There is a consistent cycle using commercial hair care in which your hair is completely stripped of everything including your hair’s natural oils/sebum when shampooed. Next you follow up by coating your hair with synthetic conditioning ingredients to replenish the natural oils which were stripped. Finally if you have extremely dry hair to begin with, you must add a moisturizing leave-in, then a styler to control unruly hair, and an oil or butter to seal in that moisture.
For someone who has had extremely short hair for a good portion of my life, when I grew my hair out I was certain that anyone who had longer hair than I definitely knew more about hair care then I possibly could. In actuality that was the truth, yet it is so important to try things out for yourself. Back in the day when my hair was short I would sometimes use a natural cocoa butter lotion as a hair product and call it done. I never knew what detangling curly hair was like, nor did I even think it was possible to have longer curly hair. Short hair was my look and I loved it. At that time I would grow my hair out just a little some then cut it back off soon after.
In January 2012 my hair was much longer and I started doing The Curly Girl Method. I shared my story/confession in this article. I had found so much comfort reading Lorraine Massey’s 2nd Edition of Curly Girl: The Handbook knowing that pretty much every girl/woman born with natural curly hair despised their locks at some point and wanted it to be different. The fear of rainy days and frizz, having their hair balloon to embarrassing heights, and just not knowing what in the world to do with it. Stylists viewing curly hair as needing to be fixed and straightened only makes most curly girls feel dreadful about what naturally grows from their scalps.
When I’m out and about even now I’ve had offers to straighten my hair by “generous” hair stylists as if I secretly don’t love my hair just as it is. They’ll give me their card as if they will be doing me a big favor. There have definitely been more than a few times when I’ve been on set for a job and the hair stylists seriously have no clue what to do with my hair, either they rip through it like its a weed, or they give me a major attitude because of their insecurity in not having any experience or training with curly hair. It’s sad but true.
So with a hair industry still learning to understand proper curly hair care, the only true option of learning what to do with your hair is on YouTube.
I was benefiting from The Curly Girl Method with great success. My hair was finally moisturized fully and my curls had never looked better, yet there was one little problem. I was chemically sensitive. The ingredients in even the natural conditioners that I was using was irritating my skin and scalp. I would have an extremely itchy back after showering and my scalp just was a complete mess. I then learned to make my own conditioner which did work pretty well, yet still wasn’t exactly what I truly wanted.
My Hair Using The Curly Girl Method
I then experimented like crazy with truly 100% chemical-free hair care. This hair care series explains it all. I’ve shared so many DIY hair care recipes on this site, more than I could have ever imagined. During this process I’d seen this video in April 2013 of a girl who goes by The Ruby Tulip on YouTube discussing water only hair washing. If any of you are familiar with The Long Hair Community online, water only hair washing is a big topic there. I’d just never heard of anyone with naturally curly/coily hair doing it.
For curly/coily hair it takes an extremely long time for the natural oils that the scalp produces to cover the hair from root to tip. It is nearly impossible for this to even take place when using shampoos and conditioners. It is obvious that shampoos strip the hair of natural oils/sebum but conditioners contain surfactants too which also strip the hair of natural oils as well. We just don’t notice that our natural oils are being stripped away because of the synthetic conditioning ingredients and carrier oils in conditioners. Our hair still feels soft and moisturized using conditioners, yet this feeling is not from our own natural oils.
My Curls using 100% Natural/Herbal Hair Care
In January 2014 (this year) I decided to finally experiment with water only hair washing. As hippie as it may seem, it has been the BEST experiment out of everything that I’ve shared on Minimalist Beauty. I played around with different techniques with this regimen and literally broke every “curly girl rule” in the natural hair care handbook. I did this experiment for one month then returned to my herbal hair care using my two favorite DIY hair care products of a diluted herbal infused apple cider vinegar as shampoo and banana/coconut milk deep conditioning treatment. My hair was still pleased with this change, but I had still learned a lot from my water only hair washing experiment.
I’m sure you are curious what I learned and where, so let me share a few things with you. First of all I watched a women who goes by WaterOnlyHairWash on YouTube which is specifically about water only hair care for curly/coily hair. She started this regimen herself and began sharing it on YouTube. She inspired me to see what it was all about. There was also a very helpful thread on The Long Hair Care Forum (here) which provided another perspective of water only hair washing from someone with curly/coily hair. After doing a lot of research and with much trial and error, I’d created my own water only hair washing regimen which allowed me to wear my hair loose and curly as I like, and enjoy the benefits of this simple product-free regimen.
