Hair washing without commercial shampoo facts for kids

Hair washing without commercial shampoo, often called no poo, means cleaning your hair without using regular store-bought shampoos. This can involve just using water, or using natural products like baking soda and vinegar. People who choose 'no poo' often believe that regular shampoos are too expensive or might contain ingredients they want to avoid.

Why People Go No Poo

Regular shampoos became popular in the 1930s. By the 1970s and 1980s, many people in the US started washing their hair every day. However, how often people wash their hair depends on their culture and what they prefer. Some wash daily, some every two weeks, and some not at all. Experts say shampoo's main job is to clean your scalp, not just make your hair look pretty.

Saving Money and Trying New Things

Many 'no poo' fans think store-bought shampoos are not needed. They see them as an extra cost. In 2007, a writer named Matthew Parris shared that he hadn't used shampoo for over ten years. After this, Australian radio host Richard Glover asked his listeners to try going without shampoo for six weeks. More than 500 people joined, and 86% said their hair felt "better or the same" afterward.

Understanding Your Hair's Natural Oils

Some people believe that regular shampoos wash away the natural oils (sebum) your scalp makes. This can make your scalp produce even more oil, creating a cycle where you feel like you need to wash your hair more often. It can take about six weeks for your hair to adjust and break this cycle.

Concerns About Ingredients

Other 'no poo' users avoid shampoos because they worry about certain ingredients. For example, sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate can sometimes irritate the skin. You might see shampoos advertised as "sulfate-free" because of this concern. Also, some people worry about the chemicals used in dandruff shampoos.

How to Wash Hair Without Shampoo

The simplest way to go 'no poo' is to use only water to wash your hair. Another popular method is to wash your hair with baking soda. After that, you can rinse it with something acidic, like diluted apple cider vinegar. Some people add essential oils to their rinse to make their hair smell nice. In Japan, people traditionally clean their hair using seaweed powder.

See also

• Curly Girl Method
• Hair care
• Hygiene hypothesis