The continuation of the series HOW TO BUILD A HEALTHY HAIR REGIMEN is long overdue. Today we will intensively talk about various ways TO CLEAN YOUR HAIR so sit back and relax because this post will be long. I’d advise you to take your time to read through & do so preferably in portions.

“One thing that has greatly helped me in choosing what to take in and incorporate to my routine is TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE ME. THIS IS BECAUSE HE KNOWS ME FULLY AND KNOWS HOW TO STEWARD HAIR.”

This is just to tell you to journey with God throughout. Never heard this before? Just stick around and you’ll realize God is a Good FATHER & loves to take care of you.

NOTE:
When choosing what method to use to clean your hair, do put into consideration your hair needs and goals, so that it gives you your desired results. Also consider the other factors that determine how your routine will look like. If you have no idea what these factors are, click here ( www.eltamiym.com/healthy-hair-regimen-factors-to-consider/ ) to get the information.

The different methods to clean hair are:

• The No Shampoo Method aka No Poo method
• The Conditioner Wash Method aka Co-Wash
• The Low Shampoo Method aka Low Poo
• The Shampoo Method

THE NO SHAMPOO METHOD
Just like the name suggests, this method doesn’t involve the use of shampoos. Sodium Laureate Sulfate (SLES), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), and Ammonium Laureate Sulfate (ALS) are surfactants that are typically used in shampoos, toothpaste, soaps, etc. Surfactants used in shampoos are to remove dirt and oil from the scalp. These sulfates are also inexpensive and very effective foaming agents. The use of sulfates in shampoos strips all the natural oil from your scalp, drying it out (hence, dry scalp (hence, dandruff) hence, hence, hence.) and causing your scalp to over-produce oil to combat the dryness (hence, oily roots).

Silicones are used in shampoos to smooth the hair and add shine. Silicone is not one thing – it’s a large group of compounds that end in “-cone”, like methicone, dimethicone, cyclomethicone, and so on. Most silicones are insoluble in water and can build up on your scalp. Silicone can give the hair a conditioned feeling and look, but it’s not actually because your hair is healthy. It’s basically like a layer of plastic that coats your hair and makes it look shiny.

This information has been extracted from www.happyhairguide.com & www.nopoomethod.com & has been altered to fit the goal of the series.

Water Washing Method
Washing Hair with Water Only has been adapted widely in the hair community & as the name suggests, Water only is exactly how it sounds. You rinse your hair with water only and don’t use any hair products. Most people who use the water only method scritch and preen with a boar bristle brush.
Today I am going to explain how it works, how to do it effectively but also, importantly, why Water Only Hair Washing isn’t for everyone.

Why Washing Hair With Water Only?
Washing hair with water only is one of the cheapest methods of washing hair & it’s also a minimalist act – you can travel with absolutely no hair care products on you: Festivals, impromptu sleepovers, you name it. Washing hair with water only is also toxic free & therefore for most people as its healthy and cheap.

How does W.O.W work?
When one switches to water or to another gentle shampoo alternative, our hair begins to calibrate and only produce the right amount of oils for our hair.
In short, ditching shampoo and using something like water, can make our hair incredibly healthy and strong, as well as shiny and clean!
For many people, using water is enough to help clean pollutants from the hair shaft, and to redistribute the hair’s beautiful oils. We begin to learn that sebum is our friend, not our enemy!

STEPS

1.  Invest in a good boar bristle brush.
2. Detangle your hair with a comb or your fingers
3. Figure out how to best shift sebum from your roots to the ends of your hair.
4. Massage your entire scalp with your fingertips. This encourages oil / sebum production. This is called scritching. Scritch and preen for 5-10 minutes a day.
5. Preen your hair. Use your boar bristle brush to help distribute your natural sebum oils by “pulling” the oils down your hair. Do it section by section and brush all the way from the roots to the ends. This distributes the oils down the length of your hair and moisturizes. This process takes 10-20 minutes depending on how much hair you have. ALWAYS BRUSH, SCRITCH AND PREEN AT NIGHT OR JUST BEFORE HOPPING IN THE SHOWER.
6. Whenever your hair feels too laden with sebum, hop in the shower with warm water (Not boiling). Use the same massaging and scritching technique as the WARM water cascades onto your hair.
7. Rinse with COLD WATER. Sorry, but it’s got to happen. Cold water closes the hair shaft, which serves the purposes of keeping your hair healthy but also smoother and less likely to tangle.
8. Let hair dry naturally or use fabrics made from natural materials like cotton or silk. An old cotton t-shirt is the most popular option. A rough towel raises the shingle like layers on your hair shaft making it far more tangled. Be gentle with your hair while it is wet. Don’t brush it, scrunch it, scrub it with your towel, etc. Pat it dry and lightly detangle with your fingers if needed.

