The title comes from a commercial probably ten years ago – I’m not sure what it was for, something with phones I think. I know that I wrote it down because I liked the message.
It really doesn’t matter how much you know or how great insights you reach, if you never get to share your knowledge with anyone. You can write until your pen sets on fire, but if noone ever reads your writings, what’s the point?
It sure is a whole lot easier nowadays than it used to be, to spread the word, and I find it thrilling and exciting to find that something I think and write sometimes actually make a difference in some people’s lives.
A month ago I started writing about hair; more specifically about curly hair and the no-poo method. I received many reactions and comments, but what amazed me the most was how people actually decided to try it out themselves. Kathy in Reno, Tina in Seattle and her Argentine amor, Nicki in Positano, Erin in Florida, dad – who is anything but curly, but who happily reported that his hair became almost too shiny and healthy after drastically cutting down on shampoo. My personal experiment has spread its ripples worldwide.
It has been 29 days since my last shampoo. I have done daily conditioner washes and added creams and oils to the strands, but have not had one single day with greasy hair. I have received so many compliments, and I feel liberated and special.
- You never wear your hair straight anymore, said my husband this morning. That’s right, I don’t, and I have no desire to straighten up. Every day is different, sometimes it’s wavy and frizzy, sometimes really curly, but it feels so good not to worry about it all the time.
My hair is an individual, with a strong personality, and it’s quickly becoming my friend and not my foe. All I have to do is treat it right, with love and respect. Just like nobody can bend me to fit into a predefined mold, I can’t bend my hair to be something it’s not.
If you haven’t tried the no-poo, by all means do! It may not work for everyone, but the worst that can happen is that your shampoo bottle lasts longer.
Oh, and if you want to see what mistreated curly hair can look like, watch A Room With A View and pay attention to the scene where Helena Bonham-Carter gets her hair brushed… it’s after that chapter with the long name where everybody takes a ride into the countryside (“Italians drive them”), she gets kissed and they then leave the troubled blond boy behind to run back through the rain while everybody else rides in the horse cart. When they get back to the hotel, her aunt brushes her hair with a soft brush and it just gets bigger and bigger…. 
I guess you have to see it to understand. Â
Hey Annika – I’ve been trying this out too! post from last week! I’m liking it so far! Thanks for the tips!
Oh you’re right, I remember that post now! I knew I had seen others mentioning that they were following but couldn’t remember who it was… sorry! I’ve added you to the list
I normally wash my hair every other day, so would I just use conditioner and rinse all my hair every other day instead? I’m tempted to try it…Does it really improve the condition? 29 days is a long time!
That’s right, Delina. You would use the conditioner in the place of shampoo, to scrub your scalp and dissolve dirt and excess grease. Just make sure to use a conditioner that has no ingredients ending in -cone ( -none are preservatives and not to worry about) or -xane (like cyclopentasiloxane) because silicones build up on the hair shafts and needs to be shampooed away. You can read more about this regime on Naturally Curly, there is a link in the sidebar.
And yes, it really does improve the condition of the hair. My hair is so much softer and has a natural sheen now that hasn’t been there for, like, ever – and especially not when left curly.
I tried it… I failed… so I chose not to talk about it! On my third day, I freaked and washed my hair. lol Glad that it’s working for you though, Annika.
Hey Annika,
I loved the post you left on my blog. I think the subconscious works in crazy, wonderful ways. I’ve been madly searching for affordable air fare to Italy (of course not finding it) so I couldn’t help but laugh at the notion of simply driving there – duh! Ha.
One of these days, I will drive in Italy.
As far as the no poo test, I tried but it didn’t go so well. Maybe I needed a detox shampoo first. My hair was too weighed down. I also tried it while in Mexico b/c I found myself having to wash my hair so much because it was so damn hot. That didn’t work either b/c my hair was just so dirty. Oh well. I think my Pureology products have made a difference in the health of my hair so I’m good. I’ve learned to not fight my hair so much over the years. It’s going to do what it wants to do no matter how many hours I spend trying to make it sleek and straight. The frizz will come eventually!
