Showering Without Soap or Shampoo: My 3-Month Experiment
Can’t see the video? Click here.
So back at the start of February I read this article by a lad named Sean Bonner, who had been showering with nothing but water for a month. Sounds crazy, right? Why would anyone do that? Sean’s words…
…it seemed silly that we would have evolved into creatures that needed a bunch of corporately produced and marketed chemicals smeared all over our bodies everyday just to get by.
Hmm. That actually made a lot of sense to me, and there was Sean reporting lots of good results from his experiment. I decided I’d have to try it for myself, and so I stopped using soap and shampoo the very next day. That was over three months ago now, and I’m still going strong showering with plain old water and none of the fancy stuff.
Let me be clear though: I continue to use deodorant every day, and I still wash my hands with soap after I use the toilet or when I’m about to go into surgery prepare food. But when I’m in the shower, nothing touches my body pero el agua.
Here’s how my hair looked yesterday morning:
Not too shabby, right?
The benefits
For me, the main benefits of showering without soap and shampoo are as follows:
1) It really doesn’t make much difference to my hair or skin.
Since I started with this back in February, I’ve found reports from several other people online who have tried the same experiment. Many of them report their hair feeling softer and their skin feeling amazing after the change. Can’t say I’ve noticed a big difference with that, personally.
Washing my hair only with water gets it about 90% as clean as shampoo ever did, but then it doesn’t get dirty as fast. With shampoo, it seemed like my hair would smell all nice and peachy right after washing, but then it would pick up dirt and grime faster and look kinda shitty by the end of the day. With the no-shampoo approach, my hair will look good right after washing, and then it still looks good at the end of the day, and even fairly decent when I get out of bed the next morning. It’s also a bit more manageable methinks, not flopping around as much.
As for odor, that hasn’t been a problem at all. Even when I get all sweaty from working out for a few hours at the gym, I’ll shower right after, spray on my usual dose of deodorant, and come away feeling perfectly clean, no lingering B.O.
I was in a relationship for a couple of months back in Ireland, and only told m’lady about the experiment after six weeks or so. She was surprised that I hadn’t been using shampoo at all during that time. To her, nothing seemed amiss.
2) I save a good chunk of money.
Shampoo in particular ain’t always cheap, especially if you insist on buying some that hasn’t been tested on animals (like I try to do).
3) I can shower much faster.
I still like taking a long shower every now and then, but it’s easier for me to rush through the process if I’m in a hurry. Just 3-4 mintes and I’m done. Screw lather, rinse, repeat.
4) Easier to travel.
This is actually a bigger deal than you might think. I no longer have to carry a bottle of shampoo with me and worry about them binning it at the airport. USA airport security especially loved to throw my shampoo bottles, even when they weren’t making a ticking sound.
It’s a little handier going to the gym now, too. No need to bring soap or shampoo along. No chance of the bottle opening in my bag and spilling all over my jeans (and you know that when that happens, nobody ever believes it’s a shampoo stain).
The downside
Many people (like Vlad) report a brief transition period after giving up shampoo where their hair becomes greasy for a while until it figures out how to look after itself and gets all its natural oils working. Apparently this takes about two weeks. Personally, I didn’t have to worry about that since my hair was extremely short at first, having just shaved my head for Random Acts of Courage.
Beyond that though, there really doesn’t seem to be any downside to giving up soap and shampoo. Unless you really like having your hair smell like grapefruit or ylang-ylang.
A female perspective
I wanted to get a female take on all this since I’ve only found guys writing about it online. Luckily, I discovered that my buddy Spyros Heniadis and his wife Kim had also stopped using shampoo a few months back, and Kim was happy to write up a quick note about her experience (emphasis mine):
I have short(er) curly hair. There was a few days of transition where it felt like straw and oily on the crown. Some days it still feels oily to me but it doesn’t look oily, and Spyros tells me it feels softer. It feels a little less soft to me now that I don’t use shampoo or conditioner. My hair is easier to manage without any product than it was before. It styles easier, and since I don’t add anything it’s more efficient as well.
I have naturally curly hair, so there may be a difference for people with straight hair.
I decided to stop using soap and shampoo because of all of the toxins and chemicals in them. Now when I browse through magazines I see all of the “natural” products and read the ingredient list and see just how unnatural all of it is.
I still use deodorant and lotions so I don’t smell like an unwashed hippie
. It’s natural deodorant and lotion from Bubble and Bee.
I have a very sensitive nose and I don’t like stinky things. If Spyros forgets to put on his deodorant he gets smelly and I have to remind him to put some on, but when he uses deodorant he smells good (unless he’s just done an hour of his naked yoga, and then he’s all sweaty and smelly anyway!)
