



Is your No Poo Method experience leaving your hair looking like, well poo? No Poo can be a challenge, especially if you are experiencing oily, limp or heavy hair. Review these recommendations to get No Poo help for your hair and return it to a soft, shiny, manageable mane.

Recommendations for No Poo Oily, Limp Hair

Increase the amount of baking soda you are using Switch to Method 2 – The Paste Method Use distilled white vinegar (instead of apple cider vinegar) DO NOT apply vinegar rinse to your roots or scalp. Use a commercial spray bottle (you can usually find a good spray bottle from the hardware store)

for control and ease of application. Use a dry shampoo between No Poo washes Keep a hair journal

Increase The Amo0unt of Baking Soda You Are Currently Using

Understanding why baking soda cleans your hair will help you get the clean, oil free hair you are looking for and help you adjust the amount of baking soda you are using.The term saponification is the chemical reaction that occurs when a vegetable oil or animal fat is mixed with a strong alkali. This combination creates soap. Baking soda is an alkaline and mixes with the oils on your hair and scalp and works in much the same way to clean your hair. So if you are having trouble with oily hair, it only stands to reason that you need to increase your baking soda by 25% – 50%.

Use the Paste Method

If you are using the BS Solution method, switch to the paste method. This will allow you to get some concentrated cleaning between your hair and your scalp. After applying the baking soda (BS) to your roots and massaging it into your scalp (do a good job of this – all over your head) continue on with the rest of your shower then check to see if your roots feel “slippery”. You get that slippery feeling because the oils and baking soda are doing their “cleaning thing” AND because the carbonate ions in the baking soda bind together with the calcium and magnesium deposits in your water, softening it. When these ions bind they rinse away the minerals instead of allowing them to stay on your hair. If you hair still doesn’t have that “slippery” feeling than add some more baking soda, massage it in really well wait about 2 minutes and check again. Do a thorough job of rinsing before you apply your vinegar rinse.

If the length of your hair is oily…it’s probably your vinegar rinse. We’ll discuss that next.

Choose Distilled White Vinegar (DWV) For Your Vinegar Rinse

Distilled white vinegar will provide a normal level of conditioning for your hair and help keep it from being over conditioned, oily and feeling heavy. Once you have switched to DWV increase or decrease the amount in your rinse solution based on your initial results. If your hair gets dry after using the DWV reduce the amount in your solution. Use the DWV rise until your oily hair is gone. IF your hair starts to go the other way (dry & brittle) swap out the DWV for apple cider vinegar. Citric Acid users, increase the amount of water you are using by 50% to dilute the strength of the citric acid in your rinse.

Do Not Apply The Vinegar Rinse To Your Roots

If your roots are oily, invest in a commercial spray bottle and do not apply the vinegar rinse to your roots. Getting a commercial spray bottle is important for your sanity. Nothing is more frustrating than being stuck in the shower with a spray bottle that has stop working. You can find good (not pretty though, sorry) spray bottles at your home improvement or hardware store, and of course you can always order a commercial spray bottle .

Dry Shampoo To The Rescue

Whip up a batch of dry shampoo to apply to the oily parts of your hair. It will absorb the excess oil and help keep it looking clean. I have two recipes below for making your own dry shampoo (one for blondes and one for brunettes). For the greatest ease of applying your dry shampoo get yourself a refillable makeup brush to store your dry shampoo in (it makes it great for “on-the-go use, like after a work-out). Applying a dry shampoo is easy. Use the refillable makeup brush to target your oily areas and apply the dry shampoo powder. Brush or comb your hair. Your done! If you don’t use a refillable make up brush, use an old makeup brush to “dip and apply” (like you would loose face powder) to the oily parts of your hair.

NOTE: There are a lot of dry shampoo spray recipes running around that have alcohol in them. Alcohol will dry out and damage your hair. I DO NOT recommend using this type of dry shampoo.

Dry Shampoo for Light Hair

1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder or cornstarch (use arrowroot if you are allergic to corn)

or cornstarch (use arrowroot if you are allergic to corn) 5 drops of essential oils (optional, for fragrance)

Directions

Mix the arrowroot / cornstarch with the essential oils in a zip-top bag by giving them a really good shake (you may have to massage the bag a little to get everything incorporated). Cut the corner off to easily empty your dry shampoo in the container of your choice (like a small jar, old powder container, or your refillable makeup brush). Apply with the brush of your choice to the roots and/or oily parts of your hair. Brush or comb and style as usual.

Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair

2 TBS of cocoa powder (adjust the amount for darker or lighter shades)

2 TBS of Arrowroot Powder or cornstarch (use arrowroot if you are allergic to corn)

or cornstarch (use arrowroot if you are allergic to corn) 5 drops of essential oils (optional, for fragrance)

Mix the cocoa powder, arrowroot / cornstarch with the essential oils in a zip-top bag by giving them a really good shake (you may have to massage the bag a little to get everything incorporated). Cut the corner off to easily empty your dry shampoo in the container of your choice (like a small jar, old powder container, or your refillable makeup brush). Apply with the brush of your choice to the roots and/or oily parts of your hair. Brush or comb and style as usual.

Note: Cocoa powder does NOT contain sugar so it will not get sticky.

Keep A Hair Journal

Using a hair journal will help you track the adjustments and tweaks you make, track your successes and record the days between your washes. Make changes one by one so you can target what works and what doesn’t.

Hair Still Oily?

If after making the above changes your hair is still oily do the following:

Decrease the amount of vinegar in your rinse

If that doesn’t give you the results you want then:

Rinse out the vinegar solution (rinse) with water

Be Patient

Hang in there! With the small adjustments listed above you will closer to No Poo Nirvana.

If haven’t already, please join our No Poo / Low Poo support group on facebook.

I hope you found this No Poo help useful and good luck!



