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Our bodies are constantly changing, and not always in ways we expect or are prepared for. So it was with me recently when my hair suddenly started getting really oily.
Like, I want to take a shower later the same day I already had a shower oily.
It was bad. And I wasn’t sure what to do about it.
I tried dry shampoo, and it didn’t really help (could be because the can I have is ancient). I knew I needed something to absorb oil and gently clean my hair, but I couldn’t find a shampoo for seriously scary oily hair.
I knew a little bit about going “no poo” or shampoo free because my friend Jacqueline did it, so I looked into it and found my solution.
Baking soda.
The No Poo “Recipe” for Oily Hair
The website I looked at, helpfully called the No Poo Method, said one way to deal with oil is by washing with a combination of baking soda and water.
Specifically it called for a tablespoon of baking soda to a cup of hot water. Mix it up until it’s no longer gritty. 
Pour it over your hair and rub in just like you would shampoo, except of course there will be no lather because there’s no soap involved.
Then you rinse it out and you’re done.
I measured the quantity the first couple of times, but now (about three weeks in) I just keep a big spoon, a box of baking soda and a plastic bowl in my bathroom and mix a spoonful into some water.
The Results
Using the no poo method has been great for my oily hair. I’m a dedicated every other day hair washer, and now I can do that schedule (or even skip another day if I have to) without my hair looking greasy.
For people who don’t have such an oil problem, you can rinse with apple cider vinegar after the baking soda if your scalp gets too dried out.
So far I have found the no poo method easy and effective for dealing with super oily hair. I don’t know if I’ll stick with it forever (and I may try using shampoo again when traveling just to see what happens) but it’s been a life saver recently. And if you’re on a budget, you can get baking soda at the dollar store and have more than 30 washes, which is way cheaper and healthier for your hair than using chemical-filled shampoos.
Have you tried or are you currently no poo? I’d love to hear about your experiences!