Some people do the scritch and preen process daily. Some people do it only on days they wash their hair (either water only or with products). It’s important to wash your brush regularly to remove the oils. Soap and hot water works.

It can take between 2 weeks – 16 weeks for your hair to fully adjust to this method. You can wash with water as often as you like. Many water only people scritch & preen nightly and do a water wash weekly. Some only scritch & preen prior to washing. And some only wash twice a month. Like all of these methods, it all depends on personal preference and your hair.

Why Washing Hair with Water Only Isn’t the Holy Grail
The most important thing people attempting to do No Poo can realize is that there is NO HOLY GRAIL. Not one, anyway. Each person will have their own Holy Grail.

Every single head of hair is different. It isn’t guaranteed that this method will work for every one especially because every hair is unique and has unique needs. Please take time to learn your hair before taking up a method.
Also every single person has different access to resources that are alternatives to shampoos and every person has a different source of water.

And this final one is, to me, the main reason Water Only Washing isn’t the be all and end all of No Poo.
You Shouldn’t Do Water Only Washing If your water source sucks! 

If you have good access to good water – rain water, spring water, untreated water, then Water Only Washing is a no brainer.

Washing Hair with Water only – Hard Water method
Some people living in hard water areas have attained a system of washing hair with water only by either boiling and letting cool some water or using filtered water. This is a bit of a faff BUT you only have to do it for the final rinse, usually. However, it is my humble opinion that you shouldn’t fight too hard against your environment. Simply accept that you live in a hard water area and that your No Poo ultimate goal is therefore different! If you live in a hard water area Water Only Washing is complicated, and isn’t half the reason we are going No Poo to do with simplifying our beauty regime?

Alternatives to Washing Hair with Water Only
Here I am going to suggest that you consider something with an open mind. It might sound extreme, but hey, you are already considering No Poo, so EMBRACE YOUR NEW EXTREME LIFESTYLE.

Sebum Only
There. I’ve said it. Consider avoiding the water coming out of your taps where possible. If you get the lovely chance of having water wash in rainfall or at a lake out of town, does it. But try and avoid getting your tap water on your hair. If you live in a city with hard water, it is almost certainly making your hair nasty.

Instead do all of the above, the massaging and brushing and scritching and preening. And occasionally, when you feel like you need it, brush through a little cinnamon powder or corn flour. Read more on how to go about using dry wash options in the www.happyhairguide.com blog.

Final Acidic Rinse
Instead of aiming for Washing Hair with Water only do Washing Hair with Water Only AND a Cheeky Little Acidic Rinse! Something about using an apple cider rinse neutralizes the effects of your hard water.

If you decide water only isn’t for you, check out all these alternative shampoos and all these homemade conditioner recipes from your kitchen!

ALTERNATIVE SHAMPOOS & CONDITIONERS

Baking Soda & Apple Cider Vinegar
This is by far the most popular No poo method and combination.
Baking Soda: Use a good quality, natural baking soda & Apple Cider Vinegar: Raw, unfiltered vinegar with the mother is best
How much of each you use will vary from person to person. The baking soda is what cleans your hair and the apple cider vinegar is what conditions your hair. If your hair is dry, increase the amount of vinegar. If your hair is oily, increase the amount of baking soda.

STEPS
Paste method, baking soda: Put about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon in my palm and then massage that into your scalp. USE THIS METHOD ONCE A MONTH [Alternate wash by other washes].
Spray method, baking soda: This method is more popular. Mix about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in about 1 cup of water. Store in a spray or squirt bottle (non-plastic is best). This amount is 1-3 applications (depending on your hair).
For either method, be sure to focus the application of the baking soda to your scalp, not the shaft of your hair. Rinse completely with warm water.

