues
with my fine straight hair because it is not overly dry from all the not-so-helpful shampoo.
It’s so full and thick my clips don’t hold it anymore.
It’s so long I keep zipping it up in my jackets or getting it tangled in my purse straps.
I’ve never had such healthy hair…all with less shampoo.!!
Now, if we could only do something about the name “Less Poo”…
Peace, Kim
Kim is a momma, wife and small business owner.
She lives with her family in Dutchess County, NY, where she enjoys her rescue dog, bunny and chickens. Her family loves camping, hiking, geocaching, and all things Cub and Boy Scouting. She is the owner/creator of Three Sisters Herbals, LLC., which she affectionately calls “her other baby”. TSH is the same age as her youngest human baby, and they are all growing up together.
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3 comments
Very interesting article! I shampoo every day cause I hate the oily feeling in my hair, but I had no idea it would possibly disappear if I stopped shampooing for a while!
I try to avoid washing my hair every day, I think it washes away needed oils. Great information, thanks for sharing your experience.
I’ve also been shampooing less. Not because my hair wasn’t healthy, but because I color my hair and I noticed the color fades the more often I wash. Even with permanent color. I’ve noticed my hair has more body and holds the hair cuts shape better.