There are a lot of good reasons to quit shampoo.
Shampoos, like a lot of hair products, often contain silicones. Silicones only make your hair appear healthier - when in fact they are suffocating your hair by coating your hair. However, even silicone-free shampoos do contain a cocktail of additives, and no-one actually knows what impact mixing all those chemicals together actually has!
We seem obsessed with our hair. There are shampoos out there to make blond hair blonder, black hair pitch-black, to make curly hair curlier, to make our hair so shiny it will probably start to glow in the dark very soon. It seems like we have long forgotten that the main function of shampoo is to simply rid our hair from dirt and excess oils produced by the scalp.
I quit shampoo seven months ago. I was hesitant at first (I, too, was willing to do a LOT to avoid a bad hair day), but I hated those plastic bottles we buy shampoo in even more. Plastic leaks unhealthy substances like BPA and phthalates into liquids (and food), so who knows how this cocktail of chemicals will affect our body! Besides, plastic is not biodegradable. A simple PET bottle takes around 500 - 1,000 years to decompose on a landfill, which means your shampoo bottle might still be there in 2515! That is, if it does not end up in the ocean, where exposure to UV light, water and oxygen breaks down the material a lot faster - into microscopic particles.
Those plastic particles absorb toxins just like microbeads. You know, those plastic beads smaller than a grain of sand they put into cosmetics for texture or as exfoliants. Of course they are in shampoo, too!
Anyway, in the ocean both broken down bits of plastic and microbeads - full with poisonous stuff - are swallowed by fish and make their way right back to us in our sushi lunch special. Eeewww! I don't know about you, but I am glad I'm vegan...
No-Poo Options
We are all so used to using shampoo, the thought of ditching it can be scary. However, there are a lot of no-poo options so you, too, will find the right one for you :). Most no-poo advocates use baking soda, some use Aleppo soap (a traditional, all-natural, vegan, palm oil free olive oil soap, usually from the Middle East or Greece), some use mineral clay. I use rye flour.
Before I switched to rye flour to wash my hair, I used (vegan) solid shampoo bars. You can buy them without any packaging at Lush stores. As far as I know, all of their products are palm oil free, but not necessarily vegan. However, please keep in mind that just like regular shampoo, solid shampoo bars rely heavily on surfactants (surface active agents or wetting agents that give a product the ability to remove dirt). Most surfactants are biodegradable within 28 days, however, in this period of time they can still be very harmful to aquatic organisms. So we try to reduce the use of surfactants (soap included).
Rye Flour Hair Wash
Rye Flour is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and even contains Omega 3 fatty acids! It is ph 5.0 so it does not disrupt the natural ph balance of our hair and skin (4.0 - 5.5). It contains a lot of Vitamin B5, too. Because of its regenerating and anti-inflammatory effects, Vitamin B5 is often used in antiseptic ointments, baby care products or other products targeted to people with very sensitive skin.
My hair is not very long, so I mix 2 tablespoons of rye flour with some lukewarm water (using a small whisk) until the consistency is somewhat shampoo-like. That takes me less than a minute.
I apply it just like I used to apply shampoo, leave it on for maybe two minutes, and rinse it out thoroughly. It did take some getting used to since there was neither the shampoo-smell I was so used to nor any foam. With no foam at all I was worried my hair would not come out clean... Turned out I need not have worried. My hair was clean - odorless, but nevertheless clean.
Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
Even though I try to live zero waste, it is still very difficult for me to let go of dying my hair. I have had everything from neon pink to apple green and I just looooove wearing those loud colors on my head. Even before I abandoned shampoo I have used apple cider vinegar to rinse my hair on a regular basis. Simply because it is a really effective method to conserve the color of dyed hair by sealing the hair cuticles.
I now use it instead of conditioner. You can leave it in but I prefer to rinse it out to prevent my hair smelling like a salad dressing. I mix 1 - 1 ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water. You can go up to mixing 1 part of apple cider vinegar with 2 parts of water. Your hair will immediately feel softer.
