Switching to the No Poo Method of hair washing has been fascinating, but also a challenge at times! So to save you from the issues I experienced, here are my best No Poo tips for oily hair.
Hopefully these No Poo tricks will inspire you to give it a try or help you along the way if you’re already on this hair journey!
No Poo Method followers often experience oily hair when first starting. Reduce oil build-up by determining your hair type, porosity levels, and using the No Poo wash method suited to your hair. Make sure to ‘scritch’ and ‘preen’ first, then use a boar bristle brush to distribute natural sebum oils through your hair. Use soft water when possible.
With increasing numbers of people working from home and wanting to live more naturally, many have been inspired to try the No Poo Method.
This natural haircare routine is very much about trial and error in the beginning, until you discover tyhe haircare wash that suits your own individual hair type.
It’s difficult to find information or help when it comes to No Poo oily hair, therefore the No Poo tricks in this article will help ease the transition period and pave the way to your success.
I bet you’ll be surprised at the useful No Poo items you already have in the kitchen, so read on to find out what they are!
No Poo Tips For Oily Hair
Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all solution when it comes to the No Poo Movement. The hair wash that suits your own hair will be individual to you and is very much dependent upon your lifestyle; hair type; and hair porosity levels.
Persistence is absolutely key if you are going to succeed in having natural healthy clean hair. Don’t give up though, as I have some tips and tricks which help make the transition to No Poo easier on your hair.
Here are the best No Poo tips to make the process easier:
1. Distribute Those Oils Daily
When you first transition to the No Poo hair washes you will likely find that your hair gets super greasy.
Make sure you distribute your natural hair oils (otherwise known as sebum) through your hair lengths on a daily basis. This is a really important stage of the transition process, as it helps to nourish your entire hair length and keep the grease build-up levels under control.
2. Washcloth method
The washcloth method is popular for reducing No Poo oily hair.
In order to follow this method, you will need to section your hair, then gently squeeze sections of hair with a washcloth and move it slowly down the entire hair length. Make sure not to tug your hair too much though, since this can cause hair breakage.
3. Boar Bristle Brush Method
If you are going to take No Poo hair washing seriously, it’s time to invest in a boar bristle brush. In fact, this should be your very first purchase as it will significantly increase the likelihood of you succeeding in this natural haircare method.
Boar bristle brushes are a great way to distribute the natural oils produced by your scalp, throughout your hair. Make sure to brush your hair twice a day to distributes oils and removes dust, especially when you first start using No Poo washes.
4. Make Sure You Clean Your Brushes!
Clean your boar bristle brush daily with warm soapy water to remove oils, dirt and dust.
Failure to do this will result in you putting the dust and dirt from your brush, back onto your hair and scalp.
5. Use A Wooden Or Bamboo Comb
Using a wooden or bamboo comb to move oils down the length of your hair is a great way to distribute your body’s natural sebum oils across your head.
6. ‘Scritch’ and ‘Preen’
Scritching is an important step that helps to loosen the dirt from your scalp. It involves gently massaging your scalp. Ideally, this should be done before you wash your hair in the shower.
It is also important to preen your hair prior to washing it. This process involves taking small strands of hair and running your fingers down either side of the hair length, to help dislodge oils and dirt.
Preening helps to condition your drier hair ends since it coats the ends of your hair with sebum oils.
7. Use A Silicone Scalp Scrubber
Not only does it feel great, but it is also an effective way to move sebum, oils, and dirt off the scalp.
Rub your silicone scalp massager in circular motions, across your head. Don’t push too hard, and only use for maximum of 60 seconds at a time.
Never use this product on broken skin.
Scalp scrubbers can be used on wet or dry hair.
8. Try Different Hairstyles
If you are feeling self conscious about your No Poo oily hair, why not start experiment with new hair styles. In particular, French braids and buns look and hold better when hair is not freshly washed. Not only will these hair styles leave your hair looking, they will also help to hide the greasy oils covering your scalp!
9. Silk Pillowcase
You would be amazed at the difference a simple silk pillowcase can make.