Overall I like not using shampoo and soap. Unless I tell people no one else knows because I don’t smell or look greasy. The Bubble and Bee products are more expensive, but without buying soap and shampoo the costs are even or maybe less since the lotions and deodorants last quite a while.
Muchas gracias, Kim!
So, is this for keeps?
Yeah, I really don’t see the point of showering with soap or shampoo any more, so I plan to continue with this indefinitely. It’s no longer an experiment for me, as I’ve proven to myself that it works well. The only way I could see myself using shampoo in future would be to get something nasty out of my hair. Like ectoplasm.
Testing assumptions
I believe this whole experiment is a great example of why it’s important to test our assumptions. We grow up doing things a certain way (like washing our hair with shampoo) and believing that’s just how it’s supposed to be done. But it’s important to stop and ask why every now and then.
Why do we put all this weird shit in our hair to keep it clean? Didn’t humans get along just fine for thousands of years without it? Why did we suddenly start spending all this money on hair product? What would happen if we stopped?
I came across a short TED Talk recently that made me reconsider something else I thought I had all figured out: How to tie your shoes.
What assumptions have you tested?
Thinking of trying your own no-shampoo experiment? Or have you ever abandoned conventional wisdom and found yourself better off? Share in los comentarios, por favor.
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Great experiment Niall ! This is helpful as i couldn’t figure how to manage my hair. I tried getting rid of shampoo once, but couldn’t get past “the transition period” but reading your article i realize it must be like any other change you do in your life : you go through a bit of pain before seeing the good results.
I guess after a while without using anything my hair will be normal again.
Apparently so, Baptiste. Like I said, I can’t vouch for that personally, but it seems to have been the experience of others who’ve tried it. If you’re not opposed to shaving your head, I recommend doing that first to make the transition easier.
Thanks for the comment!
That’s a no-no, i like my hair too much for that !
Hi Niall,
I started washing my hair every 2 weeks after reading this post. I changed a month ago and completely stop washing my hair.
I always had dandruff problem before. I tried *everything* and it never worked. Now that I don’t use shampoo anymore I don’t have any dandruff. Yeah I know… wtf?
Also like you say my hair is more manageable and simply prettier.
After reading your post I think I am going to stop soap too.
Wow, that’s great that it cured your dandruff. I’ve heard that from other people, too. How ironic that the very stuff supposed to prevent dandruff actually makes it worse!
If you go no soap, find a microfibre wash cloth. It wicks dirt off your skin and body so you get clean without soap. I went no soap but was worried about still not gettin clean, or feeling greasy as some people said. So i used one of these instead and i am probably cleaner than i used to be with soap because of it. Microfibre, or microdermabrasion cloth. I swear by it and couldn’t go no soap without it. Especially good for underarms and sweaty places you need to make sure you get
.
Reminds me of when I read in a book on ayurvedic medicine about not drying off after a shower. Just go put your clothes on. Curious, I tried it. (I’ll try anything that doesn’t involve motorcycles, explosives, or eating things that shouldn’t be eaten.) Felt weird at first, but this is trivially true of anything done the first time. There’s an interesting feeling of warmth, and in minutes you’re dry anyway. Kinda fun, actually.
It wasn’t as much fun in Florida, where the high humidity kept me from drying off.
Now I live in New Mexico where everything dries out very quickly. Don’t need a towel in any case!
The reward: if I ever forget to bring a towel to the shower, it’s just no problem. Or, if I’m in a hurry but want to take a quickie shower, I can easily skip the towel step.
Hey, thanks for that, Daren! I’d never heard of drying off like that. I might give it a try some time
Learning so much from you folks in the comments. Love it!
Ahh good ol’ New Mexico, so dry……
What have I tested?
1. I grew my hair long and I shaved it short. The easier and more comfortable seemed to be the short hair, so I kept it that way.
2. I no longer have a bed or a mattress. I just sleep on 2 thin camping mats on the floor. I never slept better. My mattress was getting old and in stead of replacing it, I questioned the need for one. Now I sleep better and I don’t have a big bed that takes up a lot of space.
3. I grew a full beard, inspired by the beards.org site. It’s been an interesting experience and I haven’t shaved it yet.
4. I’m currently trying to get rid of my furniture, because I think it will be better for my back if I sit on the floor like the Japanese used to do (and often still do).
5. I questioned my eating habits and now I try to follow the paleonu diet. I don’t follow it to the letter, but it’s been going great. My weight stays constant and under control. And I learnt that breakfast is NOT the most important meal of the day.