My Conclusion After Seven Months
I have always had greasy hair. I had to wash my hair at least every second day. Now with rye flour instead of shampoo and apple cider vinegar instead of conditioner my hair actually lasts up to five days!
I also used to dye my hair every two to at most three weeks (after maybe 7-8 washes). Take a look at the photo - I have not dyed my hair for 2 ½ months now (11-12 washes) and is it only me or is the color still looking fabulous ;)?
At first, my hair felt a bit weird. It did not feel as smooth and soft as I was used to. That was because I was so used to all the additives in the shampoo that only maintained the appearance of healthy and shiny hair. Oh well, I thought, I would rather have my hair look less shiny than using tons and tons of chemicals.
After a while (and probably because all the chemicals were finally washed out) my hair got used to it and after now seven months it feels healthy, light and soft, and not heavy like it used to (especially after using conditioner).
I have no intention of ever going back to using shampoo again. No thanks.
Hillary says
Thank you so much for suggesting rye flour, I have naturally greasy hair as well and this was such a great find for me. I feel like so many other options left my hair looking worse and impossible to go out in public with! The rye flour was a much easier transition.
Happy I found your blog! Keep up the Awesome work!
shia says
So glad it works so well for you ❤️! I have tried alep soap and vinegar rinse for a month in November, but it left me with greasy hair so quit and went back to rye flour :D.
Sami says
Hi Shia,
Wishing you a great 2016. I just wanted to share my story with you regarding the rye flour shampoo recipe. Iam based in London and Iam a male . I had a really sensitive scalp and had issues with dandruff for the past many years. I tried every shampoo expensive to organic. All herbal and other alternate options. So many oils just to solve my issue. I went to many dermatologists they gave me medication and gels but all in vain. I came across your blog while googling a remedy that could solve my issue. Its been 2 months and I cant imagine iam so happy and feels like I have a new scalp on my head.. No dandruff , no itching or flaking no dryness its just all so normal. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your blog and its like an inspiration for me . By the way I use rye flour (wholemeal) and it works great for me...
Regards,
Sami
shia says
Hi Sami,
so glad to hear rye flour works so incredibly well for you :)!! I know how annoying it can be to try everything, even what the dermatologist prescribes, and have nothing working for you! I have atopic dermatitis, and it was really bad when I was younger. It just wouldn't go away regardless of what I tried. At night (while asleep), I would scratch it and wake up with bloody patches :(. The treatment my dermatologist "prescribed" was wearing special gloves at night. Well, and a lot of ointments that never really worked. So yes, I totally feel you :D!
Rye flour is really great for my sensitive skin too :D! I now use it as a facial mask and my skin is so soft afterwards :).
Have a great 2016 too!! And thank you so much for sharing :)!!
Shia
Sami says
Hi Shia,
No worries at all... So how do use it as a facial mask(with the same recipe). and what form of rye flour do you use (white, wholemeal, dark,light). Iam based in London so the water here is hard where are you based?
Sami
shia says
Hi Sami,
I use white rye flour because I find it is easier to rinse than whole grain rye flour. I just put some of it onto my face when I wash my hair and rinse it off with my hair too :D! I live in Germany and the water in my city is soft, but since you are (hopefully) not using boiling hot water to shower that shouldn't make that big a difference ;).
Shia
Sami says
Hi Shia,
I hope your good. I will try it on my face and see what difference does it make. If you visit London do give a shout would be great to couchsurf and show you around.. Thanks again...
Regards,
Sami
shia says
Hi Sami,
sorry for the late reply! Do let me know how using rye flour on your face works for you :)! As a matter of fact, my husband and I are planning to go to London in March (he's there for a conference anyway so we decided to make a trip out of it)! Would be cool to meet u, to walk around, or just to chill in a coffee shop :)!
