No Poo works well with all hair types, so thankfully the No Poo method for wavy hair is no different. In fact, the method of hair care is so simple and easy to do that everyone can leave chemicals behind and enjoy healthy, shiny, and well-nourished hair the natural way.
This article looks at whether there is a No Poo method that works best for wavy hair, read on to find out.
Wavy hair is neither straight nor distinctly curly. The No Poo method, although developed from the Curly Girl method, has non-chemical recipes that can be used successfully by all hair types. All ingredients are natural and therefore do not contain sulfates or silicons that can damage your hair.
Read on to discover the best No Poo method for wavy hair.
No Poo Method For Wavy Hair
The No Poo method of hair care is one that suits all hair types and uses natural ingredients to provide the very best care for our scalp and hair.
Traditional shampoos with their chemical bases are rejected.
The usual sulfates which dry out hair are replaced with ingredients often found in our pantries or gardens.
Silicons that coat the hair are not permitted. This is beneficial since all of the nutrients and moisture from the No Poo washes are able to penetrate the hair shaft and make sure that each and every hair is as moisturized and nourished as possible.
No Poo evolved from the Curly Girl Method but has more relaxed rules about heat styling and ways to keep your hair healthy through natural methods. Wavy hair can seriously benefit from a No Poo approach.
The No Poo method isn’t just one strict set of rules, more of a set of guidelines or framework to be worked within.
The basic concept of No Poo is the removal of man-made chemicals from one’s hair care regime. The ingredients that you choose, and the methods for their application, are entirely up to the individual and the type of hair they have.
Everyone is different, therefore, there are several No Poo methods that have become very popular over the last few decades.
These methods include:
Water Only
This is a method of hair cleansing with water only.
Sebum Only
Healthy hair uses nothing but the sebum naturally produced by your scalp.
Co-Washing
This is a method where no shampoo is used, but the gentle cleansing power of conditioners keeps hair clean and healthy.
Low Poo
Although not No Poo, low poo pre-made, commercially available products are used. These products are generally sulfate and silicon-free but may contain other chemicals making them not truly No Poo.
No Poo
This term covers the whole group of No Poo methods, but it is often also used to indicate using DIY hair washes such as baking soda and ACV rinses, or herbal washes, soapnuts for cleansing, etc.
Best No Poo Method For Wavy Hair
Everyone’s hair is different, therefore, slight tweaking of regular recipes is sometimes required.
However, there are some No Poo methods that apply to people with wavy hair more than those with other hair types.
Try the methods below and see how you get on. You may need several attempts with the ACV rinse to find the right dilution rate for your hair, but your hair and scalp will look and feel amazingly healthy in no time at all (source 1).
If you have wavy hair, the best No Poo methods for you are as follows:
Acid Rinses
Diluted ACV is usually used after a baking soda wash.
However, those with wavy hair may wish to skip the baking soda and cleanse with ACV itself.
The pH of the rinse is near to the hair’s natural levels and in addition to being moisturizing, also has antibacterial properties that make it suitable for a gentle cleanse.
Herbal Washes
As these are lighter than normal shampoos, herbal rinses can leave your hair both clean and shiny.
They are versatile and you can even grow your own on the windowsill so you have a variety of herbs to use, depending on what your hair needs at the time.
Soapnuts
The soapnut wash can be made beforehand and stored in the freezer until use. This means it is great for those who are short on time or don’t fancy making a fresh No Poo wash every time.
Worst No Poo Methods For Wavy Hair
Wavy-haired gals and gents should try to avoid the following No Poo hair washes, methods, and tools:
- Co-Washing: Conditioner is often used to clean hair, especially by those with curly hair. People with wavy hair though, may find that washing with conditioner leaves their waves heavy and limp.
- Butters and Heavy Masks: These will weigh down your hair in the same way as conditioners.
- Heated Styling Tools: These can cause the waves to drop out and dry out your hair.
- Dry Brushing: Unlike other hair, wavy hair often benefits from being brushed/detangled whilst wet. Brushing when dry can end up brushing out the waves and increasing breakage.
How To No Poo Your Hair?
There are many different ways to No Poo your hair. These are the general guidelines:
1. Determine Your Hair Type
Is your hair thick, thin, porous, non-porous, curly, or wavy?