The reason silk is ideal for your pillowcase is that it minimizes friction against your hair while you sleep, which helps to keep hair smooth and frizz-free, whilst also preventing breakage.
10. Silk Sleeping Cap
Keeping with the same theme as above, a silk sleeping cap will also help protect your fragile hair strands from possible friction damage whilst you sleep.
11. No Poo Dry Shampoo
Be careful if you opt to follow this tip, as dry shampoo is considered to count as a wash.
If you’re trying to extend the number of days between washes, take the above fact into account.
Arrowroot powder, cornstarch, and cocoa powder can be used depending on hair type and color.
12. Low Poo Shampoo For Oily Hair
Many people wanting to follow the No Poo Movement start by using varying types of low poo shampoo. This is considered a great way to start transitioning into the various No Poo Methods discussed on my website.
Low Poo shampoos are both simple, and easy to use. They are also less of a culture shock because you still wash your hair using a bottle of shampoo, like normal. The key difference though is that the sulfates and many of the nasty chemicals which can harm your hair have been removed.
I’ve also found this method to be a great ‘next step’ if you’ve been struggling to get to grips with the more hardcore No Poo Methods.
Low poo shampoos are also a great alternative if you don’t like making your own No Poo mixes and prefer buying something ready-made.
13. Cold Turkey
Some people opt to go 100% No Poo straight away and wash only once a week (or less), using exclusively No Poo methods.
The benefit of going cold turkey is that your greasy transition period is likely to be far shorter than if you had gradually weaned yourself off shampoo and hair washing more slowly.
Going cold turkey definitely isn’t an easy choice though, so be prepared to find your scalp continuing to produce natural hair oils to condition hair at the rate it was before.
It won’t happen overnight, but your scalp will definitely adjust to producing fewer oils since you will not be stripping as many oils from your hair when you wash it.
14. Swat Up On Hair Coverings!
Hair coverings, scarves, and hats are fun accessories that can be used to cover your hair whilst you go through the No Poo oily hair transition period.
Hair coverings are also a great way to protect hair from the damaging UV rays, and disguise No Poo oily hair.
15. Start Watching Youtube For Tips
Watch YouTubers to see how others have managed with the No Poo oily hair transition.
Maybe you can learn some other great tips!
16. Facebook Groups
Join online Facebook groups for moral support and No Poo help. There are loads to chose from, and they all offer great tips, support and advice.
You might feel alone in this issue (and likely pretty gross if you have No Poo oily hair!), but take comfort in the fact that you definitely aren’t.
The thing about the No Poo movement is that no one really talks about it publically. It’s like a social ‘no no’ for some reason. Matters are made worse still, since the general public doesn’t understand this method of natural hair care, assuming it to be gross and dirty.
No Poo oily hair is a common challenge and it helps to know you’re not alone!
17. Silicone Build Up
Some people find it good when beginning their No Poo journey to do a clarifying wash to get rid of silicones that have built up on their hair and scalp, from using commercial hair products packed full of damaging sulfates.
18. No Poo Alternatives
If your first recipe isn’t working for you, make sure you wait a bit before trying other methods. This is important as it can sometimes take weeks for the hair to adjust to a new wash method.
It’s not always possible to tell right away whether a particular wash is suitable for you. Stick with it!
19. Commitment
Commit, and stick to it!
While some people can do No Poo from the beginning with zero challenges, most of us experience bumps along the road, and persistence pays off.
20. Trial And Error
Find methods that are suited to your hair type; what is good for curly long hair on a child may not work for an adult with short, fine straight hair.
21. Hair Porosity
Before selecting a natural No Poo wash method, make sure to check your hair for signs of high/low porosity first. To establish your hair’s natural porosity levels, soak a hair strand in water and watch to see how long it takes for that hair strand to become saturated with water. Does it sit on top of the water, or sink to the bottom immediately?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all when it comes to No Poo hair washes, and hair porosity will almost certainly affect your hair’s reaction to different washes.
22. Protein / Moisture Balance
You will also benefit from assessing your hair’s protein and moisture balance. In fact, this is more important than you might first think, and crucial if you don’t want to damage your healthy hair.
