No poo
Encyclopedia
No poo is a collective term for methods of washing hair with no commercial shampoo
.
Shampoo typically contains sulfate
s such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate
, which some believe to be drying for the hair. Some shampoos also include silicone
derivatives (such as dimethicone), which coats the hair. While silicone derivatives protect the hair and make it more manageable (dimethicone is a common ingredient in smoothing serums and detangling conditioners), the film that coats the hair also prevent moisture from entering the hair, eventually drying it out. Some shampoos include mineral oil
s which, while they provide softness and sheen, are bad for the hair because they are not water-soluble and hence require a shampoo with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which is drying for the hair. Some shampoo include alcohol which, while it cleans the hair, is bad because it dries the hair.
Fatty alcohol
s are better than other alcohol because it does not dry the hair as much.
Shampoo contains anionic and amphoteric surfactant
s, substances which are good at dissolving fats but also dry the hair and the scalp. Shampoo is alkaline and opens the hair cuticle, which takes a toll on the hair.
Methods for washing hair without shampoo include washing with dissolved sodium bicarbonate
, followed by an acidic rinse such as diluted apple cider vinegar
. Also honey
and various oils (such as coconut oil
) can be used.
and Christie Brinkley
asserted that it was unhealthy not to shampoo several times a week. This mindset is reinforced by the greasy feeling of the scalp after a day or two of not shampooing. Using shampoo every day removes sebum, the oil produced by the scalp. This causes the sebaceous gland
s to produce oil at a higher rate to compensate for what is lost during shampooing. According to some dermatologists, a gradual reduction in shampoo use will cause the sebaceous glands to produce at a slower rate, resulting in less oil on the scalp.
Shampoo
Shampoo is a hair care product used for the removal of oils, dirt, skin particles, dandruff, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair...
.
Shampoo typically contains sulfate
Sulfate
In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate is a salt of sulfuric acid.-Chemical properties:...
s such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate
Sodium laureth sulfate
Sodium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl ether sulfate , is a detergent and surfactant found in many personal care products . SLES is an inexpensive and very effective foaming agent. SLES, SLS and ALS are surfactants that are used in many cosmetic products for their cleansing and emulsifying...
, which some believe to be drying for the hair. Some shampoos also include silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
derivatives (such as dimethicone), which coats the hair. While silicone derivatives protect the hair and make it more manageable (dimethicone is a common ingredient in smoothing serums and detangling conditioners), the film that coats the hair also prevent moisture from entering the hair, eventually drying it out. Some shampoos include mineral oil
Mineral oil
A mineral oil is any of various colorless, odorless, light mixtures of alkanes in the C15 to C40 range from a non-vegetable source, particularly a distillate of petroleum....
s which, while they provide softness and sheen, are bad for the hair because they are not water-soluble and hence require a shampoo with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which is drying for the hair. Some shampoo include alcohol which, while it cleans the hair, is bad because it dries the hair.
Fatty alcohol
Fatty alcohol
Fatty alcohols are aliphatic alcohols consisting of a chain of 8 to 22 carbon atoms. Fatty alcohols usually have even number of carbon atoms and a single alcohol group attached to the terminal carbon. Some are unsaturated and some are branched...
s are better than other alcohol because it does not dry the hair as much.
Shampoo contains anionic and amphoteric surfactant
Surfactant
Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid...
s, substances which are good at dissolving fats but also dry the hair and the scalp. Shampoo is alkaline and opens the hair cuticle, which takes a toll on the hair.
Methods for washing hair without shampoo include washing with dissolved sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula Na HCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda . The natural mineral form is...
, followed by an acidic rinse such as diluted apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known as cider vinegar or ACV, is a type of vinegar made from cider or apple must and has a pale to medium amber color...
. Also honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
and various oils (such as coconut oil
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm . Throughout the tropical world, it has provided the primary source of fat in the diets of millions of people for generations. It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry...
) can be used.
Theory
Shampoo has only been used widely since the 1970s. Before then, either regular soap was used a few times a month or, just after the early 20th century, shampoo was used only a few times a year. It was in the 1970s that shampoo use became prevalent. Ads featuring Farrah FawcettFarrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
and Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...
asserted that it was unhealthy not to shampoo several times a week. This mindset is reinforced by the greasy feeling of the scalp after a day or two of not shampooing. Using shampoo every day removes sebum, the oil produced by the scalp. This causes the sebaceous gland
Sebaceous gland
The sebaceous glands are microscopic glands in the skin that secrete an oily/waxy matter, called sebum, to lubricate and waterproof the skin and hair of mammals...
s to produce oil at a higher rate to compensate for what is lost during shampooing. According to some dermatologists, a gradual reduction in shampoo use will cause the sebaceous glands to produce at a slower rate, resulting in less oil on the scalp.
Silicon
| Silicon | Water soluble | Soluble with... |
|---|---|---|
| Cyclopentasiloxane Cyclopentasiloxane Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane is a silicone fluid commonly used in cosmetics such as deodorants, sunblocks, hair sprays and skin care products. It is becoming more common in hair conditioners, as it makes the hair easier to brush without breakage. It is also used as part of silicone based personal... |
SLS, SLES, ALS, or ALES | |
| Dimethicone | SLS, SLES, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine, ALS, or ALES | |
| Dimethiconol | SLS, SLES, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine, ALS, or ALES | |
| Phenyl Trimethicone | SLS, SLES, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine, ALS, or ALES | |
| Amodimethicone | SLS, SLES, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine, ALS, or ALES | |
| Cyclomethicone | SLS, SLES, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine, ALS, or ALES | |
| PEG Polyethylene glycol Polyethylene glycol is a polyether compound with many applications from industrial manufacturing to medicine. It has also been known as polyethylene oxide or polyoxyethylene , depending on its molecular weight, and under the tradename Carbowax.-Available forms:PEG, PEO, or POE refers to an... -modified dimethicone |
cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine | |
| Dimethicone copolyol | cocamidopropyl betaine, cocobetaine |
External links
- http://beyondshampoo.com/
- http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Go-No-Poo/
- http://www.livescience.com/health/090609-no-poo-shampoo.html
- http://www.hildablue.com/2010/04/11/the-hair-washing-test-part-1-no-poo/
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30337386