Shia
Anonymous says
Hi Shia,
I hope your doing great.. Well this rye flour is like a sensation. Even though I dont have oily scalp on my face it just makes it more softer and fresher (my whole family is hooked on it now) .Ya sure that would be great ...Iam going to Dubai for my annual holidays so I will be back mid of March.. But keep me updated when you guys are coming...Iam on thunderizing23@hotmail.com (samih sheikh) facebook can add me and keep me updated when our coming... Enjoy..
Sami
shia says
Hey Sami,
sorry for not contacting you when we were in London. We went back to Germany because my husband's grandmother passed away and we wanted to be there at the funeral. So it was all a bit chaotic.
Hope you are doing well and the rye flour is still working great for you :)!
xx Shia
Amanda Chan says
Hello Shia!
This is Amanda writing from NYC! I have eczema and seasonal allergies myself so after washing my hair everyday due to greasy roots and over-oil production, I am hoping to give up commercial shampoos for good! I am hoping the rye flour shampoo will work since I just started doing the honey and ACV rinse and my hair is still pretty greasy.
It looks like you had no troubeshooting using straight white Rye flour and water. Some people complained about white specks on their heads after their hair dried. Can you share your experience with that? I will make sure I strain the rye flour but I just want to make sure I don't go to work looking like I have dandruff!
I really appreciate you and your blog! It's nice to meet a fellow Asian woman so I can gauge a more similar hair type as opposed to blondes or brunettes!
Thank you!!
Marianne says
Hello Shia,
I just rinsed my hair with the rye flour shampoo and my sink became clogged. I have a hair catcher and it caught some of the rye flour but I think most of it went down the drain.
Do you do anything specific so it does not clog your bathtub sink?
Also, where do you buy your white rye flour at?
Thanks!
shia says
Hi Marianne,
sorry for the late reply!! Our drain has never been clogged ever since we moved in (which was before I started using rye flour). However, if your drain gets clogged, you can use baking soda, hot water, and vinegar. Pour 4 cups of boiling water down your drain, followed by 6 tbsp of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Cover with drain plug, let sit for 10 mins, flush with some more boiling water.
I buy the rye flour in health food stores :).
xxx
Shia
Kelly says
I too have been using rye flour mixed with herbal tea to create a paste and following up with watered down ACV. It works amazing and so had the same result of not needing to wash my hair for a week! I also use a fox seed and water gel for molding my hair and it works great too!
Kelly says
Flax seed* (sorry auto spell)
Sam says
Soo happy to have found this!! We've been using rye flour shampoo for a few months (after reading your post), and it's great! Such soft and clean hair. The only problem is that we currently live in an area with hard water, and it makes it super hard to get out! Have you ever experienced this? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!
Love what you're doing with zero waste btw!
shia says
Hi Sam,
so glad to hear you like it :)! We have very soft water here so I have never had the dandruff-like residue you are probably experiencing. Some readers told me about it, and they, too, have hard water. Have you tried to rinse with vinegar and to leave it in for a couple of minutes? Vinegar usually helps when it comes to hard water.
Please keep me posted :)!!
Teshara says
You can try to install a water filter on your shower head. I ordered mine from Amazon.com for about $20. Easy installation - just unscrew the shower head and screw on the filter and attach the shower head to the filter. It's THAT easy. Minerals can build up and deposit on the hair. I experienced this issue and had to troubleshoot that it was the water making my hair feel crunchy. It works wonders. Good luck!
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Marinette says
I have been steadily taking out plastics and chemicals thanks to this blog! I'm so glad i found this method, (baking soda and apple cider vinegar was obviously not too for the scalp), i'm currently in high school and everyone thinks i'm crazy when i say i wash my hair one or twice a week and with rye flour non the less!! So thank you! i have a question, about do you use for tooth paste?i tried coconut oil with baking soda but i had no peppermint essential oils (plus i was kinda scared of putting even diluted essential oil in my mouth) so my mouth doesn't feel so clean and i really don't want cavities sooooo...i went back to plastic packaged toothpaste, what do i do?? is there an alternative? What about tooth powder? Thank you!!
shia says
LOL, I also get the same reactions XD! I have tried all kinds of tooth powders and homemade toothpaste. The one I like best so far is: 2 tbsp coconut oil, 2 tsp of blended baking soda (I blend it bc baking soda can be quite abrasive otherwise), 1 tsp of xylitol (it is a sweetener you can find in some health food stores and that prevents cavities, but can be difficult to get ZW) 15 drops of essential mint oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil (tea tree oil is antibacterial, and so is coconut oil btw). Do give it a try :)! If you do want to keep using flourid, you might be able to get flouridated salt. At least it is sold in pretty much every supermarket in Germany (I live in Germany ;)). Do let me know if you decide to give it a try :)!
