The No Poo method is well known for making hair healthier and stronger, but does No Poo make hair thicker?
We all want thick and luxurious tresses, so I thought I’d take a closer look at whether No Poo would help me achieve my hair goals. Keep reading to find out more!
No Poo can have beneficial results on the health of our hair. No Poo can reduce frizz, improve scalp and hair health, and leave hair more voluminous and shiny. It may also make hair thicker for some individuals. Opting for a No Poo method can reduce hair loss which may make the hair appear thicker.
No Poo can give your hair and scalp a new lease of life, and make it shiny and more manageable.
Read on to discover my No Poo journey to thicker hair.
Does No Poo Make Hair Thicker?
The No Poo movement has gradually evolved over the last half-century, or so.
This popular natural haircare movement has seen an increasing number of individuals moving away from traditional shampoos in favor of using natural ingredients to keep their hair clean.
One key reason for this change in haircare is that many people wish to limit the number of chemicals in their lives, in particular those that come into contact with their hair and bodies.
Going No Poo can be a good start to achieving this chemical-free goal, since, without chemicals, your hair can be:
- Healthier
- Shinier
- More Manageable
Some people also say that their hair grows better too, without so much breakage or hair loss.
Whilst there is very little scientific evidence to prove that going No Poo will lead to thicker hair, the anecdotal evidence is quite interesting. Therefore, if you suffer from thin hair that is lifeless and has little volume, then changing to No Poo could be the answer you’ve been waiting for.
Below are several reasons why No Poo’ers claim that a No Poo haircare regime makes their hair thicker:
Hair Loss
Going No Poo can improve scalp health and therefore reduce hair loss.
With more hair remaining on your head, your hair will look thicker.
Hair Growth
Many No Poo’ers claim that their hair growth has increased since rejecting traditional shampoos.
This might be because their scalp is healthier and their hair follicles are less likely to be blocked, thus aiding hair growth.
Breakage
With a healthier scalp leading to healthier hair you may also notice less hair breakage.
This is a great benefit since it means your hair is in great condition and looks thicker, with fewer split ends.
Hair Coloration
Using camomile on fair hair, or coffee and henna on darker hair will bring out the natural highlights and lowlights in your hair.
Whilst not making the hair thicker, your hair will appear to have greater depth, and healthy, well-nourished hair with more volume looks great whether thick or fine.
Stimulation
Especially when going water only, or, sebum only, scritching has an important part to play.
Scritching is the massaging of the scalp to loosen dirt and dead skin.
Ridding your scalp of this build-up is important for healthy hair, and stimulates your scalp. It is this stimulation that may help hair growth and the appearance of thicker hair.
If you are not sure how to scritch and preen your hair, have a read of my article ‘How To Scritch And Preen Your Hair‘ to achieve maximum benefits.
Benefits Of No Poo Method For Hair
Hair health can be improved by using recipes from the No Poo method.
But, is No Poo good for hair?
This popular question constantly does the rounds, so make sure you keep reading to gain a greater understanding of the benefits you may experience if you follow this natural hair care routine.
Below are the key benefits of going No Poo:
1. Scalp Health
Fewer chemicals improve the health of your scalp.
2. Hair Health
Without chemicals you allow the natural sebum to nourish your hair leaving it healthier.
3. Cost
Traditional shampoos are expensive in comparison to No Poo ingredients that are either already in your pantry, or inexpensive to purchase.
4. Time
You can stop washing your hair every day and only wash once a week with some No Poo methods, freeing up your time.
5. Choice
Alternating between different traditional shampoos can be a costly business, and mean wasting large amounts of storage space in your bathroom.
With a No Poo approach, you can make your No Poo wash just before you wash, saving money and space.
You can also alter what you use from one wash to the next with little hassle.
For those of you not certain which No Poo method is best for you, take a look at these key wash methods.
6. Environment
No Poo is good for the environment as fewer plastics are ending up in landfills, and fewer chemicals are being washed down the drains on a daily basis.
7. Other Benefits
The list above is just a simplified list.
If you’re fascinated to discover more No Poo hair benefits, make sure you read my article ‘20 Benefits of No Poo‘, for a more in-depth look into how No Poo hair washing can benefit both you and the environment.
Is No Poo Bad For Your Hair?
No Poo is not for everyone.
I am often asked ‘is No Poo bad for your hair’ by those who haven’t started their No Poo journey yet, or friends who are still waiting to find the right No Poo method for them.
As with traditional shampoos, not every shampoo works well with every individual’s hair. The same is true of No Poo. The difference is that finding out which No Poo method is for you is much easier and far less expensive than swapping around traditional shampoos each week.
One of the most popular No Poo methods is baking soda and ACV. If this wash method is of interest to you, please keep in mind that both products are harmful to your hair if used too regularly. ACV is also harmful if not diluted correctly or used on the wrong hair type.
Both baking soda and apple cider vinegar (ACV) need to be diluted or they will lead to dryness and scalp irritation. If you get the frequency or dilution wrong you may wrongly conclude that No Poo is bad for your hair.
Read our guide on No Poo Baking Soda to make sure you don’t make the common mistakes associated with this particular wash method.
Does No Poo Help Hair Grow?
Moving over to a No Poo hair care method can help your hair grow as you are improving the health of your scalp, and therefore the health of your hair.
When using No Poo methods we take more interest in the health of our scalp and spend time scritching and massaging, possibly more than we did when using traditional shampoos.
Scritching and massaging are beneficial to our scalp health because they:
- Stimulate the scalp
- Loosen dead skin
- Help remove any waxy sebum
The result of scritching is that our hair follicles have a better environment in which to grow to their full capability. No Poo, therefore, gives our hair the best chance to grow healthy and strong.
