If you’ve spent any time in natural living circles, you’ve probably heard of the no-poo method—short for "no shampoo." It’s a movement that challenges the conventional haircare industry by ditching traditional shampoo entirely, replacing it with natural, often kitchen-based alternatives. There’s also a “low-poo” method, which uses gentle shampoos free of sulfates, silicones, and synthetic fragrances, offering a more moderate approach.
Now, if you've read my post on Shampoos, you know that Shampoo and Conditioners are one of the toughest categories to find completely "clean" or "natural". We have very little choices that are both clean and effective. I've never even found a conventional shampoo that I like. So I went all in on no-poo. And like many no-pooers, I had high hopes.
What Is The No-Poo Method?
No-poo is not just about skipping shampoo and conditioner—it’s about removing harsh surfactants and synthetic additives from your hair care routine altogether and replacing it with less harsh ones. This method often leans on natural alternatives that cleanse or condition without stripping your scalp’s natural oils. After all, conventional shampoo and conditioner have only been around for less than a century. What were people doing before?
Here are a few of the most common poo-alternatives used by no-poo people:
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) – Used as a shampoo substitute when diluted.
- Apple cider vinegar (ACV) – Often diluted and used as a conditioning rinse.
- Aloe vera gel or juice – Used as a scalp soother or lightweight hydrator.
- Rye flour – Rich in nutrients and gentle cleansing action.
- Clays (like rhassoul or bentonite) – Detoxifying and absorb excess oil.
- Herbal rinses (like rosemary, nettle, chamomile or other teas) – Add shine, promote growth, or soothe irritation.
- Apple Sauce – Used as a hair mask to remove build up.
- Oils (like castor, jojoba or argan) – Used sparingly to moisturize ends. Or castor oil for hair growth.
Why Go No-Poo?
Many people in clean living circles turn to no poo simply because they are searching for more natural alternatives. However, you'd be surprised to learn that even "silky" people go no-poo. There are plenty of reasons people make the switch:
- Avoiding harsh ingredients – As we already covered, many people turn to no-poo for a more natural approach.
- Balancing oil production – By removing certain ingredients, the scalp often learns to regulate its oil output more efficiently. Sulfates and synthetic fragrances are common irritants that strip the scalp’s natural oils, disrupting the microbiome.
- Less washes – With time, many people report stronger, shinier hair that needs less washing. Some no-poo folks have reported going weeks without needing to wash their hair. A huge convenience!
- Less hair loss – Some no-poo users (myself included) notice a significant reduction in shedding. We become conditioned to accepting a certain amount of hair loss in the shower when we wash our hair. But really, we shouldn't be losing much at all. Most traditional products are using harsh sulfates, contributing to increased hair loss.
- Environmental reasons – Fewer plastic bottles, less water waste, and minimal chemical runoff. Most surfactants are not safe for the environment or aquatic life.
What No One Tells You: The Transition Is Rough
Here’s the truth: no-poo is not a magic fix. Most people don’t get dreamy, glossy hair overnight. There’s a detox period—often 3 months—where your scalp adjusts. You may go through phases of greasy, sticky, heavy, or straw-like hair. That’s normal.
This process can be deeply frustrating. It’s also why so many people quit. The Facebook no-poo groups I joined were a lifeline. There, I saw the wins and the setbacks. It helped normalize the fact that this is a journey, not a destination.
I joined several Facebook groups, but this one was the most organized. They offer free guides to get you started, and I found the culture to be genuine and extremely helpful without them trying to "sell you" anything.
My Personal No-Poo Journey
Baking Soda and ACV are usually where most people start, so there is where my journey began.
The Science Behind Baking Soda and ACV
Baking soda has a high pH (around 9), which opens the hair cuticle and can strip the scalp over time. While it initially gives that squeaky-clean feel, repeated use can damage the hair shaft and disrupt the acid mantle, leading to dryness and breakage.
Apple cider vinegar is acidic (pH 3–4) and helps reseal the cuticle after cleansing, but without a balancing cleanser, it can build up over time. Especially on hair that's low porosity or fine, ACV alone may leave a film and weigh strands down.
I detailed a little bit of my personal experience with these two ingredients in my personal Instagram stories. Here are the recipes I started with:
- "Shampoo": 1-2 tablespoons of Baking Soda diluted in 8 oz of hot water. The hot water helps the baking soda "melt" more easily. Allow to cool before using though. I loved using this silicone applicator to really disperse it throughout my hair. Most people use jars or measuring cups, but I found that very wasteful and like it really only sat on top of my hair.
- "Conditioner": 1 oz of the Chagrin Valley ACV Hair Rinse plus 7 oz of water (total: 8 oz solution). I had previously used this for hair detoxes, but in my no-poo journey, I was using it exclusively as my only conditioner. I have an entire blog post on it. I highly recommend getting a squeeze bottle for this! Again, cups are wasteful and don't disperse into your hair evenly as a squeeze bottle would.
I always made sure to detangle and comb my hair before jumping in the shower so that the ingredients would disperse evenly. I also made these recipes on the spot. Because they contain water, you should not batch-create these. They will mold/create bacteria!!!