2. Choose Your No Poo method
Below are some popular No Poo methods to select from:
- Baking Soda & ACV
- Soapnuts
- Clay
- Essential Oil/Herbal Wash
- CO-Washing
- Water-Only
- Sebum-Only
3. Follow Instructions For Each Individual Wash
To make sure you follow the correct wash instructions, click on the link below to review my articles which explain the correct procedure to follow:
No Poo Essential Oils For Hair
How To Wash Hair With Soapnuts No Poo
4. Watch Your Hair Condition
Take regular photographs of your hair to help you track how your hair improves over the weeks and months.
Is No Poo Good For Curly Hair?
No Poo was developed from the Curly Girl method which itself was devised to avoid traditional shampoos but still keep curly hair clean and healthy. Because of this, and the fact that curly hair is generally dry and porous, soaking up the natural sebum easily, No Poo is a great choice for those with curly hair.
My article ‘How To No Poo Curly Hair‘ looks specifically at the No Poo choices for curly-haired individuals.
If you want to see how going No Poo has changed your hair, take some No Poo curly hair before and after pictures. To do this correctly, take a picture of your curls before you start No Poo, and then another photo after a month.
Compare the two to see how much difference swapping to No Poo has made to your hair!
Best No Poo For Curly Hair?
Curly hair is probably the easiest type of hair to No Poo since there really isn’t a No Poo method that doesn’t work on this hair type:
Most No Poo followers with curly hair start with the baking soda and ACV rinse method to keep their hair clean and healthy. This is not the only No Poo way for curly hair though.
You could also try the following No Poo methods:
Sebum only
Going sebum-only can be a challenge as the oil tends to sit on the top of the hair.
Curly hair is normally dry and porous, so whilst the sebum-only route is one of the toughest to make work, with curly hair you are already halfway there.
Since curly hair soaks up the sebum so well it is kept moisturized and nourished naturally via this haircare method.
Water-Only
Like sebum-only, water-only washing can work well with curly hair as long as the sebum is drawn all the way to the ends of the hair strands.
Co-Washing
This is a very popular way to keep curly hair clean and healthy.
The dry curly hair sucks up the moisture and nourishment in the conditioner to leave hair soft, silky, and manageable.
Does No Poo Make Your Hair Curly?
It does not matter whether you use traditional shampoos and conditioners, or move across to any one of the No Poo methods, nothing that you put in or on your hair will alter its natural type.
No Poo can however lessen hair breakage and strengthen the hair from within.
With all the traditional products removed, you may notice that your hair has begun to show waves or even curls. This is not because No Poo makes your hair curly, simply that now that it is healthier, and not weighed down by-products, it has a chance to show its real nature.
How To Pre Poo Curly Hair?
Pre-poo is used to improve the health and moisture levels of your hair.
Below I have listed how to pre-poo wavy hair in 3 simple steps:
- Hair Health: Determine the health of your wave by using the stretch test, where you stretch your curl and let it go. If your wave springs back easily then your hair is in good health. If the wave is removed, then there may be more you can do for your hair health.
- Oil Your Hair: Healthy waves need less moisture, so to pre-poo just add a small amount of coconut or argan oil to the ends of the hair for a few minutes before going to the next step. If your wave has disappeared, leave the oil on, with your hair wrapped in a warm towel, for around 20 minutes.
- Wash your hair as usual.
A warm towel will help the oil penetrate into the hair fully, but as long as a small amount is used, should not weigh your hair down.
DIY No Poo Shampoo For Curly Hair
Some DIY No Poo recipes work well for all hair types and others are best suited to a particular few.
The great thing about curly hair is that it really is the easiest to No Poo, and virtually every DIY recipe will work.
Although everyone’s hair differs, most curly-haired people will find that their curls are dry and porous. The dryness is because the natural sebum can find it more difficult to spread down the full length of the hair if your hair is curly or wavy.
As the hair cuticles do not lay flat in curly hair, moisture is easily lost and hair can become dry.
Just remember though that whilst moisture can be lost easily, it can also be replaced as easily.
Whilst this may not sound too troublesome if your hair is not fully moisturized, the moment that there is moisture in the atmosphere your hair will soak it up. This can lead to frizzy and uncontrollable hair.
If you are able to keep your hair fully hydrated, frizz is less likely to be a problem that you will have to contend with.
