When one brother is a hair dresser and the other one has long hair, a long beard and to top it all off is noShampoo, things can get complicated. Luckily my brother and I respect each other’s choices and we debate them.
This is how this interview was created.
Get ready for some funny answers, but also for a few lessons about how soap works, how the skin gets dehydrated and about the anatomy of the hair.
NS: Hello Andrei, how long have you been a hair dresser /stylist? Why did you become a hair dresser/stylist?!
AB: Hello! I’ve been hair dresser for a year. I chose this career because you’re very flexible. Basically you can do your job anywhere in the world, even if you don’t know the language. As long as there’s hair that needs cutting, I can do it.
NS: When did you first hear about noShampoo?!
AB: (laughing) When you decided to do it and told me. I don’t remember, you should know.
NS: Tell us about your noShampoo clients? Are you seeing more people going noShampoo?!
AB: Well…(trying to hold back his laughter) the clients that I have that don’t use shampoo are doing that because they are lazy, not because it’s their lifestyle decision. Besides you, I don’t know anyone who decided not to use shampoo.
NS: What do you think are some of the reasons people choose to be noShampoo?!
AB: I think it’s because they have their personal reasons like, it’s easier, cheaper, actually free and because they are lazy(laughing).
NS: Do you think there are variations of noShampoo? If so what?!
AB: Washing your hair only with water, with water and baking soda, with lemon juice or you can neutralize the baking soda with lemon juice and you make it into a paste and you wash your hair with it.
NS: What are the major benefits of being noShampoo?!
AB:You keep your hair’s natural oils. But it depends on the type of your job. For example if you’re a cook, you can’t be noShampoo(laughing), because all the dogs will follow you.
NS: What are the major drawbacks of being noShampoo?!
AB: I think I already answered this question… I mean it’s basically ok, but it depends very much on the job you have. If you’re a construction worker and you are dealing with cement, dust, and dirt you cannot clean that dirt only with water, you’ll need some soap to catch the dirt and grease, you know?
NS: What exactly are you referring to?
AB: Don’t you remember from chemistry lessons, in school? How soap acts, how it cleans, the chemistry behind it. The soap is basically made out of molecules which have a “head” and some “hooks”. And those “hooks” get anchored into the dirt/grease and the “head” sticks to the water and the bond between them is not breaking, and the water pulls away the grease/dirt. That’s basically how soap works. If it’s only water then it just goes over it(the dirt/grease) and it doesn’t “pull” anything away(grease/oils/dirt/etc).
NS: How would you compare people who use noShampoo with people who use regular shampoo? Is there a ‘type’ of person who is noShampoo?!
AB: I don’t know how I could compare shampoo users and noShampoo people. Usually the “flower-power” people tend to be noShampoo. You can’t be a star or an artist and be noShampoo, because you would have performances and concerts and all those products that you’ll use and the smells you’ll be surrounded by will stick to your hair. And you wouldn’t be able to wash them only with water. Imagine how you’re hair would be after a photo session with all the hair wax and hair fixer and so on. In this case you can’t be noShampoo. Even if you’ll keep your hair in water for an hour you’ll still have those smells and products stuck to your hair.
But no, I don’t think there is a particular type of people who are noShampoo.
NS: But do you think it’s possible to be noShampoo if you don’t use hair products and you only sweat and have a normal job? For example if you use baking soda and apple vinegar or lemon juice to rinse?
AB: Yeah, but that would suppose to wash it every day, or every 2 days.
NS: Have you ever tried noShampoo?!
AB: Yeah, between 2 or 3 washings (laughing). Meaning that I am washing (with shampoo) 2 times per week and in between, when I am showering, I am washing my hair only with water.
NS: How would you describe the experience, even if it’s so short?
AB: Well, because of the water that we’re having here, I can’t be noShampoo, because I’ll have dandruff. As I said, it depends on the person skin type. Not everyone can be noShampoo. If your skin is sensitive then you can’t be noShampoo. You have to clean it…
NS: Can you, please explain more what do you mean about the water?
