This is week one for me washing my hair with water-baking soda solution and rinsing it with water-apple sider vinegar-tea tree oil rinse. Doing the same for my 4 year old. His hair looks beautiful! Very soft, beautiful curl! My hair - not so much. My hair is naturally very soft, fine and light. I usually style it every morning with blow dryer and/or flat iron. Since I worked from home yesterday and today, I just let it dry naturally and it looks pretty sad. The ends look dried out. I just had a cut to get rid of all split ends, so this is not the problem. Not sure what to try to make it look better. My question also is what do you do to style your hair? I have a mid-neck layered bob and have to blow dry my hair in the morning before I get to work. Ideally, I would like to avoid using anything, but realistically it's not an option - I have to look presentable at work. Any advise?
"no (sham)poo" movement
- Thread starter tendrini
- Start date
EGVG
Dagobah Resident
Firefly said:
Try using jojoba oil or grapeeseed oil as a heat protectant before you blow dry your hair. Also you can change the apple sider vinegar and the tea tree oil rinse with rosemary water, that gives the hair a lot of body and depth. :)
Also, you can use aloe vera gel as a mild hold hair gel, it works great for curly hair, especially if you want to achieve that natural curl look. If you are using the gel from your own plant, make sure to soak the leaf for a couple of hours and then vigorously rub the gel onto your hands before you use it, this makes it much easier to apply. And if you buy your gel make sure it has no alcohol in it or parabens and all that nasty stuff.
Thank you for advice, Starmie! I'll try rosemary water instead. I never use any gels on my hair - given that my hair is fine and straight, any gel makes it look dirty. I also like the movement and usually just try to achieve some volume at the crown of my head while blowdrying. I guess I will continue to blow-dry for now.
EGVG
Dagobah Resident
Firefly said:
If volume is your thing, then I'm sure the rosemary water will suit your needs and likes. Also if your hair is straight, take a drop of grape seed oil (literally a drop) and use it at the ends of your hair, this helps tremendously with frizz and prevents free radicals damage so less split ends too.
Thank you for the advice, starmie! I tried the rosemary water today and loved it - the smell was great and the hair was easy to brush and style and the ends do not look and feel dry. The problem is, however, that my hair feels a bit oily. I do use the scrubbie recommended by Laura. I guess this is just the growing pains of letting your hair adjust.
EGVG
Dagobah Resident
Firefly said:
I have the feeling you may be over cleaning your hair with the baking soda and salt scrubs, this may make your scalp more oily than usual. If you are up for it then try buying an aloe vera plant and use the gel mixed with some BS as shampoo, that works great for oily scalps.
Also the rosemary water has lots of acids that work similar to salicylic acid, it penetrates the pore and cleans it. So glad you tried it and liked it!! :)
Thank you! I'll give an aloe plant a try. What about washing your hair with egg and honey mixture? I know I am not allergic to ether one of those ingredients. I remember as a kid, my grandma used to clean her hair with raw egg mixed with honey once in a while. She had the thickest hair - never used shampoo or any other styling products in her life, never colored her hair either.starmie said:
I was curious about a shampoo free life, and after going nearly a year without soap or shampoo use in the shower (unless I actually got dirty or muddy) I must say my skin and hair has not felt this good since, well, forever ;D I used to suffer from having really dry skin and hair, and used to use moisturizers and conditioners at least once a day. Since switching to just having medium to hot showers, my hair has been feeling silky, and my skin feels perfectly balanced in dryness, oil levels, and such. I should add though that I still do use deodorant on days that I know I will be hot or exercising.
I was convinced to experiment with this by a blog post by a man who had also gotten rid of regular soap and shampoo use, with similarly good results. He argued that our skin had its own flora, that protects against pathogens, balances pH, and regular soap or shampoo use disrupts that ecosystem. Since our own gut flora helps us digest food, and damaging our gut ecosystem also harms our digestion, why can't a similar connection be possible for our skin's bacteria? While I don't know of any studies that demonstrate that connection, most of what I found online has been personal testimonies, and that was ready enough for me to duplicate by experimenting on myself for three or so weeks by going without, before deciding to continue it.
