Q&A for How to Wash Your Hair Without Shampoo

Dish soap is not a good replacement for shampoo. It is very harsh and will strip away all of your hair's natural oils.

You can, but you want to be sure that you are using a light-weight conditioner. Apply it from roots to ends and massage it into the scalp.

The no-shampoo method involves washing your hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. It is intended for naturally curly hair and enhances the curl pattern while preventing dryness.

You can mix baking soda or vinegar into water to cleanse your hair. You can also cleanse your hair with light-weight conditioner, a process known as co-washing.

Shampoo isn't bad for you, and it's useful for cleaning your hair. However, shampoo may cause side effects like build-up and damage.

Apple Cider vinegar is great for shiny hair! The low pH closes the cuticles and creates a glass-like surface.

You can make your own shampoo by mixing 1 part water and 1 part liquid castile soap. If you have dry hair, add a small amount of light vegetable oil or glycerin for moisture. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for added scent or other benefits (for example, studies show that tea tree oil can help fight dandruff and fungal infections).

If you stop shampooing, you may notice that your hair does not dry out as quickly. If your hair is very fine, though, you might experience a lot of oily buildup. In some cases, going without shampoo can cause irritation or make dandruff worse, so talk to your dermatologist if you notice these issues.

You can wash your hair with just water, but water alone won’t wash away oils that build up on your hair. If your hair is naturally very dry, thick, or curly, this isn’t necessarily a big drawback. However, if your hair is very fine or oily, this might be an issue. It also won’t get rid of any built-up hair products, so you’ll have to thoroughly wash your hair with clarifying shampoo before you switch over to water only. Going without any kind of cleanser can also eventually lead to clogged pores, itching, and irritation in your scalp.

It depends on the length of your hair and the amount you use. Luckily, a mixture of water and baking soda doesn't go bad. You just need to shake it before each use since the baking soda will settle at the bottom of the container. You could also just keep a box of baking soda in the bathroom and mix the amount of solution you need every time you shower.

Yes, but it takes your hair time to adjust. Avoid using hot water, as this will cause your hair to be oilier.

Mix lemon juice and coconut oil, and apply this mixture to your hair. Leave it in for 15 or 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

No. The vinegar serves as the conditioner; you don't need to do more.

Once a week or so.

Depends on the person. However, shampoo tends to deplete the natural oils from your hair, causing the scalp to overcompensate and produce excess oil. When you stop using shampoo, you may find your hair quite oily for a couple of weeks, as it is still overcompensating. But after a while, you hair adjusts and stops overproducing oil.

No, the hairstyle you wear doesn't affect your hair growth. Just don't pull it too tight.

Too much dry shampoo can make your hair look dull. Dry shampoo should only be applied to dry hair. Don't rub it in immediately after spraying it on—give it a few minutes to absorb the oil at your scalp.

The lemon juice method works just as well as the baking soda method.

Braids will not influence the growth of your hair. In fact, almost nothing can. If you're interested in growing out your hair more, look into biotin supplements! They can strengthen and improve any hair you grow.

No, I use the baking soda shampoo, and it works just fine without apple cider vineger.

Yes, you can. Wet your hair thoroughly before going into the pool so that it doesn't take in as much chlorinated pool water.

Based on my personal experience, using conditioner is good for the adjustment period wherein the scalp produces a lot of oil to compensate due to the sudden change of the routine. I would recommend using conditioner every other day during this period if there's an excessive buildup and strong smell coming from your hair or scalp.

Plain white vinegar, when used as a mixture of equal parts vinegar and warm water, will help to remove hair dye.

Yes, though many people find it more convenient to do it in the evening when they'll be home for a while. Apply it for two hours or overnight and do this couple of times in a week.

Cold water is really just to gently cleanse your hair. Doing that alone would probably be fine, but if you add conditioner (which is basically adding the oil the shampoo takes) to your already oily hair, it would only increase the oily feeling.

Yes, they have the same benefits.

No. You should apply to to the ends of your hair; avoid the roots. Applying it like shampoo will make your hair overly greasy.

You should wash as often as you normally would.