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To S'poo or not to S'poo

Hair model For a few years now, women in the US, particularly women with Afro or mixed heritage hair, have been shunning shampoo in favour of more natural products and co-washing (that’s washing only with conditioner). Now that an American journalist with European hair has written about going without shampoo for six years, the whole world is talking about it.

Looking at some of the Facebook reactions we had when we posted the link to the Daily Mail story about Sarah Theeboom, many of our audience expressed disgust or concern that the journalist’s hair must smell. However, that is quite a misconception. Choosing to not use shampoo is not the same as never paying attention to your hair.

For years many women of various backgrounds have been concerned at the effect of chemicals such as parabens and sulphates on their hair growth and texture. Instead of relying on store-bought shampoo, many of these women tried co-washing, where you rinse the hair with conditioner, therefore giving it the moisture it needs, without stripping away natural oils. More of the positives of not using shampoo include: hairspray and styling products ‘hold’ better, hair grows stronger, faster and you can go up to five days with doing zero cleansing.

Hair model

Simply Google ‘ditching shampoo’ and you will see a huge range of women giving the ‘no ‘poo method’ a go – and no, they’re not tree-hugging hippies! Some of the less enjoyable effects include a period of adjustment, where the hair might react and produce excess oil, but it’s been said that within six weeks, that is no longer an issue.

So, how will this affect salon life? Barely. And it definitely won’t impinge on retail sales of shampoo. If anything, what you will notice is the hair product manufacturers taking notice and introducing more co-washing products, as some mainstream brands have already done. Some high-end salons have already introduced co-washing products, for clients who want less chemicals on their hair.

While the ‘no ‘poo method’ definitely isn’t for everyone, don’t be surprised if your clients express interest. Why not have a go yourself and let us know how you found it?



All imagery sourced from Tumblr unless stated otherwise



If you’re not ready to take the plunge, here are some ranges we sell which contain natural ingredients:

  • The Wella Elements range is Wella’s first "free of" care system (contains no parabens, sulphates, and artificial colourants) that instantly repairs and prevents against keratin degeneration.
    • Wella Elements


  • All products from the new Marrakesh range are vegan and cruelty free, and contain both Hemp Seed Oil and Argan Oil which provide added nourishment to your hair and body.
    • Marrakesh


  • The Macadamia Natural Oil line combines two of the world’s rarest, most valuable oils (Macadamia and Argan Oil) to provide the ultimate in hair rejuvenation.
    • Macadamia Natural Oil

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