6. I’m now questioning the need for shampoo and soap. =)
Brilliant stuff, Andy. I love #2 and #4 on your list especially. I’ll have to experiment with those things myself in future.
Hi Niall (and Cocopop),
So yeh… ok … first things first…. it was you who taught me how to tie my shoelaces at sports day back in St. Declans! I think it was before the 3 legged race! I am seriously not making this up…. Up until this point I had no idea how to tie my own laces!! But apparently you taught me wrong – yet now here you are coming full circle… teaching me again!
As for trying and testing assumptions… I know what you are saying and I agree with you in principal… but there is a different to machivellian style marketing campaigns that sell you the product that is making the thing it is trying to fix – worse, and genuine improvements in life due to advances in science. Sometimes the product does actually do “what it says on the tin”!!
I suppose call me cynical but I firmly believe that the very guys making computer viruses are the guys selling us the anti-virus software… just saying… as I’m sure there are sickos out there who get a kick from deleting everybody’s personal photos etc., from their computer, I do believe that there is something in there that is just a bit convenient for the anti-virus makers!
I suppose my attempt of going against the assumptions is that I had a good job in Dublin, and it was only going up – but with inevitably more working hours and less of a life! I realised that this is actually not what I want – I took a step back… moved down to Waterford, got a nice place – and a more reasonable job and thought you know – this slower pace of living isnt a bad thing at all – until the recession gave me an inevitable slap in the face and I have had to emigrate to Germany – where I have been now for almost 18 months… so I now know what it is I want – but its just a matter of getting back there… and when I say there I mean more about that state of mind and pace of life.
Also, I feel your pain trying to learn a language!! Just dive in is the only way to go. Working through German can be challenging but I would say that I feel in the last couple of months I have reached a place where I can talk over the phone about anything I need to – be that for my job – ordering a pizza – or booking a restaurant etc. There is a moment where the German word comes to mind faster than the English one and you can end up with a muddle in your mind – but this is a great thing. It just shows that your brain is re-programming itself to be able to think in both languages. – saying that though my written German is shite. Seriously. German grammer is a killer.
Sorry about the long post…. just got a bit carried away… and fair play to you!
Hey Marc, great to hear from you. Thanks for the comment.
I agree 100% that products often do exactly what they say on the tin. I’m sure there are even some great, natural shampoos out there. You could be right about those anti-virus folks. I never much liked anti-virus software. When I had a PC I found that as long as I stayed away from porn sites and ran Ad-Aware every so often, there was nothing to worry about. I’m on a Mac now, and have yet to have any virus or spyware issues (although the hard drive did crash a few months back).
Pretty cool that you abandoned the rat race up in Dublin. You might want to check out this book by Michael Kelly, methinks it will resonate with you a lot.
And thanks for the language tips/encouragement! Much appreciated.
Working for a security company, I can tell you that cyber criminals have plenty of other ways of getting to you besides porn sites and ads so having some anti-virus, anti-phishing, or other intrusion prevention software does not hurt. We only write some of the viruses. ;-P But there are real cyber criminals who want to do real damage.
Anyway, as for not using shampoo or soap, kudos to you Niall. Great experiment about testing assumptions . . . I’ll have to try some other type of test for me, though. I get invigorated by shampoo and soap aromas, and I really really dislike having oily skin, natural or not. Water does not clean off oils very well at all. As for shampoo and soap costs, I’ve been able to defer those for years. Due to my frequent job travels I’ve accumulated enough shampoo and soap from hotels to last me quite a long time. In fact, I haven’t bought soap or shampoo for the last three years.
Hey Ilya! Thanks for the comment, man.
Re: oily skin, I haven’t had to deal with that at all. I’m not sure if I’m just lucky that I have naturally unoily skin or if washing with water is enough to take care of it.
I’m all for challenging assumptions with experimentation. This is a good one, think I might give it a try. Do you ever have any experiments that you don’t publicly share (online or even with friends) because it’s just not worth the effort to explain, justify or rationalize?
Riley
Hey Riley. Great question. There have been a few experiments that I haven’t shared yet. Some are ongoing and I’m waiting to figure out if they’re worth sharing, and others simply proved to be a waste of time. For example, along with not using shampoo, I was also experimenting with using baby oil in place of shaving foam. I can’t remember where I read it, but someone online claimed that baby oil worked great. I tried it and was disappointed. Not a good substitute.
There has been on big experiment I’ve been dipping in and out of for the past six months or so that I hope to eventually share, but it will surely take some explaining
Hey neil are you using cold or hot water. . .?
Sometimes hot, sometimes cold. Doesn’t seem to make much difference.
