Maybe it was the fact that I was tired of dishing out hundreds of dollars (or Euros) a year in order to keep my hair looking "so fresh and so clean clean;" or maybe, subconsciously, I thought that instead of buying more shampoo and conditioner, I could buy another beer (or two) when I went out with my friends later that night. No matter what the cause, I up and decided to go cold turkey and chemical free on the hair front and walked away from the hair product aisle empty handed.
It had already been five days since I had washed my hair. It was possibly the longest it had ever been. I had normally washed my hair once a day with the occasional 'skip a day' and "throw it up" method; but five days was a drastic amount of time for me and I wondered how I had made it that long. Even when I was backpacking Europe and Asia, or travelling around India and Nepal, I still always found the opportunity to wash my hair: whether it was in a cold shower, out of a spigot, or bucket, or under a waterfall in the jungle. That's right, I was addicted. I thought the only way for my hair to look, feel and smell clean was to use that beautiful thing we call, "shampoo." Honestly, I used to think the only way I could
feel clean was to have my hair washed. Oh, has that changed drastically.
I had been on a snowboarding trip over a long weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to take a shower before running to catch my train the day I was leaving. I didn't realize that I hadn't washed my hair the day before either. I didn't see any worry since there would be a shower at the apartment where we would be staying. But immediately upon my arrival, we starting cooking dinner and partaking in the nights festivities. On a snowboarding trip in a small apartment hosting 7-8 people and one bathroom, people tend to throw hygiene out the window, or at least minimize the amount of showering time that takes place. That meant, "no hair washing;" and that is how it all started!
I had briefly seen a Buzzfeed article about a girl who hadn't washed her hair in three years, but I didn't read it. But for some reason, when I was standing in the hair product aisle a couple of days later, that article popped into my head. I thought, if she can do it, so can I! And here I am, months later, with healthy and clean-looking hair (I even have great volume!).
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| Taken April 4, 2014 (just after I let my hair down from a ruffled bun) - sorry it's webcam quality |
I have to be honest, in the beginning, I didn't think I could do it. I hadn't done any research on it, my hair was already starting to become really oily and I hated the fact that I didn't have that silky feeling conditioner gives you after a shower. But once I found out that shampoo actually strips all of your natural oils, causing your scalp to overcompensate causing it to become immediately oily (the reason why I washed my hair everyday), I thought,
this cannot be good for my hair! I never looked back. I knew I wanted to give it up.
I cheated once, when I went to get a haircut. There is no better feeling than having someone else wash your hair and getting an incredible head massage along with it. But I immediately regretted it when I had to START ALL OVER.
Not only with the readjustment from my hair, but then my own personal endeavour.
HOW I DID IT:
Like I mentioned, I went cold turkey. I didn't start with organic products or even the vinegar and baking soda mixture. I went straight for the kill and completely cut out everything. I started out simply rinsing my hair thoroughly, scrubbing almost as if there was shampoo in it. It gave me the sensation that I was still "washing" my hair, even though I wasn't. Then once my hair was dry, (I mostly naturally dry, but if in a rush, I will still use a blow dryer) I would add a little baby powder to the roots to help minimize the oily appearance that happens in the beginning.
Since I first started the process, my hair has changed completely. It's less oily, although I still add baby powder on occasion to make it "feel clean," and especially to my bangs that hit my forehead. Now, I only have to rinse it once every couple of days, still scrubbing as if I'm massaging shampoo into it. It's incredible how we don't need hair products to make our hair look and feel healthier. And the interesting part about it - it doesn't smell at all! I know most people ask themselves, "doesn't it start to smell?" but it actually does not. And if you are really considering this lifestyle change and need to have some type of scent in your hair to make you
feel clean, I recommend natural oils. Put them on the ends of your hair where your hair becomes the most dry and it will make it feel smoother and give you a "smelly-good" sensation without having to use any products.
Another helpful hint: If you are getting to the point where it's becoming "too much," use the baking soda trick. Before my recent play (I knew I would have to be on stage and wanted to make sure my hair looked especially nice), I took my baking soda into the shower and just scrubbed my roots to give my hair some good volume. I probably didn't need to do this, but again, it stems back to that sensation of cleanliness.
For the future: washing my hair isn't in the plan.
Please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or comments!
