Losing the Shampoo: Why You Shouldn't Be Scared

If you've never heard of the "No 'Poo" movement, chances are you don't hang around too many beauty blogs. As squeamish as the name itself may make you, you'll probably be even more revolted by the real meaning behind it.  It took me a long time to warm up to the idea, but once I did, my first thought was that it was totally revolutionary. My second was the realization that it was absolutely the opposite- which is why, after the 'gross' factor, it makes so much sense.

As far as I have found, the movement's roots (pardon the pun) can be traced back to the book  Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey. The "No 'Poo" concept itself is quite simple: ditch the store bought shampoo and use only conditioner or natural concoctions to wash your hair. As disgusting as this may sound, it actually has a solid scientific foundation. Shampoos rely on nasty ingredients like Sodium Laurel Sulfate-- which is actually a detergent-- to clean your hair.  By definition, detergents are used with water to clean away oil and grease particles. While this sounds great in theory, it isn't just the dirt that's being washed down the drain. The natural oils in your hair, which are necessary for its health and luster, are washed away too. This hardly leaves for glamorous tresses: really, have you ever tried shampooing without conditioning afterwards? 

So (if you've made it this far) we've established we don't want those nasty ingredients in our hair. How do we stay clean?!?  There are actually a surprising number of answers to this conundrum, but before we get to that, there are a few things you should know about going shampoo-free:

1) You WILL go through a transition period. This means that, for a span of a few weeks to a few months, your hair will be more oily and greasy than you have ever seen it before. The duration of this period differs for everyone: my boyfriend's hair adjusted to the B.S. method in a matter of days, while the same method took my long hair a month to fully adjust to. This transition is completely normal. Your body is used to producing oils at a high rate to compensate for your frequent shampooing.  As long as you stay away from the bottle, your scalp will slowly adjust and begin producing those oils at a much slower rate. My recommendation? Invest in hair bands and cute ribbons to tie your hair up with (braids are especially good at hiding greasy-looking hair).

2) You WILL be tempted to go back to shampoo once, only to immediately regret doing so. This says nothing of your strength of character. Just know that once you step out of the shower and feel your hair post-breakdown, you will be so disgusted that it will only strengthen your resolve to go 'poo-free. Really, quitters never win.

3) You WILL save money. A lot of money. And even more than a lot of money if you go with the W/O or sebum methods.

4) Once you have adjusted, you WILL wash your hair substantially less than ever before.  As much as I  love saving money, this was THE selling point for me. I used to have to wash my hair daily if I wanted to avoid a greasy, waxy look. Now I'm washing my hair every three days or so, though I can go substantially longer without it being noticeable. In fact, my hair looks better five days after a wash (it was an experiment...) as it used to look after twelve hours. If you adhere to the rules (which we will get to in the next post), this will never cause your hair to be dirty or smelly.


Sold yet? Of course not, but for all of the benefits, you'd be crazy not to at least try it. I'm hardly an eco-freak, but when something is so good for your body, the earth, and your wallet... it's really a no-brainer.

Milk: Which Do You Choose?

"Milk: it does the body good!" Got it? Not so fast. While decades of advertisement and scientific study have told us that dairy is a cornerstone of good health, recent scholarship has began to shed doubt on these long-standing claims. And we shouldn't be surprised: the average gallon of milk sold today is packed with antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides that cows and their food are treated with. Organic milk isn't necessarily safe from these; there is a lot of debate as to what qualifies as organic, and food labels like "natural" can be extremely misleading. The milk sold today just isn't the same milk our grandparents drank: it is commercially produced at a high volume that makes use of excessive processing. Of course, it isn't just these chemicals that make milk a questionable nutritional option. Think practically: as infants, we drink the milk of our mother until we reach about eighteen months. After that, our bodies (and the bodies of our mothers) instinctively wean us off this milk, just like dogs, cats, or cows. Our bodies were only built to drink milk at a young age-- hence the high rate of lactose intolerance developed in adults. As one of my high school biology teachers told me, "it's just unnatural for one animal to drink the milk of another! Can you imagine feeding your dog human breast milk?"

Of course you wouldn't.

Now, it's still important to recognize that the wealth of health benefits derived from milk are absolutely real. Many nutrients are derived from the drink: vitamins D, A, protein, and-- most notably-- calcium. While we have been raised to consider milk the most convenient way to get these nutrients, the fact is that many more natural, healthy alternatives exist... and some are even inspired by our favorite drink!