I have been without soap or shampoo for a little over a year now. I didn’t have any transistion period for my hair because I wear it very short as well. My skin used to get really dry but I found that if I take a luke warm instead of a hot shower it doesn’t dry out.
Very cool, Dan. Thanks for sharing. I must try taking cooler showers.
I tried showering without shampoo this morning and just using a minimal amount of soap. So far so good– my hair does seem easier to manage. Looking forward to experimenting more with this. I do like how showering becomes more efficient, and like the idea of using less chemicals. Thanks for the tip!
Cheers, Jay. I hope it works out well for you. Let me know how the transition goes!
Thanks for bringing this to my mind, Niall. Sometimes it’s hard to tell people about your minimalist lifestyle, when you can’t remember what you’re actually doing different. Your article reminded me that I’m not using shower gel for months. It’s something that really most people do different, but it was completely “out of sight – out of mind”.
Nice one, Alex. It seems quite a few people are already doing this. It’s not as unusual as I thought. Or maybe it’s just the people who read blogs like mine are more likely to be living experimentally
This message, that we need to test and experiment with so called “conventional wisdom”, is one that I feel very strongly about and I love how you’ve brought attention to it with this great experiment that anyone can try!
It is so important to question everything, especially, I think, when it comes from a person we would deem as an authority figure. When I was young my mum would take me to the Dr everytime I had a sore throat (once a year or so as the school bugs went around). The Dr would take a look and within minutes prescribe antibiotics. We’d buy them at the chemist and I’d start taking them when we got home.
In my late teens I read an article saying that when we are ill there is a difference between a virus and bacterial infection and antibiotics only addresses the latter. To determine whether one suffers from a bacterial infection, more than an inspection is required. So I decided to not see a Dr next time I was ill and to just see what happened.
As I suspected I got better after a few days of rest anyway. I’m a teacher and am around plenty of illnesses as they do the rounds, and these days I barely get a sniffle, and I’ve never taken antibiotics since.
We all need to experiment.
Wow, cool story, Mirella. I also tend to stay away from doctor’s and medication when I’m sick. Whenever I feel myself getting a sore throat, I start eating more raw food and resting more. That’s done the trick every time since I started doing it two years ago.
Thanks for the comment!
Well done, i don’t go to the Dr unless i think it’s really serious, eg. pain past my unusually high threshold, thinking i might actually be dying lol, etc. I think i haven’t taken antibiotics in over 10 years. Don’t get me wrong, i would if i needed to, but i just do what you have found, sleep it off, if it gets worse i’d go, but mostly you just heal and get better.
Hi everyone
Interesting debate. Many years ago I had a really itchy back, turns out it was extremely dry skin, so I stopped washing it with stuff and just let it get wet in the shower (water only) within a few months it was better. I tried just washing my hair with water a while ago but it didn’t really work. I wondered if this was maybe because it had gone a few days and really needed a wash. I thought I might try it again after only washing it 2 days ago and see what happens. My hair is thick, wavy and quite coarse… so I could do with more ‘oils’ in it. When you mention transition, do you get your hair wet every time you shower and if so how often? Many thanks x
Hey Debbie, thanks for your comment.
Yes, I get my hair wet every time. I still shower pretty much the same way, just without shampoo. I give my scalp a good scrub.
Great post. I am interested in minimalism but myself more of a simplifier, I like to find simpler ways of doing things so this is something I really want to try. I will try it while I am at our holiday home for 2 weeks in July – as a female with longer hair, I’m a bit cautious about trying it out and the transition period. I have heard of curly-haired girls (like me!) not using shampoo and only conditioner but not just water. It could well regulate any skin/scalp problems I have. I will also be recommending it to my husband, who has always suffered with dandruff and wears his hair 1/4 inch long!
I usually only use water for other cleaning jobs so it should be fine. As long as it’s warm/h0t water and can dissolve any greasiness, it works. Just this morning in the grocery store I was thinking how few cleaning products I use and how rarely I need to buy any. Occasionally some dish soap and some cheap vinegar.
Some of the other suggestions are really good, too. I am keen to change our bed. We have never slept so badly since we took our cheap Ikea bed to the holiday place and replaced it with an expensive one – duh. Also as I am getting rid of stuff, I am beginning to get rid of furniture, too, that is becoming superfluous. Not sure if the family will go along with this completely, but for my part, yay!
As for language – persevere! There comes a point, usually after wanting to give it all up in disgust, where there’s a sudden click and the new language spills out quicker than your mothertongue in some situation, to surprise you
) It gets massively better from there! If I’m wanting to learn a new language I find myself talking to myself in my head, describing what I’m doing, going to do, have been doing, carrying on imaginary conversations etc. which trains my mind to the point that I can check up on things with the teacher where I got stuck and have “practised” enough for it come out right when I actually get into a given situation. I am terrible at just learning vocabulary and such, but have achieved great results in several languages this way (sadly I don’t get chance to use them as much as I’d like!).