Had anyone else had a similar experience?
Edit: I also use soap for my hands when in a restroom or doing work that requires sterile or sanitary hands, if that didn't come across in my original post
I was convinced to experiment with this by a blog post by a man who had also gotten rid of regular soap and shampoo use, with similarly good results. He argued that our skin had its own flora, that protects against pathogens, balances pH, and regular soap or shampoo use disrupts that ecosystem. Since our own gut flora helps us digest food, and damaging our gut ecosystem also harms our digestion, why can't a similar connection be possible for our skin's bacteria? While I don't know of any studies that demonstrate that connection, most of what I found online has been personal testimonies, and that was ready enough for me to duplicate by experimenting on myself for three or so weeks by going without, before deciding to continue it.
Had anyone else had a similar experience?
Edit: I also use soap for my hands when in a restroom or doing work that requires sterile or sanitary hands, if that didn't come across in my original post
starmie said:
I have stopped scrubbing my scalp with salt. My skin did not feel okay while doing it. I now use that thingy and I quite like it, my scalp feels very clean afterwards. I rinse my hair with vinegar and some drops of essential oil, but that makes my hair look oily. The next day, however, the oily look is gone!
Maybe I will give the honey and egg mixture a go, since I will not be eating honey any longer. Why not use it on my hair? Love the idea. :D
Whitecoast said:
No, I wish I had. I washed myself with cold water (from the tap) for quite some time, but still found that I smelled badly after a while, especially my neck (the nape?). But that might also be related to the diet. Maybe we smell, because we (used to) eat grains and dairy? Just a thought.
Edit: added 'give' and 'used to'
I would also caution everyone to take it easy on the baking soda under the arms as deodorant. It was a bit too tough on my skin and I developed a rash and lymph node swelled up under one armpit. Just using baking soda to wash and rinse. Some baking soda in purified water in a spritzer and then spritzed under the arm would likely be a better option (or a magnesium solution according to psyche).
Miss.K
Dagobah Resident
I've been using Rhassoul (clay) both for washing the hair, face and body, for a week or two, together with salt scrub for the body.
(it doesn't take long to make, and I don't have to use body lotion after showering, when using the salt scrub, so it saves a bit of time that way :)
I like it very much. My hair gets clean, and soft, but not fly away-ish, and my skin feels very soft and clean.
So far it is definitely a hit here!
(it doesn't take long to make, and I don't have to use body lotion after showering, when using the salt scrub, so it saves a bit of time that way :)
I like it very much. My hair gets clean, and soft, but not fly away-ish, and my skin feels very soft and clean.
So far it is definitely a hit here!
Sentenza
Jedi
I have tried this morning to wash my hair without shampoo.
I got ready a blend with an egg, some olive oil, some vinegar, some oil of soft almond.
Result: very oily, very fatty hair. It has been 4 hours since I made it and my hair always seems wet and without volume.
However, I rinsed copiously, but it remained fatty.
I had to miss something.
Somebody to light me? (and give again to me an allowable look)
I got ready a blend with an egg, some olive oil, some vinegar, some oil of soft almond.
Result: very oily, very fatty hair. It has been 4 hours since I made it and my hair always seems wet and without volume.
However, I rinsed copiously, but it remained fatty.
I had to miss something.
Somebody to light me? (and give again to me an allowable look)
EGVG
Dagobah Resident
Sentenza said:I have tried this morning to wash my hair without shampoo.
I got ready a blend with an egg, some olive oil, some vinegar, some oil of soft almond.
Result: very oily, very fatty hair. It has been 4 hours since I made it and my hair always seems wet and without volume.
However, I rinsed copiously, but it remained fatty.
I had to miss something.
Somebody to light me? (and give again to me an allowable look)
Try Aloe Vera gel mixed with baking soda or just a complete egg with lemon juice, don't use the oils.
