Tips for the Initial Oily Transition Phase on No Poo
I posted previously about how to get through the initial oily transition phase that many people experience after going No Poo (no shampoo), and how the excess oil was caused by overwashing with shampoo. This post contains tips and techniques for how to get through the No Poo transition phase without looking oily. Because maybe you have a day job or classes to look presentable for each day, and the whole point of over-washing your hair in the first place was to avoid looking oily. And maybe having a greasy-looking head for a month or two is out of the question…
Getting the scalp’s oil production under control is crucial for a successful no shampoo or “no-poo” routine. The goal for me was to be able to go up to 7 days between hair washes so that my scalp could get used to this routine and stop over producing oils. I went from needing to wash my hair once per day to only once per week, and many others have reported this as well.
So here we go! Here are my tips for looking less oily between washes:
Tip #1: Distribute oils away from roots
I’ve talked about this topic in previous posts (here and here), but I will also include it here because it is so important. One of the most essential tips for managing hair oils is to switch to either a boar-bristle-brush or a wooden hair brush (100% boar bristles or wooden bristles, no nylon bristles). These natural bristles are porous and soak up hair oils. They pick up the oils at the roots, and glide them down to the ends of hair with each brush stroke. Using one of these brushes will make roots look softer and less oily, and it allows the hair’s natural and hydrating oils to nourish the ends of hair (which are further from the scalp and susceptible to dryness). The hair’s natural oils are the BEST at conditioning hair, so ends will appreciate the hydration.
Note: I personally noticed boar bristle brushes work better at distributing oils than wooden bristled brushes.
How to properly distribute hair oils
Section hair into about 1-inch sections and brush from root to tip. Sectioning hair will help get the brush really close to the base of the roots and reach all areas of the scalp. After finishing each section, brush through the ends of the hair to get all the oils off the brush and on to the tips where it’s needed most. Brushing this way may take a little bit longer, but it seriously helps avoid oily buildup near the roots during the transitional phase. I love doing this right before bed since it’s a calming, methodical process, it tires me out a bit, and when I wake up the next morning, my hair had time to soak up the oils overnight so it looks even less oily in the morning (8-12 hours later). A natural bristled brush (like boar bristles) will ultimately help go longer and longer between washes because it will keep ends hydrated and roots from looking as oily. Brush every day or every other day during the initial no-poo oily phase. Just make sure the boar bristle brush is clean before every use (especially during the transitional phase) otherwise it’s not really soaking up oils, just moving around last week’s hair oils on the head.
How to distribute oils on curly hair
Brushing daily might not be an option for natural curls, since brushing unravels curls and turns them into a fluffy lion’s mane. But don’t worry, curly hair may be able skip daily brushing since it’s a bit harder to see oily roots on curly hair! Instead, wait to brush hair until right before washing it, as showering can reset curls after brushing. Also try out a wide-toothed wooden comb or a wooden brush since these bristles are generally further apart. More info via “Step 2” in this post.
Tip #2: Switch to a Silk Pillow Case
Another way to distribute the oils on hair– effortlessly– is to use a 100% silk/satin pillowcase. Unlike cotton, silk pillowcases help distribute the oils through hair while tossing during sleep. Bonus: Silk pillow cases can help keep hair from frizzing and looking like a hot mess in the morning.
Tip #3: Can I use Dry Shampoo on No Poo?
Dry Shampoo is a powder that is rubbed into hair to soak up excess oils and refresh the scent of hair. It’s the perfect solution in the mornings when there’s no time to wash and dry hair or properly brush all the oils away from roots. Dry shampoo is used without having to get hair wet, the oil-free effects last all day, and it can help with pushing another day before having to wash the hair. HOWEVER, I recommend using the least amount of dry shampoo as possible since the powder soaks up scalp oils, which could make the scalp think it’s dry and needs to produce more oils (as if it was just washed with shampoo). So I recommend using it just along the hairline for up-dos, or just along the part line and on fringe for hair that’s styled down. This way, only the parts seen by everyone else look clean, but the underneath sections of hair can stay oily but hidden.
