new thread
Hi everyone,
I'm wondering if any of you have tried giving up shampoo with long hair? My hair's only about 15-20cm long at the moment, but I stopped using the stuff about six months ago and my hair's never been better.
I decided to stop using stuff after reading the link below. It took a about 2 or 3 months for my hair to get used to it, but now I've gone from having really greasy hair to having hair which isn't greasy or dry, requires very little maintenance, and stays neat even in what's supposed to be an awkward phase of growth :-)
After a while of going though all kinds of washing routines (soap and conditioner, conditioner only, warm water only, etc) I've settled on rinsing my hair under cold water twice a week and once a week massaging a white vinegar/cold water solution into my scalp, followed by a cold water to rinse it out. This seems to be the routine that's favored by most of the ladies all over the Internet who pioneered going no-shampoo.
The reason I'm posting, though, is to see if anyone's had experience in using the no-shampoo method with long hair. Since I'm trying to grow my hair long, I just wanted to find out in advance if I'll run into any troubles.
THE GREAT SHAMPOO SCANDAL
Hi,
I've tried the water only wash for s couple of months last year but I gave up due to summer - sweat, bathing in swimming pool or lake, and so. This time I'm again two months into it and it seems to work even better, no buildup and no excessive greasiness; I really want to try and overcome the transition phase to see if it will definitely become my routine.
I also tried a vinegar rinse once, and it gave an excellent result.
If you want to take a look, many of the girls (and guys) at the long hair community are using the water only method, and have a lot of good advice.
Regards
Alessandro
Water only? Really? Well you've got to clean your hair with something. It doesn't clean itself, haha. Water might work for a while but it's still a part of your body and you shouldn't neglect to properly clean it... that's probably why you only lasted a few months. I suggest baking soda followed by a vinegar rinse.
Not to sound like a jerk or anything, but I'm just saying, you probably wouldn't use only water on the rest of your body, so why would you on your hair?
Hey, monkeys don't use shampoo or soap ! :)
Okay, we're not exactly animals anymore, but it's almost the same. Why something un-natural would be absolutely necessary ?
Vivien
They do when they're in captivity. Ever smelt a wild animal?
Well it's not truly necessary.... just if you want to fit in with society.
By all means don't wash any part of your body for several months and let me know how it goes. :P
And besides, monkeys throw poop at each other.
And why wouldnt it be acceptable to use just hot water on the rest of your body?
I personally dont, because I like the smell of soap, and it has just become routine.... But seriously, hapit should not be a foundation for a rational arguement.
The purpose of shampoo and other such detergents was to remove natural oils from the hair and body. And Soaps and detergents were made prior to the time when the majority of people had access to hot water.
And most people know, by virtue of logic, that hot water removes oil... It makes it more diluted and like water itself... and then the pressure of constant of hot water just rinses the excess oil down the drain, while leaving a fair amount of oil that is apart of the hair or skin.
Seriously, if you approach it logically its just silly how people wash their hair.
They remove all their oil, be it with harsh soap, shampoo, or other methods... And then they condition and moisturize to add back in all the oils they just lost.
Only the difference is, this oil is fake, and deterorates ane more eaisly attracts dirt.... Thus forcing you to repeat this process.
Seriously, from a logical perspective, I see no reason to remove the oil from your head untill you either notice that there is too much oil (be it from texture or sight), or if your scalp starts itching.
Then, turn the shower head onto hot. Aim it at your scalp, rub your finger tips into your scalp, and all that oil will come up from the scalp and wash down your hair, with the excess oil making it past the ends of your hair and into the drain.
This is what I have been doing for about 6 months or so now, and my hair has yet to get "too oily".
It could, thats possible.
Then, and only then would I bring out the big guns.
Pre-emptive washing with detergents.... Its just silly IMO.
Well there is more to clean on the body than just excess oils! Certainly oils build up, but sweat is also excreted. Sweating in certain areas is a haven for bacteria, such as under the arms or between the legs, hence why the body starts to smell after not cleaning for a while. Water may be enough to clean all of that stuff, but I think modern hygienic practices are well worth embracing as long as it is not overdone (such as the overshampooing of hair).
Granted, you can do as you please, but it just doesn't sound sanitary to only use water to clean your entire body.
Again.... if we look at it from a 100% logical and scientific perspective, if we remove social bias.... your arguement doesnt make sense
You redily admit that "Water may be enough to clean all of that stuff", and then go on to say that the real reasoning that we clean as excessively as we do is because "it just doesn't [b]sound[/b] sanitary.
