Shampoo Free

[jessmarimba]

Eden, an apple-cider vinegar rinse (diluted) will help too.

snowroo, most shampoos have sulfates (necessary for washing out the silicones added to a number of hair products - essentially a plastic coating to make it shiny and behave). sulfates, which are the detergents that make shampoo lather, are a relatively harsh chemical that causes your hair and scalp to dry out and your eyes to burn if you get shampoo in them. I think I've also heard of some studies that note the environmental damage they cause, but I don't know how scientific they are (nor do I feel like trying to find them right now...and my memory isn't good enough to recall any in particular). So that wasn't the most helpful answer but I probably just opened pandora's box.

[Veronica]

There are sulfate free shampoos.

Veronica

[jessmarimba]

There are sulfate free shampoos.

True. But even sulfate-free shampoos are a lot less necessary if you're also using silicone-free conditioners and hair products. They're much easier on dyed hair, though!

[moonfroggy]

i have a lot of fine light brown hair. i have heard of people with all textures and types going shampoo free but also read stories of people who had problems and had to go back to shampoo.

for me one of the biggest reasons to stay shampoo free is that my hair feels and looks so much healthier than it ever did with shampoo and conditioner. it takes less time and work to care for it. it just feels nice. there was a period of time though where it got pretty greasy and once in a while it feels greasy now and i just use the baking soda and water when that happens.

also i like not having to buy shampoo and conditioner and not having empty bottles to recycle.

[Chicken Little]

I went the sulfate free route, and wash every other day. Pretty big improvement in my hair quality.

[arielmoon]

I would never have thought to use salt! I would think it would dry it out.

Once upon a time I washed my hair everyday!!!

Now I am SLS + paraben free and wash 3 times a week. On the weekend I just use water and a little conditioner on the ends. I have tried going without but my very fine, very thick, wavy hair gets oily and heavy. I have had problems with dandruff with particular products. I tried the WEN products and had to send them back.

[limewave]

I have naturally curly hair. When researching the best way to care for curly hair, I read over and over again to stay away from shampoo. I've been breaking myself of the shampoo habit for the last few months.

I don't use anything other than water to clean my hair. I use a large, wide-tooth comb in the shower. Once my hair is gently combed out, I use my fingers, like a squeegee, under the shower to clean/rinse my hair. 2-3 times a week I apply conditioner and use the comb to apply it to my hair (I do not rinse out the conditioner).

I get the best curls this way and my hair looks healthy. If I have plans, I apply a dollop of honey to may hair while its still soaking wet (not at the roots, just to the hair from about the ears down).

[GLC1968]

I was also shampoo free until I started tri training. Now I shampoo only after swimming with a chlorine neutralizing shampoo. I then apply a rich conditioner and do not rinse it out until the next morning when I take my regular shower. It's not a good as being completely shampoo free, but it's do able.

For me, I went shampoo free to improve my curls. I stayed shampoo free to help the environment, actually. I had a pixie cut and could easily have handled shampooing (no curls when my hair is that short and getting cut every 3-4 weeks!) but opted out.

I 100% agree that water quality plays a BIG role. I started this when we lived in NC and had city water and it was ok. My hair saw big improvement when we moved to our house in Oregon (not so much in the apartment with city water) where we now belong to a local water co-op. When I would visit my parents in FL? ICK! Their water is softened and it could NOT rinse out the extra oils. After only 2 showers there, my hair was a flat, dull, greasy mess!

Another great resource (including lots of make at home recipes for rinses, conditioning treatments and the like) is the book Curly Girl.

[Owlie]

SLS-containing shampoo makes my scalp itch like crazy. I wash my hair once a week (much to my BF's amazement) with something like Burt's Bees. I ended up with a stock of Organix, which apparently contains dimethicone. I'll see how my hair behaves with that.

Cleveland's water does a number on my hair and skin.