new thread
I have been hashing over the idea of going anti-shampoo and cleansing only with water by running my hands through my hair in the shower under warm water and then use conditioner after that. I did this today and I am very pleased with how I can still get my hands through my hair with minimal snagging, but also my hair does look cleaner.
The reasoning behind my anti-shampoo madness is due to the fact that no matter what shampoo I use, I cannot get my hands, comb or brush through my hair after it dries without ripping and tearing hair out. Even with following up with conditioner. Leave in conditioners don't even help. This is really getting on my nerves and I am about done with shampoos all together. I keep running the reasoning through my head that people in the past before the invention of shampoo done o.k., so should I.
Comments would be greatly appreciated. I know this has been covered in the past, but I have been asleep since then and would like everyone elses thoughts on this matter. Pro's, con's, does it sufficiently cleanse to use water only, etc. etc. Peace!
I've been trying to stay away from the shampoo more so because of how much it actually is stripping. My hairs really thick n pretty coarse from what Ive been told..and it tends to be like hay even conditioners do pretty minimal for me. I would think just using the shampoo -as needed- would be ok but I wouldn't dump it totally and never use it even if it does make my hair dry for a day. On 1 end we have dry tangles breakage and all but at the same time the shampoo is getting rid of anything such as buildup and such so I guess its really give a little take a little situation. I would suggest just to shampoo when and IF you feel you need to, other then that just continue to water rince/condition- I've personally found this to work quite well and better for the most part.
You may be pleased for a short while, but sooner or later your head
will go rancid.
Your problem is not really the shampoo: there is probably something esle
going on that is causing the problem.
Have you tried ViVE Smooth Intense conditioner? Also
it is important to comb out your hair with your FINGERS while
still in the showers.
Are you rubbing your hair with a towel? If so...bad , bad!
Wrap that towel AROUND your hair instead and squeeze gently.
I am very surprised to hear you are having this kind of trouble
with YOUR thick hair.
Been there, done that! That's why my ends look shredded, lol. Some people swear by washing their hair only with cool water but if you sweat a lot or it's a hot day or your city is polluted (etc etc) you'll probably need to shampoo.
So, I suggest either : getting a shampoo without sodium lauryl/ laureth sulfate (stuff which is used also as an industrial degreaser, very harsh) OR wash your hair using liquid castile (olive oil) soap. Just make sure it contains no additives. Every week or so, mix some apple cider vinegar (50 ml) with lukewarm water (1 litre) and rinse your hair with that instead of shampoo. This will help to take out any buildup (which castile soap may cause) and also makes a great conditioner!
Now, this may sound like something from grandma's kitchen but it has worked for me, I had the same problem as you and I'll swear by this method.
Also important is that you get a good conditioner, not one of the run-of-the-mill ones, and use it every time. I don't think we're in the same country so I can't help you there, I use one called Alchemy Dry but it's only available locally (I think).
p.s. and try using coconut oil instead of the leave-in conditioner, I'm using it more and more but you only need to put it into the bottom half of the length, especially if your scalp is not dry, then wash out with the next shampooing. In fact, looking at your hair I'd say only do the ends unless your hair generally feels very dry.
Hope this helps, let me know (then I'll send the bill, lol)
If you use a rinse-out conditioner, it helps if you use a wide-tooth comb while the conditioner is in your hair. This helps detangle plus helps distribute the conditioner more evenly throughout your hair. And when my hair is dry, I typically only style it with my fingers, but if I do use a comb I use a wide-tooth one to minimize pulling.
Cheers,
Jeremy
Treyn,
Have you tried washing with just conditioner?
I made the switch three weeks ago and am pleased with the results.
I am sorry I wasn't too clear in my message, but yes, that is what I am going to be doing. Using conditioner only. My question is, does conditioner CLEAN at all. The trial run this morning of using conditioner only seemed to have had cleaning results, but I am wondering more about the long run of this method. But hey, anything to keep from ripping my hair out. Thanks and Peace!
Even conditioner can eventually create lots of build up.
Are you combing out your hair daily?
Is you hair getting dirtier than usual (from work?)