Now... You could make the argument that you need to get rid of the bacteria on your body, and you started to go there.
I have not heard of "conditioning" the body or hair with bacteria that was just removed.
However, if you were going to do that, I would point out how most soap and shampoo does nothing at all to kill or remove bacteria. Hot water really is just as effective in that regard. And anti-bacterial soap.
Perhaps some bacteria can be found in some of the oil that is naturally in our hair/skin, but if your cleansing your whole body with anti-bacterial soap and shampoo, I would say that you are a tad paranoid.
I just took a chemestry class, and I did talk to the professior after class, and he confirmed what he said... Most all of our cleaning products are aimed at doing three things.
Removing oil, adding oil back in (because you just removed it), and making you smell good for a couple of hours after.
When westerners first started comming to Japan, they would remark at how verry verry clean they were. Yet they seemed to get along just fine without detergents, as did all eastern cultures.
Cleaning sweat and dirt off the body is important.... watter and pressure can do that job just fine. But when you start removing the oils in every microscopic crevice of your skin, and every fold and scale of your hair strands, just to add it back in again with a fake substitute... then it gets excessive.
Not that you cant have healthy hair and skin under that system.... But I just dont see the logic in someone saying its necessary.
Well you do have a good point, sir. However, if hot water is enough, then why is it that the body odour emanating from my underarms (caused by bacteria, mind you) is only eliminated after using soap? It's not that the soap makes me "smell good", it kills bacteria that produce the foul smells.
But hey, I might be wrong. Perhaps the body is just used to using soap so doesn't take as kindly to hot water because of excess oils produced.
Do you use anti-bacterial soap? If not, your theory is automatically shot down.
Much more likely then the killing of bacteria, is because it makes you "smell good".... seriously. look at the chemical properties of soap... it is not meant to kill bacteria (at least not most kinds) or the chemicals that bacteria give off when they feed off of sweat. (scent)
It is much, much easier to put out a counter smell to overpower the other... It really doesnt have to be that strong, just strong enough for the brain to register the difference.
So the most obvious answers, via achems razor, is that it was either in your head, or you did not scrup your underarms with your hand or let the water spray directly on your arms to let all the excess sweat and oil be loosened.
Hm. So are you saying that you don't ever use soap on your hands after, say, defecating?
If you're that anti-soap, by all means go ahead and use just water. I prefer sanitation, however. Good day.
The soap that is used in bathrooms, that is specifically marketed as anti-bacterial.
Shower soap is different.
Not necessarily. And by all means, go ahead and use only hot water, but there's a reason that people have used absorbant/abrasive materials such as soap, talcum powder, and baking soda-- it works far more effectively than water alone, because it eliminates the excess oil that filth clings to.
It is silly to say that humans have not had access to hot water until recently, and that is why they used soap-- humans have had access to hot water for as long as we have had access to fire and some kind of fireproof container, such as pottery.
And if you have long hair you should understand that hot water is never enough to loosen the crap that gets embedded in it after not cleaning for a while. Maybe with short hair it's easy to get away with water only, but water is never enough to cut away the excess oil buildup. Ever try to wash oil-based paint off your hands with just water?
This is why humans are above beasts. We have intellect and we have evolved as well as we have because we use tools to support our existence.
Yes. Necessarily. Contary to what you have been arguing, shower soap is marketed as, and designed for the removal of oil, while sink soap is designed to be anti-bacterial.... Something that you are about to support as you switch arguements.
Ya... I belive I said that in the verry beginning.
But if you have gotten to the point where you are using conditioner to add oil back in, you have obviously removed too much.
A certain amount of natural oil is good for your hair, almost everybody here understands that.
Further, I do use soap in the shower, and am not "anti-soap" as you so put it.
I use it on my face, I scrub it hard with soap. Because oil on the face can cause pimples. And I have never really heard of a conditioner for the face to add the oil back in that you just lost.
Again... if you really think your hair is too oily, and you have tried just hot watter directly on the hair and running your hands down it to get the losened oil out... by all means, use some shampoo/soap.
But if you need to add in conditioner to keep you hair from getting dry, frizzy, or too hard to manage, then you have gone too far.
This is one of the dumbest things I have read in quite some time.
Im not saying you are dumb... just that you did not think this statment through.
If you studied, or even though about history, you would know that there is no way that the pesants and commoners could heat enough water to get the same effect as a modern hot shower.
Because of the difficulty of it, people bathed no more then once a month, and when they did, it was usually in the local river.
For most people, this remained true untill the availability of modern plumbing.