I’ve also learned that our natural oils, the sebum that our scalp produces, is 100 times better than any product on the market for conditioning and protecting your hair. If you have naturally straight hair with an oily scalp then your perspective of these natural oils may differ greatly. For someone with naturally dry hair and a dry scalp who has never experienced these natural oils fully, and has had to use carrier oils, butters, and petroleum based products while growing up to maintain their hair it is clearly a different perspective.
My perspective with this hair care method is one in awe.
The only way to truly experience what your natural oils can do for dry curly/coily hair is to omit all hair care products from your regimen after clarifying your hair with an apple cider vinegar rinse and bentonite clay wash. Next put your hair up in mid size two strand twists and start massaging your scalp daily and also doing daily water rinses with your hair in twists. Twists honestly keep your hair protected while your hair transitions. My transitioning process wasn’t too challenging since I’ve been using 100% natural/herbal hair care since January 2013. Outside of not having a clue what in the world I was doing, my transition to water only hair washing was very simple. Two strand twist updos are your best bet for styling in the meantime unless you love the look of your hair in two strand twists down.
It took 2 1/2 weeks to reach full coverage of my natural oils from root to tip once I started rinsing my hair every day. This was after an initial two weeks of being unclear with how often to wet my hair. Near the end of the four weeks of this experiment I went out of town. My hotel shower did not have a shower water filter and the water was extremely hard. Hard water deposits minerals and chlorine on your hair.
When doing a water only hair regimen this makes your hair’s natural oils waxy and hard. It is nearly impossible to distribute your natural oils throughout your hair and heartbreaking even thinking about detangling your hair. Water only hair washing is only heaven with soft water or a hard water shower filter.
When I did this water only hair washing experiment, I experienced the best curls of my life. Once I reached full coverage of my natural oils, I did wash and go hair styles everyday using my fingers to detangle my hair under running water when I rinsed it. Detangling my hair was a breeze once my hair was completely covered with my natural oils. I experienced less hair shedding and my hair was softer than with any product that I had ever used once it was dry. My curls also had more life than what any product could give them. They were soft, fluffy, defined, and big.
Curl Definition Using Water Only Hair Washing
Because of this truly positive experience minus the hard water buildup, I decided to give water only another chance. It wasn’t difficult to transition back because my current herbal hair regimen of using the diluted herbal infused apple cider vinegar, banana and coconut milk conditioner with hemp seed oil as my leave-in, doesn’t strip the hair of its natural oils. One day I decided not to use any leave-in product on my hair, and I could still feel my own natural oils present.
My hair had been so easy to detangle this whole year because I still had a light coverage of my own natural oils from my previous experience using water only for my hair. This also makes it very clear to me that I can go back and forth between these two hair care methods whenever I want using my natural/herbal hair care or water only.
Right now I’m playing around with water only hair washing again. It’s only been a few weeks, yet I’ve been getting a lot of compliments on my hair especially this past week now that I’ve solidified a new regimen. The ease of not using any product really, yet also not doing that much to my hair is amazing and freeing. I also love having super soft touchable hair that is not oily or greasy with products. I don’t use a boar bristle brush which is common with water only hair washing (very bad move when I tried), yet I do massage my scalp as well as rinse and detangle my hair daily, yet now gently with a detangling brush. I’ve been wearing wash and go hair styles without suffering from tangles and breakage either. This is shockingly wonderful for me, yet I am monitoring my progress and I know that I can always switch things up when needed.
From The Curly Girl Method, To Herbal Hair Care, Now Water Only–Part 2–Hair Regimen + Helpful Hair Tips
From The Curly Girl Method, To Herbal Hair Care, Now Water Only–Part 3–Three Lessons Learned + Protective Styling
See more articles on water only hair washing here!