Have a great weekend.
Oh Annika, you have no idea what a difference your words have made in my life! Thank you.
I tried doing the no-poo method and my hair DID get greasy. It might be because I have ALWAYS shampoo’d my hair everyday. I know there are curls under these strait tresses. They try to break through around my face just about daily.
Any advice for me? I really want to be no-poo!
Plain Jane, I suggest that you start slowly. Don’t cut out shampoo completely, but make sure that the one you use does NOT contain 1) Sodium Lauryl Sulphate or 2) Sodium Laureth Sulphate which are both very harsh detergents. The cleansing agent could be cocobetainesomethingsomething instead which is gentler. Then, try shampooing every two days instead of every day, and then take it from there. Make sure to read on your conditioner so that it doesn’t have cones or xanes in it; I know that many US-ians use VO5 Kiwi&Lime for co-washing – cheap and light, good if your hair gets weighed down easily. Unfortunately in Europe all VO5′s are loaded with cones, don’t know why!
Also make sure to check any styling products you use – if you use a leave-in or a gloss serum with silicones it won’t matter how good your conditioner is.
Many say that it takes a few weeks before the scalp has adjusted to this new routine. I haven’t had any problems at all, but I co-wash every day. Some can’t do that because their hair gets overconditioned, but mine was VERY dry to begin with.
Hope this helps!
I’ve been shampooing only on Saturdays, then co washing maybe every other day. Ihaven’t notticed much difference inthe condition of my hair, but I got the book and have been washing my hair standing up in the shower instead of flipped over th tub. I’ve found I can dry it really really curly or just wavy. It still feels odd having it curly!
You have such great curls Nicki, all you need is a little curl-confidence!
I’m a bit frustrated with myself at the moment because in April, on the last week in school, I chemically straightened the hair around my face and also the hair in the nape and right above my ears; basically only leaving the hair on top of my head as it was. Oh, how I regret that now; I have nice curly/wavy hair and then – BANG – weird straight hair hanging out underneath. I want to cut it off, but then again I’m also waiting for my hair to grow because the longer it is the better it is.
I stick to my usual metod of washing with shampoo once a week and with conditioner only once or twice a week (unless exceptionally dirty, like after moving crates or painting walls), like I did before. Never washed daily in my whole life, as a child it was once a week, but by Friday it was really oily.
I am a confirmed blog-lurker, but this no- poo thing of yours is so amazing I am compelled to write!
I have not used shampoo on my hair for about a month. At first I “washed” it with conditioner every day, then every other day, and now only once a week. (And then it’s out of habit rather than necessity.)
For years I have bleached my hair, which is both fine and thin. I had to shampoo/blow-dry every day to give it some
body. At best I would get a very short-lived frizzy sort of body to it. My hair would be flat and greasy if I skipped even a day…
Not anymore. Now it’s got more body than ever, no frizzies, and the color hasn’t turned brassy. The fact that it now never seems to be dirty/greasy seems almost freaky to me – it is an extra bonus I didn’t expect. I doubt I’ll ever use shampoo again. This is like magic — you are a genius.
Hi – I am a fellow curly!! Except I have quite strong, coarse, thick tight curls (a mixture of English/Greek/Italian heitage). I have read about this no shampoo thing before but haven’t had the guts to try it. Trouble is because my hair is so dry and coarse I use leave in conditioners (although I stopped using serum a few weeks back because I heard it leaves a build up and eventually dulls and dries the hair). These leave ins contain dimethicone ( I use kerasatase and Q&A by Charles Worthington) which I understand from your ‘curls’ page needs to be shampooed out – I have tried not using the leave in conditioner but my hair becomes a dried out birds nest without it!
Do you think I could still do the ‘no shampoo’ thing and still use my leave ins? Any advice gratefully receuived I have suffered with my curls/frizz all my life!!