Your skin is the biggest organ in your body. Studies have shown that it is also the most absorbent. Because of this, people are becoming more concerned about the chemicals present in the things that they put on their skin, including shampoo.
The ingredients in shampoo include plastics and detergents as well as petroleum products. These ingredients can work their way into your body through your skin. One solution to this dilemma – that Glamour magazine is calling an underground movement – is the no poo movement. Proponents of the no poo movement say that the solution is to stop using shampoo altogether.
Just Stop Washing Your Hair?
No Poo doesn’t mean to stop cleaning your hair. It simply means to stop washing your hair using shampoo. Shampoo acts as a surfactant, which means that it strips away the sebum, or protective oils that your hair produces. It first gained popularity due to the fact that it's detergent properties allowed the user to work up a lather in hard water, and didn't leave behind a heavy buildup the way that soap does.
Won't Your Hair Be Oilier?
The amount of sebum that your scalp produces is actually dependent on the number of times you wash your hair. Frequently washing your hair actually encourages your scalp to produce more oil. So the longer you cleanse your hair without shampoo, the healthier and less oily it will be.
There is typically a transition period in which your hair may seem a little more oily, but this transition period will only last between two weeks and two months.
And dermatologists are actually recommending that patients wash their hair no more than two or three times a week so that the oil glands don't become overactive. According to NPR, our fixation with daily washing comes from a marketing push in the 1970s.
What Are Some Other Benefits?
In addition to health benefits that come from not exposing yourself to chemicals, there are several tangible benefits.
- Savings on expensive hair care products.
- No longer washing chemicals and detergents down the drain.
- No shampoo bottles to throw away.
How Does It Work?
Break up the grease and cleanse your hair by making a paste out of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and water. Work the paste into your scalp at the roots of your hair, and let it sit.
Work dead skin and grease loose by gently massaging your scalp. Pay close attention to the area around your part, since this is where oil buildup can affect the way your hair looks.
Rinse your hair using cold water.
Make a conditioner by mixing 2 tablespoonfuls apple cider vinegar and 2 cups of water. You can also add essential oils, honey or lemon juice. Pour this over the ends of your hair. The smell from the vinegar will evaporate as your hair dries.
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