Peace <3
(Images by Dawn Michelle except the short hair photo by J.C. Argestsinger)
keisha says
wow! sounds interesting! I’ve been kinda doing that but i would wash with a diluted acv with rosemary and tea tree essential oils a little honey and avj and condition afterwards. for once since being natural my scalp was ok. by that i mean that when i did the cowash and poo methods my scalp would itch like crazy and clockwork two days after i washed it. i stopped using the poos and started using rhassoul clay as a poo but still itchy scalp after two days. i have a ways to go with the clay because i ordered the 8oz from mountain rose herbs. completely sidelined…i did wash my hair with shikakai, amla, and brahmi powders with slippery elm added to it. i boiled them all using the coffee filter from your other post and when i took it off the heat and let it cool down the powders and elm formed together. did i do something wrong?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Keisha,
Thanks for sharing! To use the powdered herbs with a coffee filter I literally steep the herbs like I do tea wrapped in the coffee filter. That’s probably why it congealed together. <3
Michelle says
Another much appreciated post! Glad to hear this is working out for you. I have been feeling very down about my hair lately. For the past several years I had my hair dyed and would straighten it at least once a week. Now (since winter) that I am experimenting with natural hair solutions, I just feel like a sloppy mess some days. But other days I love my hair. I am still trying to figure out the right solution, so I will look into this method. My only concern is the smell. I assume washing with water daily helps the scalp not smell?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Michelle,
Actually my hair just smells like hair. No one would even know that I’m trying this unless I told them. Most wouldn’t believe it anyway because of how my hair looks and feels.
If you are accustomed to heavily scented commercial hair care not having a fragrance in your hair would be a big change. Here is an easy solution for that though. You can still have fragrant hair if you choose.
I hope that you find the perfect hair care regimen for yourself too. The process is just that… a process, but I hope the information on this site and from others will help you. Stay patient and persistent <3
Best wishes!
keisha says
Thanks for your reply! Do you add slippery elm in with the powders and steep? With boiling the powders including elm how long do you boil them?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Keisha,
I usually add boiling water to the powders instead of boiling the powders in water on the stove. That is just my preference. Sometimes it is helpful to experiment and see what you like more. Slippery elm is a mucilage herb so it will thicken up when you boil it in water. It is similar to marshmallow root. When you boil either of the whole dried herb in water it will create a jellylike consistency.
Hope this helps!
Marita says
I’m loving this so much! I will practically try anything you and Naptrual85 suggest 🙂 I looked at the video for the water washing only and RubyTulip.Very helpful. I water washed this Tuesday after henna. It will l be easy to give it a trial since I have been doing herbal rinses. I would be interested in giving it a try to see how long the sebum takes to travel down.
Do you know how styling with tools (flexirods and curlformers) will be with this method?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Marita,
Thanks! I’m loving it too. Definitely check out the other links provided in this article to help because they helped me a lot. They are links to another YouTube channel which has a lot of info as well as two hair forums which have a lot of info too.
I have yet to try any other styling other than wash and gos and braid outs on this method. I will share more on that in Part 2 though. Please keep me posted on what you think of this method when you try it. It is extremely helpful to rinse daily in the beginning to get full coverage the fastest way possible. You can tweak your regimen afterwards however you feel best works for you.
Have a beautiful day!
mira says
Hi,
I’m interested in making a rosemary hair mist. Can you just mix a few drops of rosemary essential oil and distilled water to make it? Or do you still have to add a carrier oil?
ty
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Mira,
You can create a hair mist from dried herbs similar to this recipe or with essential oils like this one. Both recipes contain distilled water and no preservatives so are best either made in small batches and definitely refrigerated if not.
Best wishes!
Jean says
Hi Dawn,
This is so interesting! I have always felt like I needed to layer multiple products on my hair to define/clump my curls and to minimize the frizz. I continued to do this even after I started using a combination of natural or DIY products, but I am going to give this method a try. I have jaw length hair, so I won’t be able to do anything but wash and go styling, but because of its shorter length, maybe my natural sebum will cover from root to tip in less time?
I water washed yesterday, and I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of frizz and my curls were defined and shiny; I had done a henna/coconut conditioning for 30 minutes before the water washing. Also, I did spritz your DIY leave-in conditioner (aloe, rosemary, lemongrass, jojoba, vegetable
glycerin) through my hair – love that conditioner; have faithfully used it for the last couple of years. Do you think it’s OK to continue to use that? It’s hard to break old habits! Can you easily tell when the natural oil reaches the ends of your hair?
Thanks for posting this info…well researched as always, and generously shared with those of us who really don’t have the time or inclination to do all
that research. Thanks!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Jean,
I am so far loving this method and I hope that you have a wonderful experience with it as well. You will be able to tell once your natural oils have reached the full length of your hair because your hair will feel coated. I will definitely give more details in Part 2.
Also using the DIY Leave-In is fine. You won’t necessarily feel the oils on your hair dry though unless you go product-free. Either way your hair will benefit from the extra conditioning especially in the beginning when your hair can feel dry. Rinsing daily really helps.
Best wishes!