While there are a variety of ways to go about getting your milk fix-- cereal can be hard to give up, right?-- for now we will cover four of the most popular non-dairy "milk" products: soy, rice almond, and coconut milk. Each comes in a variety of brands and flavors, so in the sake of fairness we will examine the "regular" version of the most popular brands. The milks will be judged for nutrition, cost, other flavors, and taste (which is admittedly highly subjective). Here goes!

For a comparison point, we will use 2% Dairy Milk. Its nutrients of note (in 8 oz):
122 cal (43 from fat), 5 g fat, 12 g carbohydrates (0 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 8 g protein, 9% of your daily Vitamin A intake, and 29% of your daily calcium intake

Soy milk (Silk)

When I ventured away from dairy milk, the first type of milk I tried was soy milk. Obviously, it was tasty enough to lure me away from conventional milk for good.

Silk Original comes in two forms. Like many non-dairy milks, there is a shelf-stable variety that can be stored up to twelve months (translation: if it's on sale or you find a great coupon, you can buy it even if you don't need it yet!) While the vanilla flavor is Silk's most popular (and delicious), the original packs a tasty punch that won't leave you missing dairy.

Nutrients: 90 cal (30 from fat), 3.5 g fat, 8 g carbohydrates (1 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 6 g protein, 10% of your daily vitamin A intake, and 45% of your daily calcium.

...So what? With six grams of soy protein in every eight ounces, you're getting 2g less protein than you would in 2% dairy milk. However, Silk Soy milk is clearly superior to dairy in caloric, fat, carbohydrate, and calcium content.

Cost: $0.11/oz for a six pack of the shelf stable variety on amazon.

Taste: With a slightly nutty aftertaste (apparently a new development), Silk feels slightly thicker than dairy milk but goes down much more smoothly. As far as milk varieties go, the taste gets a 6/10. For a delicious taste with only a few more calories, try the vanilla-- it goes perfectly with cereal!

Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Very Vanilla, DHA-Omega 3 (Plain), Organic Vanilla, Organic Original, Organic Unsweetened, Light Vanilla, Light Chocolate, and Light Original 

(Note: all light favors are sweetened with Stevia)

Rice milk (Rice Dream) 

Rice Dream is the overwhelmingly popular variety of rice milk made from organic brown rice. It can be found in both shelf stable and refrigerated forms.

Nutrients: 120 cal (20 from fat), 2.5 g fat, 23 g carbohydrates (0 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 1 g protein, 10% of your daily vitamin A intake, and 30% of your daily calcium. Also a significant source of Vitamin B12 (25%), Vitamin D (25%), and Phosphorous (15%).

...So what? Rice milk trumps dairy milk in its vitamin and mineral content. However, the low protein and high sugar value make it less appealing than other milk varieties.

Cost: $0.09/oz for a twelve pack of the shelf stable variety on amazon.

Taste: Definitely does not taste like dairy. It's thin, watery, and has a taste reminiscent of oat and something else I can't put my finger on. Closer to water than milk, but some may enjoy the lighter taste. A 4/10.

Flavors: Vanilla is available in both refrigerated and self stable form, but the rest are shelf stable form only: Enriched Chocolate, Heartwise Original, Heartwise Vanilla, Supreme Chocolate Chai, and Supreme Vanilla Hazelnut.

Almond milk (Silk)  

While Almond Dream sells another popular variety, we will review Silk in the interest of control. In the interest of full disclosure, this is my absolute favorite after sampling all three.

Nutrients: 60 cal (25 from fat), 2.5 g fat, 8 g carbohydrates (1 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 1 g protein, 10% of your daily vitamin A intake, and 45% of your daily calcium. Also a significant source of Vitamin B12 (50%), Vitamin D (25%), and Riboflavin (25%). 

...So what? As low calorie as milk substitutes get (the unsweetened flavor has just 35 calories!), the taste is unbeatable and the nutrition is impossibly good for those watching their weight.

Cost: $0.08/oz for a six pack of the shelf stable variety on amazon.

