When you opt for the ‘no poo’ method, you actually decide to ditch the readymade store-bought shampoo for health reasons and environmental reasons. You may think that I must have gone crazy! You might be wondering-‘Is it possible to abstain from using a shampoo? Then how am I supposed to get rid of the oil, dirt, grease and impurities from my scalp and hair?’.
The solution however is simple. In this world of chemicals, pollution and a variety of health complications, why not choose to ‘go green’? The ‘no poo method’ actually helps you to explore other natural and harmless alternatives to the chemical-based shampoo.
How to go for the ‘no-poo method’?
Abstain from using store-bought shampoo and use ingredients like baking soda, water and apple cider vinegar to wash your hair instead. How to use them for cleaning your hair? You follow a couple of very simple steps:
- Cleansing: Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with one cup of trepid water. This mixture is going to serve as an excellent hair cleanser. However, it might have a drying effect on your hair and your hair might look lifeless and dull. You can add in few drops of coconut oil to the mixture if you have extremely dry hair.
- Conditioning: To do away with the drying effect, conditioning your hair thoroughly is very important. For the conditioning part, mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of lukewarm water. After you have thoroughly rinsed the baking soda out of your hair strands, pour the ACV mixture on your hair. After that, wait for sometime and rinse your hair with cold water.
- Use a homemade natural coconut oil hair spray after shower to make your hair super shiny and soft naturally.
Initially, you may feel that this ‘no poo’ method is not at all working for you. But with time, your hair would get used to this idea and soon, your hair would start responding well. You get clean hair and scalp without causing any harm to them.
But what is wrong with my favourite store-bought detergent based shampoo?
If your mind is haunted by this question, let me tell you that the answer is ‘everything!’. Actually, your favorite store-bought shampoo is a rich concoction of chemicals, fragrances, dyes and preservatives. SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) is a notorious ingredient that is responsible for all the bubbly bubbles and frothy foams produced every time you wash your hair. It strips your hair of natural oils, causes irritation and wrecks havoc on your hair with prolonged use. And of course, how can you forget the ‘fragrance’ that gives that lingering and delicately sweet aroma to those long silken strands? However, under this head of ‘fragrance’ you have hundreds of toxic petroleum derivatives that pose a potent threat to your health. Parabens, used for increasing the shelf life, is also very harmful. It gets easily absorbed in the skin and is a potent cause of cancer. So, these ready-made chemical based shampoos are best avoided.
More: Try these 15 homemade natural shampoo recipes for healthy hair >>
Top five benefits of no-poo method: Going for no-poo method has many benefits. Here are the top ones:
- With the no-poo method, you can avoid the harmful effects of chemicals
- Since baking soda mixture is alkaline and ACV mixture is acidic, the no poo method tends to keep your scalp and hair in perfect balance.
- Hair becomes softer and shinier.
- Faster hair growth naturally
- It is a holistic way of doing away with cradle cap, dandruff, oily and flaky scalp.
- It is very cheap yet effective.
The no-poo method is a must-try! In an era of pollution and chemicals, going green is all you could wish for. Do not forget to share your views and experiences regarding the no-poo method of cleansing your hair.