So Gary Barlow hasn’t washed his hair in 14 years? Let’s see why the ‘no poo’ movement is not the best solution to your hair problems. If you’ve been following the news, you’ll have seen the coverage when Take That front man Gary Barlow recently claimed he washed his hair for the first time in 14 years. He’s one of many people these days who advocate the ‘no poo’ approach, which promises that hair left on it own without shampoo will eventually clean itself (talk about patience!), removing the need for shampoo. Okay, so we would debunk that right? But here’s why Gary Barlow’s hair routine might not be the best choice for you. WATER ALONE WILL NOT TACKLE GREASE Ever tried to wash a greasy pan without washing up liquid? It doesn’t work. It’s the same with your hair and scalp – do what you like, but without shampoo you just won’t get rid of it. Oils are hydrophobic. That means they don’t bind to water molecules and instead the water just glides straight over them. A shampoo, like a washing up liquid, helps facilitate that by emulsifying (i.e. binding to) the oils on your hair and scalp which are then washed away when you rinse. SHAMPOO CLEANS AWAY EXCESS OIL AND GREASE Every day your hair is exposed to sweat, pollution and natural oils produced by your scalp. That’s before you’ve added products like gels, waxes and hairsprays – and we can safely say Gary’s used a fair few over the years. These all build up and when they break down, they can become oxidized and form potentially irritating substances. And that’s not good news for your hair. As they damage your scalp they can cause your hair to grow weaker and you could see problems like dry scalp and dandruff flare up. TODAY’S SHAMPOOS WON’T STRIP OILS FROM YOUR HAIR One of the arguments in favour of ‘no poo’ is the claim that shampoos can strip your hair of its natural oils. We’ve moved on since the early days of shampoos and today’s formulas are designed to lift away scalp oils and dirt without stripping away your natural oils. So you can reach out for it in the shower without fear of damaging your hair. HOW TO KEEP HAIR CLEAN Without a doubt modern shampoos are still the best way to keep hair clean and healthy. The trick is to use them regularly – and no, we’re not talking once every 14 years Gary! From Sunday to Saturday, your body is an oil-producing machine. Then there’s the sweat, pollution and all the other things it comes into contact with. We can’t even imagine how much builds up over 14 years – especially with all that dancing So without a regular dose of shampoo, that grease and oil could be back for good. No need to over-do it – it only takes a minute and 2 or 3 times a week is plenty. And so you never forget how to use them properly, we’ve put together this great guide on how to wash your hair. Okay, we’ve said it all. So please, don’t say goodbye to your shampoo.



