I have wanted to go no-poo for aaaaaages. I've tried many alternatives, but never anything that really worked. I could kid myself it worked but I knew it looked unwashed. I've tried conditioner only. I've tried baking soda and vinegar. I've tried black tea and lemon. I've tried water only. I've most recently been using soap, followed by a vinegar rinse. I went a year without washing my hair not so long ago. I've never felt happy with how my hair looked, and always ended up caving to the shampoo.
I recently decided to try again. I went water only for a week, and was unhappy but unsurprised to find a waxy build-up in my hair. I've had this before. It never really goes.
Then I found inspiration online. For the last two weeks, I have been washing my hair with eggs. Yes, eggs. You read that right.
My hair is clean clean clean - as clean as it would be after shampoo, but also soft and thick and bouncy, where shampoo left it feeling thin and stripped. My scalp, after a brief dandruff shower, seems to have settled down more than it has in years. The egg has totally cleaned off the waxy deposit, and the oily build-up, and my hair is CLEAN!
Egg wash is endlessly versatile, and I'm experimenting. Some washes work better than others. This is the basic recipe/method I'm using at the moment:
Eggwash for hair1 egg, beaten1 tbsp lemon juice1 tsp honey1/2 tsp olive oil2tbsp cold waterMix it all up together, apply to dry hair, massage into scalp and along the length, leave for 10 minutes or so, wash out in lukewarm water (to avoid scrambling the egg), and then follow with a final rinse of cold water.
I've seen recipes online which use only egg white, or only the yolk, or which include yoghurt, beer, vinegar, essential oils and myriad other ingredients which I have yet to explore. The first time I did this, I used one egg on its own - not as effective as the wash above but still quite good.
I haven't worked out the cost yet - I imagine it is probably more expensive than commercial shampoo, but it is so lovely on my hair! I'm using it twice a week so far, but I am hoping that I can stretch out the gap between hair washes as my scalp adjusts. I should really have waited a few months to see if it is still working but I am so excited to have finally found an option leaving my hair feeling beautifully clean and nourished that I just had to share it!
Hi, I've tried no poo before, but I did use conditioner. I lasted a fair few months but although it was ok to start with, eventually I just wanted to wash it as I no longer had the frizz free effect but still had the not-feel-very-nice effect.
ReplyDeleteDid you try bicarb and vinegar first to wash out any remaining shampoo or conditioner? How long did it take to feel/look nice?
I tried it the other day. I have loooong curly hair so I think I really need to double the quantities, I just couldn't get it through all my hair, so just concentrated on up by my head. It does feel OK, but tis still frizzy. I only wash my hair once a fortnight too, so may take longer to really have an effect.
I'm longing for that (impossible without hours of salon time and lots of products?!) frizz free, shiny curls.
OK, maybe I should just lower my standards?!
Hiya - I had been using soap and vinegar for several months so there was no shampoo/conditioner residue. It looked and felt nice as soon as it dried the first time I used this. I would suggest diluting the eggwash with cold water so that it goes through all your hair, and leaving it in for up to half an hour.
DeleteKeep experimenting! What works for your hair with your local water and environmental conditions is not necessarily what works for me. I tried water only, baking soda, soap and other things for months and years and never got my hair looking nice, but egg wash is an immediate hit for me. Don't lower your standards, just keep trying other things. I've seen people washing their hair with beer, beaten egg whites or tea. Your imagination is your limit! Good luck - let me know how it goes!