Daniela says
Hi Dawn! Another awesome post! Thanks for your incredible online resource 🙂
I have absolutely loved the water-only method for my hair too. And talk about minimalist – it’s the best, most simple solution there is!! However, I did run into a few problems that I think are totally solvable. So here are my thoughts from my experience doing water-washing this past year with my curly (but not coily) hair:
As you have written about so well, our hair constantly changes! So the awesome results you have right now are likely not to be the same forever. For me, after about six months of having fabulous hair with amazing soft curls all the time while doing nothing but water-only & boar bristle brushing, my hair actually got “too soft” and my curls started dissipating into straighter waves (probably similar to the heavy description that RubyTulip talked about) and at the same time I got dandruff for the first time in my life. My awesome hairdresser (who is the one who suggested that I try water-washing only) says this was probably because I got lazy about brushing as often and I wasn’t brushing in the right way (sectioning into smaller chunks + brushing in different directions on the scalp to really clean and pull the sebum properly). She is adamant about boar brushing, even/especially for curly hair. When doing water only, there are not many ways of gently cleansing the hair of buildup, dust particles, etc. So she says that when water-washing, brushing is the main way to gently clean your hair/scalp + move the beautiful sebum into the tips regularly, keeping the hair healthy, strong, shiny and bouncy 🙂
However, unlike the WaterOnlyHairWash woman I actually find that for curly hair, a mixed boar bristle plus nylon bristle brush is WAY easier/better than a plain boar bristle brush which I found to be a lot harder to pull through my curly hair. Perhaps, as she suggests, I just haven’t found the “right” 100% boar bristle brush for my curls yet, but I think the nylon + boar bristle brush works great for cleaning/pulling sebum. Here is in example of a very high quality brush that may work for even your hair (there are plenty of cheaper ones out there too):
https://www.morroccomethod.com/raw-store/brushes/mixed-pure-boar-bristle-and-nylon-brush-extra-large-detail
and here is a video on one method of brushing coily curly hair like yours:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToLMOwlrgm0&feature=player_embedded#at=60
(BTW – not sure if you know about Morocco Method, but they would probably LOVE you to do a review on their products which are considered No ‘Poo. They also have tons of instructional videos and tips about how to take care of curly hair like yours, plus brushing techniques and etc. They are a great resource whether you choose to use their products or not.)
So when I brush my curly hair, I am VERY gentle and also use a wooden comb OR wood bristle brush to detangle as needed, but the added nylon bristles makes it much less tangled to begin with, and there is simply nothing like the boar bristles (especially in combination with the nylon to prevent tangling) to keep the hair and scalp clean and to pull the sebum from my roots to my tips when water-washing long term! Otherwise, the sebum will eventually build at the scalp making the roots heavy and the ends more dry. So, at this point I think my hairdresser is right on–that brushing is the key to making the water-only method work long-term.
Lastly, I only brush my hair before I water-wash OR before bed, since as been said, it is NOT styling a technique 😉 I also don’t water-wash everyday and don’t find that necessary. To style my hair in between “washings” I use a spray bottle with water to wet my hair instead.
Hope my experience is helpful!
(PS- on a different note, I FINALLY figured out why my hair was doing the crazy dry straw like thing I wrote you about in the herbal cleanser comments! Now, my sebum is back! HURRAY! I will tell you this interesting story later.)
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Daniela,
Thanks for sharing so much information and your experience on the water only hair method, and the compliment. I guess to be more specific I am not 100% water only. I use henna treatments and have also found that applying oil to the hair for oil rinses helps to distribute and thin out the hair’s natural oil/sebum when it feels waxy. Although I’m back to water only hair washing, I’ve had full coverage of my natural oils on my hair pretty much this entire year from my first experiment with water only hair washing.
My curly hair is fine and I also have a lot of strands. I have found that combing or brushing my hair dry takes a few hours actually to get through it all, yet when soaking wet in the shower especially on this method takes 10-15 minutes to completely brush through. Any type of combing or brushing my fine strands dry literally rips out my hair no matter how gentle I am, or how small the sections are. I have even tried a natural baby brush which does work without damaging my hair, but is way too time consuming. I’d rather spend the three hours doing something else.
Using a boar bristle brush is commonly used for water only hair care, yet I think that once a month (more or less) I will just do an effective scalp cleansing with diluted herbal infused apple cider vinegar to keep my scalp healthy. I have heard of hair textures changing some on this method, yet I would honestly be in complete awe if my curly hair which is an afro when short could possible become straight overtime. I guess time will tell. I am curious what changes I will experience in the long run and will definitely share my experience as well.
