I’m on Day Three of my experimental No ‘Poo phase. If you’re new to this, you can click here and here to read the background posts, and here to read the results of Day One. Or, because sometimes life is too hard to click on all kinds of mysterious links, you can simply read a summarised version, which is this: I’m not using shampoo or conditioner to wash my hair anymore. Ever. (Or for as long as I can stand it.)
No ‘Poo Day Two:
Method: My second day of water-only washing went just as well as the first. Like before, I showered normally with hot water. Instead of using shampoo and conditioner on my hair, I just gave myself a good scalp massage with my fingers. After towel-drying, I blow-dried my hair with the warm setting. I was tempted to reach for my practically full bottle of BioSilk™ Silk Therapy, but I refrained. Al-Anon would be so proud. The only “product” I used was a homemade hairspray concoction.
Woes: On Day Two, I was still trying to figure out the best way to detangle my hair; normally, I would shampoo and condition, and comb through my wet hair in the shower with the conditioner still on—then I would rinse. This was a routine that allowed my hair to be perfectly tangle-free as soon as I stepped out of the shower. I really liked it. Now, however, without conditioner, I’ve found my wet hair to be much more prone to tangling. On Day Two, I tried combing through my wet hair with no conditioner, and my hair became a tangled mess.
Once again, as soon as I got out of the shower and towel-dried my hair, it was much easier to work with. I used a wide-tooth comb and flat brush to detangle my hair; it was quick and efficient.
One other woe on Day Two was that my hair seemed a little more matte and dull than normal—not necessarily limp and lifeless…just…not shiny. But I had to keep in mind that I normally finish my hairstyles with a spritz of shine serum, and there’s really no competing with that at this phase in the experiment. The plan is to build up natural shine with—you guessed it—my own natural hair oil.
Touch Test: My hair felt as clean and soft as it did when I was using shampoo and conditioner. No greasy residue to speak of.
Whiff Test: Poor Kyle did not smell anything out of the ordinary.
The Verdict: Nothing I can’t handle.
No ‘Poo Day Three:
Method: By Day Three, I finally felt like I’d cracked the code of tangles. I’ve discovered to ignore the tangles that build up as I’m scrubbing my scalp with my fingers—trying to sort through them under running water seems to make things worse. On Day Three, I massaged/scrubbed under hot water as usual, and finished off with a blast of cold water.
Towel-dried, detangled, and starting to air-dry
When I got out of the shower, I towel-dried and detangled with a wide-tooth comb. I did NOT blow-dry my hair on Day Three; I opted instead to let it air dry, and then I finished it by flat-ironing a few pieces.
Woes: Day Three was the first day I really started to feel some greasy buildup in my hair while showering. Good thing I specifically removed the shampoo and conditioner from the bathroom when I started out—I was really tempted to work up a lather by Day Three. I stuck it out, however, and when my hair was dry, it didn’t feel ANY greasier than a normal day of shampooed hair! This was a big discovery for me—my hypothesis is that in the shower, I really was distributing the natural oils from the roots of my hair to the ends. This caused my hands to feel oily, something I’ve never felt when using shampoo, and something I’ll need to get used to.
I also noticed the ends of my hair seemed to have more flyaway frizziness than normal—normally I would have reached for sleek and chic finishing spray or some other gimmick, but today I just brushed carefully with a boar bristle brush, and flat-ironed the persistent frizzies.
In the end, though, I thought my Day Three Hair was shinier than Day Two—or am I just grasping for straws? Maybe it’s just better lighting.
Touch Test: Once my hair was dry from my shower, it felt JUST AS CLEAN AS WITH SHAMPOO. I was quite surprised. Again, it was as soft as normal—not more so, but certainly not less.
Whiff Test: Poor Kyle smells nothing out of the ordinary.
The Verdict: I’m feeling particularly motivated. My showers are getting shorter!
So…anyone else converted yet?
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