Lately, we have way more time in our hands that we want to… what to do with it? Well, of course, try every single Tik-Tok, YouTube, and Insta challenge and trends available. One that is taking the social media world by storm is the No-Poo Movement.

If you don’t know what it is, we’re here to help and to wave you off it, unless you have super oily, thick hair. No-Poo stands for “no shampoo” and it means just that. You know, alternative ways to “wash” your hair with natural ingredients such as baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

How is that possible, you may ask? Short answer: Everything is possible, but is it wise and effective? That’s what we’re going to find out on this page.

Also discover why each ingredient works alone, but combined, its a recipe for dry and brittle hair.

Also Read: Almond Oil: Homemade Mask To Tame Rebellious Strands

Baking soda is a natural ingredient widely used in home remedies. The reason this is so is that baking soda has cleansing, antibacterial, and detox properties. This ingredient is the center of the No-Poo movement, in which you wash your hair with baking soda followed by an apple cider rinse. The claim is that you’ll be balancing your scalp’s pH, save water, and enjoy soft, smooth, and shiny locks.

Since baking soda is such a harsh ingredient (no wonder is widely used n cleaning products) is needs to be handled with extra care. Meaning, you should never apply it directly onto your scalp or skin, because it will cause irritation and even burns.

Claim 1: Works to Remove Product Buildup

Okay, but so does a clarifying shampoo. Yes, it’s true that baking soda has natural alkaline properties, but not as many as some as the carefully crafted formulas in these shampoos.

Since baking soda is so strong, it will remove product buildup along will all the wonderful natural oils on your scalp. It will also strip naked your hair shaft, follicles, and cuticle. It will make them dry, brittle, and damaged.

After using this ingredient, your strands will feel tight, dry, and fragile. If you want to give it a shot, you should only do it once a week. We believe this method works best on women with thick, oily hair who tend to wash their hair every day.

Appl cider vinegar is way more alkaline and does balance your pH, but it should be used alone and well diluted in water. We also recommend using it along with a nourishing oil such as coconut.

Claim 2: Dandruff Remedy

Due to its antibacterial properties, baking soda is it could work in treating dandruff, but it’s too harsh. It helps to control the production of the Malassezia fungus, which causes dandruff.

It works as a natural exfoliant cleansing your scalp while removing the annoying flakes. Again, it must be dissolved in water and never apply it directly to the scalp, as it can irritate it. Apple cider vinegar wins this claim too because it can be applied directly into the affected area with a cotton ball and ease the condition.

Claim 3: Leaves Your Hair Soft and Shiny

As mentioned before, this is not true, because there are no nourishing elements in baking soda or apple cider vinegar, none! Nourishment is what gives that silky soft and shine effect to the hair, without it, there’s only dryness.

In a nutshell, baking soda is an abrasive ingredient and causes irritation to the skin and scalp. It also breaks hair and mistreats the hair cuticle. This ingredient cannot be used on chemically treated, brittle, or fine hair. People with dry hair who want to try the No-Poo method should consider a cleansing conditioner instead.

Honestly, if the aim is to save water, why not skip washes altogether and turn dry shampoo into your bestie? There are so many wonderful and improved formulas of this product available that you won’t be missing showers.