I first heard the term "no 'poo" several years ago, and dismissed it as some sort of weird hippie thing (even though I was some sort of weird hippie myself, but one with standards). The thought of not using shampoo on my hair seemed extreme. After all, my hair is like my identity, one that I nurtured like a child. Great hair = socially acceptable. Right?
There's actually quite a lot going for the whole "no 'poo" regime (other than the name: I have such trouble even saying "poo" without thinking about, well, poo. And who wants to mix poo with hair?). It uses only completely natural ingredients that you can make as organic as you want. Essentially, you're not putting anything on your hair that you wouldn't put in your mouth. Can you say that about your shampoo? I thought not. Me neither.
The basic instruction for the "no 'poo" method is simple. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of water and rinse your hair with it, getting the mix into the scalp area. Next, mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water and rinse your hair. Easy. You're done.
Caveats: "no 'poo" proponents say that it takes awhile for your hair to adjust to the change and to the idea of allowing the hair's natural oils to protect it. As a result, you may experience side effects (dryness, oiliness, etc). By listening to your hair, eventually things even out. In addition, you can try things like applesauce (!), olive oil, or avocado to add moisture or obtain a different effect. There are whole forums and helpful sites devoted to "no 'poo" devotees, and no two heads of hair are alike so there's lots of room for experimentation.
Feeling brave? Want to try this? I'm totally going to. Or you can always experiment on your kids first...
Here's to poo. Er, no poo.
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i've been mulling over whether to go the no-'poo route (and i, too, dislike the name of the movement!) for months now. i've gotten as far as switching to using dr. bronner's soap instead of shampoo, which i figure at least limits the fragrances and surfactants and such! luckily i've never been the sort to swear by 'product'!
Some of us approaching middle aged men approach a shampoo change with great fear and trepidation. Everyday that goes by there is less and less to wash, requiring less and less shampoo. That will have to be my conservation.