The Pros & Cons of Water Only Hair Washing
So I started incorporating water only hair washing into my curly hair regimen January 2014. Now that it’s been well over a year, I’ve definitely experienced some pros and cons to water only hair washing. Just like anything else there are dual sides to the story. (Curls above... chunky twist & curl set)
Pros
1. No More Product Build-Up
When you’re not using commercial hair products filled with lab created chemicals, or even heavy natural butters and creams, you don’t experience product build-up on your hair strands. You’re finally able to see the true texture and health of your hair.
2. Ridiculously Cost Effective
With water only hair washing you are using the natural oils from your scalp's sebaceous glands as well as water to moisturize, seal, condition, and protect your hair. I’m still in awe that my scalp produces exactly what my hair has always needed, and my hair is extremely soft without conditioners. These natural oils are the BEST conditioner for your hair.
3. Learn To Truly Understand Your Hair
To determine what works best for curly/coily hair, the focus is usually on how products affect the hair. With water only hair washing the focus now becomes the hair care methods in which you care for your hair. After trying so many different things with my hair, I now understand more about my hair than I’ve ever before.
(wash & go curls with no products)
4. Less Tangles
Once you have full sebum coverage on your hair strands, you experience less tangles. Whether you wear your hair in a wash and go, braid/twist out, or a fluffy fro, managing your hair is so much easier.
5. No More Dry Hair
If you have curly/coily hair, having dry hair seems to just go with the territory. The focus on caring for your hair is solely reliant on keeping your hair moisturized. After you have full sebum coverage, you’ll no longer experience dry hair again. This is one main reason I don't plan on going back to traditional hair care.
6. The Softest Hair Ever
When I first started water only hair washing I couldn't keep my hands out of my hair. I had no idea my hair could ever feel this soft without products. It was amazing that I had soft hair without it being heavily coated in oils and butters either.
7. Easy Travel
I'm not sure about you, but I’ve always tried to figure out how I was going to bring all of my hair care needs with me when traveling. Using herbal hair care was pretty easy, yet I still was preparing DIY hair care products away from home. Now I travel with 3 ounces of oil and my wide tooth comb and I'm good.
(wash & go curls with no products + how hennaed hair can appear in different lighting)
8. Simple Daily Hair Care/Scalp Massages
Most curly/coily hair never experiences the true effect of sebum fully coating the hair strands. Once you stop stripping these oils away with products that you even have a chance. Mechanically moving sebum down the strands of your hair with water rinses, scritching (a light scratching of the scalp), massaging, and preening is all you need to do.
Scritching, massaging, and preening the oils down the hair helps to keep the hair and scalp clean as well as evenly distribute these natural oils throughout your hair. These three steps need to be done daily. Some use wooden combs/brushes, horn combs, or other natural hair tools, and some just use their fingers. Some do these steps in the shower while others prefer to do them on dry/damp hair. Regardless you are also getting a daily scalp massage which promotes hair growth and is extremely relaxing.
Cons
1. You Are Not 100% Product-Free During The Transition
Every major change in your hair regimen will create a transition process. When I’m referring to "products" in this case, I mean simple DIY hair care such as carrier oils, DIY hair masks/deep conditioners, hair rinses, etc. These “products” help make this new regimen change possible.
I used apple cider vinegar rinses to keep my scalp happy. I mixed up DIY deep conditioner mixes in fear my hair would get dry which it never did unless I clarified my hair. I still use a carrier oil after a water rinse as well as on the ends of my hair as needed, yet only in small amounts. I also use henna treatments in which I've used for years.
2. Sebum/Mineral Deposit Build-Up
There’s no longer product build-up with water only hair washing, yet if you have hard water you will experience mineral build-up on your hair over time. This mineral build-up will make your sebum feel waxy, therefore making it very hard to detangle your hair. The whole purpose of water only hair washing is to have soft manageable healthy hair, yet this is a HUGE snag in the situation.
Here are a two options…
Get a shower filter. A shower filter will remove most if not all of the minerals and chlorine from your tap water.
Use distilled water, carbonated water, or an acidic rinse for your final rinse.
(hair super stretched with African threading technique & protective style updo)
3. Clarifying & Proper Sebum Balance
Initially before beginning water only hair washing, you MUST clarify your hair of previous hair products. If you come across the mineral build-up snag, or have excess sebum on your strands in general, finding the right natural hair cleanser that will remove only a small amount of sebum without stripping your hair dry can be tricky. When I've had too much sebum on my strands I've used a clay wash to start fresh again.
Using a concentrated amount of clay to liquid will have you at square one which can be frustrating. I'm still tweaking the right amount of clay best for my hair and creating a new regimen to avoid this all together. Once I've clarified, I’m clear with how valuable these natural oils are, yet having manageable hair is important too.
Final Thoughts
After experimenting with water only hair washing, this has now become a bit of a norm for me. I can never see myself going back to traditional hair care. I enjoy the freedom on only using DIY hair care on occasion versus weekly and not being dependent on hair care products in general.
My hair feels incredibly soft and touchable, and just smells like hair. I do add essential oils to my hair oil for scent when I desire to though. I’m again working out a new hair regimen, yet I have learned so much, and feel so incredibly liberated. For me the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
Check out my water only hair washing series...
From The Curly Girl Method, To Herbal Hair Care, Now Water Only
...and My Zero Waste Curly Hair Regimen which makes the best of water rinses!
What has been your experience for those of you trying this hair care method?
Images by Dawn Michelle