Luli says
Hi Shia, I've stopped using shampoo like 3 weeks ago and I washing my hair with baking soda. Now that I've found this new receipt I'll give it a try. I know at first the hair is greasier than ever but I'm still washing it but now we natural things. I mean, I replace commercial shampoo for baking soda and now I'll rye flour... is it ok? or should I don't wash at all until my hair recovers from commercial shampoo and after that start using natural alternatives?
So far I don't feel it clean at all... I've also tried a cleansing mask (1/2 banana, honey, olive oil and 1 egg) but I don't want to give up!!
Any tips?
shia says
Hi Luli,
Bea Johnson has said that this happened to her when she was using baking soda. I have never used baking soda to wash my hair, and I am vegan, so I have not tried honey or egg either. It takes time for your scalp and hair to adjust after using shampoo your entire life, and 3 weeks really isn't enough time to draw a conclusion, I'm afraid.
Do give rye flour (not whole meal!!) a try, and do rinse with apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp + 1 cup of water) afterwards. It takes a bit of patience, but in any case, your hair should come out clean, it just might become greasy faster before your scalp learns to adjust to the new conditions, and then you should be able to wash your hair less frequently than before. If you want to prolong your hair wash cycle, use corn starch as a dry shampoo.
All the best,
Shia
Luli says
Hi Shia! Thanks for the answer! Yes, I'll give it more time.. I change now to rye flour.. I use it only once but I'll keep using it.. I'm looking forward to see changes 🙂 Though I feel it a bit greasy and like rough I'm washing my hair not everyday, I skip one day.. I hope I'll be able to wash it 3 o 4 times a week.
Thanks!
Amber says
I used these flour for about 6 months, but beside it absorbes fat perfectly, my hair became just dirty. Not oily, but dirty. After touching it my fingers became dirty:( Didn't you notice it on you?
shia says
Hi Amber,
I'm afraid I have never had my hair feeling dirty after I washed it with rye flour. However, I did wash it with whole meal rye flour once, and I had little bits left in my hair looking like dandruff, which wasn't so great. I make the rye flour + water mixture a bit more on the runny side now, and I always rinse my hair thoroughly. Do you rinse with apple cider vinegar? (I always do, since I also used to use conditioner)
Shia
Benny says
Thanks for writing this blog post. Im using banking soda now. I prepare a big bottle (2 liters) of water and baking soda mixture, and use some of it every time I wash my hair.
I tried the rye flour recipe here, and prepared a batch in a small bottle. I used some of it immediately, and since was left in the bottle. After a couple of days I wanted to wash my hair again, but the bottle with the rye flour shampoo was shelling very bad, I threw it out.
My question is, is it possible to prepare a batch of rye flour shampoo in advance, or do you have to mix it every time you wash your hair?
Thanks
shia says
Hey Benny, you can make it a night in advance and keep it in thr fridge. But I wouldn't recommend keeping it any longer. Remember it is mild bc it has the same PH value as our scalp which is one of the things that prevents irritation of the scalp. So unlike baking soda (alcaline) or store-bought products (added preservatives) it does not have any conserving properties! Personally, I mix it rightbefore I wash my hair. It takes less than a minute even when I'm still sleepy :).
Benny says
*shelling = smelling
Julia says
Hello! Thanks for sharing this. I am considering the quitting shampoo seriously. I also wonder about if it's possible to premade the rye flour mixture? And how often do you wash your hair? Do you have the stretch it out like the baking soda method? I work out daily and so I sweat daily. I wonder how you recommend me starting this journey.