Anyway, sorry for hijacking you with a long comment…
Hey Mel, no need to apologize, loved your comment! Let me know how the no-shampoo experiment works out for you, and thanks for the language tips
Niall, Thanks for sharing a link to a video about shoes
No worries!
By the way, don’t you know how to deal with dandruff without shampoo?
I’ve never had dandruff so it’s not something I’ve had to deal with. A few people have mentioned though that their dandruff problems went away once they stopped using shampoo.
Oh man, you too? I’m on day 16 of no shampoo. I picked up the idea from @AlmostBohemian. My first week was bad. I have very oily hair and it looked and felt so greasy. But now the oil has seemed to have balanced out. I can’t get over how soft my hair is. I told my mom about it today. I asked her to feel my hair and tell me what she thought. She was like wow it’s really soft what are you using? LOL When I told her I haven’t washed my hair in 16 days she looked at me like I was joking! My little sister was like cool, does that mean I don’t have to use shampoo anymore? Oops. Yeah my mom won’t be giving up her hair products anytime soon but I’m sold! This saves me $9 a bottle on the stuff I was getting at the natural food store!
Next I’ll experiment with the soap. I’ve had eczema my whole life so I’m hoping that it will help with that.
Wow, that’s amazing Tracy. Delighted it worked out so well for you
No downsides…yeah, except for bacteria and the thousands and thousands of diseases out there.
And if a girl I knew did this shit, she’d be kicked out the goddamn door. This is disgusting. There is a fucking reason we’ve EVOLVED as a society from a caveman. Ever wonder why cavemen drawings always have them looking filthy? It’s because they had no choice but to put up with this. Humans didn’t get by because they chose to, they had no choice. Science was hundreds, possibly thousands of years away from being where we are now. They didn’t know about the kind of bacteria and diseases in the world that we now know of.
YOU and people that are always around you get used to the terrible smell coming off of you because they’re used to you. “I SMELL GREAT WHEN I DUN USE NUFFIN!” doesn’t count here.
Thanks for the comment, Chris.
I respectfully disagree with you. No smell, no disease. If you ever met me without knowing that I don’t use shampoo, you’d never be able to tell.
This post isn’t intended to bash science. I’m appreciative of lots of the medicines and cosmetics we have nowadays. But not all of them are necessary for everyone.
“And if a girl I knew did this shit, she’d be kicked out the goddamn door. This is disgusting.”
The feeling is mutual. Most women I know wouldn’t want a guy who is this angry.
Like to get tip about everything here.
Just a question YOU never ever use some kind of soap??
But what kind/BRAND of deodorant? OR are you making it yourself?
Morningshowers are they including the hair??EVERY DAY??
Keep up the good work!
NIKKI
Hey Nikki, thanks for the comment.
I do use soap, but not in the shower. I wash my hands with soap after using the toilet, for example. In the shower I only use water to wash myself, and yes, I shower every day, including my hair.
As for deodorant, I just use regular stuff, don’t really have a favorite. Currently I’m working with an Old Spice roll-on. Does the trick
Cheers!
About 6 months ago I gave up shampoo and soap for BAKING SODA. Discovered that I only need to wash my hair every 2 weeks or so, the horrible dandruff went away, and my hair looked better than ever (it’s long and thick). Baking soda does a nice job of defoliating skin, is a powerful deodorant, and is very cheap, nontoxic, and easy to find anywhere. I’ll try not using it on my hair, but I’m sold on it for a deodorizing wash. There is a funny transition period for hair, but it helps to rinse afterward with apple cider vinegar about once a month.
Thanks for sharing, Anne. I’ve never tried baking soda, might give it a go next time I find some lying around
Thanks for this post, I will try the no shampoo experiment first and then probably try to go without soap. I started recently to take cold showers every morning, it feels awesome and I have nothing but good things to say about it. (for those interested: http://gettingstronger.org/2010/03/cold-showers/ ).
I also stumbled into this article ( http://artofmanliness.com/2010/03/24/cold-water-shaving/ ) that introduced me to the crazy idea that I could cold shave. I have been doing it for the past two weeks and my skin feels good, I shave while I’m in my cold shower and I don’t even use any shaving cream.
Right now I’m still using soap and shampoo, but I’m wondering if using shampoo in cold water is any good ? My hair is currently very short but I’m making it grow so I can try a fancier haircut. My question is, if I use a gel for my hair, would it still be ok to go without shampoo ? Thanks!
