New to No Poo - help with different scenarios please

#1

Hi there.

I’m 4 days and 2 washes into No Poo and was hoping for a little advice.
I tried No Poo having read about it a while ago and then being recommended it by my brother.

On his suggestion I’ve been washing with water and then using conditioner as normal - with the potential to try and cut out on the conditioner in the future. Reading some of the forum I may try rye flour in the future

Q1 - What are people’s thoughts on continuing to use normal commercial conditioner?
Q2 - People are talking about overcoming the grease build up in the initial weeks, but on day 4 my problem is an itchy scalp (even though I water washed and conditioned this morning), which I know will be worse tomorrow - what can I do to combat this? will it be gone in a week? - prior to no poo an itchy scalp was usually a sign I’d left it too long between washes.
Q3 - What about when your hair actually needs a clean? - e.g. after swimming in the pool (chlorine) or sea (salt), or you’ve done something like tough mudder and it’s full of mud. - I’m concerned water along wont do the trick for that.

I think that’s it for now. Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

Lou

#2

Hi,
Q1- not good. You better stop using commercial conditioner.
Q2- its complicated. From my experience, success with grease problem is a combination of not using shampoo, and nutrition that balance hormonal state and inflammation in the body. And this is not an easy thing to do.
Q3- use rye flour

#3

Yes please stop using commercial conditioner.
I have been washing my hair with baking soda, then using Apple cider vinegar to condition - all recipes are found on this forum site.
I also use Liggert soap.
I moisturise the ends with almond oil.
Once a week, I apply an egg mask to my hair.
Texture has improved tremendously.

#4

Hi Lou,

I hope you have found a method that works for you for the questions you posted. I’m new to the forum, but I am not new to washing my hair with baking soda and conditioning my hair with diluted white vinegar. I haven’t used commercial shampoo or conditioner for at least 3 years. I’ve only used baking soda and white vinegar regularly and then honey and castor oil periodically. My hair has never looked or felt better.

To address your questions:
Q1: I see no value in continuing to use normal commercial conditioner if you are no longer using a commercial shampoo to “wash” your hair. Conditioner is supposed to replace oils removed in the washing process. If you aren’t washing in a way that removes oils (i.e. water only washing which I would just call rinsing), I imagine continuing to condition your hair with commercial conditioner would result in some unpleasant buildup.

Q2: My preferred method to overcome the grease buildup in the initial weeks is to wait it out. Try to think of your haircare routine in terms of treating your hair and your scalp. The oil-producing glands in your scalp will eventually catch on and produce less oil. It takes time. I have read forums where people recommend using various types of flour to reduce oil in the initial transition. I haven’t tried that but I imagine it would prolong the initial stage where the goal is to train your oil-producing glands to make less oil.

Q3: Let’s not confuse cleaning (removing oil and dirt) with rinsing (removing dirt). I make sure my hair is wet before swimming in a chlorinated pool and rinse it immediately after exposure to chlorinated pool water. As for being covered in mud, I haven’t had to address that issue but I would use my normal routine of washing with baking soda and conditioning with diluted white vinegar after I thoroughly rinsed all the mud out of my hair.

I hope to be helpful and would like to hear how you’ve progressed.

PG