• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

My new experiment

tokie

tokie

Golden Member
I have started to not use shampoo and soap when I shower. No face cleanser, no products of any kind. I will still scrub and use salt once a week to exfoliate.

The reasoning for this is simple: your body produces natural oils which capture dirt/grime. When you shampoo your hair, you are ripping away all these natural oils. Conditioner puts artificial ones back. So your body starts overproducing oils to compensate. If you just scrub without soap, you are still cleaning away dirt but without affecting your natural balance of oils.

Essentially, I've come to the conclusion that soap/shampoo are a vicious (and expensive) cycle with results that are never good. I've decided to hop off the wagon and let my body regulate itself.

I'm one week in, will update to see if I start stinking up the joint.
 
I like where this is going and am interested in the results.

What about after a sweaty affair? I have found that washing underarm sweat without soap does not remove all the smell.
 
It is definitely not a bad idea to lay off the shampoo for a day or so at a time. My hair always feels great only using shampoo about four times a week.
 
Forgot to add: I will still be wearing deodorant.

I'm one week in and my hair is a bit weird. Showers are much quicker (obviously) than they were before.
 
tokie said:
I have started to not use shampoo and soap when I shower. No face cleanser, no products of any kind. I will still scrub and use salt once a week to exfoliate.

The reasoning for this is simple: your body produces natural oils which capture dirt/grime. When you shampoo your hair, you are ripping away all these natural oils. Conditioner puts artificial ones back. So your body starts overproducing oils to compensate. If you just scrub without soap, you are still cleaning away dirt but without affecting your natural balance of oils.

Essentially, I've come to the conclusion that soap/shampoo are a vicious (and expensive) cycle with results that are never good. I've decided to hop off the wagon and let my body regulate itself.

I'm one week in, will update to see if I start stinking up the joint.
Click to expand...

What are these results, exactly?

If your shampoo is washing away more than dirt and EXCESS oil, you're using the wrong kind. Find something that's sulfate-free, or use baby shampoo.

Same goes for soap. Yeah, too many people buy into the marketing BS, but there is a happy medium.
 
tokie said:
Forgot to add: I will still be wearing deodorant.

I'm one week in and my hair is a bit weird. Showers are much quicker (obviously) than they were before.
Click to expand...

Your body will be much healthier in the long run if you ditch the deodorant (especially if it's got antiperspirant in it) and switch to a natural soap and shampoo. Try real raw African black soap or something else that is made from all natural ingredients.

This whole wacky belief that not washing is somehow the road to better health is a bunch of hooey. You'd never advocate brushing your teeth with just water, would you?
 
sixone said:
What are these results, exactly?

If your shampoo is washing away more than dirt and EXCESS oil, you're using the wrong kind. Find something that's sulfate-free, or use baby shampoo.

Same goes for soap. Yeah, too many people buy into the marketing BS, but there is a happy medium.
Click to expand...

Avoid baby shampoo...most of them have chemicals in them to desensitize the eyes. They aren't necessarily gentle, just eye numbing.
 
if i dont strip that oil from my hair every morning, Shell will put a rig on my head.

all hail our mighty Proctor & Gamble overlords!
 
I've decided to give up using water to bathe. I just rub soap and shampoo on my body a couple times per week.
 
Abe Froman said:
I've decided to give up using water to bathe. I just rub soap and shampoo on my body a couple times per week.
Click to expand...

Ironically, this concept was rather popular in the middle ages. In fact, that's why perfumes were invented and quite expensive; a luxury item reserved for nobles and royalty. They didn't bathe - they simply covered up their, uh, "musk" with... something else.

Unfortunately, lack of proper hygiene also contributed to certain other things, like the Bubonic Plague.
 
Last edited:
sixone said:
What are these results, exactly?

If your shampoo is washing away more than dirt and EXCESS oil, you're using the wrong kind. Find something that's sulfate-free, or use baby shampoo.

Same goes for soap. Yeah, too many people buy into the marketing BS, but there is a happy medium.
Click to expand...

I've tried so many different shampoos. All result in my hair being too dry for a day or two, then it gets very greasy. That is exactly because the natural oils start to overproduce.

If this works I will see about weaning off deodorant too.
 
tokie said:
I've tried so many different shampoos. All result in my hair being too dry for a day or two, then it gets very greasy. That is exactly because the natural oils start to overproduce.

If this works I will see about weaning off deodorant too.
Click to expand...

Humans are naturally stinky bro, and social creatures, a bad combination. Its our sweat glands. Not many creatures are as stinky as humans.
 
I thought about doing this, but it's a little too difficult having long hair and such. I'd be too self-conscious about it until my hair normalizes itself.
 
My hazy understanding from a bunch of hippies I knew years ago is that if you stop using soap, you'll get REALLY stinky for a couple weeks, then it'll even out, then drop off entirely. Their explanation, which I have not researched and do not stand behind, was that odor producing bacteria go ape shit at first, then the whole ecosystem evens out after a while as less smelly bacteria move in.
 
rivan said:
My hazy understanding from a bunch of hippies I knew years ago is that if you stop using soap, you'll get REALLY stinky for a couple weeks, then it'll even out, then drop off entirely. Their explanation, which I have not researched and do not stand behind, was that odor producing bacteria go ape shit at first, then the whole ecosystem evens out after a while as less smelly bacteria move in.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, it takes about 5-6 weeks for your body to normalize.

That takes me to around Christmas holidays, where I don't care if I am smelly around family. The only potential problem is if I am smelly in the office. Though I think other people are too nice to point that out.
 
Once the smelly guy in the office, always the smelly guy in the office.

How did you know that your hair was getting too dry?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top