Sunday, September 1, 2013

Throwing Out That Toxic Shampoo

Yes, I did it.  I was VERY skeptical of the "no poo" fad.  I have always struggled with very oily hair.  And I mean OILY!  I wash my hair every morning and by noon I was usually putting it up because it was already getting oily.  And it made me mad because people always said to wash it less.  The reason it was oily was because I was supposedly washing it too much.  The whole reason I started washing it so much was because it got that oily!!!  And there is no shampoo that works for oily hair.  If you have dry or frizzy or colored or curly hair, you have you pick of shampoos and brands.  But if you have oily?  There are maybe three shampoos you can find.  I've tried everything.  I also struggled with dandruff and sensitive skin.  I have allergies to so many lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc.  I recently had a friend take the plunge and try the "no poo" method.  After about six months, she and her whole household were still using it and were believers.  I visited them and they looked great and were so happy with the decision that I decided to give it a shot.  I'm glad I did.  It took about two weeks for my hair to really even out but after that it is so soft and smooth.  It has body/volume, less dandruff, and I can leave it down all day and when I go to bed at night it still isn't oily.  I have been amazed.  I am going to tell you how I do this but there really is no RIGHT way.  You have to experiment a little to find the right way for you.  I still wash my hair with the mixture every morning.  I find my hair does best that way.  My daughter's hair is only being washed twice a week now but she is only three and that is what works best for her.  My friend uses the mixture on her hair a few times a week now and just scrubs with water in between.  It depends on your hair (texture, thickness, dry/oily, etc.).

So here is what I do.  For the shampoo, I mix about 2 Tbsp. baking soda with about a cup of water. (If you have extra dry hair, you should only use 1 Tbsp. because baking soda can dry.)  I put this in a spray bottle that I got at Walmart or Target.  Shake it up and spray it all over wet hair.  I have a LOT of hair so I pick up my hair and spray it in layers.  Some people only have to spray it on top then scrub it in.  Experiment and find what works for you.  There are also several helpful videos on YouTube that can help you find different methods.  Scrub it in and scrub your scalp.  I let this sit in my hair a few minutes while I do some other stuff.  Then rinse thoroughly.

For the conditioner, (you won't want to skip this, even if you are like me and have oily hair), mix 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar in about a cup of water.  I put this in another spray bottle.  This one I just spray over the top of my hair.  If you have really dry hair, you may want to spray more.  I've also seen people who have really dry hair mix half cup cider vinegar with half cup water.  More vinegar means more moisture.  Let this sit for a few minutes too.  Then rinse thoroughly.  Don't worry, if you rinse thoroughly, your hair won't smell like the apple cider vinegar.  I've asked.  Nobody has been able to smell it.

Really, you should try this.  Read the ingredients in your shampoo and tell me you think those ingredients are okay.  Especially if you have crazy skin reactions like I do.  Or major issues with your hair or dandruff like I did.

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