Over the last few years, more and more people have started to go shampoo-free. In fact, it has even spawned an anti-shampoo movement, which goes by the name ‘No Poo.’ You may be asking yourself just why so many people have turned their back on shampoo, and perhaps you’re wondering if it’s a good idea for you, too. Let’s have a look at both the pros and cons of going shampoo-free! Then we’ll consider some shampoo alternatives that are kinder to your hair.
Benefits to Going Shampoo-Free
• Benefit One: Healthier Hair and Scalp – The number one benefit to going shampoo-free is that your scalp will no longer be stripped of its natural oils. It’ll be as it should be. Of course, one of the most common arguments made for going shampoo-free is that shampoo is a relatively modern invention. Considering how long human beings have actually existed, we haven’t been using shampoo that long at all. Many even argue that shampoo is completely unnecessary and just a way to make money. The proof is in the pudding! If you go shampoo-free – after your scalp and hair have adapted and begun to produce the natural oils again – then you’ll soon notice your hair become healthier, as well as feel your scalp become healthier too.
• Benefit Two: More Volume – Because your hair is in its natural state, and it’s producing oils to regulate the moisture within your hair, instead of shampoo stripping you of these essential oils and removing moisture, then it will help to make your hair more voluminous.
• Benefit Three: No Need for Products – You can throw those hair oils, conditioners, sprays, mousses, gels, and everything else in the bin with your shampoo because you’ll no longer need them. Your hair simply takes care of itself. Adding extra products to your hair will only damage it and counteract the benefits of going shampoo-free. The only reason you use the products in the first place is to undo all the negative effects that the shampoo has had on your hair.
• Benefit Four: It Will Save You Money – Without needing to order countless products and shampoos online – at a pretty penny – then you’ll have more money in your purse that can you can spend on more important things. We recommend taking the money that you regularly spend on hair products and putting it in a money box. You can then add to it every time you would usually buy more products, so then, at the end of a year, you can see how much you’ve saved and treat yourself with something special.
• Benefit Five: It Is Kinder to the Environment – What’s been Enemy No.1 for the last five years? Plastic, of course. And your shampoo – as well as other products – is packaged in plastic that’s unlikely to biodegrade anytime soon. Cutting out shampoo means reducing your contribution to the plastic problem that’s a scourge to our planet. On top of using less plastic, then you’ll also be using less water!
• Benefit Six: Less Frizz for Curly-Haired People – The people who tend to see the most noticeable difference when going shampoo-free are people who have coarse or curly hair. Why? It’s because of those natural oils that your scalp and hair produce themselves when you stop shampooing. They’re better than every single product you’ve ever tried to reduce your frizz.
• Benefit Seven: It Will Help You Get in Touch with Your True Nature – It might sound like an overstatement, but it’s true. Using shampoo is a modern process that our ancestors never used. Maybe when you stop with this unnatural process, then you’ll feel more connected to your true self, especially when you see how wonderful your hair looks without any help from harmful chemicals.
Drawbacks to Not Using Shampoo
Although there are lots of benefits to going shampoo-free, there are some drawbacks too, which include:
• Oily Hair – In some cases, there is a chance that your hair will become oily, especially if you have very thin or fine hair. You’ll only know if this will happen to you when you try it.
• The Awkward Phase – After about a week, every single person who has ever gone shampoo-free has looked in the mirror and asked themselves what they’re doing. But this is just the awkward phase. Overcome it, and then you’ll get all of the benefits mentioned above.
• Smell – Some people who have gone shampoo-free have complained that their hair has started to smell. This shouldn’t happen if you use the shampoo alternatives underneath, as well as continue to wash your hair with cool water.
Alternatives to Shampoo
Cutting out shampoo doesn’t necessarily mean that you should start wearing a shower cap and never allow your hair to get wet – although some people do prefer not to wash their hair at all. There are four popular ways that people tend to treat and wash their hair when they’ve gone shampoo-free, which are the following:
• Use Water and Only Water – Continue to shower as normal, but don’t put any shampoo or product on your hair. This is the easiest solution to the shampoo-free problem, and it’s also the cheapest, of course, as you won’t need to purchase anything at all. This method is the only way that you can avoid putting any chemicals onto your hair. Still, it may leave your hair feeling a little dirty, especially in comparison to how it has felt during your lifetime of using shampoo.
• Coconut Oil – These days, coconut oil is used for just about everything. If you’ve got a friend who’s dedicated to clean eating, then you’ll certainly have heard of this wonderful oil. But did you know that you can use it on your hair? It acts as a great sealant, keeping in those natural, essential oils that are the whole reason why you’re going shampoo-free, as well as giving your hair a nice shine and making it smell nicer, too. There’s a risk of greasiness or heaviness, so use sparingly. At the start, make sure that you’re capable of rinsing it out without any issues.
• A Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar Combo – You basically scrub your hair with the baking soda and then rinse it with apple cider vinegar afterward. The baking soda cleans your hair, and the cider keeps it nice and shiny. It won’t break the bank for you to purchase either of these items, so experiment and see how you like the look, smell, and feel of these ingredients without any major risk involved.
• Use a Conditioner – Usually, when people go shampoo-free, then they dispense of all their hair products, including hair conditioner. But you might be fearful of how your hair might look and feel without any product at all, while also wanting to cut out the most damaging product of all – shampoo. Perhaps just using a natural, organic, cruelty-free conditioner is a good option for you.
Summary
That’s it. Now you’ve got all the information you need to decide if you want to go shampoo-free. There’s no doubt that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Not only will stopping using shampoo improve the look and feel of your hair, but you will also be contributing to making the planet a better place too, as you won’t be purchasing harmful plastics.
You’ll have more cash in your purse or pocket, as you’ll be buying fewer products and using less water. For curly-haired or coarse-haired people, then you’ll say goodbye to frizz too. Of course, there are some people who this just won’t work for. If you experiment, though, then that’s the only way to find out if it’s right for you. There’s nothing to lose. And you can choose from one of the four alternatives to a shampoo that we’ve suggested here too.
They are all cheap and kind to the environment! Always make sure that you persevere through that awkward phase that all people who go shampoo-free suffer from. You may get a few questions or looks from those around you, wondering what’s going on with your hair, but it will all make sense when those natural oils start getting released, leaving your hair shinier and more voluminous than ever before.