AB: It’s hard water. The lime scale will stay on your skin and if you have dry skin then it will dry your skin even more and then you’ll have dandruff, dry skin. Let me clear that up: the water dehydrates the skin! So if you have dry skin it will dehydrate it more so you will end up with flakey scalp, even if it’s not dandruff. So as time goes by you’ll have to wash it more. That’s because the upper layer (of the skin) is dead skin, so when the water goes underneath it, it dehydrates it more. That’s because that layer absorbs the water which will evaporate afterwards and will leave you with drier skin. As a comparison it’s exactly how the ground looks in the summer when it’s very hot. Maybe you remember when you saw those cracks in the soil, even after a rain. The rain goes in the ground but then it gets evaporated and the ground cracks. It’s the same with the skin. So that’s why it’s good to have it a bit oily, with the natural oils.
NS: What’s the funniest story you’ve heard in your career as a hair stylist?!
AB: It’s not necessarily a story that I’ve heard but something that happened to me. (laughing) Basically I cut a guy’s hair the wrong way… at the end he was like: “oh… I didn’t expect this… but it’s ok”. That was because he explained what he wanted a bit differently and because we started to talk while I was cutting his hair, I forgot to ask him to confirm the haircut and I just went all-over, as he said, and that was it…
NS: And did he write a complaint or something?
AB: No, it was a free haircut(laughing very hard)! What more could I do? I couldn’t glue his hair back on.
NS: Why do you think people use shampoo? Is it because of marketing? Habit?
AB: A bit of both: marketing, habit. Some people actually feel better after they use it and the shampoo gives them the sensation of being clean and of a nice smell. So sometimes it’s not only the habit and marketing is also how you feel after and how it smells.
NS: Why does hair get dirty?!
AB: (laughing) The same way your hands get dirty!
Well the air has particles of dirt, pollution, a lot of smoke and different smells and those get into your hair.
Let me explain the structure of the hair. The hair, if you look at it under a microscope, it has the same surface as the scales of a snake, overlapping a bit over another. Between all those “scales” it’s a small gap, so when it’s humid outside that gap opens more. That’s why girls with curly hair have it fluffier when it’s humid outside. Ok, so if you sit in a room where people smoke, the smoke gets between those gaps. And it’s the same with the dirt, dust and all the things from the air. And besides this, there are the hair products that you use which makes the hair stickier. If you use gel, fixer, etc, more things get stuck to your hair. It’s like a duck tape, if you leave it out with the sticky side exposed you’ll see that the dirt and particles will stick to it. It’s the same with the hair. If you work in an environment which is full of smells and smoke… imagine if you would work in a fast food restaurant, where the air is filled with smoke and oil and steam. Or if you work in the building department. Every working environment has its pollution factor.
NS: What methods of cleaning hair do you know? What is the BEST way to clean your hair?!
AB: The methods that I know are shampoo and water. About dry Shampoo that’s a big no from me!
The best way to clean the hair from my point of view is with a shampoo that has a neutral pH and water and also if it has “repair and rescue”
NS: How often should you clean your hair?!
AB: Again, it depends on the individual. If you’re a construction worker, every day, after work. But in general once a week or once every 3 days.
NS: What is the best noShampoo hair style you’ve seen? (See some styles at http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947081@N05/sets/72157618425494002/)
AB: I didn’t see any styles besides yours. The ones from the link look like “messy hairstyle”(laughing). I consider that you can’t really have a particular hairstyle if you’re noShampoo because if you’re noShampoo then you have to be “no-hair gel”, “no-hair fixer”, “no–hair wax”. Being noShampoo you can only style it with the blow-dryer, but it’s not that strong. In his(Daniel-see link) case he is lucky that he has a nice texture and he can make it wavy, but imagine if you’re afro or if you have spiky asian hair… you can’t really do much to it.
NS: If your hair is a statement, then what statement are noShampooers making?!
AB: “Get back to the nature!”
NS: Any message for noShampooers?!
AB: If it helps you, keep up the good work!
NS: Anything else you want to say to your fans?!
AB: Keep up the good work!
We’ll let you know when Andrei Budai goes noShamoo…
NS: What is your website?!
AB: Waves Hairdressing – https://www.facebook.com/waveshairdressinguk
NS: Where is your salon?!
AB: 172 Fratton Rd, PO1 5HD Portsmouth, UK
NS: Do you want to give noShampooers a one-time only discount to use at your salon (obviously not for shampoo products :p )?
AB: They can come and get a haircut whenever they want. And the price will be £6.50, no matter the length or style.
NS: What else can we do to help you out?!
AB: Nothing in particular.
NS: Anything else?