Hey Ludovic,
Thanks for the comment, and the links. Interesting stuff. I may experiment with cold water shaving myself. I like the idea of not having to use shaving cream.
I don’t know about using shampoo in cold water. And I don’t use gel either so I’m not sure how that works without shampoo. I expect shampoo helps get the gel out when you shower, better than water alone.
Interested to hear how it works out for you.
Cheers.
One day I ran out of soap so I showered without it. Never thought about it again and haven’t gone back since. I’ve seen absolutely no differences whatsoever. Hell, I couldn’t even give you an estimate as to when it was that I stopped using it, the difference was so little.
I have seborrheic dermatitis. I am on day 14 of my one month “no shampoo” experiment. My skin is worse than ever just like I expected. My scalp and face is itchy and dry. I have flakes the size of rice grains and dimes. I spend hours scratching off skin although I shouldn’t. A few hours later after I finish, my skin is dry, crusty, and scabby and I start scratching again. I have used dandruff shampoos
for 25 years so I assume my body is adjusting to the change.
I think my hair smells like gasoline and skunks now, but my girlfriend says it smells fine.
The most effective treatment I have ever found for my seborrheic dermatitis is living in warm tropical climates and swimming in the ocean.
I am stubborn so I plan to continue my experiment. I hope my dandruff disappears, but right now I am skeptical.
Wow, thanks for sharing, Lee. Interested to hear how it turns out for you.
Who knew my two young sons had it right all along? So many wasted hours yelling about how they didnt use soap!
I have finished my 30 day “no shampoo” experiment. I must say this experiment
wasn’t enjoyable. My hair became a blizzard when I ran my hand through it. The flakes in my hair became nearly the size of cornflakes. My head was constantly itchy and I could barely have sex, read, or sleep. I felt like a disgusting scumball.
A few days ago, however, I noticed my scalp starting improving. My dandruff did not disappear, but became more patchy. Since I was finished with the experiment and discovered that I have dandruff whether I use or don’t use shampoo, I decided to start using shampoo again. Basically I found that if I don’t use shampoo, I save money and have dandruff. If I use shampoo, I spend money and have dandruff, but I feel cleaner and have more self-esteem.
My skin is sensitive to cold temperatures, but I personally wouldn’t advise anyone to give up on shampoo. Companies make shampoo because it’s better than nothing. I learned my lesson. This past month was torture for me.
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out well for you, Lee. But fair play for giving it a shot.
I think your experience just goes to show that there’s no one right way for everyone.
Cheers for the comment.
So happy to come across this! I have tried so many soaps and lotions over the years to help combat dry itchy skin. So, you wash your skin just to slather on lotion and feel all sticky within 5 mins. of taking a shower?! Tonight was my first soap/shampooless shower and I’m very excited. I am hoping my shoulder length fine hair doesn’t go completely cavewoman on me, but I am prepairing mentally and with hat in hand for that. And your explaination of good bacteria needing a chance to thrive vs. the bad bugs makes complete sense. And my kids will be happy for the soap/poo free change. My youngest who is 4 already takes plain water baths and has never smelled like anything but a clean kidlet. Now I can quit the shampoo torture; he is so smart!
A couple of years ago here in Australia I heard a DJ on the radio about washing his hair without soaps or shampoos. Never forgot it and then mid last year decided to give it a go. I’ve never looked back.
I had dandruff since, well since my early teens, and used all sorts of nasty shampoos to control it. In the end I was using a highly promoted brand of dandruff shampoo on a daily basis. Hair smelt great, no scalp scratching, no flakes of “snow’ on my suit, no embarrassment. But I was getting sick of forking out money on chemicals.
I decided to ditch the shampoo and only wash with water. I also had my haircut fairly short, a number 5 clipper allround. After about a 4 week transition of fairly oily hair and scalp it settled down to, I guess, it’s natural state of balance. Hair is now softer, shinier and zero dandruff (sounds like an ad, eh).
Very cool, Ariel. Thanks for sharing that. Glad the no shampoo stuff works so well for some people.
If I were to try this, would I simply take a shower every single day except only use water? And do we use hot, lukewarm, or cold water? Or does that even make a difference? My hair has been the bane of me existence for the past couple of months. It has been matte and getting oily rather fast, so I am contemplating giving this a try when I get a few days off of school to help ease myself into the transition period without feeling too gross. Thank you in advance xx
Hey Kamila. Yeah, water temperature doesn’t seem to matter much. In the last few weeks I’ve stayed in places with first only cold water, and then only hot water. I didn’t notice any difference with my hair after washing.
