New to "No Poo", long, fine hair that tangles easily

#1

Hi everyone!

I’m new to the “No Poo” movement, as of today. I just washed my hair with a baking soda mixture for the first time. After my shower it took me about three times longer than normal to brush my hair, which is down past my waist. I am looking for three things here: 1. Any and all advice you wish to give someone who is just starting their “No Poo” journey. 2. Any and all advice for detangling that aligns with the “No Poo” ideology. 3. Is there a brush that works well on wet hair? I saw that a boar bristle brush is ideal for going shampoo free, but that it shouldn’t be used on wet hair.

Thank y’all!

#2

I never had an issue with tangling in the first year of no poo cause my hair was so oily all the time! Be careful with the BS as you’re hair might be drier than you realize, that’s what makes it dry and easy to tangle. Moisturized hair usually doesn’t tangle too bad. I have almost waist length really thing hair. It gets really oily, till just past my ears, but the ends I usually have to rub castor oil in everyother day. When I was using shampoo which is 2 years ago now (wow, how time flies!), I had to wash almost everyday to keep the grease away. For the first year and half, water can’t wash the oil out. My hair was just too desperate for oil. It’s just in the last 6 months about that I can was with just hot water and my hair will look pretty good for maybe two days. My sister makes homemade soap with lye and tallow, and I use that on my crown sometimes. It’s really good as it cleans without stripping. I do use BS but only usually for special occasions where I need my hair to look really good (once a month or every three months). I’ve been really cautioned about BS, as apparently it can do damage itself. I live all the time on my farm so I keep my hair looking nice and done, but I can’t imagine having to be out in the world all the time and being no poo. I’ve learned how to handle it, and I can’t go back as shampoo was just as bad, actually worse than it is now. I will say that on no poo, it will NEVER feel quite like it does when you do use shampoo. It’ll always be a bit heavier, but you can have really good days too. And the volume is excellent! Let me know if you have any other questions. I went on this to try to decrease as I think we just have too much right now. But I also have 4 sisters and other friends who live here and they did it too. I probably would have quit sometimes if I wasn’t encouraged… But then I remember my hair wasn’t really any better with it!
Hope this helps,
Hope K

#3

hi~ over 3 years for NoPOO here. I tried all the way i thought it worked. Yes, Baking Soda it felt helpful for hair grease some time. But I don’t think it is good. The best way is to wash your hair only with water. Of course, it is hard to be stable with greasing quite for a while. Just use some very simple ingredient soap (Like an EM bio Soap) some time when you feel cannot deal with your greasy and just keep reducing numbers of using a soap . Brushing before washing your hair with a wooden comb is the best way to get rid of the dirt and oily dirt on your hair. and you have to clean up your brush day and night. there are sticky dirt a lot every time you are brushing.

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#4

That sounds very similar to my experience. It evens out and gets a bit easier to manage but overall their is going to be a lot of grease, that you have to use and maintain. In a way the oil is the health of your head too. I think we’ve just gotten used to a certain feel and imbalance and it’s hard to forget that and actually see that you’re head needs its health and grease while still looking nice and not having a ugly grease mop! It’s hard, but this world is fallen is so many ways. It’s a good reminder this isn’t our final home.

#5

Before I went “no-poo”, I had gradually reduced the frequency of shampoo use over a couple of years, due to pure laziness. Before I embarked on this journey, I had reduced my shampoos to 2-3 times a week, and the transition went super easy. For about a month, I used the baking soda on my scalp, rinsed with water and then with the ACV. You mentioned a mixture of the two, but maybe using the BS first and follow with the ACV rinse will help with the tangles.

Now I just rinse my hair when I shower, making sure to scrub my scalp with my fingers to loosen any dry skin, and sometimes I will use conditioner on the ends - which I learned from someone who has “natural” (African American) hair, which tends to get dry and brittle. I have fine hair with little body, and since I’ve gone shampoo-free, I love it! I do use “products”. When it’s about half dry, I use Palmers Coconut Oil formula from about my ears down, and when it’s about 3/4 dry, I use Argon oil from my ears down, and a little more on the ends. This keeps it from getting frizzy, and it actually has some texture. I wish I’d found this method 40 years ago. I never liked my hair until now.