Taste: While the taste is undeniably nutty-- it takes a bit to get used to-- it tastes much more indulgent than its 60 calories without being too thick. Surprisingly good with cereal and coffee (although not as good as Silk Vanilla Soy Milk). On its own, though, nothing is better. 8.5/10

Flavors: Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, and Unsweetened.

Coconut milk (Silk)  

One of the newest nondairy milks, PureCoconut lets you buy into the current craze for coconut in our drinks.

Nutrients: 80 cal (50 from fat), 5 g fat, 7 g carbohydrates (0 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 1 g protein, 10% of your daily vitamin A intake, and 45% of your daily calcium. Also a significant source of Vitamin B12 (50%) and Vitamin D (25%).. 

...So what? The nutrients and calories have regular milk beat, although Coconut milk doesn't compare to almond or soy milk.

Cost: Not yet listed (will update soon!)

Taste: Despite the expected richness, Silk's coconut milk is surprisingly watery, with a strong aftertaste that is difficult to get used to. I love coconut, but coconut milk is like coconut water in its distinct taste. If you LOVE coconut water you might like this; otherwise, expect it to be an acquired taste. I give it a 5/10 here.

Flavors: Original and Vanilla (pictured)

Why Pale Skin is SO In.

I've got a lot of Mediterranean genes in me, so growing up I'd start my summers pale white and end them impossibly dark. As I grew into my late teenage years, I grew to love my end-of-the summer tan, because my olive-tinged skin is impossible to find light foundation for. I worked at a pool, yet the hours I wasn't spending in my guard suit were spent tanning in my back yard. I'd get dozens of compliments on my tan, and sometimes the lines would stick around year-round. It made me look fit, unique, and healthy.

So, why am I pale as a ghost now? The simple answer is that I've spent the last four years ferociously avoiding any sort of sun exposure. I work at the pool and now I wear long sleeves and 50 SPF instead of 15. I began doing so reluctantly-- the antibiotics I was taking for my acne made my once burn-proof skin as sensitive as a baby's. After doing a lot of research--and becoming a biochemistry major--I came to completely and totally reject my old tanning ways and realized that pale is in.

Why Pale Is In: Let's Get Real.
Here's the bottom line: a tan is an absolute indicator that you have obtained skin cell damage. Yes, a TAN, not a sunburn. Tanning is your body's mechanism for defense against UV radiation. I mean, did you think it was an evolutionary development to make you look super cute in this season's hot color? To attract a mate, maybe? No, I didn't think so. So why do so many girls keep insisting on ravaging their long-term looks and their health just for a few months of glow?

Tanning Beds: This Way to Skin Cancer
We all know the obvious cosmetic reason to avoid tanning beds: no matter what your skin tone, you will always come out with an unnatural orange tinge. Let's face it: you know which girls have a real tan and which have a fake. But did you know, really know, the cold hard facts about why tanning beds are not for us educated beauties?

Picture by Adem Kaya

According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, people who tan indoors are 74% more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never stepped in a booth. And do you think tanning before vacation is worth your while to avoid a sunburn? I know I once did, you you might want to check this out.

Yes, skin cancer can affect anyone, but why disrespect your body and yourself by drastically increasing those chances? People comment on my pale skin and, occasionally, it makes me feel self-conscious. But why should it? I'm protecting my body and preventing accelerated aging to an enormous extent.

How Not to Do Homemade Beauty: Waxing

One of the big reasons I started blogging was because I spent so much time researching natural and homemade beauty solutions that it only made sense to condense and share it with others. I've tried a lot of things: olive oil on my hair and skin, going shampoo-free, and utilizing baking soda as an OTC skin care solution. These things were easy to do while I was away at school: they require minimum preparation, materials, and clean up (really, most natural beauty solutions do). One thing I was waiting to get home to try is homemade wax for leg hair removal... and while I'm glad I waited to do it until I came home, I'm annoyed with myself for choosing to try it in the first place!

Yes, natural beauty can be messy. So can natural eating. But, usually, it's worth it. I'm a big proponent of that concept of "don't put anything on your body that you wouldn't put into your mouth." While I don't always follow it (makeup and sunscreen are my exceptions) I have made a major effort to try. For hair removal, I cut out shaving cream (tough but worthwhile) and forced my skin to adapt to water and Gillette Razor Blades alone. While it gets the job done, the idea of waxing has always been a seductive one for me; the fact that waxing lasts longer than shaving is especially alluring for ladies with dark body hair. So, with no obligations to fill my day, I decided to attempt a homemade wax using the following recipe that I found here.

