No shampoo
 

Four weeks ago I stopped using shampoo and conditioner and now I just wash my hair with warm water.
The theory is that your hair will find its own natural oil balance and you will never need to use products again. Thus far it is proving to be true and my hair is as nice and smooth and shiny as ever.

It would be a huge bonus and save weight if I didn't need to cart extra toiletries around Oz... however, all the anecdotal evidence online is very positive from normal people doing normal everyday things - NOT shoving a helmet on your head for 6-8 hours a day.

Has anyone else stopped using shampoo whilst on the road and has your hair been "normal" or has it just turned totally feral?

It's a case of how long you are out for, in the way of how much you carry. I can't for the love of me work out why people take big bottle's of any thing. Many small one. Will pack in easer space. If you have four or five of the same thing but smaller. The chance's are you are going to find one soon. Rather than search for just the one bottle or packet. Tip. I get them urine simple bottle's from the chemist. Free. Fill them with shampoo. Can carry four or five of them at a time. Once one is empty. Just bin them.
John933

Tiny bottles of Pantene seem to be universally available so we but as we go. I have very long hair but I only use a bit on the scalp it's more concentrated than most shampoos. I didnt wash for 3 weeks when we trekked EBC and my hair was foul & dreadlocked. Took a couple hours to sort that out! I do think diet has something to do with it too. If you are stuck with lots of processed food your hair (and skin) will detox unpleasantly.

It's not such an issue for the folically challenged. My advice, cut your hair really short before a trip - or better yet, just shave your head bald! ;-)

I thought this was a joke until I realised you'd posted it Jacqui! But its true, it does sort itself out if you don't strip it of oil. We didn't wash our hair for about a month in Kaz and Mong last year because we were living rough. We had shampoo but no water, so that was that. It got pretty dirty - dust and bits of twigs mushed together with sweat from wearing a helmet all day - but we brushed it out after about a week and once you get over the 'this is nasty because I usually wash it everyday feeling' it seemed to settle down. My hair was short then and did get a bit sticky uppy, but Nads' was long, and looked OK.

My hair is also fairly short and curly - so it's very forgiving and easy to fake a "style" after removing one's helmet.

I did some further research and found this:
"Richard Glover, a radio host in Sydney, interviewed Matthew Parris, a columnist for The Times of London who hadn’t shampooed for more than a decade.

“So many people called saying that they wanted to try it, too,” Mr. Glover said, that he decided to challenge his audience to go without shampoo for six weeks.

Eighty-six percent of the over 500 participants who reported results said their hair was either better or the same. One participant, Emma Rowles, 22, blamed her former “itchy scalp” on shampoo and declared: “There’s no way I will ever let a drop of shampoo anywhere near my head again.”

Mr. Glover had another reason why some Australians just say no: “We’re tired of feeling like cogs in the machinery of consumption. There’s this feeling of liberation to be able to say no to an entire aisle of the supermarket.”

I plan on trying this soon, when I do I'll report what I find. I did a lot of reading of people's stories and two things seem to really stand out:

Rinsing the hair daily (water) is important. Hard water causes problems, at least with some people.

I'm finding the opposite.
I've been rinsing only once a week and the day after I rinse my hair it feels "thick" and a little oily but then day two and three are great ... really soft and shiny.

Have no experience living shampoo-less but sounds good! When I travelled 'light' in the 80's and 90's I used 1 piece of soap for everything: laundry,shaving, hair,mounting a tire and even for washing my hands. I was told it would be bad for my hair (have used it for 17 years) but being 52 now I am still far from bold so it can't be all that bad either.

shower Gel
 

Hi, i do not carry soap or shampoo (not really need for almost baldies), i use shower gel for all body and often clothes cleaning. works for me. Andy:mchappy:

I am pleased to report that after two months without shampoo or conditioner, my hair is completely normal - shiny, manageable, clean and not at all oily.

I'm thrilled with the results on many levels - not least the money I will save!

I don't think this would work on medium or long hair. My wife tried it and the oils from the scalp don't reach the ends and in her case died. Depends what type of hair you have though.

"the media is the message"
 

To quote a time worn phase, "the media is the message" shampoo is but one cog in the ever changing wheel of mass marketed products , enforced by ever increasing, ever more effective media campaigns specifically designed to separate good wholesome people from their hard earned money.