Immediate Benefits
At first, I was hooked. The first month of my no-poo routine (baking soda followed by ACV) felt amazing. My hair felt clean—like, truly clean. Here were the noticeable immediate benefits:
- Less hair loss - I wasn’t losing nearly as much hair in the shower. Like, almost nothing. It made me wonder about shampoos I've used in the past and if I actually have thicker hair! Even a friend noticed!
- Longer between washes - I was washing about every 3 days, but was able to quickly stretch it to 4 or 5 days. And my hair didn't feel all that super oily toward the end like it had before.
However, by week five or six, things started to turn. My hair became too dry, tangled, and stiff. I couldn’t run my fingers through it. I tried scaling back the baking soda and just using diluted ACV, but that left my hair feeling heavy and over-conditioned—almost greasy. Without a proper surfactant to cut the buildup, my hair kept getting worse.
For the next 2 weeks, I adjusted ratios, played with temperatures, switched rinse methods, you name it. Eventually, I realized that for my hair type (medium, wavy, prone to buildup), this routine just wasn’t sustainable long term.
I went to the no-poo Facebook groups. At this point, my hair was a bit oily from only using ACV, so they recommended an Apple Sauce mask. Here's the recipe:
- "Hair Mask": Take unsweetened, pure apple sauce (I took my kids organic lunch sauce, hehe). The group recommended running it through a blender for a smoother consistency, but I used it as is. The acids in the apple are supposed to help break up the build up on your hair. Apply thoroughly to detangled and combed hair. Keep on your hair for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse and wash your hair like normal. Do NOT let it dry on your hair, you will have a very hard time rinsing it off. Stick to the time limit.
I was genuinely impressed with this hair mask, and it's something I will definitely keep doing as needed in the future. My hair did feel much better.
Still, I wasn't able to keep up the Baking Soda and ACV routine. When you’re missing a true surfactant or emulsifier to cut oil, dirt, and buildup, it becomes a delicate (and often frustrating) balancing act. I just couldn't get the hang of it, so I turned to low poo methods instead.
My Low Poo Solution
Low-poo refers to a hair care method that skips traditional shampoos full of harsh sulfates, silicones, and synthetic ingredients in favor of gentler, sulfate-free cleansers. Unlike the no-poo method, which eliminates shampoo entirely, low-poo allows for light, non-stripping cleansing to maintain scalp health without disrupting your natural oils.
Traditional poo would use ingredients like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Low Poo would use Coco-, Lauryl- or Decyl Glucoside. A low poo conditioner would avoid, at minimum, silicones and quats.
What I'm Keeping From No-Poo
- Baking Soda for occasional detoxing of build up. NOT repeated use. I'm talking like maybe once every 3-4 months, if needed. Caused way too much dry and unmanageable hair when used repeatedly.
- Apple Sauce Hair Mask for occasional conditioning and detoxing. I really liked how well this worked. But again, not something I would do all the time.
- ACV Hair Rinse as my exclusive conditioner. While I previously used ACV occasionally before, I was genuinely impressed at how well it detangled and performed as an exclusive conditioner. I'm hooked!
What I'm Ditching From No-Poo
- Baking Soda as my exclusive shampoo was NOT a long term solution. I think this was the biggest culprit in my no-poo struggles.
What I'm Using Now
Despite the frustration, I don’t regret my no-poo experiment. It taught me how to listen to my hair, question what’s marketed to me, and find better options that work. I honestly didn't realize how much hair I was losing in washes before I started losing very little doing no-poo. Here is what my hair care routine consists of now:
- Beauty From Bees Shampoo to replace my baking soda shampoo. This is the best option I have found. It uses a real (and safe) surfactant, Coco Glucoside–not soap–which means it's safe for hard water households. No sulfates, silicones, quats or synthetic fragrance.
- Chagrin Valley ACV Hair Rinse as my exclusive conditioner for previously mentioned benefits!
- Evatasha Hair Oil as an occasional scalp treatment. Having dealt with build up and oily hair in the past, I honestly did not think this would be good for me. However, it had great reviews so I gave it a try. I was genuinely so impressed by this. It did not make my hair more oily. I really believe it helped balance my hair's sebum. The only trick is remembering to do it!! It's best used for 3 hours before hair wash day.
- Evatasha Hair Tonic for hydrating my hair. This is an oil-free formula so it's great for using at any time. When I was struggling with the dry hair from the Baking Soda, I turned to this and it definitely helped add some hydration and make my hair more manageable. I have continued spritzing it my hair after my showers, and before blow drying.
I Haven't Completely Given Up
I guess you could say I was half successful since I was able to completely ditch a conventional conditioner (in exchange for ACV). However, I still need some sort of shampoo and low poo will have to do for now!
I am still in the no-poo Facebook groups and I do still want to try other suggestions from their guide. Namely, the hair tea rinses and yogurt recipes. I was never able to test out some of the other recipes and they had so many! I am not in a season of life right now to really commit to further testing, so my low poo routine is working great for me. And I love that it's still a completely non toxic routine!
Remember, shampoo and conditioner are some of the toughest categories to tackle. They require lots of patience and trial and error and it's best attempted when you have the time for it.
I hope my own experience has helped you! If you've tried any of these things, let us know in our Facebook group. I'd love to hear your own no-poo or low-poo experiences!
