There are so many No Poo styling products available on the market these days that it can sometimes be difficult to determine which products are definitely No Poo approved, and which are best for your hair type.
This article will hopefully help you choose the best No Poo styling product for your hair.
Making your own No Poo styling products at home is no more difficult than making your own No Poo shampoo and conditioner. Using natural ingredients that are silicon and sulfate-free to create No Poo styling products works just as well as traditional styling products and is healthier for your hair.
There has been a marked increase in the No Poo movement in recent years. This has been beneficial for No Poo followers since it is now far easier to source No Poo products in the shops.
It is even now possible to make your own No Poo styling hair spray and gel products at home!
Read on to discover both the best No Poo styling product recipes for home use, plus the best No Poo products for sale in the shops.
10 No Poo Styling Products
The No Poo movement has been around for many years.
It was developed in part from the Curly Girl Method but expanded to include all hair types, with a more relaxed approach to hair care than the Curly Girl Method demands.
No Poo is wide-ranging and ultimately many methods sit under this one umbrella term.
Whilst the varying No Poo approaches might be different, they are all similar in that they require traditional sulfate and silicon-containing shampoos to be removed from an individual’s hair care regime.
Followers have the option to either purchase specially formulated No Poo shampoo or create their own washing solutions from natural products often found within the home, i.e:
- Baking Soda
- Honey
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Maple Syrup
When it comes to styling our hair though, things get a little trickier as our hair tends not to just fall into our preferred style straight after No Poo washing.
Instead, most of us need to use hairspray, gel, or other No Poo styling products to achieve the ‘look’ that we are happy with.
So, whilst the question can you use hair products on No Poo hair has a simple ‘yes’ as an answer, the what and how part of the question is more difficult to answer as it depends upon:
- What Hairstyle Do You Want?
- Your Hair Type
- Available Products
Before you consider any type of styling product make sure that you are drying your hair correctly:
- Cotton T-Shirt: Try not to use a regular towel, but use a cotton t-shirt instead to remove most of the moisture.
- Scrunch Dry: When drying your hair remember to scrunch dry and not rub dry. Rubbing will open the cuticles and will leave your hair tangled and prone to frizz as environmental moisture will have easier entry to the hair’s core.
- Air Dry: If possible always leave your hair to air dry. You should also try to give your hair a break from any products for a couple of days a week. This is because even No Poo products can lead to build-up and hair and scalp problems if used too much, and too regularly.
The main thing to remember though is to choose the right type of styling product for your hair.
For instance, if you have fine hair, then choose something that will not weigh your hair down. Alternatively, for those of you with dry hair, select an oil-based product that will help retain the existing moisture.
Finally, the gel will add shine, whereas clay will provide a matte finish. The choice is yours.
Below are some simple No Poo styling products that you could try (source 1):
1. Hairspray
Going No Poo means trying to remove all non-natural products from your hair-care regime.
Traditional hair sprays use all manner of chemical ingredients, so are not going to be an option.
Instead, give this hairspray from Amazon a go, as it’s 99.6% natural.
2. Gel
Sometimes the best No Poo products are the ones you make yourself.
A No Poo flaxseed gel is so easy to make at home, and just as effective (and more natural than shop-bought gels) that I have added the ‘how to’ instructions below for you to try:
- Boil half a cup of flax seeds in 2 cups of water for a minute or two.
- Allow mixture to cool.
- Strain the mixture to remove the excess water.
- Place the gelled flax seeds into some muslin/pair of tights and squeeze the flaxseed gel into a container. Make sure you use a container with a lid.
- Either leave it plain or add a couple of drops of essential oil (my article No Poo Essential Oils For Hair will guide you through the benefits of each oil).
- Apply a very tiny amount of the gel to damp hair and you are ready to go!
3. Commercial Gel
If making your own product is just that step too far, try this gel from Amazon. It has no alcohol and should not be too drying on your hair.