Abbey Donavan says
Hi Shia!
Thanks for all the insightful information!
Do you have a zero waste hair dye alternative? I love the blue, but I can't find any zero waste dye that isn't "normal" hair colors (like henna).
Thanks,
Abbey
shia says
Hi Abby, I'm afraid you will not get these kinds of bright hair colors with all-natural hair dyes :(. I really tried to find some, but every hairdresser and shop kept telling me it is impossible :(... I'm actually considering going back to my natural hair color at the moment. Sorry for not being very helpful!
Shia
Isabelle says
Hi Shia! I can't find organic rye flour. Is it okay to use a regular non-organic whole grain rye flour? Thanks so much!!!!
shia says
Hi Isabell! To be honest, I wouldn't recommend using whole grain rye flour because it can bits that look like dandruff. In general, non-organic rye flour works just as well, but here, too, do try to avoid the whole meal flour :).
Kristin says
Hi Shia, Have you ever tried adding essential oils to the mix to add some scent? I abandoned the baking soda method after a few months as my hair didn't quite adjust - tried it a few years ago. Am excited to try rye flour though; I'd never heard this method before! But the other thing I had trouble with was my odorless or slightly vinegary smelling hair. Do you think it would work adding essential oils to the rye flour, or just doing a small spray with essential oils in water post-shower? Thanks!
shia says
Hi Kristin,
no, I have never tried adding essential oils, it should be ok to though. I grew up with super sensitive and very very difficult skin, so I have always had to go for the odorless/ unscented version of things (which cost a fortune!). Today, being exposed to scented things make me cringe and I get all itchy just thinking about it. I rarely even use essential oils (only for their properties, not their scent), and when I do, I put in as little as possible :D. You can make your own scented spray by adding 2-3 drops of essential oil to 1/2 cup of boiled and cooled down water.
Happy holidays!
Shia
Rose says
Try spritzing some rosewater afterwards. I feel like the tiny bit of essential oil in it is moisturizing and I love the scent! The"Heritage Store" brand found at health food stores is plain rosewater(ingredients: hydroessential rose and purified water, basically the steam from making rose essential oil). My three-year olds hairs tends to get staticy between washings. I spritz his hair with rosewater and it stops the static, but is very light. He loves it! . It think the rose scent blends well with a slight vinegar scent. I use it too.
I've been trying castille soap for a few months for my oily hair and I believe it got soap-scummy. I just used baking soda to get it out, but have just read that baking soda can be very damaging long-term. I look forward to trying the rye-flour!
Ri says
Hi, can you please suggest the rye flour brand/s that you use?
shia says
I live in Germany and buy whatever organic brand is provided :). Happy holidays!
Anonymous says
Hi Shia, just found your blog. What a treasure 🙂
So you use apple cider vinegar instead of conditioner, is that correct understood. Does that soften your hair? If I dont use conditioner, my hair fells a bit stift.
Vanessa Lopez says
Hi Shia,
Just discovered your site and the rye flour shampoo method. Ive been using baking soda for a bit but it has been drying out my hair pretty bad, so Im excited to try the rye flour option. One question I have is, what is the shelf life of the rye flour shampoo? Have you ever made a big batch and just refrigerate the excess or do you normally make a small batch each time before you shower?
Thanks!
Vanessa
shia says
Hey Vanessa,
no, I have never made a big batch. I have made a small one and put it in the fridge over night when I knew I would have to leave the house quickly in the morning, and that works fine. However, I have made my own sourdough (I make my own bread sometimes) before, and guess how you make sourdough? You basically just mix water and rye flour and let it sit until it turns sour ;). So, um, no I wouldn't recommend making a big batch ;).
Shia
Susan says
Hi there! I'm curious if there was a transition time between going from "regular" shampoo to this method — did it take a few weeks to even out?
