Over the past few decades, there has been an increasing number of benefits found in relation to the No Poo hair care regime.
With the benefits of No Poo now becoming well known, No Poo has been gaining more and more followers. No Poo now even boasts Hollywood celebrities amongst its converts.
The many benefits of No Poo hair cleansing methods are beginning to change the norm of hair washing. Gone are the days when everyone used traditional shampoos. Now we can keep our hair clean and healthy using natural ingredients which is better not only for our hair, but also for our skin, and the environment.
The No Poo method is a way of cleaning your hair without using traditional shampoos. Only natural ingredients are used, harnessing their unique properties to leave our hair looking and feeling healthy and beautiful.
Read on to see the main benefits of following a No Poo lifestyle.
20 Benefits Of No Poo
No Poo developed from the Curly Girl Method which started as a method to put moisture back into dry curls without using man-made chemicals and harsh treatments.
Although similar, No Poo is slightly different since it is for everyone, regardless of whether your hair is curly or straight. Heated styling devices (amongst other differences) are also permitted in the No Poo method, unlike in the Curly Girl Method.
Below are 20 benefits of No Poo:
1. Natural
Only natural ingredients are used, most of which many of us already have in our pantry and/or garden.
2. No Sulphates
Sulfates strip the hair of its natural oils and can lead to dry, brittle hair that is prone to breakage.
No Poo shampoos and conditioners do not contain sulfates.
No Poo recipes which are sulfate-free are commercially available.
3. No Parabens
There are generally no parabens in No Poo.
Although there is no definite scientific evidence behind it, many people believe that parabens are unhealthy. Continued exposure is thought to lead to illness.
4. No Silicons
Silicons in traditional shampoos coat the hair, aiming to keep the moisture in. They are there simply to hide the damage that the sulfates have caused.
These silicons have no redeeming features since they neither nourish nor moisturize your hair. Instead, they simply cover up the damage to make your hair ‘look’ healthy.
5. Control
You can choose and control what, when and how much you put onto your hair and scalp.
If your hair has been affected by the winter months and central heating you can change to a more moisturizing hair washing method until Spring.
Alternatively, if your scalp has become more dirty than usual through pollution, you can use a herbal or acidic cleansing rinse.
There are so many choices, and you can use anything natural that you like. Every day more combinations are being discovered.
6. Time
With No Poo it isn’t unusual only to have to wash your hair once a week.
As such, you save time every day when you No Poo.
Time is also saved as you can avoid the hair care aisle at the supermarket and shop for more interesting things instead.
7. Money
Traditional shampoos and conditioners are expensive, especially if you want to treat a certain condition.
With the vast array of No Poo shampoo recipes, herbal rinses, there will always be a No Poo method out there that will work for you.
Many of the No Poo ingredients are also likely to be in your pantry or garden, so are both free or cheap to use.
8. Environment
The majority of No Poo ingredients can be found in your pantry staples, or herbs in your garden.
Going No Poo, therefore, means that you will be using less plastic (no shampoo bottles).
This is great news since you are reducing your carbon footprint:
- No shampoo being delivered to your home
- No air-miles from product production and transport
- Less packaging to landfill
- Less plastic to end up polluting the sea
9. Shiny Hair
Using natural ingredients, especially herbal rinses, will mean that your hair has a naturally wonderful shine.
You will not need to spend money on any hair shine products.
10. No Dandruff
The likelihood of dandruff reduces when you follow a No Poo natural ingredients hair care regime.
Many recipes in No Poo have ingredients that specifically target dandruff, so no more flakes.
11. Volume
Silicones in traditional shampoos often have the effect of weighing hair down, especially fine hair.
Without silicones in your hair, your hair can return to its natural good health.
There are many No Poo recipes to give even more body and volume to your hair locks.
12. Itchy Scalp
Sulphates can dry out your scalp and hair.
No Poo does not contain sulfates.
Instead, No Poo recipes often use aloe vera and tea tree oils (and others) to soothe an itchy scalp.
13. Fungal Infections And Lice
Using No Poo shampoos can completely eradicate fungal infections and lice, so you are free to enjoy your hair without worrying about visitors and a growing scalp.