Follow the baking soda wash with an apple cider vinegar rinse.

Mix the vinegar with water and store in a spray bottle. Use a ratio of about 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. You can adjust to your needs. Some people use as little as 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of water. But more than a 50/50 ratio is not recommended.
Spray generously on your hair focusing on the ends, let sit for a minute or two, rinse. The vinegar smell is gone before your hair dries.

PLEASE NOTE
Too much baking soda will damage your hair. If your hair becomes dry or damaged from using this method, then you are using too much baking soda, too often. It’s also very important that you use an acidic rinse after washing with baking soda to balance the pH levels of your scalp.

Egg Wash
If you are new to The No poo method, you are going to see quite a few “odd” cleansers in this list and egg is the first one. Egg washes your hair. And it also conditions and strengthens it. Do an egg wash a once every month or TWO. It makes thin hair so much thicker. Eggs have a lot of protein and that protein adds volume to your hair. The most important thing to remember when doing an egg wash is to use cool water from start to finish. Warm / hot water will cook the egg and you will have scrambled eggs in your hair that seems impossible to get out.
It is also important not to do egg washes too often. If your hair becomes stiff from an egg wash, that’s an indicator that your hair has overdosed on protein. Some hair types do not respond well to any additional protein (like low porosity hair). Most people can do a couple egg washes a month without any problems. If you do overdose on protein, deep condition your hair.

STEPS

1. Beat an egg and apply to wet hair (be sure to use cool water; apply from the scalp to the ends of your hair). You can add about a tablespoon of water and/or honey to the egg if desired.
2. Leave in for 5-15 minutes.
3. Rinse completely with cool water.
4. A conditioning or acidic rinse afterwards is optional.

Rye Flour Wash
A rye flour wash leaves one’s hair very shiny and smooth. Rye flour has lots of vitamins, minerals, & nutrients and most hair types respond well to it. You can use any kind of rye flour (dark, light, etc) but the more finely it is ground, the better.

STEPS

1. Mix 2-4 tablespoons of rye flour with 2-4 tablespoon water, stir until it is lump free
2. Add about 3 drops of essential oils (optional)
3. Massage into your hair and scalp (I wet my hair first)
4. Leave for 5-15 minutes
5. Rinse completely

It does feel a little slippery, waxy, and slimy as you apply it. But don’t worry; your hair will not be any of those things. If you are unable to rinse the flour out of your hair, try diluting it with more water or using a finer ground flour. Rinsing your hair very well is important. Make sure your hair is tangle free before you wash. Tangles will trap the flour and make it hard to remove. Some people sift the flour before using to make. If you have thick or easily tangled hair, it may be more difficult for you to rinse it out. It can be done, just might take some more effort. The flour does have to come out by rinsing before it dries. I thought I would be able to brush it out after my hair dried. That is not the case at all.

A conditioning or acidic rinse afterwards is optional.

Note: Rye flour is NOT gluten free.

Clay Wash
There are several types of clay you can use to wash your hair:

Bentonite clay is volcanic ash. When it is mixed with a liquid, it swells and forms a sponge. This sponge has a natural negative electric charge that attracts excess metals, hydrogen, toxins, and impurities, pulling them out of your hair & scalp. It replaces the toxins with naturally occurring minerals in the clay. Bentonite is a powerful detoxifier. At first, the clay as it detoxifies ones hair, leaves it feeling dirty and dry which might be difficult to manage. But in the long run, once ones hair is fully detoxified, the clay leaves the hair very soft, clean, and manageable. Bentonite is best for oily hair.
Rhassoul clay is mined in Morocco. It contains a lot of minerals (including magnesium, iron, and potassium) and silica that are good for hair. It improves elasticity, moisturizes, exfoliates, and detoxifies. Moroccan women have used it for beauty care for centuries with earliest know use during the 8th century. Rhassoul clay is best for dry and/or curly hair.
Kaolin clay is the most gentle clay and good if you have a sensitive scalp. This is a good clay to use if you have not transitioned to the No poo method. If you are in the middle of transitioning, you can use bentonite clay to help speed up the detoxifying process. Kaolin clay stimulates circulation, gently exfoliates, and cleanses. Kaolin clay is best for dry and/or curly hair.

