Thursday, October 08, 2009

No 'poo update: week 1

I've been poo-free for a week now, so I figured I'd update those of you who are unabashedly using me as a guinea pig. I've done two washes and am due for a third tomorrow. During the first wash, I immediately noticed how heavy my hair felt around my scalp, presumably with natural oils. My hair definitely felt different during and after both washes, though once dry, it looked relatively normal and felt very soft and clean. Over the week, I noticed my hair getting increasingly frizzy, especially around my face. I was expecting an oily period of adjustment, but this is more dry. The frizz is not attractive. Thus far, I have resisted my urge to hot-roll it into submission, because I want to see what will happen as the experiment continues. The urge to abandon this project altogether was quite strong on Day 5, when I mentioned to Markus how weird the frizz was and he replied with a sheepish, "Um, yeah...your hair doesn't look so nice." Call me old-fashioned, but I really don't want my husband to find me unattractive if I can help it. I'm not trying to be vain and shallow here, but I do still cling to the fact that I won "Best Hair" my senior year of high school (I wouldn't win it right now, I'll tell you that much). I almost quit right then, but he started backpedaling and clarified his comment, saying my hair wasn't nearly as shiny or full as it usually is (which is true) but he's proud of me for giving it a go and thinks I should stick it out for the month. Okay.
A recommended help for long hair is rubbing in a small amount of extra-virgin coconut oil while hair is damp. Other natural oils work well too (extra-virgin olive oil, almond oil), but coconut oil smells the best. I bought some, but I cannot find it anywhere. Alas. After the second wash (day 6), I applied about a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil all over my hair. It was so minimal that I thought it would wear off on the towel or absorb in. It didn't. So today my hair is dry and clean...and visibly coated in a light slick of olive oil. Fabulous.

This is only the first week, and there was bound to be an adjustment period. By most accounts, the adjustment lasts for 2-3 weeks, so I guess I'll be sticking through it as my hair gets more freaky and I tweak the formula to combat long hair dryness.
Onward we go...

5 comments:

schlelly said...

You are so BRAVE!! Hang in there! If it works out you'll be thrilled, and if it doesn't, you'll be able to say with experience under your belt that you know it doesn't work for you
:-) I'm certain your frizzies don't look nearly as bad as you feel like they do!

quinn said...

i think pictures of the hair at these various stages you are describing would be very helpful. :-)

Jennifer said...

schlelly, yes, they really do look that bad. But not quite as bad as the olive oil slick I've got going now. ;)

quinn, I will post photos when I find someone take them for me (should be easily done next week)...but don't think I don't feel you mocking me. You'll get yours, boy-o.

azure said...

Really, you won best hair in high school? Why do I not remember this? I'm sitting here trying to thnk if I won anything... (I don't think I did, but I digress...)

I'm going to write you a long email about the tranisition of my own hair, but just know that you are currently in a transition period and like anything else, your hair also has to make an adjustment to a new routine as it were. My best advice to you right now is try and manage what you have and focus on what is to come. I suspect that if your hair is anything like mine, once you get past the initial shock of the drastic change and allow your hair to flourish naturally, you might be surprised at what you find underneath.

Email will be coming your way... but in the meanwhile, keep up the good work.

Take care.

Karly said...

I am SO proud of you for sticking it out so far!!! I would have caved by now, I just know it. Thanks for the update :). Looking forward to hearing how week 2 goes...