The No-Wash Hair Movement - What Experts Say

By Jeany Miller
From the Looking Good Blog Series

The marketplace for hair products seems to grow with each new day.

Shampoos and conditioners can be found in nearly every store, lined up neatly in rows promising to provide more shine, more bounce or more volume. Interestingly, however, a growing group of people are demurring from daily or even weekly shampoos to instead treat their locks with…nothing.

In fact, they’re not washing their hair at all, citing that tresses are healthier and prettier without chemical-laden products.

Are these people crazy?!

Perhaps not.

In Defense of the No-Wash Hair Movement

The argument is that regular lathering strips hair of healthy essential oils that can cause it to break off over time.

You may wonder - but doesn't it get greasy?!

Actually advocates say, it's the shampooing that creates the grease problem to begin with! Regular shampoo use stresses the scalp and in response it overproduces oils to protect itself.

Overtime, advocates say your hair really doesn't get greasy anymore. (See Amber Strocel on day TEN of her no-wash treatment!)

The cleansing properties of shampoo are good for your scalp, but professionals say they can take a toll on your hair.

Louise O’Connor, owner of 0C61 salon in New York City, recommends skipping a day between shampoos and, if needed, just rinsing and running some conditioner through the hair to keep it healthy. When you do wash, you should cleanse only the scalp and hairline rather than lathering all the way to the ends, which can cause serious hair damage.

Amy McMichael, MD, says washing your hair is not a “necessity of health.” She explains the habit has developed more out of a hygiene culture whereby “good smells” are more attractive than natural ones. But this doesn’t necessarily mean the opposite is true. “I don’t know that there’s any scientific basis that washing the hair less is more healthy either,” she says.

The Downside of the No-Wash Movement

The problem lies in the scalp, which is a different entity than hair. The scalp is in fact a living organism that needs to be cleansed of oils to stay healthy; hair, on the other hand, is “dead matter” that can become dried out after washing with an abrasive shampoo. So for those who don’t want to wash their hair at all, they still need to cleanse their scalps. And people with dandruff are likely to find that skipping shampooing actually augments their condition.

Skipping the lather may also stunt hair growth.

“If you take it to the extreme and you don’t wash your hair for a week or so, the dead hairs will accumulate in the scalp,” says George Costarellis, MD. Removing dead hair stimulates new hair growth and ensures manageability. According to Costarellis, some people have gone so long without cleansing that their hair becomes matted and needs to be cut out. This extreme situation isn’t any healthier for hair than washing it with harsh chemicals.

Dry Shampoo Alternatives

Regular shampoos are intended to clean hair of the assorted dirt and free radicals that accumulate over the course of a day (or several days). So the purpose of these products is clear.

An alternative for those who wish to go the no lather route may be dry shampoo. This product usually has a base of talc, cornstarch, potato or rice to soak up rather than wash away dirt. It also strips the hair of fewer natural oils, therefore making it a potential substitute for shampoo. But these products definitely have their flaws, one of which is their tendency to lighten the crown of your head. Such a problem may not be noticeable for blondes, but the rest of the population likely won’t appreciate the ring of white that often appears.

If you’re considering going all-natural with your hair, remember a few points.

You still need to wash your scalp for optimal skin and hair health, and you’ll definitely need to brush your hair more often to remove as much dirt and grime as possible. A dry shampoo might be a nice alternative to regular cleansing, but choose your product with care; many of these have unpleasant smells or, as previously stated, leave a ring of noticeable powder in the hair.

Two dry shampoo products with positive online reviews are Frederic Fekkai Au Naturel Dry Shampoo ($23) and Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo ($24).

Photo Credit: Helga Weber, AmberStrocel

Looking Good Series
A blog series by Jeany Miller.Next:Moisturizing Product Review Previously:Complexion Enhancers

10 Comments

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Bri Luginbill
"When you do wash, you should cleanse only the scalp and hairline rather than lathering all the way to the ends, which can cause serious hair damage." That is good to know. I've switched to a more natural shampoo, but i always shampoo my whole head, including the ends of my hair. Now I won't do that! Thanks, Jeany.
Commented on HelloLife January 23 at 3:58 pm
Laura Hogg
If I'm not mistaken, isn't the movement more about not using shampoo than not using anything at all? I've read some articles on this movement and I've heard that the girls still wash their scalps, but it's with a natural mixture (baking soda and something else, I believe).

I've considered going this route; the underside of my hair tends to get really, really dry and I know it's not healthy. So we'll see! I usually only wash my hair every other day at most, and that's plenty for me. I do sometimes wash just my bangs.
Commented on HelloLife January 24 at 8:01 am
sprouty
One of the main ideas is to dro pout shampoo. However, if you cleanse your hair frequently, using any method, including baking soda, your hair will still have the dry/greasy flip-flopping. Ideally, you want to only cleanse it occasionally, allowing your scalps natural oils smooth your hair. A bore bristle brush is good for moving oils down the hair shaft and to the ends.

I use baking soda/water most days. I have to wash my hair every day because I'm just weird that way. It leaves my hair over-dry, so I use 2-3 drops of jojoba oil. Of course, this make my hair greasy the next day, so I have to wash it. Vicious cycle, right? Anyway, I'm not doing it to get away from washing my hair or to have naturally beautiful hair. I don't care about that. I'm just trying to reduce my use of potentially toxic chemicals... and baking soda is cheap.
Commented on HelloLife January 24 at 9:15 am
Laura Hogg
Everything I've read says to only cleanse the scalp, not the hair (example: http://www.naturemoms.com/no-shampoo-alternative.html). There's a transition period, but from what I hear, your hair is a lot healthier afterwards!

This movement really appeals to me. I already stay away from SLS, and I'm trying to use other natural care methods (I wash my face with raw honey and moisturize/remove makeup with coconut oil). I'm just not sure how I would handle the transition period :P
Commented on HelloLife January 24 at 9:31 am
sprouty
Yeah, honestly, I tried to go the whole way originally. The transition period stopped me. But I found a good compromise.
Commented on HelloLife January 24 at 9:34 am
Laura Hogg
Hmmm...as much as that transition scares me, I feel like I will try it eventually. Do I sense another blog series coming on?? :P Maybe I should just find clever ways to hide my hair...
Commented on HelloLife January 24 at 9:51 am
Dayton
I wash my hair almost everyday....but if I don't I feel like my hair is super gross, esp after a cardio workout everything is all sweaty! But my hair doesn't seem overly greasy or dry....so am I destroying my hair somehow?? keeping in mind covering just my scalp is all my hair lol
Commented on HelloLife January 24 at 11:40 am
sprouty
@Dayton I don't think you need to worry about destroying your hair. I don't. My hair is cut off long before I could even get split ends. Mostly, like I said, it's to avoid parabens, SLS, benzene, and PEGs.

Have you ever tried shaving with soap and shea butter? That foam in a can has some of the worst chemicals I've ever seen.
Commented on HelloLife January 25 at 9:45 am
Laura Hogg
Definitely avoid SLS if you can!! I'm pretty sure that the SLS in my toothpaste what caused my bouts of canker sores. I could hardly eat, drink, talk, or smile. I've switched to a natural, SLS-free brand, and I love it.
Commented on HelloLife January 25 at 9:51 am
Laura Hogg
Nature's Gate is the brand I now use, in case anyone's curious!
Commented on HelloLife January 25 at 9:52 am