I am in my mid sixties and have only shampooed during quarterly hair cuts (that is 4 X a year) This only with PH neutral shampoo with no fragrance and done just prior to having my hair cut, not because my hair was dirty or smelly, but because of salon regulations.

A couple of years ago I went to my high school reunion, GC Marshall Dependent's High School, Ankara Turkey....and I was literally the only man not suffering baldness. I have a full head of very thick, healthy hair - my fellow classmates look as if they were auditioning Yul Brynner's role in the King and I.... I jokingly asked them if they all went to the same bad barber...

The clue here is that I was raised outside the reach of modern day western world advertising. Before graduating high school in Turkey, I lived and studied in Tokyo, Japan this was about ten years after WWII - mercifully I was spared TV there was no TV - once I returned to the States for university, no TV was available to me there either and I had no money budgeted for shampoo, I had no idea shampoo existed, after university, I joined the Peace Corps and took jobs in the third world for many years.

Needless to say there were no computers and most folks had no phones or party line land lines - but I will leave that until another post.....

I am proud to count myself among the shampoo challenged. I do warm water wash my hair about every second shower,( I shower each day) more often if riding, because my BMW helmet, as comfortable as it is and depending on climate - might cause my head to sweat.

This may be unique to some of you in 2013,,,,, I am repulsed by 99.9 of add on smells , including woman's perfumes. Several woman I have been intimate with, have told me that my particular smell, "pheromones" I guess was in part responsible for their attraction to me. Personally, my opinion, the way one smells is a product of what one eats....

I am a taster, meaning I have above average number of taste buds on my tongue and I could qualify as a professional wine taster. My ability to smell is also well above average - this I attribute to not using shampoos, perfumes nor deodorants of any type. It is my opinion that chronic use of either product or all together damages one's ability to taste and/or smell.

There you have it, I was not "conditioned" if you will, by an ever more effective avalanche of advertising during my youth, yet I am alive and well - yes I know male baldness is genetically related to the man's *Mother's Father's genes, but if that was all it is - this might not have been such an intriguing read.

* Should read: Maternal Grandfather

Nepoleon has been quoted as instructing his wife not to bathe , for he was soon to arrive in Paris. I get this totally...... Other interpretations welcome.....

xfiltrate

PS: Don't know why I didn't mention this, but I have a hot tub/japanese bath, that I really enjoy often. and I also enjoy a sauna whenever possible. Guess I just assumed everyone takes hot baths....

I am glad I found this thread, I've been wanting to get rid of shampoo but wasn't sure of the results. Looks like it's an unnecessary product that has been forced upon us by advertising and materialism. It's definitely going to be hard to give up as it's like a habit now, but if the results are positive,then why not?! Also, I like the idea of getting your hair cut really short, there's just something liberating about it :)

I've been on and off with shampoo for the last 18 months. My hair's pretty long (it gets cut twice a year). I was living in Broome in oz, hot, dry, dusty, lots of ocean swimming, my hair was always full of salt, sand, and a good dose of pindan, which i kinda dug. it looked kinda middle of the road feral, but i'm ok with that. We've been on the road for 11 months, and sometimes i use shampoo. Though indonesia it was the only easy way to get the black pollution film buildup out of my hair, and most city riding through SE Asia has led me to buy the evil bottles... Baking soda is a good alternative, i'm a bit scared to cross borders with it though (it'd be a pretty embarrassing story...). Tea tree oil rinse is good to make it smell nice, lavender oil too, and if it gets dry you can use olive oil/ coconut oil on the ends.

Now i'm on the subject of oil... I don't go anywhere without olive oil. I use it for face cleansing, moisturising my face and anywhere else that needs some love, after sun, hair care, massage oil, great for getting chain oil off your hands (use soap afterwards), and will also get bike oil and grease out of your clothes. Oh and of course you can cook with it. and you can buy it, or another good oil in every country. Apart from the actual essential things we're travelling with, olive oil is my one essential item.

If not using shampoo has worked out for you such a great way, then why nod continue it. I haven't tried the not shampoo thing but I think it is worth an experiment and after trying it out will let you know.

I've experimented with not using shampoo a few times now and for me it is a disaster. My hair seemed great without shampoo while I was in Germany, but otherwise it never seemed to work for me. No clue why Germany was different.

years ago as a truck driver, me and a few others just used soap, to wash all over when in the shower, did not have any problems.