Joy Jackson says
As far as blue dye; it may not be bright, but is nice and deep blue. Try indigo powder; it is applied in almost the same manner as henna. I got that from kimmaytube; she mixes henna with indigo to get her black color, but the blue was dark. There is probably something you can do to get a lighter blue. Just a suggestion, never tried it.
franki says
Do you need to do ACV rinse? It seemed from one comment that perhaps not unless hard water? We have a water softener so I hope that would be sufficient.
I've been doing baking soda/ACV for a number of years & it works fine for me but I don't like ACV running off my hair & down my back or face in the shower. And today I'm out of it anyway.
I have rye flour in the freezer for actual bread-making so would like to try this today if I can get by without ACV rinse
shia says
Hm, I personally don't think you need to do an ACV rinse, but I always do because I just love how soft it makes my thick, tangly hair. Just out of curiosity: what is the benefit of keeping your flour in the freezer? Oh, and I only use light rye flour because I always have trouble getting all the flakes out when I use whole grain rye flour. However, I know some people who use WG rye flour and don't have that problem, and some who sift the WG flour before they use it for their hair. It might depend on your hair?
franki says
Tysm for quick reply!
I tried without ACV and so far my hair looks nice but I notice some white residue under my fingernails when I scratch my scalp so build up may turn into something resembling dandruff if I continue to skip ACV. Maybe I'll alternate.
I use rye flour to make bread occasionally & keep it in the freezer to extend it's life & prevent it getting rancid as quickly. Also keeps it safe if I happen to get weevils. Happened once, they came from abandoned bird's nest outside a window.
Michelle says
I went to the local coop on my way home from work and bought some organic rye flower to try out when I wash my hair tomorrow morning. I'm excited to give it a try. I have been mostly nopoo/no shampoo or conditioner for some time. My scalp gets itchy so easily and I think I am sensitive to something in the store bought products. I've gone with only water, I did baking soda, castile soap and water some but with dry hair I was looking for an alternative to the BS. So the rye flour sounds like a worthy option.
I use ACV adn water and add some essential oils like rosemary, lavender and a few others. It works for me. I do wish it was easier to make a few weeks worth so I don't have to mix it each time. I worry about the ACV and water going 'bad' if I leave it very long and haven't been able to find much about how long it will keep in the shower stall.
You mention coloring your hair. I did search your site to see what kind you use to help with the chemical issue and leaching into our water. Any suggestions? I want to put some blue/purple, similar to what you have in the picture posted with this Rye shampoo how to.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Susan Langan says
Since ACV is "shelf stable" in full strength, I don't see why it would go bad when diluted? Good call on adding essential oils.
Anyone have tips for a good moisturizer for loose curls as a final step? I would love to source something as easy/cheap/simple as this for that last step.
Terry says
I'm confused about all the comments (here and on other sites) to the effect that their hair gets clean and stays clean longer after being washed with rye flour. I made the switch 6(?) weeks ago, after having washed my hair exclusively with baking soda and ACV. I had started to notice changes in the texture and volume of my hair, and after reading accounts of other women who had damaged their hair by using BS+ACV for too long I wondered if I were seeing similar damage. But I have yet to be impressed with rye flour either.
I'm trying to give it a fair shake, but after using it my hair feels gummy and dirty, and even if it feels clean the day I wash it my scalp feels oily the next day. I try to make sure I've rinsed it all out, and I use a boar bristle brush between washings as I have for the past few years. But by the end of the second day my hair is practically glued to my scalp and I can't wait to wash it again. Why?? Is my scalp still recovering from 2+ years of baking soda? I wouldn't think it should take so long for my sebum production to normalize. I have whole rye on hand so I grind it up in a spice mill and filter out the bran before using the flour. I add water and pour it on my scalp in the shower, work it through my hair and let sit for a few minutes while I wash/shave, then spend several minutes rinsing it out. I'm doing the same thing everyone else does, so why am I getting such lackluster (literally) results?
Susan Langan says
That must be frustrating! My experience doesn't give me any information that might help you. I can tell you that sometimes I can go a whole week between washings and sometimes I need to do it more frequently. I'd guess it has to do with what I'm eating and other activity?
