The “No Poo” method (short for ‘no shampoo’) is a current trend that aims to stop using shampoos that are bad for your scalp, as they contain too many irritating surfactants (such as ammonium salts, sodium laureth sulphate, etc.). That is not to say that we stop washing our hair and forget completely about hygiene! It simply means going for alternatives that are gentler on our hair. Some people use silicone-free conditioners instead of shampoo (because it has a gentler cleaning base), while others go for powders that allow them to wash their hair while respecting their scalp’s needs. Here are 4 such powders which are excellent for your hair.
1) Rhassoul clay
Make a mixture of 2 dessertspoons of water and 3 dessertspoons of rhassoul clay. Add a few drops of vegetable oil to the mixture (coconut oil, jojoba oil or olive oil) to obtain the desired texture. Apply this mixture all over your hair and leave it in for 10 minutes before rinsing.
2) Clay
Heat a quarter litre of water. Add two dessertspoons of clay and stir it until the mixture is opaque. Apply it to damp hair and massage it carefully in to the scalp. Leave it to work for two minutes and rinse well.
3) Shikakai powder
Pour the powder into a bowl. Allow a half a spoon of powder for mid length hair and 2 spoons or more for long hair. Add water to obtain a liquidy texture, which is not too runny. Apply it to your roots with a brush and massage it in. Rinse until the water runs clear. Apply the rest of the mixture to the lengths of your hair.
4) Sidr powder
This powder contains gentle surfactants thanks to its saponin content, which lathers up a little and thus feels more like a normal shampoo than the other powders. Place 2 spoons of Sidr powder in a bowl and gradually add water to make a paste. Mix well and apply it to your hair with a brush (separating your hair into sections if that helps you). Focus on the roots for a cleaning effect, but don’t forget the lengths, which will become nicely covered. Leave it to work for around ten minutes and rinse.