As discussed, curly hair has open cuticles. When washing your hair, you need to ensure that the method you use is not too harsh as the wash will be harder on curly hair than on straight hair, since the inner structure of the hair will be more accessible to the washing ingredients.
This is one of the reasons that pre-pooing with curly hair is so popular. Not only does it protect the hair to some extent, but it also fully moisturizes hair to keep frizz and damage at bay.
Baking Soda And Apple Cider Vinegar
One of the most popular recipes for No Poo DIY washing is the baking soda wash with an apple cider vinegar rinse afterward.
Very simply this is using a spoonful of baking soda mixed with water and then massaged through the hair and scalp.
Hair is then rinsed with cool water to remove all baking soda traces.
Then, finally, rinse hair with apple cider vinegar to improve moisture levels and to balance the pH.
Aloe Vera And Coconut Milk Moisturizer
One recipe that you can make at home that will benefit your curls no end uses natural ingredients that are available at your local supermarket or health food shop:
Ingredients
- Aloe vera
- Coconut milk
- Honey
The aloe vera and coconut milk are fabulous moisturizers, and combining the two simply adds to the conditioning ability of this recipe.
The honey with its antibacterial and cleansing properties gives a deep-down clean and leaves your hair feeling clean, fresh, and easy to manage.
This recipe is so gentle on your scalp and hair, but so effective that you’ll wish you’d found it earlier (source 1).
Method
- Mix 1:1 ratio of aloe vera and coconut milk.
- Add a tablespoon of honey and mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
- Wet your hair and pour on the mixture.
- Massage through your hair paying attention to your scalp.
- Leave to sit for 5 minutes.
- Rinse with cool water to close the cuticles and keep the moisture in.
No Poo Method Conditioner
Curly hair needs more moisture added than other hair types as the natural oils find it more difficult to reach the very ends of the hair.
Amongst the very many recipes that are available for No Poo conditioners, a clay mask is probably one of the very best.
If you have not already discovered the wonders of bentonite clay, then this recipe for a No Poo conditioner will be a revolution for you!
Bentonite clay has a whole ream of impressive qualities, including:
- Cleansing
- Detoxifying
- Conditioning
- Adding Shine
- Improving Texture
One thing to remember though is that no clay should be used with metal containers or utensils. Using the two together will inhibit the clay’s abilities to work and may have a less than positive effect on your hair.
Whilst there are many bentonite clay conditioner recipes around, this one combines so many beneficial qualities that I had to share it with you:
Ingredients
- Bentonite clay
- Coconut oil
- Castor oil
- Sweet almond oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Water
Method
- Add the oils to the clay in a plastic bowl.
- Add apple cider vinegar and let sit for 20 second to fizz.
- Once the foaming action has slowed add 3 tbsp of water-only.
- Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Wet hair.
- Apply to your hair from scalp to tip ensuring all hair strands are covered.
- If your hair starts to dry, spray with additional water to keep damp.
- Put on a plastic shower cap.
- Wait for 30 minutes.
- Rinse until almost all the clay has been removed.
- Massage a No Poo Conditioner through your hair.
- Wait 5 minutes.
- Rinse your hair until all of the clay and conditioner has been removed.
- If possible de-tangle with your fingers or a wide toothed wooden comb.
- Leave to air dry (source 1).
Once your hair has dried you will notice that your hair is remarkably smooth, silky, and well-conditioned.
Conclusion
No Poo developed from the Curly Girl method which focused solely on Curly hair.
No Poo can be successfully undertaken by everyone, regardless of their hair type.
Wavy hair does not always follow the same rules as curly hair, and as such, the No Poo method for wavy hair will normally show more improvement in hair health.
Related Questions
No Poo Method For Fine Hair
Everyone’s hair is individual. Fine hair is the most challenging hair type to No Poo as it needs to be moisturized to stay healthy, but not so much that it is weighed down and looks limp.
No Poo Method For Oily Hair
There are many different No Poo recipes that can help combat oily hair. Going No Poo will help optimize sebum production and leave you with luscious locks that shine with health.
No Poo Method Before And After
To understand how your hair has changed with No Poo, take a photo at the very beginning, and every week from there on in. Look back through the pictures if you ever feel a dip in your motivation.
Devacurl No Poo
Whilst immensely popular in the last few years, this brand is currently embroiled in lawsuits (source 1) over its products and the alleged damage they can cause. Time will tell the outcome.