Shampoo has only been around for less than a century and has only been considered a daily essential for a few decades. The idea that you should not use shampoo has been gaining traction over recent years, as more people are joining the “no-poo” movement.
If the thought of not using shampoo disgusts you and makes you want to run a mile from anyone who claims to do it, then read on for more details.
Why Are People Against Shampoo?
Lathering your hair with shampoo every day is unnecessary and can even cause damage to your locks. Many people are attracted to the movement to reduce their use of toxic chemicals in their daily routine. Also, shampooing strips your hair of its natural oils produced in the scalp. There’s also the possibility of endocrine-disrupting chemicals being present in many hair products.
People also want to rid themselves of the ever-present commercial pressure to buy more and more products. Shampooing also leads to a vicious cycle; you wash your hair, thus stripping it of its natural oils. It then appears dry and appears to need more products. It’s a cycle that capitalism loves.
Shampooing is also an unsustainable practice for the planet due to the vast amount of chemical waste that it dumps into the oceans, not to mention the tons of empty shampoo bottles.
What Are the Alternatives to Shampoo?
Shampoo as we know it has only been around since 1930, so is a modern phenomenon. Contrary to popular belief, giving up shampoo doesn’t have to mean you give up showers or washing your hair altogether. People have adopted many different alternatives to modern, chemical-laced shampoos.
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Some people opt for baking soda followed by apple cider vinegar. Other people only use conditioner, although this can actually be considered “no-poo,” by a mere technicality, as it misses the real reasons behind the movement. Ecological products that aren’t technically shampoo are also gaining more popularity.
What Are the Benefits of Not Using Shampoo?
By skipping out on shampoo, you can achieve healthier hair that produces a balanced amount of oil. With time, your scalp will start producing the right amount of oil that it needs to cleanse itself when it’s recovered from the change.
You’ll also reduce your risk of damaging chemicals found in shampoo. These can build up over time on your scalp. You’ll also reduce your amount of plastic waste which as we know is rapidly destroying the planet, by sending fewer plastic bottles to the landfill or recycling plant.
Your Hair Will Become More Voluminous
Shampoo and especially conditioner make the hair softer and somewhat floppier for most people. As a result, many people find that they have to use more products when styling to lift their hair and give it more volume and life. Cutting out shampoo altogether can help your hair to keep its natural shape and lift and cut out your reliance on expensive chemical-ridden products.
Break The Cycle
Shampoo causes your hair to dry out, making you feel like you need to add more products to replace the lost moisture, only to then shampoo out the product. The cycle repeats itself. The only way to break the cycle is to stop shampooing and let your hair take care of itself.
Your Hair Reflects Your Health
Your hair is reflective of your overall health. If you eat unhealthily, don’t exercise, and are stressed out, your hair will show it. In natural selection terms, our hair is a big factor behind attracting mates, which goes to show why we go to such lengths to shampoo, condition, and add products to it.
If you lead a healthy life, your hair will show it, and the reverse is also true.
Is No Shampoo Right For You?
Whether or not you will benefit from giving up shampoo will depend on factors such as your hair type, genetics, and lifestyle. If you have thin and fine hair, then stopping shampoo may be more difficult as the oil buildup will show faster.
If your hair is thick and curly on the other hand, you may benefit from no shampoo quicker as it helps the hair retain its natural oils and keep frizziness at bay.
The Bottom Line
There are many reasons to stop using shampoo. Daily or close to daily shampooing has only become common in recent years. Shampooing your hair creates a vicious cycle that, once begun, requires you to continue using shampoo and other products to keep your hair looking normal. Quitting shampoo is a way of removing yourself from this commercially-created cycle.
Quitting shampoo doesn’t mean quitting washing your hair. Otherwise, it’ll smell. You can still clean your hair with any of the no-shampoo methods out there. Breaking free from your shampoo dependency will not only reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals, but it will also reduce your plastic waste and environmental impact.