Keep in mind dry shampoo stays on hair until the next time it is washed or rinsed out. So I recommend aiming for a gentle, non-irritating and non-drying formula that won’t make the scalp itchy. I prefer using a natural DIY dry shampoo (recipe below), but store-bought dry shampoos are an option. Just avoid silicones and drying alcohols in the ingredients.
DIY Easy Inexpensive Natural Dry Shampoo Recipe
For a simple, cheap, and natural dry shampoo, consider using arrowroot powder (found in health food stores) to soak up excess oils on the scalp. These powders are white like most dry shampoos, and blend well into light hair. For dark hair, mix together a ratio of 1/2 arrowroot powder and 1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder. This is the mixture I use. The cocoa powder helps the mixture blend into dark hair easier and smells great. These are all natural (edible) ingredients that shouldn’t irritate the scalp. I really love this DIY alternative for dry shampoo. I’ve used it for the last year, it refreshes the scent of my hair, and it makes it look and feel so soft and as clean as if I just washed it. (More on using dry shampoo to get cleaner No Poo washes.)
Tip #4: Utilize hairstyles to hide oily hair
Right after a no shampoo hair wash, hair will probably look decent to style down for a couple of days (or longer, depending on how far into the initial transition). But after that, hair might be too oily to style it down. Style hair up and use hair accessories on these days!
Hairstyles for long hair
Wear buns, top knots, pony tails, braids, a combination of these, or any of your favorite ways to tie hair up. Accessorize to hide the hairline with bandanas, wide head bands, or scarf head bands. Try to have fun with it! Up-dos are great as they avoid part lines and most of the roots are hidden away. Hair will be up and away having its own little spa day being nourished by its natural oils. And avoid touching it which keeps it from looking even oilier via hand’s oils. If it’s the fall/winter months, try a cute beanie to hide the oils.
Hairstyles for short hair
If hair is already routinely cut short, consider getting it cut short for the transition phase. I think it’s harder to see excess oil on “short-short” hair than it is on “longer-short” hair. What do you think? If cutting hair super short is NOT desirable, then please don’t do it! Instead, accessorize to hide the hairline with bandanas or headbands. If it’s the fall/winter months, try a cute beanie to hide the oils.
Dark hair, thick hair, and curly hair have an easier time hiding oils.
Tip #5: If all else fails, use a “Low-Poo” shampoo to ease into the transition
After trying all of the above, but still having a hard time switching from shampoo to a no-poo method, consider using a sulfate-free shampoo (aka low-poo) in the meantime as training wheels (paired with a silicone-free conditioner). Sulfates are the really harsh cleansers found in commercial shampoos that create the soapy lathering effect and strip hair of its natural oils. Sulfate-free shampoos still clean hair like shampoo, but they aren’t as harsh as regular shampoo and act as the medium between shampoo and no-poo. The scalp’s oil production won’t be completely normalized with a low-poo, but it could get at least half-way there. I used one for years prior to hearing about no-poo, and it really helped me train my hair from being oily on day 2 to not oily until day 4-5.
This could likely be done with less than one bottle of low-poo. Wait an extra 12-24 hours between hair washes, and utilize the above tips to do so without looking oily. Note that low-poos don’t always lather as well as shampoos since the harsh lathering agent (sulfates) are not present, but they should give clean results like shampoo. Also note that a sulfate-free shampoo MUST be paired with a silicone-free conditioner and don’t use any products containing silicones. Read more about that in this post (listed under “Reason #1”).
Low Poo Product Recommendations:
- Calia Shampoos & Conditioners (~ $11USD/bottle) – natural and organic
- Nature’s Gate Shampoos & Conditioners (< $10 USD/bottle) – Many people have great experiences with these.
- Shea Moisture Shampoos & Conditioners (< $10 USD/bottle) – Found in many US stores
Refer to this list of ingredients to know what to look for or avoid when choosing a sulfate-free shampoo and silicone-free conditioner.
Tip #6: Been at it for a while, and still having a hard time?
If you’re following all of these tips, are weeks into the no-poo journey, and feel you should be out of the oily transition phase by now, check out this No-Poo / Water-Only Troubleshooting post which addresses this issue. It may be a simple fix! Also see: “How to make your hair smell good” and check out the eBook for more beginner tips and troubleshooting.