Its that hard for you, is it?
Excuse me while I roll my eyes.
But again. whatever works for you.
Just so long as you try the simplest answer with the least assumptions before you crank out the money for a more complicated one.
That's Occam's razor
Actually apes use tools as well. But only humans use tools for social, cultural, or ritualistic reasons... though that could be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depending on the context.
Another thing that separates us from the "beasts"is philosophy.
Such looking at the teachings of Plato and Confucius... There are certain patterns, thoughts, values, and behaviors that are "above the line" and demonstrate man at his pinnacle.
There are also those things that are "below the line" that demonstrate both animals, and the common people of the world. Those who will always be pawns in their heart. The tools of others...
Among the things that are "below the line" is stubbornness, the inability to try something new, or inflexibility.
putting position and habits above impartial logic.
Hey there!
Firstly I must say I haven't used shampoo or conditioner since February 2008. I've been washing with diluted baking soda and rinsing with diluted apple cider vinegar... probably about once or twice a week, depending on my level of activity, weather, etc.. My hair has never been better!
I think it's great that you're giving up shampoo! It truly is a vicious cycle that it causes, and I think more folks should revert back to the techniques used before shampoo. When it was invented, shampoo was only supposed to be used once or twice a month! But due to its very nature people needed to start using it more often, and now here we are, with people shampooing their hair every single day, and sometimes twice a day.
And then they wonder why their hair is so greasy or dry all the time.
/rant
Anyway, keep it up, brother. The first month or so was hard for me, but after that it's smooth sailing. I'm never going back to shampoo.
Hi Brazjol, I just wanted to say that today I tried your method of wash and rinse, and that is SOME KIND OF CLEAN!
Like some of us, I had stopped using shampoo for a few weeks, and used "conditioner only" once in a while, so I wanted to try something new. I diluted the baking soda with water, but also added a little dab of Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile soap to it. After massaging that in, then rinsed out, squirted on the vinegar diluted mix. Both of these I put in plastic squirt bottles, which helps contain them, and keep them out of the eyes. (Grocery stores and Kitchen shops have them) After I dried the hair a bit, I used a little clear gel, and presto, great, clean hair. Not tangely or fly-away. Very clean. I plan to use that method once or twice a week. Dr. Bronners now makes a hair gel/cream which has some great kinds of oils in it, which I might try instead of the plain gel I normally use. Thanks for the tips, and your mane looks great! I love to experiment on mine when I know the products are safe.
-Daniel
Awesome! Good to hear!
Hi Brazjol, and all,
Here is the link to the Dr. Bronner's product I mentioned.
It has all sorts of good oils in it, shown on the link.
Even HEMP! The natural kind.
See what you guys think. Their company has a very amazing history, and the products have taken on a hippy charm, although mainstream now.
Here is the link:
http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/SD0802/PeppermintHairConditionerStyleCreme.htm
I will try to add the product photo too.
-Daniel
Thanks for the link! I swear by the Peppermint stuff--it's great!
im actually thinking about giving up most shampoo, 1 day out of 3 washes I will use just a pea size of dandruff shampoo/lots of conditioner and 2 days out of the 3 only condition wash! heres a link for for info on it
http://hair-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/conditioner_only_hair_washing
Guess I will continue with the shampoo as it has done very well by me. Tried water only once.
Hmmmmmmmm...........just a thought. What is the final out-come of achieving nice long hair when water alone is not enough to remove the build-up of all kinds of things that become imbedded in the hair? These (I would "think") would act as an abrasive to the hair and in time diminish the best of luck for having nice long hair.
For whatever it is worth.
My hair is now past waist length. I stopped using shampoo months ago. I use Castille soap. It's got a very smooth feel to it, almost like conditioner so your hair doesn't tend to tangle like it does if you use, say, Ivory or something in it.
Obviously I have no idea what it would have been like if I'd try to grow out without shampoo. I'm not about to cut it off and spend another 7 years trying to find out. :)
I have heard that avoiding shampoo is supposed to be good for hair, however, whenever I have ran out of shampoo and used water instead, my hair has felt greasy and unclean after.
That's because the scalp tends to produce excess oils to compensate for the action of the shampoo which strips the scalp of its oil. It takes a couple weeks for this to balance out. Also, using just water is probably not the best idea, as it becomes very hard to keep the hair clean (though it does reduce number of washings to once or twice a week). I recommend diluting baking soda and scrubbing it into the scalp, rinsing, and then using a rinse of apple cider vinegar afterward in place of conditioner. I've done this for a year and it works great.