Recently Unilever announced sales on shampoo had plummeted during the covid-19 pandemic. Although this may be temporary, there has been increasing trend towards natural haircare alternatives. The “No Poo” movement has grown massively since its rise in the early 2000’s. Its aim is to reduce dependency on commercial shampoo products or to cut out shampoo completely. Although this may sound crazy at first, there are many reasons to consider a move away from commercial shampoo
For most of human history, commercial shampoo wasn’t really a thing. People either rejected hair washing completely or relied on natural alternatives. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that people began to turn towards a mass-produced hair cleaning product. One of the pioneers was a certain Hans Schwarzkopf, who released one of the first commercial shampoos from his trendy Berlin drugstore.
These early shampoos, however, were almost indistinguishable from soap. They would often have a harsh effect on hair and leave it brittle and dry. At this early time the use of shampoo was limited to once a week, and only used by the upper echelons of society. As the twentieth century progressed, the commercialisation and marketability of shampoo evolved and grew.
By the 1960’s commercial shampoo was common across all areas of society. Nevertheless, its use was limited to about once a week. A common quip – “I can’t go out, I just washed my hair” – was used to highlight the drying and frizzing effect of shampooing. The chemical makeup of shampoo had begun to evolve, however, and by the late 60’s Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) was introduced.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) has the advantage of working well in all water types (traditional soap was notoriously hard to use in hard water). It also lathers well and is easy to apply. With these attributes it was also much more marketable. A huge ad campaign led by hair icons Farrah Fawcett and Christie Brinkley began to assert that infrequent shampooing was unhealthy, and that daily shampooing was the future. As one advertisement claimed:
“You know the feeling, you look at your hair all clean and shiny, and you feel pretty all over Now – Whether you shampoo regularly once a week, twice a week, even three times a week – you can have that feeling every single day. All you need is pssssst, in instant spray shampoo.”
Shampoo sales were through the roof. Daily shampooing become the norm (or at-least very common) and pharmaceutical companies enjoyed healthy profits. However, the effects of daily shampooing on the scalp and the widespread use Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) began to be called into question in the early 2000’s. SLS is a known irritant and is intended for use in small doses. Its effect on the scalp can be extreme, stripping away natural oil and damaging hair strands. The use of SLS on toothpaste is known to increase the rate of mouth ulcers for those susceptible.
There is also deep concern about the environmental impact shampoo is having. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is derived from palm oil, the growing of which has led to deforestation and destruction of ecosystems. The millions of plastic shampoo bottles which are discarded every month also end up in landfill or in the ocean. By reducing our dependency on commercial shampoo, we also greatly reduce our environmental impact.
The “No Poo” movement was born out of this frustration with the commercial shampoo industry. The idea of daily shampooing was largely a marketing invention, and for the vast majority of human history people used natural routines or none at all. Shampooing strips the scalp of natural oils it needs to stay healthy. This causes the scalp to over-produce oils and gives the appearance of oily hair, leading to the use of even more shampoo. And thus, a cycle is born.
Followers of the “No Poo” method suggest a transition away from this cycle. This can either be done by slowly weaning yourself off sulfate-based shampoos, or going cold-turkey. One you’ve fully given up sulfate-based shampoo, there are a number of different options. Some people like to go “low poo”, by only using products with gentler cleansing ingredients. Other people like to go “water-only”, where they no longer require the use of any haircare products. And there are many options in-between. Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar is commonly used, along with the likes of chickpea and rye flour.
The growth of the No Poo movement has been considerable. A reddit forum alone hosts over 40,000 members, and there has been surge in interest on google as to how to transition away from commercial shampoo. There is a growing awareness as to the potentially harmful chemicals put into our haircare products. Although it’s unlikely we will see the end of commercial shampoo, the growth of natural alternatives is undoubtedly a positive step forward.