Thoroughly cleaned & conditioned hair that is combed
from the ENDS up should be the best way to go.
What I have observed with my hair is this. My routine is shampoo once a week, followed by Aussie 3 minute miracle and Aussie Moist( Thanks Hair Religion!). The day after this, I do nothing to allow natural oils to do its work. I use Aussie Slip as my daily conditioner for the remaining of the week. However, nearing on my 6th day after daily conditioning it, my hair will start to look greasy around the second half of the day/evening. Luckily, everyone's hair is different, as well as their diets. Your scalp does need to be cleaned; How often is the question though. I would like to think that you want to keep your follicles from developing to much build-up. Your living environment has some say with how much dust and other particles such as from factorys and automobiles that are in the air where you live, how often do you sweat, etc... play a role.
Ahh, I see. Some of this you may already know or have tried by
now but maybe it will help -
To prevent tangles I comb before washing, while washing I try to
maintain a downward motion on my scalp as I wash, so not to induce
tangles. I use copious amounts of a cheap Suave conditioner for
washing, like about 3 handfuls (good thing it's cheap) and rinse
really well. After shower I finger comb, then gentle towel dry, then
regular comb, and that's about it.
My routine so far is about 4-5 days of daily conditioner only
washing, then I'll shampoo/condition, then back to the
conditioner only wash. My hair is clean, shiny, no tangles, and
no buildup that I can see or feel.
This routine works for me but my hair type appears to be vastly
different then yours. I never would have believed that using
conditioner only would actually work - until I tried it. :-)
Hope this helps!
About 2 months ago I started a new routine. When I take a shower I'll only wash with water. About once a week I'll use conditioner. I only shampoo once a month, using very little shampoo at that. I also use deep conditioner when I shampoo. I have been extremly happy with the results. My hair has been much more managable and tangles alot less.
I used to go through hell getting all the tangles out of my hair after it dried too. Now I make sure to get all the tangles out with a comb before I get in the shower. While I'm in there I try and keep my hair from moving around alot so it doesn't tangle to much while I'm showering. After I gently towel dry my hair I take my wide tooth comb and very slowly and carefully comb it while it's still fairly wet. It seems like it's much easier to comb it while it's still wet, plus it dries much faster since you separate all the large clumps of hair. Now it only takes about 2 hours to dry instead of 5.
Hopefully some of my techniques will help. You did say you thought we had almost exactly the same hair type when you saw a picture of me, even if it was back so far you might not remember. Good luck man.
Hey Treyn!
I haven't cut out shampooing altogether, but I have cut it down to about once a week. Most days, I don't even get it wet. I've found that my hair has been easier to brush and comb and I get almost no tangling whatsoever...which is nice. I'm able to run my fingers through my hair with ease. After a few days, the oils build up and so I will do a conditioner rinse like you are talking about. My hair is more manageable now than it's ever been. I'm loving it!!!
Take care and good to see you again!
Brett
I never use shampoo, just Paul Mitchell "Detangler". Sometimes I even skip that and just let water run through. I "wash" this way twice a week. Works fine! BTW, great update on your pics!
There has been a real interest in this "conditioner-only" washing idea, especially among long-haired or curly-haired women. The short answer is, "yes, conditioners can gently cleanse." They contain mild surfactants to aid rinsing, and this can cleanse the hair.
Having said that, you need to be aware that your conditioner choice will be crucial. You will want to avoid silicone igredients, which build up quickly - giving up 'cones might actually negate the benefits of less tangling, because you lose that silicone slip. Even if you avoid 'cones, you'll get a certain amount of build up, which will need to removed with a vinegar rinse or baking soda dissolved in conditioner and water.
You also need to use a good handful of conditioner, it takes a lot to cleanse! Most women who are having success use an inexpensive, light conditioner like White Rain or Suave.
Also, not everyone can go "conditioner-only" successfully. I tried it, and got terrible dandruff, so I'm back to shampooing 2 or 3 times per week.
Bottom line - you won't know if it works for you unless you try it. You might have to experiment for a while with different conditioners. Even if it helps you use shampoo less often, your hair will probably benefit. Good luck.
