The No Poo movement has rapidly been growing in popularity. But, just because it is popular, is No Poo worth it? Let’s find out!
There are many ways to No Poo, and depending upon you and your hair, some methods may work more effectively than others, but each and every method still has its positives.
If you want to help your hair become healthy and nourished without the use of chemicals and traditional shampoos, then No Poo will be worth it for you. No Poo can benefit your hair and the environment and uses many different natural products to combat almost all hair problems.
With so many choices available when starting your No Poo journey, is No Poo worth it for the time and effort you have to put into it?
Is No Poo Worth It?
No Poo is a method of keeping your hair clean, that dismisses the use of traditional shampoos because of the chemicals they contain; believing them to be both damaging to your hair and to the environment.
No Poo uses natural products to cleanse your hair and leave it shiny, healthy, and manageable. There are many different ways to No Poo:
Below are the key No Poo Methods:
| No Poo Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Water Only | Using only water to clean your hair |
| Sebum Only | Cleaning your hair with natural sebum and no additives |
| Conditioner Only | No shampoo is used. Only conditioner is used to clean hair. The conditioner contains no silicone, sulphate, or parabens |
| No Poo Traditional | Natural ingredients without silicons, sulphates and parabens |
| Curly Girl Method | Very similar to No Poo Method, but heated styling tools are not allowed. Conditioner only washing is used instead of shampoo |
Benefits Of No Poo For Your Hair
There are many reasons to go No Poo, that make the change from traditional shampoos to natural hair cleaning methods worth it.
Below are the main benefits of embarking on No Poo for your hair:
1. Naturally Clean
No Poo uses natural products rather than traditional shampoos to cleanse and nourish our hair.
Honey, tea tree, aloe vera, and cleansing clay can all be used to keep your hair in great condition.
2. Chemical Free
No Poo recipes do not contain sulphates, parabens, or silicons, all of which are considered to be damaging not only to your hair and scalp but also to the environment.
It is thought that chemicals found in traditional shampoos will strip your hair of its natural oils and lead to an unhealthy scalp with dry, unmanageable hair.
This is a vicious cycle as you then use the more manufactured products to try to restore your hair to its natural state.
3. More Manageable And Shiny Hair
Many followers of the No Poo movement say that their hair is more manageable and shiny since using No Poo methods to clean their hair. This is especially true for those with curly hair.
Those with non-porous hair will often find that No Poo washes are beneficial as their hair is being nourished regularly rather than stripped by traditional shampoos on a daily basis.
4. Less Hair Damage
Not only will using natural products be better for your hair but they will also reduce the user’s reliance on hair straighteners and driers. This is beneficial in itself since the No Poo’ers hair is no longer damaged by heat.
If you find yourself with dry or damaged hair then there are many natural products that can be used to restore your hair to its best natural state.
5. Encourages Hair Growth
No Poo methods when carried out correctly do not leave residue on your scalp which ultimately blocks pores and hair follicles. This is beneficial for the user since their hair is then free to grow more vigorously.
6. Frizz-Free
No Poo helps to naturally nourish the hair. This means that No Poo methods are good for the hair since truly moisturized hair will not absorb more moisture from the environment, resulting in frizzy hair.
7. More Volume
Your hair will have more volume if you follow a No Poo method of natural hair care. This is because it will be healthier and not weighed down with traditional hair care products.
Benefits Of No Poo For You
Going No Poo is not a quick fix, it will take time for your hair and scalp to show the benefits.
Whilst finding the right method for you and your hair may take time, most people who have moved to No Poo would say that the process (however long or short) has been worth it for how their hair has benefited.
Below are the key benefits of No Poo for you, personally:
1. Environmentally Friendly
No Poo means reducing your environmental impact by limiting the chemicals that are used, and those that are washed away into the sewer system.
Using natural, readily available products such as baking soda mean that fewer plastic bottles will be produced and therefore less plastic will find its way into our watercourses and oceans.
2. Control
Using a No Poo approach means that you are more in control of what ingredients are going onto your hair and scalp.
If your hair is feeling a little dry, then a honey wash may be the answer. Alternatively, should your scalp feel scratchier than usual why not try an aloe vera rinse on your hair?
