Self Care

Shampoo. It seems every bottle promises the moon--it claims that as long as you're together, everything will be alright. It'll make your hair shiny, silky, and smell amazing. It's different, not like your last shampoo. It'll take care of you and truly love your hair. At first you believe it. Your hair is silkier, shinier, and more manageable. But over time, things change. It no longer loves your hair the same way. It’s almost like it takes for granted that, of all the shampoos on the market, you said yes to this one. Instead of leaving your hair happy and healthy, it begins to flatten and strip it—not just of natural oils and moisture, but also of its bounce and movement. Once again you find yourself in a failing relationship with your hair products. So you finally make the same decision you’ve made with every shampoo you’ve been with before. It's time to breakup and move on. As you dump it, you look at the bottle remembering all the promises made but not kept, and you say to yourself: It's not me—it’s poo.

The truth is that all shampoos are the same. They contain powerful chemicals that strip hair of its oils and nutrients, the very things your hair needs to stay healthy. So every time you buy a shampoo, you're literally entering into yet another toxic relationship--no matter how natural or organic it claims to be. Because of this, many have tried to breakup with their shampoo regimen only to find themselves driven back into it's abusive arms. So how can you give poo the proverbial boot for good? By following normal operating procedure in any breakup.

Don't lead it on: Once you decide to go poo-less, you can't go back once in a while thinking that things will be different. Leading poo on will always leave you a little unfulfilled and your hair a little greasy. Using poo is a Catch 22: shampoo strips your hair of oils--> causing your body to over produce oil--> making your hair greasier earlier--> making you feel like you need to shampoo it again. So don't lead it on, don’t keep a bottle under your sink for emergencies. Once you dump it, it's final! 

Be determined, set boundaries: You need to be firm in your resolve. In the beginning, it's only natural to miss it. After all, your feelings (and hair’s oil production) don't turn off automatically. It'll be especially difficult when your hair begins to look oily, or you miss that squeaky clean feeling you've grown accustomed to over the years. However, the best thing you can do is give yourself some space. Walking down the shampoo aisle in Target just to “smell the shampoos” and “see what's new” will have the opposite effect on your resolve. So if you decide to part ways with your poo, be determined and keep your distance from all the other poos.

Give your hair time to heal: This is the hardest part, but there's nothing more effective after a breakup than letting time pass. The longer you go without shampoo, the more your hair follicles can heal from the years of trauma. It could takes weeks, or months, for your hair’s oil production to lessen and normalize, but it will happen. During that rough patch, treat yourself. Check outYouTube and watch videos on those up-dos you've always wanted to try. Buy an essential oil, like Cedarwood, that promotes hair growth to use in your new no-poo regime. And never fear, in time your hair will begin to look healthier, shinier, and it'll get its bounce back. You'll wonder why it took you so long to make the break.

For those that have gone poo-less, including myself, baking soda/apple cider vinegar is very effective. Some have even gone cold-turkey and use only water. Since our body oils are water soluble, both methods work great. So experiment and find the one that works best for you. If you feel you need a conditioner, try a little rose hip oil on the ends of your hair. I can promise you that your hair will never look or feel better.

Dumping your shampoo and conditioner once and for all is so liberating! So, if you muster up the courage and decide to breakup with your shampoo remember: don't lead it on, be determined, set boundaries, and give your hair time to heal. And most importantly, don't forget to tell yourself the honest truth: it’s not me—it’s poo.