And yeah, every day with water only. That’s what’s been working well for me.
Best of luck!
I’ve gone 3 weeks without using soap and shampoo in my showers. I use Toms Of Maine deodorant, the unscented kind. I also changed my diet. I eat all natural, and nothing fried. I tested this out to see how strong my pheromones can get, and I must say I get a lot of attention, and I don’t smell bad. I have some liquid soap sitting here in my bedroom, which I don’t even use.
Thanks for posting this topic on your site.
Cool article. I have’t used soap for most of my life. I figured out as a kid that it didn’t really matter. I have issues with dandruff, I want to try and see if cutting out shampoo will help.
Another interesting assumption that is false is brushing your teeth and tooth paste. I spoke with a dentist about this after I figured out this assumption was false and he verified it but some what grudgingly.
But, to explain, your tendency to getting cavities in your teeth is mostly related to the thickness of your enamel and your diet. High sugar foods such as starches and candy will increase the likely hood of dental problems. I personally have thick enamel and as a result do not have cavities. I also eat a normal american diet and almost never brush. I only brush my teeth if they feel dirty, maybe twice a month, depending on what I am eating. I hate toothpaste, it literally has no benefits but it does cause abrasion on your teeth and thins your enamel.
Oh, also I notice a lot of men use deodorant. Why? I haven’t been able to figure out the benefits of that yet either.
I wonder if you have a body odor that you don’t notice because you’re so used to it. The only people I have known who didn’t wear deodorant smelled strongly like BO so maybe they didn’t shower either. I have strong BO personally even with deodorant on after waking up in the morning.
I also wonder about the lack of brushing. Do you not have plaque on your teeth and foul breath? Think about dogs who don’t get their teeth brushed- like mine- they get plaque buildup and bad breath and need to have their teeth cleaned under anesthesia regularly. I guess if you went to have your teeth professionally cleaned regularly, l guess it wouldn’t be so gross, but I prefer to keep up the maintenance myself.
I have been no shampoo since Oct 2011 and have struggled with dry, flaking scalp and oily crown so I use dilute baking soda wash about twice a week followed by dilute vinegar rinse. Maybe I’ll try just water for a while and see how it goes.
This week I tried just washing with water and so far have been pleased. I still have pretty dry skin but will see if that improves over time. I am worried about my face though getting dirty/oily and breaking out so I’ll see if wiping it down with a rag helps.
Thanks for sharing.
I would have disagreed with you completely a few years ago, but last year my dentist started dissuading his patients from using toothpaste because of its abrasive drawbacks. But his instructions were to still brush, just without any paste.
The act of brushing and flossing is what is cleaning your teeth and tongue of plaque and of any food that gets caught between your teeth before begins to rot, not the toothpaste. And then, when I went back to him this year, he said that most of his patients that had complained of sensitive teeth had reported to him that their sensitivity had either improved dramatically or disappeared altogether.
So please keep brushing and flossing regularly, but do screw the paste.
i tried putting shampoo on one side of my head, and no shampoo on the other side. the no shampoo side feels nicer, and now i know why.
\i’m gonna try this experiment for about a month, just to see if the natural oils do make a difference, i think they will.I’m looking forward to handling my hair in a great way that doesnt feel like i woke up in the morning after drying out.
ew. chemicals. i figured they were the ones ruining my hair in the first place.
A little late to this particular party although its something I’ve been doing myself now for a couple of years, the ‘poo free thing, not the soap thing. I started thinking about a lot of the things we do that are “unnatural” a couple of years ago and shampoo was at the top of my list. To be specific the whole shampoo/conditioner swindle and the essence of ylang ylang thing. I couldn’t understand why we use a shampoo to clean our hair and then have to use a conditioner to put back all the natural goodness that we just stripped out? I also couldn’t understand where all these exotic essence of badger nipple ingredients fitted into the picture. So I did some research and came across ridiculouslyextraordinary.com I haven’t used shampoo for years now and as a direct result of sharing this information with my girlfriend neither her nor her two children use shampoo anymore either. And they all have nice shiny clean hair. There is a transition period but once you get past that your hair will never have felt so soft.
I did recently start thinking about the soap thing so I guess thats the next thing for me to try, thanks for letting me know it should be a breeze.
Hi Niall and friends! I am a big fan of testing “conventional wisdom”, so to speak, so I naturally enjoyed this post. For me, I don’t use deodorant/antiperspirant. I was never a fan of the stuff growing up, even though my mom insisted that I use it. I started wearing it during high school, but then when university rolled around I quit using it. Maybe it was because of the influx of hipsters at my campus or a slight reversion to my former rebellious ways, but I kicked the forced habit. I noticed the difference at first (smell, a little sweaty), but soon that all faded away. I have read online that antiperspirant may be linked to breast cancer, so that is another reason why I don’t use it. After the gym, I just change my clothes, spray a little perfume, and I am good to go. Everyone produces different amounts of oil and sweat, but giving up the stick is a good thing to try. Cheers!