For me personally, removing chemicals from my lifestyle was one of the primary reasons why I decided to stop using shampoo. When I stopped using traditional shampoo, my hair became thicker and felt far healthier. I cannot say that it grew any quicker though!
How Can I Get Thicker Hair Naturally?
Since thicker hair is the goal of many people, commercial shampoos often target this haircare desire by promising thicker hair in their advertising.
Haircare marketing promotes the idea that their products offer overnight solutions that achieve thicker hair. But is this true?
Whilst some commercial shampoos/conditioners have been proven to be effective, this is not necessarily always the case because many commercial products use silicones that merely cover damaged hair rather than fixing it. These products are therefore not naturally thickening hair like No Poo methods can.
In addition, using traditional shampoos means going against the No Poo principles because they introduce unwanted chemicals into your hair care routine.
Not sure what to do next?
Here are some natural ways to thicken your hair that might be of interest to you:
1. Reduce Chemical Use
Chemicals can damage your hair making it prone to breakage, making it look thin and lifeless.
2. Reduce Stress
Stress can affect your hair growth.
Why not try some meditation or other relaxation methods to reduce your stress levels?
3. Eat Healthily
‘We are what we eat’ is a popular saying.
Therefore, make sure your diet contains all the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to prevent your hair from looking lackluster, and not growing as thick as it could.
4. Reduce Heat Styling
Repeated use of heated styling tools can leave hair dry and brittle.
Hair like this is prone to breakage which will make your hair look thinner.
5. Use Herbal Shampoos Or Rinses
The following herbs are said to improve the thickness of the hair:
- Ginseng
- Fenugreek
- Green Tea
6. Essential Oils
Massaging essential oils into your hair and scalp can aid hair growth and thickness.
The following oils are often recommended:
- Lavender
- Rosemary
Keep in mind that is important to dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil before use.
If you are interested in learning more about using essential oils for No Poo then make sure you read my article ‘No Poo Essential Oils for Hair‘.
7. Caffeine Rinse
Coffee has been reported to improve hair growth and thickness, so using a coffee rinse once a week may improve the quality of your hair.
8. Amla
You can use amla in a DIY No Poo shampoo wash.
Amla is one of the few ingredients that has scientific evidence to back up its claim to improve hair growth (source 1).
What Happens If You Stop Washing Your Hair?
If you stop washing your hair completely your hair will become unmanageable and unhealthy.
Your scalp will also become prone to fungal and bacterial infections.
If done correctly though, there are some benefits to not washing your hair. These include:
- Hair is naturally moisturized by your own sebum.
- Increased hair growth as no chemicals are limiting hair production.
- Less washing reduces the chances of hair frizzing as hair is fully moisturized.
- Your hair will be easier to manage.
Considering the points above, does not shampooing make your hair thicker?
In short, if your hair is being damaged by traditional shampooing then removing the shampoo chemicals from your hair care regime will improve both the health and thickness of your hair.
For those of you that want to keep your hair healthy but shy away from washing it regularly, then you could try the sebum-only method of No Poo. This natural hair care method claims to keep an individual’s hair clean and naturally moisturized whilst also keeping the scalp in tip-top condition.
Here’s my personal journey on how I transitioned to the No Poo sebum only method.
So if going without traditional shampoo makes hair thicker, then will not washing hair make it thicker still? Whilst this may seem possible, not washing hair at all will lead to a build-up of sebum on the scalp which reduces hair growth and possibly leads to a scalp infection.
Therefore, no matter which method of hair care you choose, some type of washing is necessary to keep your hair and scalp healthy.
Does No Poo Make Your Hair Grow Faster?
No Poo may make it look like your hair is growing faster, but this is more likely to be because your hair growth is not being limited by sulfates and silicon included within traditional shampoos.
Does No Poo Make Your Hair Curly?
No Poo in itself will not change the type of hair you have.
However, removing products from your hair may mean that it is no longer weighed down. Therefore, if you are naturally curly (and you do not realize this already), your natural waves or curls might start to show through.
If you are interested in learning more about No Poo for curly hair, then take a look at my article ‘How To No Poo Curly Hair‘.
Does No Poo Make Hair Smell Nice?
What is a ‘nice’ smell is different for everyone.
The truth of the matter is that No Poo hair does not stink, instead, No Poo wash methods will leave your hair with its natural scent. The question, therefore, is whether you like the scent of your own hair?!!
If you want to add a scent to your natural hair then adding a few drops of lavender essential oil mixed into your No Poo recipe will make your hair smell divine.
For those of you still worried that your No Poo hair will smell bad, make sure you read my article “Does No Poo Hair Stink?” for more information and ideas.
Conclusion
Whilst many people ask does No Poo make hair thicker, the answer will be different for each individual.
Choosing to forgo chemicals will definitely be a healthier choice for your hair, and many people find that their hair does indeed appear thicker once they have transitioned to No Poo.
For me personally, moving to a No Poo haircare lifestyle has massively improved my hair.
I’ve never had a lot of hair, so decided to become a No Poo’er as a last result to improve my thin hair. I will always be thankful that I made this decision because whilst I will never have lovely thick, long tresses of hair, my hair has definitely thickened up.
I estimate that my hair looks in the region of 20-30% thicker now than when I started my No Poo journey 6 years ago.
Related Questions
Does Shampoo Prevent Hair Loss?
The cause of hair loss is as individual as each person is. Removing chemicals and using a No Poo shampoo can reduce hair loss in many people.