Terry says
Well it's been a few more months now and I've stuck with it and made some tweaks to the routine...I have found that a slightly larger quantity of flour than 3T (1/4c. or so) yields better results, so maybe there just wasn't enough flour there before to do the job. It may also be that I wasn't thoroughly rinsing my hair, as it's fine-textured but thick. Mainly due to the "dandruff" appearance I've also started combing the flour/bran out of my hair while still in the shower (and often I need an ACV rinse to do this). This leaves my hair untangled but in a solid clump that doesn't dry well wrapped in a towel, so in addition to combing I also sling the water out before exiting the shower. The results have gotten much better as my hair does feel cleaner and I can even go 3 days without a wash, but no more. So it could be that there was some acclimation to begin with and that this is just how my hair behaves.
One shortcoming I've noticed is that this method doesn't offer extra moisture, which I realized the hard way on a trip out west where the humidity was very low. I don't normally need a super-moisturizing shampoo (which is partly why I tried rye flour) but I'm guessing my hair became very brittle within the first couple of days as I suddenly seemed to have a lot more broken hairs. I was able to partially compensate for the dryness but the damage was done, and after being home for several weeks I'm still waiting for the broken hairs (and extra frizzies) to grow out. Live and learn!
franki says
I'm glad you posted a follow up, Terry. I was wondering if you'd seen improvement. Hope it continues to get better for you.
shia says
Hi Terry!
Thanks for following up and sharing your experience, Terry! I never use whole rye because it's basically impossible for me to get everything out, so I always use light rye flour. Several people I know do you whole grain rye flour though, and it works well for them. My hair is thick, long, and plentiful, I always have to get it de-bulked, even though I shave off about a quarter of it (I have a pretty large undercut section). I always use an ACV rise, and I usually advise everyone who lives in an area with hard water to do so.
I had a very painless transition of maybe 2 weeks, but some people had longer transition periods of 2 months or even longer. I used dry shampoo (just corn starch that I applied with a large makeup brush and then I removed the excess by shaking it out of my hair with my fingers) in the beginning, but quit soon after. Maybe that was one reason why it felt so painless?
The climate makes a huge difference too. I have almost always lived in cold, rainy climates (Germany and Canada), and I didn't even know something like a moisturizing shampoo even existed! What you find here is shelves full of de-frizz/anti-frizz hair products instead XD. I go around 4-5 days without a wash (I used to wash my hair either every day or every second day), but fewer days when it's hot out or when I work out a lot. During those days I simple wash my hair with water (only) in between.
In the end we are all different (thank goodness LOL), and our bodies respond differently. If rye flour isn't for you, there are other options out there! My partner uses alep soap (a traditional olive oil soap from Syria) or just went with whatever palm-oil-free soap we could get from local soap makers. Ariana from https://paris-to-go.com uses the water-only method, and her hair is just to die for!
I hope you find what works best for you!
Shia
Terry says
My routine continues to evolve...I'm still using the rye flour, albeit with a couple more tweaks: 1)Rather than use a normal sifter to separate the bran, I bought a fine-mesh sieve which is more effective and makes a softer flour. 2)I've discovered collagen as a conditioner (throwing in a little ACV on occasion), as it's apparently similar enough structurally to keratin to smooth over any damaged areas and also helps wash out any bran I missed. I think this has helped with the detangling and breakage, although I still do the comb-and-sling in the shower.
Zerowaste.baker says
Hi! I just tried rye shampoo for the first time and it feels great! I definitely love it. But I was wondering if it will clog the drain eventually? What’s your experience? TIA!
Susan Langan says
No threat to clog a drain, unless it's already heading in that direction. The flour dissolves in water quite easily. (It can be easy to make the solution too soupy.)
franki says
Yes, it's probably the same as face or body scrubs.
I just wish it didn't make such a mess in the tub.