Though not as severe as what you have encountered, I have settled on this one and it is working very well for me:
1. Wash once a week.
2. Every other week ONLY use shampoo, and use it in a smaller amount and NOT doubled. Follow with conditioner, but try it this way:
3. Leave conditioner in hair for 10-15 minutes before washing it out. Then do the conditioner thing again but wash right away. Towel dry slightly and let the hair air dry. When "almost dry" begin by running your fingers through your hair to get any possible tangles out. Next use a brush or the large end of the comb and with luck this just might help.
4. On the weeks without shampoo just rinse hair well with water and follow up with using conditioner in the mannor above.
Sure hope this will be helpful.
All the best-
Over a period of time I have come around to pretty much doing that.
The biggest obstacle to "just washing in water" is that one must learn to judge the oiliness of your hair, and the effect of the water quantity and temperature you are applying to it. You must learn how much to wash older oil out of your "ends" and how much less of a washing you want to give to your scalp area (just enough to loosen oil and wash away the excess without washing it all away). You must learn how much water to apply, and at what temperature, so the new oil loosened up top readily flows down into your ends, but does not go further and flow off your hair and into the drain.
All the above takes TIME to learn. It's to a large extent trial and error. And you can't learn it from others because the variables all concern the uniqueness of your own hair. Sure, it's easier - no learning curve - to just wash ALL your oil off and replace everything with synthetic chemicals, but to my eye, those chemicals are never as good as your own natural oils, so long as you get the old oils off and the right amount of new oils distributed throughout your mane. (Old oils have to be washed off because they deteriorate and cease to do their job.)
Enjoy the "trial and error" phase, as you get to know YOUR mane!
Are you saying "No shampoo AND no conditioner"? Just water only to cleanse away old oils and distribute natural oils down the hair?
I would imagine this was how they would have had to do it hundreds of years ago before shampoo and conditioner was ever invented. Peace!
Yep! The oil IS your conditioner.
Yep again. [grin] For MOST of mankind's existence, this is how we took care of our hair. Lukewarm water, such as one might find at the edge of a creek in mid-afternoon, is just the right temperature for this. Also, so is rain that might fall on your head, when warmed by the scalp. Once one has water of the right temperature, all that remains is learning how much to apply where.
I find that what works best is to wash the ends quite well first, definitely "soaked", to get the old deteriorating oils out first. By "ends" here, I mean anything lower than what has scalp underneath. This can be done while you shower. Then second, wash the area where you have scalp underneath. This is best done just as you are about to leave the shower stall. Soak your hair but don't go beyond what it takes to just barely soak it. Then massage your hair and thus the scalp underneath with your fingers (not your nails!) to lift the newest oils off the scalp and into the soaked area. Over the next few minutes, the new oil will trickle down into the lower areas where you washed the older oils out. You will have dried your body off by this time, and you'll be combing out your hair.
If you are doing this right, your tangles will almost all slip out very easily in the oil/water mix. You will need to work some tangles out with your fingers, but few if any will give you much resistance.
When your hair has dried some, and it is between "damp to the touch" and "wet to the touch", I've found polishing it with your hands gives it a great sheen. If you don't do this polishing routine, it will dry looking quite oily, if you've gotten the oil balance down just right. (That oily look is a sign that you have.) You can still polish the oil off with your hair dry, but it won't look as nice as if you do it when your hair is damper.
By "polishing", I mean stroking your hair one to two dozen times in each area where you can grab some hair by loosely wrapping your fist around it. Or wiping the hair that is up high where there is scalp underneath, with your palms.
Just a quick clarification for all. The problem is not that shampoos wash oil from our hair. Oil is easy enough to replace. Modern hair care products remove a natural wax from our hair. Oil can temporarily fill in for the wax, but it's like polishing your car with machine oil. The next rainstorm is going to wash it right off. (Which is what makes people feel the need to wash every day.)
I tried the water and conditioner only thing for a few months and my hair got to smelling really really bad from not using shampoo, so now I have to shampoo everyday :(