STEPS

1. Mix about 2 tablespoons clay (more or less depending on how much hair you have) with an equal amount of water, aloe Vera, or apple cider vinegar.
2. Massage into your hair, from scalp down the entire length of your hair.
3. Let sit for 5-15 minutes. The more frequently you wash your hair, the less you will want this to sit.
4. Rinse.

PLEASE NOTE:
It’s important to do an acidic rinse afterwards to balance pH levels. Apple cider vinegar is most popular.
You can use this mask as an occasional deep cleanser and detoxifier. You can use the same method on your face for a face mask.
Soap Nuts
Soap nuts are berries that grow on a tree and they contain, of course, soap. This natural soap can be used to clean just about anything from laundry to glass to skin to hair. You can make an all purpose cleaning spray or a dish detergent with them. It’s very soothing for your skin and great for skin issues such as periphrases and eczema. And of course, use them to wash your hair.

First, make liquid soap:

1. In a saucepan, boil about 6 cups of water with about 10 soap nuts.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Let cool.
4. Remove the soap nuts. Let them dry out. You can reuse them later.
5. Store the liquid soap in the fridge. It will keep for a few weeks.
6. You can add about 10-15 drops essential oils to the liquid soap (optional).
7. Use about 2-4 tablespoons of the liquid soap to wash your hair. Massage it into your hair just as you would shampoo. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
8. Rinse.

Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is a no poo-ers best friend. And even if you use commercial shampoo, you can extend your wash by a day or 2 by using dry shampoo. In general, mix any combination of the following to get your desired color:

For the BASE one can use any of these; Arrowroot, Non-GMO Corn Starch, Baking Soda (use a natural brand – find out what makes a good quality baking soda), Ground Oatmeal Powder (very finely grind rolled oats in a spice/coffee grinder or blender).
For the TINT, one can use any of these; Cinnamon, Cocoa Powder, Red Moroccan Clay.
For FRAGRANCE & MORE, use essential Oils

STEPS
Select your base. You can stop there and just use your base. Or add up to an equal amount of tint. You can add fragrance with essential oils. Store in a shaker jar.

Applesauce Mask
This is great for wax buildup / waxy hair. You can use any natural applesauce with the least amount of ingredients or make homemade. Make sure it is very finely blended and I recommend running your applesauce through a blender so it’s easier to remove from your hair.

STEPS

1. Apply room temperature or warmer applesauce to dry hair. You can warm it up if you want for comfort or if you have low porosity hair. Use enough to generously coat your hair from root to tip.
2. Leave for an hour.
3. Rinse.

A conditioner rinse is optional. Apples are acidic, so if you follow with a rinse, don’t use anything too acidic.

This works great for hard water buildup. Depending on the amount of buildup, you may have to do this multiple times. You can do it as often and as close together (meaning daily) as you like until the wax buildup is gone. Your hair will likely get worse and waxier before it gets better. That’s a sign of detoxification and means its working.

Kefir and Kombucha
Milk kefir and kombucha are both fermented products & easy to make (find recipe in www.nopoomethod.com website.) Milk kefir is similar to yogurt. Kombucha is fermented tea. Both are acidic and full of probiotics (which are great for conditioning your scalp).

Use milk kefir as a shampoo / hair mask. Use about 1/4 cup, massage it into your hair and scalp, and leave for about 20 minutes, rinse. Be sure to rinse very, very, very well or you will smell like sour milk.

Use kombucha as a conditioner. You can use this to substitute for Apple Cider Vinegar rinse occasionally.

Aloe Vera & Epsom Salt
Epsom salt adds volume to hair. Aloe Vera is moisturizing. USE when hair feels a little dry and/or flat.

STEPS.

1. Mix about 1 teaspoon Epsom salt with 2-4 tablespoons aloe Vera gel.
2. Add a little water to get the desired consistency (optional).
3. Massage into scalp and hair.
4. Rinse.

This rinse does cleanse hair and leave it very soft & bouncy. Some people say that it moisturizes great, but does not clean very well. So if it doesn’t cleanse your hair, you can wash with another method and follow with this rinse.

There are a ton of DIY recipes online. Do research and see what you can make with natural ingredients.
Because of how long this post is already, I’ll end it here and post part II which will cover; Co- Wash Method, Low Shampoo & Shampoo Method.