Long curly hair

I have naturally curly hair to my waist that is also color treated. When I first heard of the “no poo” way I thought eww gross but found myself to be intrigued more and more. I read about this way and one thing that stands out is the need to brush the hair to distribute the natural oils. I haven’t brushed my hair for years, just ran my fingers through sometimes.
Is there anyone who has similar hair who has done this and could tell me what to expect to keep from getting discouraged

I have curly hair I didn’t brush for years until starting no poo. I experienced breakage until I got a mason Pearson brush. You have to detangle first. I would suggest boar mixed with nylon because the synthetic fiber will help your strands from snagging. They’re amazing but crazy expensive. I would suggest ordering from Nordstrom bc they accept indefinite returns