And yes please let me know what did work out for your dry hair moment. Everyone’s hair is so unique and we can definitely learn from each other. I’m also glad that your hair is back to being fully covered with your natural oils again. Clay washes definitely will remove your natural oils which is why they are great clarifiers. On the other hand diluted apple cider vinegar cleanses the hair and scalp well without stripping your natural oils. At least that has been my experience. I hope you are having a great weekend!
Zelphia says
Today I decided to water only wash for 30 days. I prepared my hair in two strand twist however, I am a little scared. Question…water only once a week? Thank you
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Zelphia,
It is best to do daily water rinses especially in the beginning. I have continued to do daily rinses (or every other day since I sometimes miss a day) because my hair loves to be fully saturated with water. It is possible that this may change yet this is what I am currently enjoying for my hair. Daily rinses also speed up the time it takes to achieve full coverage of your scalps natural oils. Do put some oil on the ends of your hair if needed. I will be sharing more tips and other things I’ve noticed in Part 2.
Best wishes!
Christina P. says
Dawn,
I have a question regarding the hard water filter.
I live in an area with hard water but a water softener system is not within my budget right now. I am looking at a whole house water filter that filters out sediment and chlorine(using a carbon filter)similar to the shower head filters available.
Is that the type of thing you are referring to? Would that be effective in lieu of a water softener?
Thank you!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Christina P,
Putting a water softener system in your home can be pricey. That is something I will most likely look into when I purchase a home. In the meantime I use a shower water filter which works wonders!
Hope this helps you too!
Christina P. says
Dawn,
Thank you so much for your reply! I’m glad to know I can do something to help in the meantime.
Monique says
I enjoyed your post on water only. I tried it myself and liked it. My hair is very kinky and tight, it did not look nice after a few hours, but felt soft. I was thinking the same thing; we spend too much on products. I make my own hair products and have noticed something new about our hair when I tested my product on my son’s hair. for example, I noticed that when I used my shampoo containing only one surfactant and no conditioner on my son’s hair, he had no flakes like I did. So I took my conditioner and took out the fillers and used only the basics. then I tried just clay on his hair and wow! without the conditioner, his hair was great. So, now I just use clays and a basic conditioner. I use no leave-in just light oils and I have better experience than before. I hope you have great success. Do you think this process works for the course, kinky? I will check out the youtube vid
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Monique,
Water only hair washing can work for all hair types. How we style, detangle, etc. may vary though. I read that one woman would rinse her hair every week or two and would keep her hair stretched and detangled in between using a soft bristle baby brush. She did braid outs and updos in between.
If your hair prefers being stretched versus doing wash and go styles try that. It is literally about learning what works for your hair. What I noticed that you wrote first though was that you enjoyed water only hair washing and that your hair was soft. Soft hair is why I was drawn to this method in the first place myself.
Best wishes!
marsha says
Very interesting read. I’m learning so much from your blog. I have a question though, how are you able to thoroughly rinse out henna with just water? This is something I have yet to master. I end up using a non sulfate shampoo, watered down. I would love to try your herbal cleansing methods
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Marsha,
I mix henna with coconut milk which allows me to always rinse henna easily from my hair. This combination actually is the easiest and most effective mix that I’ve ever used so I stick with it. I have tried other henna mixes and they just do not compare. Other henna mixes are way too drying and it is just ridiculous how long it takes too rinse completely. I feel that when people try other henna mixes it is a big turn off to henna.
If I feel like I need to rinse henna with more than just water, doing an oil rinse works perfectly. I will apply oil to my hair after rinsing out the henna and leave it in for 15-30 minutes then rinse thoroughly. This is what works well for me. Finding what works well for you may be trial and error just as it has been for me too. I share more tips for water only hair washing in Part 2. I hope this helps.
Cecil says
This article was revolutionary for me. After years and years of always searching for the right product it’s amazing to me that the solution to my hair woes was in me. My hair couldn’t be happier without the shampoos, conditioners, and gels. My new natural regimen based on your information here makes me feel good inside and out! My natural oils just reached the tip of my hair strands and they’ve made my hair so soft and manageable! Thank so much Dawn Michelle for giving me the happy, healthy hair of my dreams!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Cecil,
I so appreciate your positive feedback and excitement! You are too sweet and I’m so glad that this information has changed how you care for your hair and that you’ve had such wonderful results creating a new simple hair care regimen. Water only hair washing has been the best thing that I could have ever done for my hair too. I wish you the very best! <3
Kisha says
Hi Dawn, what would you recommend to cleanse my hair of product before starting WOW? I use a natural moisturizer that contains glycerin, cetyl alcohol, btms, shea butter and natural oils. Thanks.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kisha,
Because you are using conditioner you may want to do a clay detox to draw out the synthetic chemicals (cetyl alcohol & BTMS) from your hair. Bentonite clay mixed with apple cider vinegar is perfectly pH balanced for hair. This combo will detox your hair brilliantly.