4. Oil
Oil is moisturizing and nourishing and will improve the health of your hair.
Virtually any oil will be beneficial to your hair. Though coconut oil or argan oil is the most frequently used.
Used sparingly, the oil will help define your curls or waves, and in high-porosity hair, it will coat each strand to lessen the chance of frizz.
A little goes a very long way, so use as little as possible so that your hair does not end up looking greasy and ill-kempt.
5. Styling Clay
Clay is wonderfully versatile and can be used as a:
- No Poo Wash
- Moisturizing Mask
- Matte Styling Aid
Bentonite clay is widely used – here is a great vegan-friendly clay you could try (link to Amazon):
6. Styling Foam
I personally love this volume and hold foam sold on Amazon.
This product is both foam silicon and paraben-free.
7. Curl Defining Cream
No Poo curly hair styling products are becoming more popular as people move away from the restrictions of the Curly Girl Method.
Curl-defining cream and curl styling cream are often now available in No Poo safe products.
Most No Poo curl-defining creams contain shea butter and oils such as argan and coconut oils that are also nourishing and moisturizing, helping to keep your hair looking and feeling great.
Care should be taken though as a good number of products available on the market contain alcohol which can be drying to your hair if used too regularly.
My curly-haired No Poo friends have always recommended this curl-defining cream to be the best. Click the link to view more details on Amazon.
8. Volumizer
When you move over to a No Poo lifestyle you might find that you no longer need to use volumizing sprays on your hair.
Whilst this might come as a surprise to you initially and seem unlikely, keep in mind that the best No Poo washes do not leave your hair looking limp and lifeless, weighed down by traditional products.
Instead, many No Poo followers have reported that the baking soda wash with ACV rinse automatically gives their hair a boost!
With healthier and more manageable hair from No Poo, choosing the right hairbrush for styling might help you create the style you are after just as well as applying extra product to your hair.
Try reading Best Hair Brush For No Poo to help you decide the right brush for you.
9. Pomade
If you are looking for a No Poo shine product that contains no silicons or artificial colorants, give this item a go (link to Amazon).
Reviewers online wax lyrical about this product and claim that it adds ‘zing’ to your hair.
Surely the number of rave reviews for this No Poo styling product cannot all be wrong!
10. Heat Protector
This may be at the end of the list, but it is far from the least important of the No Poo styling products.
To make sure that our hair is not damaged by the direct heat of straighteners or curlers, we need to offer it some protection.
You can make your own heat protector No Poo styling product at home by mixing the following together ingredients together:
- Grapeseed Oil
- Shea Butter
- Coconut Oil
- Water
You can then put the mixture in a spray bottle and distribute it through your hair before styling.
If you want to add a scent to the spray, then adding a few drops of essential oil can leave your hair not only looking gorgeous but also smelling amazing too!
My guide to No Poo Essential Oils For Hair will help give you an insight into which essential oils are best to use, according to your own individual hair needs.
These oils will add an extra dimension to your haircare regime and should not be overlooked.
Ultimately what we have found is that the No Poo method and styling products need not be mutually exclusive.
If you are willing to take time to find a No Poo product that works for you, your hair will absolutely pay you back tenfold in the long run.
Finally, try to avoid too much heat when styling your hair as direct heat can cause damage.
Conclusion
No Poo styling products are becoming more popular and more easily available.
There are still relatively few in comparison to traditional products, but the above suggestions should start you on the right track.
You can even make your own gel or clay styling products at home quite easily!
Going No Poo and finding the right styling products can take time, but healthier and more manageable hair will be the end result.
Related Questions
No Poo Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is used between washes to keep hair clean and healthy. Cocoa powder with rye flour works well for darker hair as the flour is disguised when being brushed through.
No Poo Conditioner
Most No Poo shampoos contain moisturizing ingredients and there are many No Poo conditioning recipes available to make at home, or to purchase commercially. Honey and aloe vera are popular.