In order to establish the balance and protein levels, take a few strands of wet hair and gently stretch them about 10%-20%, if they break quickly your hair lacks moisture, if they stretch without breaking and stay stretched out, it’s lacking protein. Finally, if it stretches and then bounces back to its former shape your hair is balanced (source 1).
23. Install a shower filter/wand
For those of you who have hard water, No Poo is more challenging due to the mineral deposits that coat the hair with a waxy feeling substance. A shower filter, wand, or water softening system alleviates problems caused by hard water.
24. Harvest Your Rain Water!
Have you ever considered collecting soft water? Ok, this might sound a little random. However, did you know that both rainwater and snow are considered soft water? This means you can use them to make your No Poo washes.
Rinsing afterward with hard tap water is ok because the hair is already saturated with soft water and therefore is less likely to absorb much hard water.
25. Apple Sauce And Egg
Applesauce and egg (used separately) are effective at cleansing your hair, and getting rid of hard water waxy build-up on hair.
If you are planning on using applesauce, make sure that you blend it finely first to avoid getting lumps stuck in your hair! Then, apply the applesauce to your dry scalp and cover your hair with a plastic bag or wrap. It is ideal if you can then wrap your head with a warm towel and keep it on for 30 minutes before rinsing.
Some people prefer to wash their hair with egg white. I personally found egg yolk to be too cleansing, leaving my hair feeling dry and brittle. However, many people have success with this particular wash method.
If you fancy giving the egg wash a whirl, mix the egg yolk with a tablespoon of water, apply to your dry scalp, and then massaged it in. Then wash out fully.
Egg is a great way to get oil out of hair, but it is important that you don’t use it too often if your hair is high in protein.
26. Start A Diary
Keep a hair diary to track how your hair reacts when you try different washes and rinses. This might not immediately solve your No Poo oily hair issues, but it will definitely help you establish what works for your hair, and what doesn’t.
27. Beware Of Baking Soda
Use baking soda with caution, this is a very harsh cleansing method that needs to be correctly diluted, should only be used infrequently if at all, and must be followed by an acid rinse.
28. Be A Mermaid!
The mermaid rinse is using a bathtub or large bucket of water to rinse your hair. It is easier to thoroughly rinse this way than using the shower, especially if you are using ayurvedic powders, applesauce masks, or egg washes.
29. Freshen Your Hair With A Wash
Use rinses between washes to freshen up hair – try hibiscus, chamomile, or mint herbal teas to see which ones work best.
30. Research Your Locality For Treasures!
Explore your neighborhood and support local stores or farmers’ markets, since these can be a treasure trove of No Poo supplies. Sometimes the items are less expensive than buying online too!
No Poo Hair Still Greasy
If you have No Poo greasy hair despite trying the No Poo tips for oily hair listed above, your hair might still be in transition from full poo (using commercial shampoos) to No Poo.
Before giving up on your natural hair goals, make sure you give it time. Don’t give up!
The truth is that some people need just a few weeks or months to transition, whilst others take a year before their scalp fully transitions and starts producing less sebum.
Patience is key, you’ll get there!
No Poo Water Only Tips
If you are trying the Water Only No Poo method, it is much easier if you have soft water.
For those of you living in hard water areas, why not consider collecting rainwater or snow to make your washes and acid rinses? Alternatively, you can purchase water softening stick for your shower.
No Poo Movement Before And After Photos
It’s helpful to take photos before and during your No Poo journey to document the changes in your hair. Many individuals find that their hair gets healthier looking, shinier and that if they have waves or curls, they get more defined and less frizzy while doing No Poo.
Conclusion
Whether you are at the beginning of your No Poo journey or have already been at it for a while, we hope that by using these No Poo tricks for oily hair, you will be happy with your results and continue enjoying the benefits of healthier hair and scalp, fewer chemicals and less plastic in your life.
No Poo Hair Breakage
Avoid hair breakage by never brushing hair whilst it’s wet. Instead, gently run fingers through hair, or wait until it’s dry to comb or brush. Regular trims are essential for hair health and remove dry ends prone to breakage. Other sources of breakage can be a protein/moisture imbalance.