Trying Water Only (sort of)

[kinkycurlygurl]

Hi All,

I'm trying out a water only hair routine. I've been doing it for about two weeks now and so far I like it.

I gave up shampoo a few years ago. Instead I co-washed for a while, but eventually I discovered clay on this forum and I loved it so I used the clay as a weekly hair wash.

I stumbled across the water only thread on the Long Hair Community and I was intrigued by the idea of using sebum. I was really skeptical, because I'd never describe my hair as oily and I didn't think I produced enough sebum to coat my hair in the stuff.

My mind wouldn't let go of the idea, I already got off of shampoo and conditioner and my hair was happy. The only products I was using was Queen Helene clay facial masque as a hair masque, Caster Oil for my prepoo, Apple Cider Vinegar and water for a final rinse and Wheat Germ Oil as an after shampoo leave in conditioner.

So two weeks ago I took the plunge and started doing a nightly scalp massage to spread my sebum along the length of my hair. I noticed a difference from the first day. My hair didn't feel at all dry, it was flexible and noticably less tangle prone. My twist outs, braid outs, and pin curl sets were AWESOME! I didn't add any product to the hair and it held what ever shape I wanted.

Right now my new routine is water wash weekly, followed by an ACV final rinse (1/2 tsp ACV to a gallon of water). I detangle with a smooth comb in the shower with my hair in sections. Then braid it up to air dry.

Nightly, I section the hair into 8 to 10 large sections and gently massage my scalp with the pads of my fingers. This leaves me with a very light coating of sebum on my fingers that I smooth down the lenght of each section of hair. I follow up with a spritz of plain water from my water bottle. Then I put the hair up for the night and that's it.

So far my hair is totally happy with the new routine. I love being 98% product free (I color my hair and I count ACV as a product). Styling is a breeze and my tangling issues are gone. The sebum seems to give the hair enough slip that it just slides apart when a tangle does arise. I have armpit length 4a/b hair. I'll take some pictures over the week end and post them.

 

[NicWhite]

That's sounds very interesting. Any issues with breakage? Do you comb or brush your hair? What is climate that you live in?

I eagerly await your pictures.

 

[alive]

this is fascinating! i can't wait to see your pictures. did you have to clarify before trying this?

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I've never clarified. I've really been focusing on keeping my hair moist and handling gently to avoid breakage. I was way too rough with it in the past.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

That's sounds very interesting. Any issues with breakage? Do you comb or brush your hair? What is climate that you live in?

I eagerly await your pictures.

No breakage issues. I comb using a really smooth, seamless, wide toothed comb and I have a small fine toothed seamless comb for my ends (I comb mostly in the shower when I wash). I brushed my hair tonight for the first time in a couple of years. I had to buy a boar bristle brush on the way home. I thought it would help coat the lengths evenly with sebum. I'll have to see if brushing causes breakage over time.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I live in New York City. We've had a fairly mild winter this year, but usually it's extremely cold and dry outside and hot and dry inside all winter long.

 

[reeko43]

I have been checking out this method as well. Unlike you, I have yet to take the leap. I now use mostly all natural products. Your progress is encouragaing. Please keep us posted!

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I took some pics while I was taking my hair down from a pin curl set today.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/77383090@N08/6929211401/in/photostream/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77383090@N08/6783074436/in/photostream/lightbox/


Then a few hours later after the curls dropped:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77383090@N08/6783816484/in/photostream/

 

[Jazala]

Can't see the pictures. You have your photos set on private.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

Sorry about that. I've changed the permissions. I'm new to the photo thing. I don't know how people are able to just put the pictures in their posts.

 

[pookaloo83]

Love your hair OP!!

Sent from my iPhone 4s

 

[My Friend]

I agree. Your natural oils are so far off the charts when comparing to otc oils. I use the baggy method to generate production of my natural sebum. When I remove the baggy, I can feel the natural coating on my hair.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I was just wondering if anyone else has tried using water and sebum as their primary hair care products. What were the long term results for you?

 

[yorkpatties]

OP, your curls look great!

 

[MzSwift]

I'm inching my way toward a more minimalistic haircare routine. I haven't yet gone to a water-only routine. I will be watching for others and for your progress.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I put my hair up in a pineapple last night instead of pin curling before bed. This is my 2nd day hair:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77383090@N08/6933194929/

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I'm inching my way toward a more minimalistic haircare routine. I haven't yet gone to a water-only routine. I will be watching for others and for your progress.

I've been at this for two weeks now and unless something drastic happens I don't see myself turning back. I encourage you to try removing one product at a time and see what works for your hair and what's extra. That's pretty much how I made the switch.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I agree. Your natural oils are so far off the charts when comparing to otc oils. I use the baggy method to generate production of my natural sebum. When I remove the baggy, I can feel the natural coating on my hair.

I tried baggying before I went product-minimal. I'll try it again soon to see what effect it has on the hair.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I have been checking out this method as well. Unlike you, I have yet to take the leap. I now use mostly all natural products. Your progress is encouragaing. Please keep us posted!

I don't want it to seem like I just went cold turkey. I've been experimenting with using different products, and eliminating products to see what would work for my hair and my life style for a few years. There's no rush. Go at your own pace following your own mind and intuition. That approach will never lead you wrong.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

Thanks for the kind comments.

 

[Bun Mistress]

thanks for the reviews, I heard of this on ERE forum a few months ago from a YT woman who had curly hair She did this with very good results long term. I'm trying to use up my stah but maybe one day.....

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I just wanted to give an update on the water experiment. I'm still loving this regime. Until now, I've been using a wide toothed comb and my fingers to detangle the hair and move the sebum down to the ends.

The hair closer to the roots would sometimes feel a little waxy. I guess its because the roots get more sebum on the ends. So I looked around for a way to spread the sebum more evenly through out the hair.