Works better than b. soda/ACV for me but at least b soda helped remove tub rings
Rye flour bits look like housefly poop
I don't like ACV rinse but alternate rye flour alone with soda/ACV
The latter lasts 2-3 days til I need to wash again, rye flour is closer to 5 days
(I'm 60 so that should be about right)
but I have to make sure my hair is dry before I leave the house with rye flour or else it looks like I have brown dandruff. I can't get all the flour out in a cool water rinse. I have to brush it out.
Maybe ACV helps get it all out?
If so, I wish there was a good ACV alternative. It leaves my scalp & neck so itchy, and I have some red blotchy spots on my neck that I think may be caused by the irritation.
Sarah says
Hi Shia!
Thanks so much for providing all this information. I wouldn’t know what i’d do without your blog!
I’m wondering if you can help me out with this. So I bought regular organic rye flour because I couldn’t find light rye flour. I mixed two tablespoons of the flour with water and formed the consistency that you recommended. When applying it to my wet hair, I found that it didn’t feel like liquid shampoo. It was hard and I had a difficult time distributing it throughout my hair. For the most part it sat stuck on top of my hair and I think I have parts of my hair that are clean and others still somewhat dirty. Is this normal or did I do something wrong?
shia says
Hi Sarah,
using whole rye flour does make it more difficult to distribute in your hair in my experience. I do not recommend using whole rye flour in general!! It is also a pain to rinse out!
But in general, since rye flour doesn't leather, distributing it on your scalp and hair is more difficult compared to shampoo in the first place. I recommend you try to find light rye flour and make the paste runnier. However, your hair is most probably clean ;). I am not too particular when it comes to distributing the paste super evenly anyway, and in my experience enough of it will get everywhere when you rinse it at the latest. I have started using the water-only method 3 weeks ago, and I can attest that you can indeed wash your hair with water only, and it does get clean! So no need to worry too much :). If rye flour is not for you, maybe another no-poo method is? I give an overview of no-poo methods in this article, and I am writing an FAQ on rye flour that I plan to publish on Friday!
Donna says
Hi Shia,
Would white vinegar work as well as ACV? It's less expensive for me when I buy it in bulk.
Thanks in advance!
Donna
Sofia says
I am a little confused what rye flour to use, Do you have any brands that you have used?
franki says
Since no one has answered, I can tell you I use Bob's Red Mill
mostly b/c it was on sale for 2.24 at Sprouts & I had $2 coupons so I got all they had for net .24 ea
and can also attest that flour going out of date doesn't seem to matter.
Valerie says
I was wondering if you can use different flours for hair, like coconut, quinoa or chickpea. I was reading your article and thought about my cousin who has to use alternative flours for her meals due to celiac's.
franki says
I googled around. I remember reading somewhere that flour absorbs oils so any SHOULD work but didn't find that confirmed.
I did find videos on using chickpea & oat flour.
Should be easy for you to find if you're interested.
Valerie says
Thank you!
Kata says
This method is amazing. I have been experimenting with different no poo methods again. The only thing that worked so far was Moroccan clay but since it is a bit more expensive, I would like to use that on my weekly home-spa days. So for a week I have been experimenting with different things and my hair looked greasy. I have just washed my hair with rye flower and it took all the grease away and my hair is clean. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens the next few days and months. My dream is to NOT wash my hair every other day.
Anonymous says
Is Moroccan Clay all that different from any other clay?
Terry says
One thing I've discovered just recently to "stretch" a wash if I need to is to work some cornstarch (or baking soda) into my hair at the roots, similarly to how one would touch up the color. It feels a bit gummy afterward but it looks cleaner and my hair instantly fluffs up and doesn't feel like it's sticking to my scalp, because of course the cornstarch absorbs oil like a dry shampoo. Once I apply it I brush it and style like normal. I'm usually able to wash every 3 days, but the third day is always "borderline" and this helps me get through until evening, especially if I need to go out in public.
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Joey says
Hello Shia!
How does the rye flour affect your shower drain? Have you had any issues with that? Thanks!
Lester says
What's good for your hair is good for your skin as well.