I want to stress that I am not insulting the recipe or methods of the authors. The good thing about homemade beauty advice is that bloggers are typically not sharing recipes for personal gain. There are usually pictures and testimonials in the comments section that can help you decide whether or not to do it. Of course, being so excited about the DIY project, I neglected to read that no one in the comments had actually tried it themselves, and that even the author did not testify to doing so. This, obviously, was an enormous mistake.

To make a long story short, I started by slightly burning my finger in the hot wax (my fault), made a mess of my bathroom while fruitlessly trying to spread the wax (price of doing business), and managed to achieve only minimal results despite trying both suggested methods to the best of my ability. Honestly, I lost more of my nail polish as the wax hardened to my fingertips than I lost leg hair. After practically peeling my fingernails off, I got to spend another thirty minutes cleaning the wax out of the container and off the spoon I had attempted to spread the wax with. Yes, it was an unmitigated disaster, but it was also a learning process.

The moral of the story is this: consult multiple blogs that contain testimonials before you try any potentially messy or dangerous homemade beauty products/projects. YouTube videos are best for any marginally complicated processes. Yes, the waxing worked to a certain extent for me, but now I realize that no matter how good I got at it, the results for this particular recipe wouldn't be worth my effort. It's not as if I won't try it again... I'm thinking of using a recipe like this, which includes intricate step-by-step directions vital for success. I'll let you know how it goes, but you should consider looking for a few more reviews before you try it for yourself... trust me.

Baking Soda: The Best OTC Skin Care

If you've never been afflicted with acne, thank your lucky stars. Not only is it terribly frustrating to deal with all the misconceptions (I've met people in college who believe acne is caused by bad hygiene), the physical and emotional scars stay with you even longer than the bumps and redness. While it may sound dramatic, I can assure you that anyone with moderate to severe acne will tell you the same.  I personally have struggled with continuous acne and subsequent scarring since I was fifteen years old. It seemed there was nothing I could to cure it. Whether I was working out four hours a day in the pool during swim season or spending that time life guarding in the sun, it was there. Whether I was eating for wellness, weight loss, or to deal with my emotions, it was there. Stressed or relaxed, the acne never disappeared. I tried every combination of over-the-counter products and looked up every skin care ritual there was in hopes of helping myself. And, of course, I visited more than one doctor; I tried almost everything but Accutane, and the only thing that worked in the slightest was amoxicillin (for which it took three years to get prescribed). Even that did little good, and really, I didn't want to be taking it everyday for the rest of my life even if it did work.

Thankfully, almost six years later, my acne is beginning to clear up (for now). I'm well aware that a lot of this has to do with my body chemistry, but I'm definitely sure that changing my skin care regiment didn't hurt my progression. I had always believed that, besides prescription face wash, there was nothing more important than to wash your face with OTC products. My boyfriend, who washes his face in the shower with bar soap or only hot water, was convinced I was wrong. Now, obviously, acne is mostly correlated to your genetic makeup (check out this study for more information), so it was easy for me to brush off the advice of a guy whose entire family has super-clear skin. But in my quest to live a little more naturally (and a lot more cheaply), I finally decided to test out that theory.

What I want to share is something that worked for me while I transitioned off amoxicillin and continues to work for me today. I think it's worth trying for people with skin types that range from acne-free to moderately affected by acne, especially those who are currently using OTC products. I want to stress that I truly believe some people-- including members of my family-- need to use prescription face wash in addition to oral medication to keep their skin under control. If you have severe acne, a dermatologist is always the best way to go.

For the last month, I have been washing my face exclusively with baking soda and water. I've raved about baking soda before, but I truly believe this is the #1 greatest unconventional use of the product. Using it as a face wash is so simple: you just splash water on your face, pour about a teaspoon of baking soda into your hand, and (lightly) massage onto your face before rinsing! Not only does it work wonderfully as a cleanser, it doubles as a light exfoliator that does wonders for acne scars. It's also a lot cheaper than any other face wash you'll find out there.