I’ll agree with you on some aspects of this, but I’m not ready to give you a cigar quite yet.
I am ready to hand you approval for your results as far as short hair goes, but I would like to differ on long hair.
Mine is long and curly, a little longer than half way down my back, and when pulled taught it is nearly at my butt.
Because my hair is curly I very rarely poo on it, and since curly hair is more brittle than straight hair, the poo can really dry my hair out if I use it with any frequency (I use it maybe once a month, if that).
But conditioner! Conditioner is indeed something I need. The poo-ditioner cycle is truly a drying one, and while leaving poo and conditioner out of a hair washing regimen does allow for the natural oils to take over and care for my hair… it tends to only happen on my scalp and a few inches out. This then causes the rest of my hair to further dry out since it is being wetted and dried (think of washing your hands with water and not using lotion in winter). Thus my hair frizzes, splits (split ends with split ends with split ends I kid you not), tangle to a greater degree and ultimately back talks to me when I try to command it.
So POO… is unnecessary, but a good strong conditioner, without harsh chemicals like silicone or alcohol, used primarily on the ends of the hair can do wonders.
Now if only I could find a decent hair dresser. I asked the last one for a trim and ended up like Shirley Temple, whose hair I loath, and now it’s been so long that my hair is nearly as long as the distance from my butt to my head.
Hey,
I stopped using soap in 1985 and only use it to wash my hands and in the shower if I have actual dirt in my hair. Just 5 minutes of hot water and I’m done. I still wear antiperspirant and a touch of cologne.
I do were clean cloths every day. Dirty cloths stink.
Blair.
I am on second week water only hair wash. Will try to wash with cold or cool water only – I think that is the way most people around the word do, who wash with water only.
Yes, and I use soap for my hands only, for a long time. After stinking from all kinds of natural and unatural deodorants or antiperspirants I gave them up about half a year ago. As my mother anyways complained about the smell. But about month ago I tried using soap on one of my underarm only and wash the other with water only – the result – the water only did not stink and the other did. All the unbelievers try it yourself. Now I do not stink even if I am swetting after half an hour exercise. I think it has to do with good bacterias taking over, which otherwise would be killed by soap and then bad ones would trive.
100% agree that teeth need only brushing and flosing – no toothpaste, soda, mud, soap or any other thing needed. Rising after eating would be good too. Most toothpastes contain glicerin which coats teeth and does not let it to reminerilise.
And I do not sugest using parfumes as they contain more chemicals as all other things mentioned in this blog. Use better little essential oil diluted in oil.
For dry ichy skin stopping the use of soap might not be enough as that can be caused by hard water or/and central heating. Use when needed some oil – coconut or olive and/or some butter ( shea, cocoa).
You’ve lost a ton of hair since you started this experiment I don’t think that’s a coincidence shampoo washes away dht, the ingredient which cause male pattern baldness
Ah Ron, you so silly.
Check the video on this page, from around the same time I stopped using shampoo. My hair looks exactly the same then as it does now.
It looks like I have more hair in the above video and image because I hadn’t had one of those haircut things in a while.
Appreciate your concern though
Hello my friend, let me add a small hint, try using COLD water and not hot, it sounds terrible but just google cold shower benefits and you’ll see. As for me, I take a cold 5 minutes shower every morning and never felt cleaner or better!
What about lice? Aren’t you afraid you might get them and that a simple water shower won’t kill them? I am trying this experiment for 2 weeks now and I’m just curious.
About the stupid common wisdom, pillows are BAD for one’s back, it would be a good idea to kick the pillow habit, I am sleeping like this for 2 months and it’s just great!
Hey Michael. If I get lice then I’ll take appropriate action, no big deal. I doubt I’m any more likely to get them though just because I don’t use shampoo. I’m still washing my hair every day.
Cool man, a very “natural” answer, thanks
I am glad I found your post’s online. Reading through all the responses is making me wonder if we even need clothes soap for our clothing. I have a friend who stopped using all chemicals, even in her dishwasher. She seems clean and fine to me. Think of all the harsh things we are putting in our bodies when we wear clothing washed in bleach and tide. When we sweat we soak in them.
I just tried my first shower with no soap or shampoo. I have long straight and oily hair. Let’s hope the transition is fast, I am not brave enough to shave my hair. LOL
Thanks for sharing your experiment.