In the water only thread on the LHC forum they usually swear by the boar bristle brush. I tried one (albeit a cheap drugstore model) but it was way too rough for my hair. It snagged and tore my hair. The messed up part was that it did distribute sebum the way I wanted.

I looked around on Amazon for a soft, natural bristle brush. I found a goat-hair brush that seemed perfect for what I wanted. It arrived on Friday and I've been using it in the evening when I massage my scalp.

First, it's luxuriously soft. I use it gently on my sectioned hair and it doesn't snag or break the hair.

Second, the sebum is distributed so evenly that I don't have the waxy feel at the roots.

The goat-hair brush is a keeper for me. A side effect that I've noticed is that the number of single strand knots I get is reduced to nearly zero. That's astonishing to me because my hair ties itself into knots as a hobby.

I think the reduction in SSKs is a result of a combination of factors. I wear protective styles 90% of the time, my hair is braided, twisted, or curled at night, and now I detangle nightly and brush the ends. I think the hair doesn't get the opportunity to knot up so much any more.

http://www.amazon.com/Goat-Hair-Bab...ef=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330870995&sr=1-1

 

[Kn0ttyByNatur3]

This routine seems to be working really well for your hair. Your hair looks very manageable and moisturized. I look forward to more updates from you on this.

 

[lilyofthenile]

I think this is very interesting. At the moment I'm experimenting washing my hair with just diluted ACV and using water mainly to get my scalp clean... it sounds like something I want to take further, thank you for sharing and being so informative!

 

[Loveygram]

@kinkycurlygurl I was wondering if you use your brush on dry, damp or wet hair? Thank you... and .....

Looking forward to your updates
Blessings

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

@kinkycurlygurl I was wondering if you use your brush on dry, damp or wet hair? Thank you... and .....

Looking forward to your updates
Blessings

Hi Loveygram,

I brush the hair dry. After I brush and smooth the hair with my fingers, I give it a spritz of water and braid, twist or curl the section for the night. I usually do it in 5 to 9 sections depending on how I feel that night.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I think this is very interesting. At the moment I'm experimenting washing my hair with just diluted ACV and using water mainly to get my scalp clean... it sounds like something I want to take further, thank you for sharing and being so informative!

Hi, what dilution are you using for your ACV wash? I go very dilute for my rinse. I use a 1/2 tsp to a gallon of water.

I'd like to hear about your results too. Have you been doing it for long?

 

[Loveygram]

Hi Loveygram,

I brush the hair dry. After I brush and smooth the hair with my fingers, I give it a spritz of water and braid, twist or curl the section for the night. I usually do it in 5 to 9 sections depending on how I feel that night.

Hey sis , and Thank you. I'm still scared of my brush though...

Best wishes and HHJ

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I noticed that stripped feeling after I washed too. I washed 1x week at first, but I'm stretching my washes to 2-3 weeks. I LOVE the feel of sebumy hair.

Elasticity is the right word. My hair is malleable and flexible keeping a nice looking braid-out or pin curl set for 2-3 days is not a problem.

You are bold for going cold-turkey I took a long taper off of products. I didn't have this in mind as a goal, but by the time I came across the water/sebum method I was using so few products that it wasn't a big leap. I had more trouble with the idea of brushing my hair.

I like my hair way better without all of the product on it. Yesterday, I colored my hair, I'm waging the battle against the grays, I debated with myself for a while about whether or not I wanted to use the conditioner they included with the color. I opted not to use the conditioner. I just rinsed and detangled my hair in running water until the water ran clear. I detangled in the shower no fuss, no muss and no conditioner. and no excessive breakage in the shower either.

You mentioned rose water in a pm so I got some and tried it mixed into my plain water spray bottle. I love the smell. It makes my nightly brushing ritual seem just a little luxurious.

I don't know if the properties of the water you have access to makes a difference in how the hair comes out. I've used plain old NYC tap water with good results. I've heard of others trying distilled, spring and seltzer water. The only people who seem to have problems that I've heard about are people in hard water areas.

I'll check out your pics later. I can't access fotki right now.

Thank you for sharing your experience with water/sebum.

 

[Loveygram]

I noticed that stripped feeling after I washed too. I washed 1x week at first, but I'm stretching my washes to 2-3 weeks. I LOVE the feel of sebumy hair.

Elasticity is the right word. My hair is malleable and flexible keeping a nice looking braid-out or pin curl set for 2-3 days is not a problem.

You are bold for going cold-turkey I took a long taper off of products. I didn't have this in mind as a goal, but by the time I came across the water/sebum method I was using so few products that it wasn't a big leap. I had more trouble with the idea of brushing my hair.

I like my hair way better without all of the product on it. Yesterday, I colored my hair, I'm waging the battle against the grays, I debated with myself for a while about whether or not I wanted to use the conditioner they included with the color. I opted not to use the conditioner. I just rinsed and detangled my hair in running water until the water ran clear. I detangled in the shower no fuss, no muss and no conditioner. and no excessive breakage in the shower either.

You mentioned rose water in a pm so I got some and tried it mixed into my plain water spray bottle. I love the smell. It makes my nightly brushing ritual seem just a little luxurious.

I don't know if the properties of the water you have access to makes a difference in how the hair comes out. I've used plain old NYC tap water with good results. I've heard of others trying distilled, spring and seltzer water. The only people who seem to have problems that I've heard about are people in hard water areas.

I'll check out your pics later. I can't access fotki right now.

Thank you for sharing your experience with water/sebum.

I did not go cold turkey but did clay washes and acv rinses for a a while and then started daily water washes afterwards.

Good luck with coloring . Shouldn't fade as fast but might be hard for the color to set.You'll see my grays have taken over but they're right on time .