I haven't used shampoo for years, either when travelling, or grounded. My hair is super thick and curly, and goes from short to shoulder length and back to short again, usually annually.
I just use bath soap on it, every day.
When I was using shampoo. I would have split ends, it would be dry and uncontrollable, and I'd look like catweasel after a hurricane. Now its soft and healthy, no matter how long it is, or how much sun it gets.
Shampoo is a con job, made to kill your hair so you buy conditioner.

How to wash your hair in space
 

For something a bit different

Astronaut Tips: How to Wash Your Hair in Space | Video - YouTube

I hadn't heard of no rinse shampoo before.

All the best

Ian J

It's now been six months since I stopped using any sort of soap/ shampoo on my hair. Water only.

4 months I was at home doing normal everyday things and 2 months I was on the road shoving a helmet on every day.

I am pleased to say that my hair is the healthiest it has ever been and there was virtually no difference when I was travelling or home.

My hair has found its own natural oil balance and needs no extra care or products.

A picture is worth a thousand words
 

My hair used to be kind of flat... After not using shampoo for 2 months, I find it got a lot more of... personality!!

it is started by a lady but want to share my experience...

Used to very expensive shampoo from Germany since 15 years and more than half of my hair gone :)

Started using natural soap made from real olive oil.
Very happy with the result.

My air don't look matte and no chemical at all...

I did it! I went two weeks with no shampoo while in India. (Formerly an every other day shampooer...) Before the flight back to Chile I did a tiny amount of shampoo with cold water because I didn't want to feel ick during the 30 plus travel hours. Then did blazing hot water upon arrival. I think you're right ScooterGal, your hair does find it's natural balance. My hair is now a totally different texture than ever before and feels fine. There is no shine, but that may be because I'm not brushing either. No shampoo certainly makes travel easier! I've never shampooed my cats/dogs, why would I use shampoo on my own fur??? doh

Well done - it's a scary prospect and a brave leap of faith... but one of the better decisions I've made.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhBQyC4und...0/1202_114.JPG
Windswept and interesting (from Billy Connolly)




:mchappy:

Shower like a woman, man and ADV rider
 

Just came accross this old thread and couldnt resist this... ooops sorry if its a bit :offtopic: but hey ho...

How to shower like a woman:-
Take off clothing and place it in sectioned laundry hamper according to whites and coloured.
Walk to bathroom wearing long dressing gown. If you see husband along the way, cover up any exposed areas. Look at your womanly physique in the mirror and make mental note to do more sit-ups.
Get in shower. Wash hair once with cucumber and sage shampoo with 43 added vitamins.
Wash hair again to make sure it is clean.
Condition hair with grapefruit mint conditioner enhanced with natural avocado oil, leave on hair for 15 minutes.
Wash face with crushed apricot facial, scrub for 10 minutes until red.
Wash entire rest of body with ginge rnut and jaffa cake body wash.
Shave armpits and legs.
Turn off shower.
Squeegee off all wet surfaces in shower, spray mould spots with Tilex.
Get out off shower.
Wrap hair in super absorbent towel.
Return to bedroom wearing long dressing gown and towel on head. If you see husband along the way, cover any exposed areas. :blushing:


How to shower like a man:-

Take off clothes while sitting on the edge of the bed and leave in pile on floor.
Walk naked to the bathroom.
If you see wife along the way, shake manhood at her making woo-hoo sound.
Look at manly physique in the mirror and scratch your arse.
Get in the shower. Wash your face. Wash your armpits.
Make fart noises (real or artificial) and laugh at how loud they sound in the shower.
Spend majority of time washing privates and surrounding area.
Shampoo hair. Make shampoo mohawk. Pee. Rinse off and get out of shower.
Partially dry-off and fail to notice water on floor.
Admire physique in mirror again.
Leave shower door open, wet mat on floor, leave light and fan on.
Return to bedroom with towel around waist.
If you pass wife on way, pull off towel, shake manhood at her and make woo-hoo noise again.
Throw wet towel on bed. :innocent:


How to shower like an ADV rider:thumbup1:
Get off bike near river, lake, pond or sea and jump in. Have a scrub with anything available. (removal of cloths optional).
Get out, dry off a bit and ride onto next destination.

If in desert… get off bike … remove wet wipes from luggage and scrub scummy areas. Remove fluffy remains of wet wipe from stubble then ride onto next destination 

:eek3: