Has anyone else tried the "no shampoo" thing in the book Curly Girl?  

I have to say I was skeptical, but since I usually only washed my hair once a week, I figured it couldn't hurt to try it.  Two and a half weeks later, all I can say is, WOW!

My hair is so much less tangled now.  And shiny!  And I can wear it down all day, everyday, and not stress over how I'm going to untangle it that night.

My husband is so impressed by this that he's started it - and his hair only has a little bit of wave to it (and you can only tell because it's shoulder length :-) )

I love the Curly Girl routine! XD I've been doing it since about... mid-September. I even got my boyfriend to start doing it, though he's juuust about as curly as I am. ;)

It's improved the condition of my hair /dramatically/... and decreased my amount of fall-out, though that could be partially because one of the conditioners I use is designed to do just that. ;) The increase in the strength of the strands is amazing,  too,  and they just get stronger as I continue to use products containing protein.

You gotta love being able to /pull/ on a shed strand of hair quite a bit before it finally snaps. ;D

What is this method you're talking about?  I have loved the improved strength and texture and appearance of my hair since I started using Ouidad products and I have gone to their salon a few times for the best haircut ever (I will not go anywhere else anymore) - but I never heard of a no shampoo method?

The no-shampoo routine explained in Curly Girl, by Lorraine Massey, has you using conditioner and friction to clean your scalp, instead of shampoo, and has you wash in a manner that doesn't disturb the natural lay of the hair. You also do not use a brush or a comb, or a ton of styling products -- if you follow the routine, all you need is gel, if that. And most silicones are not something you want to use if you're following this routine, unless they're water soluble, or maybe not even then. Since you aren't using shampoo, the non-water soluble silicones can build up.

The conditioner you use is supposed to contain protein, humectants, emollients, and... uhm... I forget the fourth thing. ^^; You cleanse by putting conditioner on your fingers, and then basically giving yourself a nice massage over your entire scalp. Then you rinse out, and condition the length of your hair. If you need to, you can either not rinse all your conditioner out, or apply more after the rinse -- Ms. Massey recommends using regular conditioner as a leave-in, since most leave-ins are not moisturizing enough.

Since I've started following this routine, the health of my hair has improved dramatically. It's not as dry, it's much stronger, and I have less fall out. (But that's partially because the conditioner I cleanse with is designed to prevent fall out...) I saw results within a week, literally. And other people started noticing within about three weeks. And I gotta admit... it's cheap!

$10 for the book, and then $5 every 6 weeks for another bottle of my regular conditioner (I go through it fast.), and I haven't used more than... half of the bottle of the conditioner I cleanse with (which was $17)... and my gel costs me $1.50, and will probably last as long as the cleansing conditioner. I like having nice looking hair, but I have better things (like books!) to spend my free money on. ;)

Yes, I have been using it every morning.  I shampoo my hair once a week.  Because I go swimming.  Anyway, I'm pleased with it. It definitely has improved the strength of my hair.

I haven't totally managed to follow the whole thing yet - I'm too addicted to getting it untangled before going to bed  ;)

But, it has now reached a point where I can comb out the tangles in a couple of minutes, rather than taking a brush to it for half an hour.

I'm still using plain old Suave naturals conditioner, too - I used to go through 2 bottles of shampoo for every bottle of conditioner, so when it went on sale, I stocked up, and now have 5 huge unopened bottles left before I can buy something else.

Whoever mentioned Suave's aloe gel - that stuff is awesome.  I also use Johnson&Johnson's kids spray-in detangler....a life saver on windy days.

Do all of you comb your hair, or do you brush it as well when it's dry? I find combing and finger-combing to hold the curls for a longer time, because the day after I wash it my hair is wavy again and I brush it to smooth out the kinks. Also, what do you use to hold your curls for a longer time?

The only time I comb my hair is when I'm going to wear it braided -- I get it wet, add some extra conditioner with a pinch of sweet almond oil (because I have a little lying around.), then I comb it out and braid it.

I don't comb it dry nor when I want to wear it curly, and I never brush it. To help hold my curls, I sometimes use a little gel. Weirdly enough, I've found that using one of my regular conditioners as a leave-in works just as well as gel does for me.

Oh ok - and how long is your hair? Because as my hair grows longer I'm desperately trying to hang on to my curls but they're disappearing! By the time it hits my waist my hair is almost straight  :-/.

I just measured yesterday. It's 24.5" inches. ;D

It's /very/ curly when it's shorter -- when it's around my shoulders, it curls up past my chin in tight ringlets. In the dry winter cold, it curls up to give me about a 4"-5" spring. (If I pull it straight, then measure the difference between where it was when it was curly vs. pulled straight, I get that.) Once it's warmer and more humid, it's more along the lines of 6"-8".

I get more curl out of my hair when I scrunch it, especially when I've gotten it soaking wet. Have you tried that?

No, I haven't tried scrunching it, how do you do that?

You are so lucky! Mine is only 18 inches.. every day I regret the fact that I cut it! My hair isn't really curly though, I just say it is :P, it's just *extremely* wavy so the curls are pretty cool. Only they don't stay long. So it's in between curly and wavy. hehe! I went through this "must be straight" phase but hey, we have something that's different every single day and they have to live through the same exact thing all the time! I would get so frustrated I'd cut it off!

Scrunching is grabbing handfuls of your hair at the ends -- well, more like gathering the ends in your palm. -- then pushing it all up against your scalp. I usually do this with a towel when my hair is wet, to dry it.

I've been deliberately growing my hair out for... Uhm... *thinks* Almost three years. Only really been taking good care of it for a year, so it's amazing that I don't have a ton of split ends.

I have been on the CG train and fallen off it many times over now.  I think that Lorraine Massey brings to light many good principles regarding the care of curly hair, but I don't necessarily think that these principles will apply to every single curly girl out there.

Because the full-fledged CG routine didn't work well for my 3A hair type, I have chosen to modify the parts that did work.

I now follow a CWC routine (condition, wash, condition).  Prior to applying my shampoo, I coat the length of my hair with conditioner... I then shampoo only the scalp.  I follow up with another dose of conditioner.

I also have not completely gone silicone-free.  I have never really seen the point of using a silicone free routine if you incorporate clairfying into your regimine.  I clarify about twice a month now.  It seems to be the best compromise for my hair.

I hope that this helps someone else out there who may not like everything about teh CG routine, but would still like to apply some of the basic principles.

Best to you all...

:)
SD

Do you curly-heads find it easy to leave your hair down whenever you feel like it?

If I intend to leave it down - then yes, I usually have no problem - given the products I use and how great they have been to my hair.  If I want to wear it down after I have worn it up - then usually I have to wash it again - but it's also probably due to be washed then anyway since i usually only put it up the day after or two days after I've washed it (I wash my hair no more than every other day - and typically only every 3 days because otherwise it gets too dry and strips the hair of too much of its natural oils).

It's usually my hair that decides when it wants to be left down. Usually it's flatter when it's dirty, so that's when I leave it down. I wash it only 2-3 times a week.

 hello!
   just wanted to thank you to you kind folks for the name and author of the book.  it has taken me 10 yrs to get my naturly curly hair to my waist..it is my one true vanity . *G* i bleach my hair because i am going grey..so my hair is dry in the extreme...
     i had never heard of this method of "washing" my hair before..*L* i checked my purse..and found a 10 spot so bright an early, AFTER kids are in school, monday..it is off to the book store for me!!
  once again thanks!!
    Ciao!
      Azriel

wrote on Dec 6^th, 2003 at 7:49pm:

it has taken me 10 yrs to get my naturly curly hair to my waist..it is my one true vanity . *G* i bleach my hair because i am going grey..so my hair is dry in the extreme..l

Oh, this makes me so sad.  I cannot even fathom how stunningly beautiful gray streaked, waist-length curls would be!

:::sigh:::

 *L*   yep..started growing it when i was preggers with my now 10 yr old...
   my natural color is ..well..ugly..least to me it is..and the grey? no offense to anyone but it makes me look like a bleedin librarian!! nope.
   having it blonde ok..it's a golden-red blonde...sort of..anyway it makes my spirit feel better..
  i never blow dry it..i just put it in a barrett and let it hang down my back..it curls into ringlets..loose but still..i like it.   if i wash it and lay down..spread it over a pillow & let it dry? OMG! it curls even more..*G*...i realy do love having long hair...
    i am SOOOO happy i found this site..the info here alone is going to take me at least a week...and h will allow me to properly care for my hair..

 *blush* like i said my one true vanity...

  have a great day and thanks!!
     Azriel  

I just read the "Curly Girl" book and it sounds really cool!  I didn't realize I had curly hair until I stopped bleaching the heck out of it.  I've let it grow natural for a few years, and now I'm surprised that I have all these  "Botticelli curls." :)  Anyway, my hair gets really dry in winter and I've noticed that every time I shampoo my hair it gets frizzy for a few days.  I've just started washing my hair with just conditioner.  We'll see how it goes!   Has anyone tried the natural hair care recipes in the book?  I found some lavender water at the health food store, and spraying my hair with it has made it really shiny and non frizzy.  

I've heard a number of people refer to that book and enjoy the new-found techniques for handling their hair.  My hair is not curly, but does have more waves than it used to have.  I have found that I use more oil on my hair with the dry winter air.  This helps reduce static and frizzies.

  i just went yesterday and picked up my copy of "Curly Girl" well..I read it cover to cover((in roughly 45 minutes))..highlighted areas pertaining to my hair type..and this morning? i did the "wash with conditioner" thing..   well..i took all the shampoo out of my bathroom..i shall keep it for when my kids run out of bubble bath but never EVER again will it go on mine or my daughters heads!
  she and i both have below waist lentgh curly hair..thing is..the weight of the hair itself has turned our more or less corkscrew curly hair into the botticelli type curls.  
  i was simply..floored..it cleaned every bit as well as my "shampoo" and left my skalp and hair soft!!!
  yepper  :o  <---*me doin the Happy Dance*

  so..no more shampoo's for me..and actualy i am rather miffed at the hair care industry for rammin it down our throats "shampoo then condition.etc etc"   GRR!!  at least i now know how to teach my daughter how to take care of her curls..
  thanks again for the info .... ;D

 Take Care!
    Azriel

I tried washing my hair with the "lemon aid" recipe from the curly girl book (conditioner mixed with lemon juice) and it was amazing!  It cleaned my hair so well and made it really shiny.  

I'm considering giving up shampoo as well.  I've noticed that a lot of shampoos make my scalp itch like crazy (especially those with dimethicone in them) and I might be better off without them.  

Wow-  I wish I had long curly hair like that!!!   How cute that you and your daughter both have long curly hair.   :D

The lemon-aid recipe sounds very interesting-I wonder if it´s for stick-straight hair too? ???

I suppose it could be for straight hair.  The curly girl book says, "More clarifying and cleansing than any shampoo, this moisturizing and neutralizing tonic adds shine to your hair and removes buildup.  it's especially good for very dry or damaged hair.  combine juice of 1 large lemon with your usual amount of conditioner, then rinse through hair thoroughly."  I suppose it's the same idea as a vinegar rinse, but not as drying.

It sounds really good,I´ll give it a try over the weekend-and report the results! ;D Thanks a lot for the info,Eowyn :D

I find it hard to believe that the lemon juice treatment isn't damaginig to the hair - lemon juice is acidic and strips the hair - that's why some people use it to lighten blonde hair, but it's so drying, and most curly hair folks have already very dry hair - I'm staying away from tha route - my hair is dry enough - I like doing a deep conditioning treatment with heat once a week to keep my hair healthy and with lots of moisture

Ladies, you saved the life of my hair :D. I used to wear my hair curly, airdried for a few month now. (After 2 years of ironing it my boyfriend finally told me that he loved my curly hair when we met) The problem was I washed it every day, because I didn't like the way they looked when I woke up. Then I had to apply a lot of products, but i liked the look. The feel was more like Ramen Noodles, specially the next day. I read your tips and got interested in the Curly Girl book. I only done the cleaning with conditioner now for 4 times, but what a difference. My hair is soft with defined curls and I don't even need to use gel. I use my conditioner as a leave in. I think it is going to save me a lot of money, because I planned on ordering the Ouidad products, which make sense to me ,too. But in this case I really think less is more and I am really convinced by the short term results.

Welcome!  I'm so glad you found information that is helping you enjoy the natural state of your hair!  How wonderful.