Have patience with this process as your hair will not feel as soft as you may like until it is completely coated in your own natural oils which may take up to one month. Doing daily rinses helps a lot as well as protective styles especially while your hair transitions. Being free from chemical conditioners is beyond rewarding. Keep us posted on your progress.
Kisha says
Awesome thanks so much! I sure will!
Steph says
I’ve just begun trying water only hair washing and am so happy that people like you have been sharing their experiences, so that my trial and error won’t be so full of errors. LOL Anywho, what kind of shower filter do you use?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Steph,
Any carbon shower filter will work. The filter is definitely necessary if your home has old pipes where your water comes through. <3
Trina says
Hi Dawn Michelle,
Have you given any thought to water only washing for your body or water and oil only for the body? I have started doing water and oil only washings for my body and my skin has never felt better. Also, I find that most day when I wash my face I don’t need anything but warm water as my natural oil is are kicking in and my skin is no longer dry. I also find that I need less oil, my sweat is not as noticeable with odor a big plus for me, and I am using less oils, down to only once a week oil and mud cleanses for face. Twice a week for body.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Trina,
I have heard and read about water only washing from head to toe. I share natural body care remedies if your are interested in this article. I’m glad you’ve found a regimen that works so well for you!
Temeka says
I just started doing this method for myself and my 6 year old daughter. We haven’t reached full coverage yet so I still put a little bit of oil on our ends. I must say, it is much softer. My daughter says that her sebum smells funny lol. She’s not used to not having smell good shampoos in it yet, but I just thought that was too funny. I think I will stick with it for a while. It is much easier to detangle for both of us. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Temeka,
I am so glad that you and your daughter are both benefiting from water only hair washing. Thanks so much for sharing!
Steph says
Thanks Dawn,
My municipal water is horrible so I had to buy a filter that filters out chloramine and other chemicals using KDF85 filtering technology. If for nothing else, at least we’re showering healthier and I can actually finger detangle in 15-20min. That’s a huge deal!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Steph,
Thanks for sharing this! Using a water filter makes a huge difference if you have hard water. Cutting down on detangling time is always a vest thing too.
Lise says
Hi dawn,
I am still in awe for your hair! i have been using the deva one conditioner as my only product for a while now. Today is my first day of the water only method..kind off because I did not put them in twists…just a water wash and GO. Can I skip the twisting part? I just look terrible with twists 🙁
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Lise,
You are too cute! Thank you. Wearing twists in the beginning of water only washing just help protect your hair from tangles and keep the ends protected.
I’m not the biggest fan of twists myself, but I have worn them from time to time. You can see one of my favorite twist styles here which is literally just six chunky twists in an updo of sorts. Large twists are easy to redo daily while keeping the hair sectioned for rinsing or styling.
I think it helps to keep your hair in some form of updo until you have complete coverage to protect your hair. Do what is best for your hair though as we all have to find what works best for our hair. Hope this helps!
Nami says
Hi Dawn,
Loving how your hair looks, its amazing. I am interested in trying this water only method but my only concern is the tangles. I tried washing my hair before while in twist and I ended up with matting and tangles. Is there a way to overcome this issue?
Thanks
Dawn Michelle says
Thanks Nami!
Washing your hair in twists with shampoo is a completely different experience than doing water only hair rinses. Also the size of your twists can make a huge difference. I personally can’t wear mini twists as my hair will be a knotted mess and I loose too much hair removing them. Medium to large twists are a better fit for my hair. Also once your hair becomes coated in your own natural oils tangling becomes a thing of the past. Then it is maintaining the right balance of your oils because too much can be just like product build up which is not good. Let me know how things work out for you. <3
Mary says
So interesting! I seriously can’t wait to try this. I hope this works for 4b/4c hai, which is coily-er and probably harder to distribute oil through :/. It might just take longer
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Mary,
Water only hair washing can work for all hair types. It just takes patience with the transition. One thing that you are sure to look forward to is softer more manageable hair. Keep doing your research on water only as there is ample info online although not as much as other hair care techniques. Best wishes!
