Wavy Hair 101: All About "Low Poo"
Hi there wavy friend! Today’s Wavy Hair 101 will cover all things “low poo.” Including….
- Low Poo Definition
- Uses of Low Poo
- Examples of Low Poo
- How to Incorporate into YOUR wavy hair routine
note: these are drop down, so click what you need!
The phrase “low poo” means a sulfate-free shampoo that still contains cleansing ingredients (called “surfactents”).
What we think of as “normal shampoo” typically includes sulfates. A Low-poo does not have sulfates. BUT many companies have “low poos” that are simply labeled “shampoo.”
Yep! All low-poos are a part of the shampoo family. So us wavies who low-poo don’t really “stop washing our hair,” or “quit shampoo,” but rather you’ll switch the type of cleanser you use in your hair.
Nope! Many shampoos still contain sulfates. It’s really important to check the ingredients in your shampoo to see if it’s a traditional shampoo or a low shampoo. Keep reading to see examples of this.
Just because a product says it’s “for curls,” or “for waves” does NOT automatically mean it has good ingredients. Some shampoos made “for curly hair” still have sulfates, which make them NOT low poos. So always check those ingredients!
If one or more of the above effects are happening, it’s probably time to clarify. There is no exact time-frame because people use different products, have different wavy hair types, different weather, different water hardness….etc. Personally, I clarify every 4-5 washes, but also use the build up/frizz etc dictate this.
This will vary by person, but in general….as often as you were with your previous shampoo. BUT, you don’t want to wash your hair very often because that strips the natural oils. Transition time is normal, and I’ve got a whole post about how to wash wavy hair less often. For my 2a/2b waves, I wash my hair with low poo about every 4 days.
Does your shampoo have sulfates? Then it’s not a low-poo. If there aren’t sulfates, then it is!
Examples of "Low Poo" that aren't called low poo....
As mentioned above, there are many “low poo” options available that aren’t called low poo. Here are some examples!
If you read those captions, one of my low-poo mentions is actually my clarifying shampoo. And it’s a low-poo! Is that confusing? Kinda! Some low-poos are actually strong enough to clarify your waves. So that brings me to this point….listen to your hair. If your hair is getting more dry with each wash, maybe save that wash to use as your clarifying shampoo (low-poo). If it doesn’t seem to do enough, then don’t use on the days when there’s a lot of product build up. So now that you know the basics about low poo for wavy hair, it’s time to test it out! Do you use a low poo? Do you have any other questions?! Comment them if you do and I’ll update the post if it’ll help other wavies! Good luck 🙂
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Nice post! I usually use the pacifica length and strength shampoo as my regular shampoo, but I also the pineapple curls as my clarifying shampoo! It’s too drying to use on a regular basis but it does the trick to remove all my product buildup when I need to clarify without using sulfates
Ohhh I haven’t tried that shampoo, only the conditioner from the length and strength line. I’ll check it out. Interesting about the pineapple curls, thanks for sharing! It’s great to find ones that work without sulfates 🙂 -Rachel