Hollywood stars supposedly swear by it: wash your hair without shampoo. The idea behind it sounds promising – those who do without conventional hair shampoos with their numerous artificial ingredients, beautiful hair and scalp, lower their allergy risk and avoid the rapid re-greasing of hair. What is it? Read here what natural alternatives there are to the classic shampoo, whether you should wash your hair only with water or not at all.
Washing hair naturally
In Hollywood, the trendy “no-poo method” probably has its origin. Many stars swear by shampoo-free hair washing because it is supposed to be gentler. Many conventional shampoos are known to contain synthetic surfactants, silicones, dyes, preservatives and perfume. These substances can irritate the scalp and trigger allergies. In addition, the hair should be less quickly re-greased if shampoos are not used. The “no-poo” trend therefore means a natural alternative to shampoo, conditioner and the like, in short hair washing without shampoo.
There are various natural alternatives available as shampoo substitutes. The best thing to do is to try out for yourself which will do your hair good.
Hair washing with soap
Hair soaps are ideal for No poo beginners. The products are based on natural oils and produce fine foam when in contact with water. This makes the changeover somewhat easier because many people combine effective cleaning with foam. The special soap for hair washing is available in different versions in the trade.
One option for fast greasing hair is to wash hair with curd soap. This soap consists of sodium chloride with a fatty acid content of about 75 percent and is free of colorants and perfume. People with dry, brittle hair, on the other hand, should refrain from using curd soap – it degreases hair and scalp even more. Then you should use other methods to wash your hair without shampoo.
Hair washing with sodium bicarbonate
Washing hair without shampoo also works with a substance that is mainly known from the food industry, for example in the form of baking powder: Sodium bicarbonate. Hair benefits from its natural grease dissolving power. To wash your hair with baking soda, add one to four teaspoons of baking soda to 200 to 400 milliliters of lukewarm water, depending on the length of your hair.
Washing hair with rye flour
Flour should also remove sebum and dirt from the hair. Rye flour is particularly suitable for this application. Hair can be easily washed with it, because it contains comparatively little gluten and therefore does not become doughy when it comes into contact with water. Rye flour shampoo is easy to make yourself: Mix four to five tablespoons of rye flour with a little lukewarm water. Be careful to use fine flour, coarser varieties form lumps in the hair. Massage the rye flour mixture into the hair and rinse it out as usual.
Washing hair with healing clay
Healing clay is a natural, mineral powder obtained from loess (a type of loam). It binds the excess sebum of the scalp and should make the hair shine. To wash the hair with healing clay, mix about three tablespoons of it with warm water. Put the resulting gel-like mass into the hair, massage in and rinse as usual. If your hair is very greasy, you can leave the healing clay on for 15 to 20 minutes.
Hair washing with lava clay
Lava or clay is also popular for washing hair without shampoo. It is said to be able to absorb dirt and fat without completely degreasing the hair and scalp. Thus the natural protective layer of the hair is preserved. Lava clay is available as a finished washing gel or in powder form. The powder is used in the same way as healing clay.
Hair washing completely without
Those who like it puristic can wash their hair without using shampoo or any of the above alternatives. Some people even go so far as not to wash their hair at all. They report that the sebaceous glands change over after some time and produce less fat. Until then, however, it is sometimes a long way – first you have to expect to spend some time with very unkempt, greasy hair.
In addition, some experts expressly advise against this, as the excess sebum could clog the pores of the scalp. It also provides an ideal breeding ground for fungi and bacteria. Dandruff and inflammation could be the result. If you consider shampoo-free hair washing to be a good alternative, pay particular attention to one thing: that you feel comfortable with it yourself.