Leanne says
Hi, this might sound like a silly question but what exactly do you mean when you rinse your hair everyday?
Is this standing under the shower and having the water run on your hair or is this like putting water in a spray bottle and spritzing the hair? I have thick curly hair, I suppose if using the hair scale it’s 3C/4A.
Also, while waiting for the hair sebum is it okay to use oil on the ends?
My hair and scalp get very dry and while I really want to try this cause I want my hair to be naturally healthy, not rely on some company’s secret formula that can change, the idea of no products is kinda strange and scary!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Leanne,
It is important to rinse your hair under running water in the shower daily the first month on this hair care method to encourage sebum production and help it move down the strands of your hair. You can definitely use oil on the ends of your hair during this process. With water only hair washing your hair will be softer than it has ever been, no longer dry, and conditioned naturally. This process is trial and error but I wouldn’t suggest it if it didn’t have amazing benefits. Definitely clarify your hair prior and out your hair in twists initially to rinse. Hope this helps!
regan says
Hey! I am SO glad I ran into this!! I have been experimenting with no-poo method for about 2 months & have been experimenting with water-only method the past couple of weeks. I have been using information from another girls blog but it’s hard because She has SUPER long pin-straight shiny caucasian Hair..And I would sometimes gget frustrated because I have the opposite! Short, dead, dry, damaged frizzy curly Hair that I have been trying to revive! I love Your blog!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Regan,
I’m glad you found Minimalist Beauty too! Water only hair washing is definitely a different process on dry curly/coily hair. I’ll be sharing my one year update soon with this hair care method. Best wishes!
Casandra Smith says
Hola Dawn Michelle!
Thank you for your beautiful blog! The egoless spirit with which you share information is extremely humble and generous.
I discovered your blog about a year ago and briefly read about your journey with water only washing natural hair. At that time I wasn’t ready for the information so I slowly backed away and didn’t return until six weeks ago. I was desperately anxious for information on all natural hair care. I’ve been natural for more than twenty years and cut my 15 year old dreadlocs last January. During that time, I implemented very simple regime and used mostly kitchen ingredients to care for my locs. It never occurred to me that I could do the same with lose, curly, natural hair. Ignorant of this knowledge, everything I researched pointed to the LOC method as the best way to care for my growing hair. And so I began…but I wasn’t happy with the results. I was spending way too much money on “natural” products that left my hair very dry and brittle. I didn’t care about curl pattern or hair porosity or hair density or any of the lot…I just wanted natural, healthy hair. All the while, my husband continued to encourage me to stick to natural products just like I did with my dreadlocs.
One late night, six weeks ago, I stumbled upon your blog again and have been reading my way around since then. You helped me find my way to water only hair washing and my hair has never been more healthy! I’ve made notes of herbal recipes I’d like to try on me and my girls and my Mountain Rose Herbs order is on it’s way. I can hardly wait til it gets here!
Thank you again! Many blessings to you and your family!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Casandra Smith,
Thanks so much for sharing this! I honestly wasn’t too keen on water only hair washing when I first came across it either. It took two more years for me to finally try it out and a year later I still love it. I’ve incorporated apple cider vinegar rinses, tiny bits of oil, and a simple banana/coconut milk deep conditioning treatment at times, yet water only washing has been the main theme. I’m so glad to hear that it has made such a big difference for you too. Many blessings to you and your family and happy new year!
Berry says
Yo! My hair is flourishing doing water washing only! Sometimes for softening I do a mixture of baby food and avocado with coconut milk every 3-4 weeks! On the regular, just wafter, massaging, scritching and preening! 2 months and counting–FREEDOM!!!!!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Berry,
This is amazing news!!! I can never go back after trying water only. You will continue to learn more about your hair as you go. Best wishes!
Anita says
The first time I tried WOW, I reached full coverage and all was well at first. Then I found that the two-strand twists were sort of stiff. So I took them out to investigate. When I did the WOW on my loose hair, I found my sebum is more waxy than oily. This waxy coating is why my twists were stiff and it made it almost impossible to get my hair wet. I also noticed that the strands were stuck together and tacky, which made finger detangling a nightmare. I freaked out and washed my hair with some African black soap and followed up with ACV rinse. This didn’t remove all the sebum, but enough. Later I came here and read about you doing an oil rinse. Great idea.
So I’m back with my second attempt at WOW. Since this is so new to me, it is hard to find the balance of just how much sebum is good. I think I’ll need to do something on a regular basis to remove some of it. Not sure which is better: clay, oil or ACV rinse. Any suggestions?