Of course, it's not the perfect treatment-- there are some things to be aware of. The exfoliating nature of the product means that your skin will be left slightly red after use, with acne scars looking more visible than usual. This is especially true in the first few weeks of using the product, as your skin isn't used to it. Be sure to start slowly (once a day or every other day) so as not to irritate your skin. You can decide whether once or twice a day is best for your daily routine when you've completely adjusted. In addition, the alkaline nature of baking soda requires a toner be used to maintain your skin's proper pH. I love using the same apple cider vinegar/water mix I use in my hair to do the job! I've found that the smell is unnoticeable after a few minutes, but if you're convinced you smell like vinegar (or if your skin is super sensitive), just remove the toner with water after a few minutes. It's still way cheaper and easier than your normal skin care routine probably is! At night, I like to follow up with olive oil as a moisturizer, but during the day I use a store-bought moisturizer with SPF 15.

My skin's never been better since I began this regimen, and I didn't start it myself until I read a lot of positive experiences online. There are obviously no quick fixes, and I have indeed found OTC products that have some effectiveness in cleansing and exfoliating skin. In my experience, none of these OTC products have been any more useful than baking soda, and none have been comparable in price or purity. Obviously I think it's worth trying yourself; if you do, let me know how it went!

Losing the Shampoo: How-To

One of the greatest things about knocking store bought shampoo off of your beauty supply list is the variety of choices you have when considering its replacement. There are four generally accepted methods to choose from to keep your hair clean. While I personally find some to be superior to others, all are superior to using store-bought shampoo.


1) Conditioner-Only (C/O)

This method is the only one that requires continued use of store-bought product. Simply put, the C/O approach requires you to use conditioner as a sort of two-in-one hair product. While I have never attempted this method personally, it is very popular in such online forums as the Long Hair Community (check out their C/O thread here). Apparently, scrubbing your hair with conditioner can be an effective way of keeping your hair clean and silky. Unfortunately, a lot of these conditioners have silicone in them, which builds up in your hair and locks out moisture. It's great if you can find a conditioner that has modified silicone (which cleans out of the hair easier) or has none in it at all. Some recommend periodical washings with clarifying shampoo; this will affect your results going 'poo-free, but hair care is all about what works for you.


2) Simple Ingredients/Homemade Concoctions
While sulfate-free shampoos do exist, they are generally one of two things: expensive or full of chemicals. If you aren't comfortable with the other methods, this one is great to try first, because it eliminates store-bought shampoo and conditioner without requiring a long transition time. And, by using ingredients you would find in your kitchen, the chemicals you put on your head are limited to those you would put in your body.

This method is also appealing because it offers so many safe and effective options. Indeed, entire blogs are devoted to DIY hair care products. I have only tried a handful myself, but the simplest and most effective one employed just three ingredients: baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and water. When using this method, I use a mix of 1 tbsp baking soda/8 fl.oz water as 'shampoo', making sure to carefully but vigorously massage my scalp  (A warning: if you dye your hair, baking soda may wash some of the color out. That's how well it cleans.) To close the cuticles of my hair, I use a 7:1 water:apple cider vinegar solution. While this isn't totally necessary, I find that my hair looks just a little better after using it. 


Admittedly, after rinsing, your hair is hardly as soft and smooth as it feels after a good store-bought conditioning. Luckily, it looks phenomenal once it dries, and you needn't shampoo nearly as frequently as you're probably used to.


3) Water-Only (W/O)

This is where it starts getting scary, and (admittedly) a little gross at first encounter. The W/O method is as simple as its name: using only water, you vigorously massage your scalp to achieve clean hair. After a rinse with cold water to close those cuticles, your hair regimen is done until your locks are dry. This is the method I chose to convert to when I realized I couldn't avoid coloring my hair forever (effectively ending my affair with baking soda, for the most part). Yes, it sounds disgusting, and yes, it really does work without making your hair stink to high heaven. People have explained it far more eloquently than I will be able to: read about it at the Long Hair Community.

4) Sebum-Only (No Water)

Can you wash your hair without water? Apparently, you can.  Using the boar bristle brush that any hair lover should already have in their beauty arsenal, you can lift away excess oil and debris from your hair just from brushing. I personally have never tried this method by itself, but while using a clean boar bristle brush in between W/O washes, I have never once noticed my hair to be greasy or foul-smelling (and neither has my boyfriend). I enjoy my daily showers too much for water-only washing to be inconvenient, but for backpackers or those without access to enough water, this alternative seems reasonable enough.