14. No Waste
As you make your own No Poo shampoos, rinses, and conditioners you will soon learn how much you need.
This means that everything is fresh, there is no waste, and you don’t have half-empty bottles of every shampoo under the sun left for years in your bathroom.
15. Softer Hair
Many of the ingredients in No Poo recipes actually soften and improve the texture of your hair without having to resort to chemicals.
Having softer more manageable hair is one of many benefits of changing to a No Poo regime.
16. No Frizz
As your scalp is allowed to regulate its own sebum production and make enough to fully nourish each individual hair, you are likely to find that you suffer from frizzy hair much less than. Especially when you have completed your transition to No Poo.
Most No Poo methods also remind you to do a final rinse with cool or preferably cold water that will close the cuticles, keeping dirt and moisture out and the nourishment of the No Poo shampoo in.
17. Fewer Styling Products
With healthy self-nourished hair, you can find that you need to use fewer styling products, especially if you have curly hair.
No Poo methods can boost your curls and give them more definition.
18. Fewer Tools
Whilst a boar bristle brush is definitely a must-have, it’s really the only new item you need to purchase.
There are vegan alternatives to a boar bristle brush available if you require it.
19. Less Oil
Once you have passed through the transition phase many people have found that their hair is less greasy and oily than before. This is because there are no chemicals stressing the scalp into protecting itself by creating more sebum.
20. Choice
No Poo is an umbrella term:
- Water Only: Using only water to cleanse your hair; scritching, preening, and brushing are a must.
- Sebum Only: Only your hairs natural oils are used to keep hair shiny, healthy, and nourished.
- No Poo: Natural washing without silicons, sulphates, parabens or other man-made chemicals. Making the best of what nature has to offer.
- Low Poo: Generally commercially available No Poo products, trying to avoid silicons and sulphates.
- Co-Wash: Keeping your hair clean by only using conditioner.
The No Poo method you use, and when, is up to you. There is no right or wrong way, just the right way for you to keep your hair clean and healthy.
Although some very strict No Poo’ers will only consider water only or sebum only to be actual No Poo methods, I prefer to think that No Poo is using natural ingredients that help our hair stay clean and healthy.
Working with our bodies and listening to what it says is the best way to attain healthy hair.
Does No Poo Actually Work?
The majority of people find that once they have gotten through the transition period, that they stop asking if No Poo is worth it.
Instead, they feel that the No Poo method results speak for themselves:
- Healthy Hair
- Well-Nourished Hair
- Manageable Hair
- Shiny Hair
No Poo is worth it because you achieve hair that takes little time to maintain, and looks great!
It may seem that during the transition period No Poo is not working for your hair. This is only temporary but can last up to 6 months.
If you are still unhappy with how your hair is looking and feeling after this time then take a closer look at your regime and try altering your method. Just remember, it is vital that you do not change your routine too often.
There are many articles on this site that can give you help and point you in the right direction to get the hair that you deserve. Go take a look!
Is No Poo Healthy?
No Poo is a healthy way to look after your scalp and hair.
Without man-made chemicals our hair and skin is allowed to look after itself the way Mother Nature intended.
Many No Poo’ers find that skin and scalp problems suddenly disappear once they go No Poo.
As with everything though, you should exercise some caution:
- For example, ACV should be diluted since it can damage your hair.
- Some people find that they are sensitive to certain ingredients, so before trying any new ingredient we recommend that you carry out a patch test.
Everything in moderation really is the way to continue your No Poo journey and get the benefits of No Poo.
Best No Poo Shampoo For Fine Hair
Fine hair is difficult to keep from being weighed down.
Even some No Poo recipes need a little tweaking to make them suitable for fine hair.
Thankfully Biolage Volume Bloom from Amazon US is available. It’s paraben and silicon-free and has been formulated to be suitable for vegan use. From reading the reviews, this product definitely looks like one of the better products currently available commercially.
Conclusion
There are so many benefits of No Poo that it is difficult to write them all down.
Going No Poo saves, time, money, and the environment.
However, best of all No Poo means that you can have beautiful, healthy, shiny, and manageable hair just by using natural products that you can find in your pantry and garden.