Also, my WNG’s on this method lacked the definition that I normally get. I tried a home-made gel which took care of that, but I need something with more slip and will be looking at some of your recipes. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Anita,
I actually use oil rinses, apple cider vinegar rinses, and clay washes. I found out that doing only water only wasn’t the best thing for my hair. I’ll be sharing my updated regimen in the next week or so. After doing water only or almost water only for almost 1 1/2 years, I don’t fear removing too much sebum since my scalp is always producing it. It is good to have a fresh start. Complete details to come! Have a great weekend!
JaniceMartinez says
Great post.
Dawn Michelle says
Thanks Janice Martinez!
Jack says
Hello, Dawn!
I’ve begun prepping myself to begin a WOW hair care system of my own. I just wanted to make sure of all that I’ll expect.
I’m planning on clarifying with benonite/rhassoul clay for at least two washes to make sure my hair is bare (along with using the organic acv [i haven’t begun infusing it yet] and hemp oil when necessary). I also plan on hennaing once a week, but I’ve already seen you mention that it doesn’t alter the sebum coat on your hair by too much. I would just like an example of an average day of hair care was like when you were in your transition period. From what I understand, I will have to rinse my hair with water daily to help with sebum spread (with my hair in twists, so that they don’t get tangled), and do daily scalp massages and scritching daily as well. Oiling my ends with light oils while my hair adjusts so that they don’t get dry… Oh! And I’ve ordered a water filter (my water is hard, too). Is that really all? It seems so simple… But I suppose that’s the point!
Thank you for reading, and for your response!
Much love and health,
Jack
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Jack,
What you described is pretty much the basis of hair care with water only hair washing. It is an extremely simple yet sometimes time intensive regimen depending upon how much sebum your scalp produces. It usually takes a month to achieve full sebum coverage on your strands. Daily rinses are necessary especially for dry curly hair since using a boar brush to distribute sebum is very damaging to curly hair especially tight curls with fine/medium strands. After achieving full coverage discovering how often to rinse etc. is the next step.
I had a few snags during the second year of this regimen when I started a detox. My sebum production became unpredictable. You will notice differences in your sebum based on what you eat, if you are in the midst of healing from a cold etc., and the weather. This regimen does help get you more in tune with your body. You can find more articles on water only hair washing here. I hope this helps!
SamIam says
Hi!!! I enjoyed this post. I have been water only washing my daughter’s hair for a year. I didn’t know it was a thing till recently. I only did it because her hair was so dry and rarely truly dirty. Even natural cowashing stripped her hair. So I started using water only (what’s more moisturizing right?) Along with protective styling. Her hair has been doing great. It is bouncy and full now and grown so much. But I wonder…what I should do when she goes swimming in a chlorine pool? She will be doing lessons soon and water only won’t help with chlorine situation twice per week. What would you suggest?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Samlam,
I would oil your daughter’s hair and cover it with a great fitting swim cap. If possible find a band to cover the edges of her hair underneath the swim cap as this is usually the area which gets wets if any pool water seeps in. Tell her maintaining the beauty of her hair is important and will also keep her hair regimen simple since chlorine is damaging to hair. Another option would be to use clay washes to remove chlorine from the hair. I share tips on caring for hair at the beach which may also be helpful. Best wishes!
Amarachi Oji says
I’m just so happy that someone is trying water only wash. I suck at being consistent Otherwise my story would be a success of super long Grove… LOL! I actually started a YouTube channel based on water only hair wash but due to so many things of happened in my life I kind of put my regimen on the wayside, as well as my health and hydration goals, and my hair suffered. But not before it grew longer than it had since I was a child! I was nearly to my shoulder blades from neck length in a year and a half when I decided to chop my hair off due to horrible ends.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Amarachi,
I didn’t have pretty good success with water only yet I didn’t provide consistent results so I no longer do it. I know that you will be able to nurture your hair back to health and it will flourish. You can do it and best wishes!
Clare says
Hey, I have been trialing no shampoo options, acv rinse now egg rinse once a week for last two weeks. I’m not using a boar brush anymore because I actually have very fine wavy hair and it ends up being almost straight with a wierd kink that I’d normally straighten out. My hair is super frizzy though and not finding anything to get it under control. It’s humid and cold here. Any ideas? 🙄Cheers
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Clare,
My favorite unconventional shampoo options are clay washes, soapnuts, and shampoo bars with an ACV rinse. I shared some more ideas here. I hope this helps some.