I‘m no stranger to a complete hair makeover. In fact, there are few things I love more. But I have to say, ever since I went back to black last January — wow, has it almost been two whole years?! — my hair has undergone a major transformation. And honestly, the reason I stopped experimenting with rainbow-tinted tresses and reverted to my natural brunette status was out of necessity.

After years (like, 10) of peroxide, dye and abuse, my hair would no longer grow past my chin; it would simply snap off. Extensions became an essential part of my beauty routine, and because I couldn’t stand to have them looking ratty, I’d be in the chair every two months for five or six hours, forking over exorbitant amounts of cash for oh-so-much maintenance and upkeep.

I wore extensions for another year, as my poor, mistreated hair slowly grew out. And then, this January, I went to see Alison at Fox And Jane, who snipped my locks into a beautiful bob, worthy of any modern flapper.

As my hair has gotten healthier, stronger and shinier, I started to notice things. Like, man, is my undamaged hair oily. Like, washing-it-every-day oily. And I’ll be damned if it wasn’t full of static as soon as I dried it. Hair that is greasy and hair that does cling, these are a few of my (least) favourite things!

In my travels around the internet, I had heard whispers of the “No-Poo” method… But I was thoroughly deterred by the name. (I mean, honestly, “No Poo”?!) But at our very first Blogcademy class, when I complimented one of our students on her fabulous head of thick, lustrous hair, she smiled and said, “Thanks… I don’t wash it!”

That was the nudge I needed to give it a try for myself. I haven’t washed my hair since May, and it has honestly never looked better.

Curious? Here’s how to do it yourself…

You will need:
Baking soda
Apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg’s)
Coconut oil (optional)

When I first started researching this method, I tried to use someone else’s tactic, which was to combine a tablespoon of baking soda with 8oz of water in a spray bottle, spray into the hair, comb through and let it set for 5 minutes. This sounds easy enough, but when the bottle’s tube starts to get clogged up, it becomes immediately frustrating.

The easiest way to do it is to keep a jar of baking soda in your shower. When you step in, wet your hair, then take a scoop (about a tablespoon’s worth) of baking soda, mix it with a bit of water in your hand, then apply to your hair. Scrub it into your scalp and all over. Be thorough! You can comb it through if you want, and then let it sit for a few minutes.

Rinse the baking soda out with warm water, and then take your spray bottle which is filled with half filtered water and half apple cider vinegar. Spray it into your hair with gusto, making sure to get underneath the top layers and onto the roots. Work it through with your hands (or a comb), and then rinse it out.

Your head might smell a bit salad-y, but don’t sweat it: it only lasts for a couple of minutes before evaporating.

Then, step out of the shower, and dry your hair off as usual. Now, wasn’t that easy?

If you find that your hair is quite dry — which is not a problem I have — coconut oil works as a brilliant treatment. Just apply it, let it sit for a while, and then wash out using the method above.

What can you expect?

I was really worried when I decided to make the switch, because I had heard terrible internet rumours about “the adjustment period” during which… Well, I don’t even remember. Suffice to say, people made it sound like THE DEVIL would be on your head for a couple of weeks.

Thankfully, that never happened! I went through a period of about a week where I needed to wash (aka, baking soda and vinegar) my hair every day, but that wasn’t any different to my then-normal routine. And within a week, I suppose my hair had “adjusted”.

The result? My hair looks awesome. It never has static and it lasts several days between washes, which is exactly what I wanted.

These days, I wash my hair about once or twice a week, and it is BLISS, I tell you. Pure, unadulterated bliss. When my hair is looking a little scraggly, or to be more specific, limp at the roots, I use Batiste Dry Shampoo (which I love, especially in the Tropical scent, and they now have a Cherry scent which sounds amazing!) and Batiste XXL Plumping Powder. This stuff is genius, a fortuitous find in Boots. So much love for it!

So: would you ever stop washing your hair?

Flicking my hair like a Pantene commercial,