Do you use shampoo for washing your hair? Is it a safe way to clean and nourish your hair? Have you heard of water only hair washing method? So, using a shampoo for washing your hair is more like damaging them because it contains chemicals that harm your scalp and hair. It is not a safe option to wash your hair.
Nowadays, washing hair with only water is one of the ultimate ways to get clean and nourished hair. Is it shocking for you? But, yes, it is trending, and most importantly, it is an effective way. Many of us are unaware of such a method. In the following write-up, we will discuss how it works, the pros and cons, and the tutorial to do so.
Contents
How and When Does Water Only Hair Washing Method Work?
The Water Only (WO) with No-poo or shampoo method for washing hair requires warm water. It helps in cleansing as well as removing excess oils from the scalp. The method utilizes natural oils of hair like a conditioner to nourish and protect our hair. It is hard to believe that this method can make your hair soft, silky, and hydrated.
If we talk about the best part of the method, then it is shampoo-free. It means that no harmful chemicals can damage your hair and make them brittle and dry. If you are traveling every time, then there is a possibility that your shampoos or hair soaps may not last. What were you going to do at that time? Water only washing method does not need shampoo, and you can use it even if you are traveling a lot.
Use Only Clean Water to Wash Your Hair
Now, accessing good and clean water for washing hair is a challenging task. Make sure; you use clean water so that it does not affect your hair. Good water, such as rain, spring, untreated water, etc., must be used.
It is great to use the No-poo method for cleansing your hair but not in the case of hard water. If the water contains limescale and chlorine, then it may be harsh for your hair. It may damage your hair, and you will need treatment to cure that.
An essential part of doing water only hair washing method is when you can access good water. You can also use filters to clean the water before using it for washing your hair. These filters soften the water and make it capable enough to use on the hair.
What Do You Need for the Routine?
This process is all about washing hair with only water. But, still, you need some essential things for the procedure to maintain your hair. If you care about your scalp and hair, then there will cause fewer problems of hair fall and sebum deposit. Some of the essential things required for the routine are:
- A wide-tooth comb
- Coldwater
- Warm water
- A boar bristle brush (BBB)
- Coconut oil or any hair nourishing oil at the beginning of the procedure
Tutorial of Water Only Hair Washing Routine
You must follow the steps of washing hair with only water. If you skip any of the steps, then this procedure will affect your hair severely. You must follow step-by-step to get positive results.
1. Begin with Dirty Hair
It is crucial to keep your hair a bit oily before washing it. You must wash your hair only when required. If you wait for a longer time between the washes, the natural oils will longer sit on your scalp and hair for good results.
There are two benefits of waiting long for wash:
- You will not strip all the natural oil from the scalp and hair. It prevents your hair from damage and dryness. It makes your hair healthier and cleaner.
- If you distribute natural oils from the hair root to the ends, then your hair strands will coat with nourishing oils, and washing them will make it smooth and hydrated.
2. Distribute Natural Oils
Three basic techniques are essential to follow to get soft and manageable hair after water wash. These procedures help in spreading natural oils from the scalp to the ends of your hair. It will result in less oil in the roots and more hydration to the length of your hair.
You can also pull the natural oil and keep it overnight for proper oil absorption. It will save a lot of time doing other essential steps in the morning. Let us check out three techniques in detail.
- Scritch: You need to rub your finger pads on your scalp after detangling your hair. The motion should be quick and gentle so that you can pull natural oils without any damage to the scalp. Make sure that you scrub your scalp without water. This friction will warm and loosen the oils and dead skin cells from the scalp. It also increases blood flow and promotes hair growth.
- Preen: Now, take small sections of your hair and place that between your two fingers. After that, pinch the fingers gently and slide from the roots to the ends. It helps in pulling the oil from roots to hair ends. It distributes the oil on hair strands thoroughly. If the length of your hair is more than 6 inches, then it is hard to spread the oil to the ends. But you can try as much as you can. It can be a time-consuming process if you have long hair.
- Brush: It is a crucial step, and you must not skip it at any cost. The BBB brush is the best at pulling natural oils down from roots to hair ends. After the process of scritching and preening, brushing can reduce tangles and distribute the oil at the ends efficiently. Take small sections and brush your hair. Let your hair soak all the natural oil from the scalp. You can also use the brush daily to make your hair clean and oil-free.
3. Water Wash Your Hair
After three crucial techniques, it is time to wash your hair with water. You need to keep some vital things in your mind.