The alternatives are endless!
Furthermore, with No Poo, making a change doesn’t leave you with an empty wallet and a barely used extra bottle in your bathroom. Instead, you can easily use as little or as much as you like of the items in your fridge or pantry.
3. Time Saving
When using the No Poo method you can save time as it is not necessary to wash with traditional shampoo every single day.
Furthermore, with fewer hair care products lining the bathroom shelves, giving your bathroom a quick spring clean has never been easier!
4. Money Saving
Traditional shampoos are expensive.
By comparison, No Poo washes and rinses only use natural ingredients, and most of these are ones that you already have in your kitchen.
No Poo Science
The theory behind No Poo is that the chemicals in traditional shampoo remove all the natural oils from our hair. We then use a traditional conditioner to put the moisture back into our hair after we have washed it. Ironic, huh?!
Shampooing stimulates sebum production causing our hair to look greasy quickly, so we shampoo again. This is the start of a vicious circle.
Whilst there is no science behind No Poo to conclusively prove that it is good for your hair, there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence. Surely millions of people cannot all be wrong.
Although No Poo has had little scientific research carried out, essential oils that are used in a great number of No Poo recipes have.
What we do know, however, is that essential oils can be used to positively improve our health. Thus, it is very likely that these essential oils also positively impact our hair in the same way too.
We know by instinct that natural products are better for us than man-made chemical products, so No Poo is worth it to remove these harmful chemicals, and reduce the burden we place on the environment.
Does No Poo Really Work?
Millions of people have moved away from using traditional shampoos and conditioners, and have written about their experiences. The vast majority of these reviews are positive, so asking if No Poo is a myth is unnecessary.
How Long Does It Take For No Poo To Work?
This is a difficult question to answer.
How long it takes to work varies from person to person.
Some people have found that their hair has responded and improved in as little as two weeks. Whereas others have had to persevere with the transition phase for well over 6 months.
Pros And Cons Of Not Using Shampoo
The No Poo movement does not suggest that you stop washing your hair entirely, just that you look to natural products to keep your hair clean and nourished.
The benefits of not using traditional shampoo are wide-ranging:
- No Chemicals
- No Plastic To Landfill
- No Residue Polluting Watercourses
- Hair Becomes Healthier
- Hair Is More Easily Managed
What Happens If You Don’t Use Shampoo Though?
This is what happens if you do not use shampoo:
- You rid your hair of silicons and any residual products left on your hair.
- Using natural No Poo recipes will keep your hair clean and healthy-looking
Is Traditional Shampoo Necessary?
Traditional shampoo and even No Poo shampoo is not always necessary.
Neither the water only nor the sebum only No Poo methods use any shampoo to keep hair in good condition.
Can No Poo Cause Hair Loss?
No Poo itself does not cause hair loss.
It may appear that you are losing more hair when you wash your hair, however, this is because with No Poo you are likely washing your hair less than half as often as when you used traditional shampoos. This means that although less hair is being lost overall, you’re noticing more of it when you wash.
It is important to note, however, that if you overdo a No Poo method such as baking soda and ACV, either in frequency or through not diluting the mixture enough, you may find that your hair becomes brittle and dry.
Making a few tweaks to your method will solve this, as will using a moisturizing honey or aloe vera mask in the short term.
No Poo Movement Before And After Pictures
There are many No Poo before and after pictures available on the internet.
These pictures show how the No Poo’ers hair looked before, during, and after peoples No Poo journeys.
Conclusion
Is No Poo Worth It?
The answer to this question depends entirely on whether you are willing to change how you look after your hair.
There are many benefits to going No Poo, including time savings, effort, and ultimately having your hair look the best that it can be.
If you are willing to try different No Poo methods and are happy to go through the transition phase then No Poo is definitely a hair care method to try.
Related Questions
No Shampoo For A Month
Going No Poo for a month should enable you to rid your hair of any residue from the previous shampooing. For many people a month is long enough to begin seeing the benefits that going No Poo can have.
No Shampoo Water Only
Water only No Poo is a method of hair cleansing that uses only water to keep hair clean and healthy. Scritching, preening, and brushing with a boar bristle brush are important factors.