h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone tried this, apparetnly it's good for your hair to limited the amount of shampoo and conditioner you use so in therory you should only wash it a couple of times a month with shampoo the rest of the time you should wash with just plain water.

I was wondering if anyone does this and how effective it is.

When I had dreads I never washed my hair at all, I'd rinse it with water in the shower, but not for the first 6 weeks. You have to keep it away from water completely for that time.

People asked me if it smelt. It did. Of HAIR. Not shampoo, but it was quite a strong smell I think, I could smell it on my hands after I'd been dreading the roots to keep it tidy.

All shampoo does is make us need more shampoo, and possibly wash off hair products, hairspray, gel etc. Now there are smoking bans in public places there's less stink to wash out.

Oh, I forgot to say, if you just wash with shampoo once a month then water the rest your hair will probably look horrible. It's all, or nothing!

How long is it though before your hair looks 'normal' as I've got older I've had increasing problems with greasy hair, so was wondering if keeping it away from chemicals would help. (I can see my hairdresser right now having a fit )

Around 6 weeks. Get used to wearing hats for a while! - winter is a good time for this!

My hair is quite long at the moment, so I try not to wash it unless it is desperate. I can't leave it longer than three of four days without it turning into something resembling a horror movie.

Shampoos contain so many chemicals - I can sort of understand why you ask, but I'd never be able to try this out.

Hair is covered with protective oils, and oils are immiscible with water. Washing with water only will not penetrate the oily layer, although added detergents (such as those in shampoo) will. This is why conditioner is used as a follow-up to shampoo - it replenishes the oily layer (you can verify this very easily by examining your conditioner bottle - you'll see it consists of a suspension of oil-like droplets in water).

The argument of using water only to remove the dirt without removing the oil is sound, although people with greasy hair will find that their problem is not solved, no matter how often they wash. If you have naturally dry hair (presumably this is the case for Mina, given that her dreads lasted for some time), it should be very effective.

B

How about the rumour that if you don't wash your hair for long enough then it will become 'self-cleaning'? If that a complete urban myth, or is it true? And if true, how long is long enough?


Geggs

You have to acknowledge that hair products have improved phenomenally over the last two decades. If you want to see hair back in the seventies and early eighties, just find a tv series from back then and study the hair texture and shine. Even terribly beautiful actors had bad hair back in the day.

For a couple of years now, I use shampoo very rarely. I clean my hair with conditioner only, usually, maybe twice a week. Rinse in water between that.
The conditioner should be without silicones, and a lot of other things... I forget. I believe there is a No-poo (as in no shampoo) movement out there in the world, where there is a lot of information.

Hair is a bit softer, less frizzy, and a bit more curly. And a lot less greasy.

I had a no-poo movement this morning.

Rather disappointing, it was.

B

I know. Big spoon of ricine oil should take care of that. Not in your hair though.

That is really interesting Milla - as I have seen your hair and can vouch for the fact that it looked clean, healthy and shiny.

Am well impressed!

"The argument of using water only to remove the dirt without removing the oil is sound, although people with greasy hair will find that their problem is not solved, no matter how often they wash. If you have naturally dry hair (presumably this is the case for Mina, given that her dreads lasted for some time), it should be very effective."

No, I've got greasy hair, the more I wash it, the more frequently it needs washing.

I rarely used water to wash out dirt, it helped the process. It was full of bits of fluff, which if I hadn't had dreads I could have brushed out! I mainly used water to rinse smells such as smoke off, an occasionally from when I was a bit and dipped my ends in.

Obviously dogs are different, but even with the whitest dogs, let the fur dry, and all the mud and dirt can be brushed out. It sometimes goes off white, but smells clean and fresh, even dogs don't need bathing as much as some people try to.

Stopping shampoo was good for me I think.
I learned mostly from a Swedish forum for curly hair care...
Few tips if you want to use conditioner - use cheap stuff. The fewer fancy things in there, the better. And use generous amounts. Since I wash less, I don't feel bad about using bigger amounts when I do.
And I suppose you have to try a couple of different sorts before you find your favourite

Yes, Mina, I also feel that frequent washings make for greasy hair. I used to wash it every day, now it's conditioner once or twice a week, and water rinse two or three times too.

Does this apply to men's hair as well?

I used to use a shampoo when I was showering, but I gave it up. I just use a small amount of soap and water on my hair. I also swim three times a week, and what little soap remains in my hair is liked washed out in the locker room.

>>How about the rumour that if you don't wash your hair for long enough then it will become 'self-cleaning'? If that a complete urban myth, or is it true?

When you shampoo hair, you take away the oil, and so your scalp produces more oil to replace it. Stop shampooing and eventually your scalp stops over-production of those oils. But it will still get soiled, in the same way as the rest of your person does, so you'll need to clean it somehow, unless you're willing to put up with a build-up of modern detritus accumulating on your head.

I always find more than a day without washing and I just can't do anything with my hair... it just sort of... urgh two days without washing and it then takes an absolute age to wash properly after that, and is itching to buggery Its quite long now though So I useually wash it every day with shampoo, and use a conditioner about once or twice a week and that seems to moreorless keep it alright

I remember you with dreads, Mina, and I can confirm that it didn't smell. One of my sons had dreads up until recently and there is still a bar of what the Germans call "Kernseife" - sort of basic household soap - in the shower which is what he used to wash it with. I don't know how he did it, though.

I'm afraid I'm like 2legs - well, up to a point, of course - in that I wash my hair frequently with shampoo. I have dry skin, and my scalp would probably benefit from washing less often, but my hair is fine, even though I've shampooed daily for nearly 40 years now. My mother keeps telling me it'll fall out. But despite my having had three kids, it's still all there.

If you can get into the habit of just washing with water, if at all, then it sounds like a good idea. There has been a lot of interesting information on this thread already.

What about Paul up there /\, though, or anyone else who swims several times a week - surely you have to use something to either protect the hair from the chlorine in the pool (or whatever is used) or to treat it afterwards?

Quick wash with soap maybe once a week or so, otherwise a rub-over with just water each day. Been doing that for years and years. Mind you, it gets uncomfortably frizzy if I leave it over an inch long for very long.

As for self-cleaning after not washing for some time, well yes probably - no available space for more dirt...