Wherever you are in your no-poo journey, I hope this post was helpful. Please feel free to leave a comment with any questions, and let me know what worked or didn’t work for you!
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Thank you for the helpful article! I have been doing a lot of reading/ watching videos on this subject as I really want to make this transition. Right now, I am washing my hair every other day or every three days with regular drugstore shampoo and conditioner. I was wondering- I see that you’ve mentioned some low-poo options but do you think shampoo bars are a good alternative as well and do you have some recommendations? Part of why I want to make a change is not only for the health of my hair, but to stop my dependence on items that use plastic packaging. One last question- do you recommend testing for hard water first? I don’t know the condition of the water where i live currently, but I heard that hard vs soft water can really make a difference, do you think I should test first and cater my routine to that, or just get started and make changes along the way if my hair reacts poorly?
Shelby – Yes, shampoo bars are an approved no poo method. Be careful about which shampoo bar you use because some of them require you to add an acidic rinse afterwards (like apple cider vinegar). I tried shampoo bars before going water only. They made my hair really clean, but very difficult to detangle, as if it was too alkaline. Testing for hard water is important! You can often get a good idea about the tap water in your area by doing a google search. Hard water makes it more difficult to clean hair with just water, so you will need to make tweaks depending on that. And you can always get a shower head attachment that softens water if it’s worth it to you.
Can I use a salt water spray to style my hair? I love the way this makes my hair look but am afraid it might affect my only water hair.
Really great tips here. I see so many articles on the net about products that really shouldn’t be used on the hair, bicarbonate of soda for one. It’s refreshing to hear someone being honest about time and patience with these transitions.
My daughter (7) hasn’t used shampoo now for 4 months, we simply give her a hot water scalp massage after her swimming lesson each week. In fact since they’ve stopped for the holidays we left it two weeks, which although her hair still looked ok, it didn’t smell so nice leaving it that long!
I’d read about the no poo method before but hadn’t given it a lot of thought until it kind of found us. My daughter had been away at her grandparents for a week and it had transpired that her hair hadn’t been washed whilst she was there, her dad had shampooed it after swimming 3 days before the visit! She’d had 10 days without hair wash and it looked great! So I did some research and decided just to wash with water so it was fresh for school. We’ve stuck with that method since, in a hard water area with no problem. We’ll just keep an eye on it over time to make sure there’s no build up/drying out.
I unfortunately haven’t had such luck, possibly the years of dying, perhaps I am naturally oiler. With perseverance I can (just) get to 6 days, but my hair is very oily by this point. You have to just get over it I think, it will always feel ‘dirty’ when you are used to years of shampooing the ‘normal’ way. I’ve recently made lots of changes to the products we use in a bid to reduce our plastic waste and am finding my body is responding really well to having a lot less chemicals and more natural products applied. We’re also saving time and money. I urge anyone to keep it up, you will have down days but it’ll be worth it in the end.
Thanks for the feedback, and I enjoyed reading your and your daughter’s journey so far. It’s good to hear this has been a good experience for your family. I’d love to hear an update in the future.
Hahaha… I had a little personal laugh (and cry) when you mentioned making your own dry shampoo with cocoa. First, I love the idea for darker hair, as it would also help to blend away the first few grey hairs I am now seeing. Unfortunately, I am one of those (seemingly) rare people who are allergic to chocolate… more specifically to the cocoa in the chocolate (my only allergy). I think a bright red itchy allergic reaction would definitely be counterproductive to balancing my oil production (Haha).
So, do you have another suggestion or substitution I can use on dark hair? (My color is actually light to medium auburn brown, if that helps.)
Thanks So Much for all the info by the way! I actually found your site searching for how to clean my BBB, and had never heard of the WO method. But now I’m definitely going to try it. And, as I was already going 4-5 days between washes due to cervical disc issues, it should be an easy transition
Can’t wait to see the results!
What about the oils we use while oiling hair coconut oil prior to washing or castor oil do they get washed away with just water?