- Temperature: The water should be very warm, i.e., between hot and lukewarm. Make sure; it should not be too hot as it can damage your hair and scalp.
- Technique: Wet your hair using very warm water and use your fingerpads to scritch the scalp gently and quickly. Focus on the water stream so that it washes away dirt and oils from the scritched portion. Run the water thoroughly after washing it in sections. Now, preen water to the length of your hair. The warm water helps in loosening the oils and cleans your hair properly.
- Take your Time: It is a time-consuming process to clean your scalp and hair from all areas. After washing your hair, if you find oil in your hair, then you must wash again after some days and spend more time rubbing the wet scalp.
4. Rinse Hair with Cold Water
After washing hair with warm water, rinse it off with cold water to tighten hair cuticles. It makes your hair shiny and also helps in retaining moisture.
5. Dry and Detangling
Use an old T-shirt or microfiber towel to dry your hair by patting them gently. Microfiber towel reduces frizz. After that, comb your dampen hair with a wide-toothed comb from the end and slowly detangle it from ends.
Pros of Water Only Hair Washing
There are many benefits of using only water for washing hair. In the beginning, you may not feel good, but after some time, you will get effective results.
No Build Up of Product
When you apply chemical-made or creamy commercial hair products, then it may build-up on your hair strands. If you want to feel your natural hair with exact texture, then you must try only the water method for washing your hair. You will get to know the real health of your hair.
Cost-Effective
Using shampoos and conditioners are comparatively costly than using only water. Your scalp has sebaceous glands that release natural oils that protect your hair. When you combine water with natural oils, your hair will be nourished, protected, and moisturized. It is the best condition that you can have so far.
Understand Your Hair
You will get a better opportunity to understand your hair when you wash your hair with water. When we use hair products, it makes our hair temporarily soft and silky. But, it is not out of the original texture. If you know your hair, you will know how to care for it. One can easily determine the best and bad things for hair.
Fewer Tangles
If your natural oils cover the hair strands completely, then you will experience fewer tangles. It will be easy for you to manage your hair. After drying hair, you can simply braid or twist your hair to avoid the risk of tangles.
No Dry Hair
Shampoos generally dry your hair and make them brittle that can easily break. Water washing can spread natural oils to the hair strands and remove dryness from your hair. Washing hair without shampoo is the traditional way of hair care, which is very beneficial for hair health.
Soft Hair
Even only water can soften your hair without applying heavy creams and butter on your hair. Water promotes hydration that softens your hair. There is no need for chemical conditioners to make your hair soft and smooth.
Easy to Travel
If your hair care depends on only water, then it becomes easy for you to travel every time. You can wash your hair anytime without any shampoo or conditioner. You can achieve your traveling goals when you start your routine by washing your hair with water.
Scalp Massages
Hair products remove the coating of sebum from the scalp and hair strands. When you scritch, massage, and preen your scalp, then you spread the sebum evenly on the scalp and hair strands. You can distribute the natural oils with the help of hairbrushes. It promotes hair growth, and you will feel extremely relaxing.
Cons of Water Only Hair Washing
Not Product-free at the time of transition
When you accept the routine of washing hair with water, then your hair will get into the transition process. Many people may try some DIYs or home remedies to make their hair shiny, soft, and tangle-free. Some products like apple cider vinegar and henna treatments that help in making your scalp healthy. It deeply conditions your hair so that it would not get dry.
Build-up of Sebum
If you are washing your hair using hard water, then there is a possibility of a sebum deposit on your scalp over time. It will feel a bit waxy and smelly. It is true that washing your hair with only water leads to soft and manageable healthy hair, but in some cases, it does not happen at all. You can prevent this issue by using soft water or shower filter that stays away chlorines and minerals in tap water.
Clarifying for Sebum Balance
When you start using this method, it is a must to clarify the hair products from your hair. If you found excess sebum deposited on the hair strands, then you can use a natural hair cleanser for removing sebum without stripping hair or making it dry. You can use clay wash to make your hair ready for the method. After that, it becomes easy to do this method and manage your hair.
Final Thoughts
Water only hair washing is one of the effective methods of hair care without shampoos and conditioners. You can travel anywhere without any supply of commercial hair products. It is traditional to use natural oil for nourishing and moisturizing the scalp and hair. You can try this procedure to make your hair healthy and strong naturally.
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