by I apologize that it’s taken me so long…but the fact is, I am not completely sold out to the baking soda &vinegar hair wash theory.
For any newbies to the blog, here’s the link to my first post on the subject. It outlines the basic how-to’s and whys of going “no poo”. If you check it out, don’t miss the great comments from others who gave it a try. And read on here, because I haven’t completely given up on the idea!
I gave it a go for almost a month, and one night I just went berserk. We’d been invited over to play cards with friends and a quick glance in the mirror at my hair left me feeling sick. I grabbed a small mirror and looked at the back of my head, and my hair just looked lank and iron gray. Ugh. In a frenzy I bent over the tub and sold out to bubbly shampoo. Within minutes my baking soda & vinegar experiment was washing down the drain.
But! I discovered that giving my hair a long rest from shampoo really restored it! My hair, after the quick shampoo, dried so soft and silky–it was amazing. So I left the soda and vinegar in the bathroom and still use it twice a week with great results. I’m also experimenting with natural shampoos, unwilling to go back to typical Wal-Mart brands that leave my scalp itchy and are full of chemicals.
My oldest daughter loves the baking soda and vinegar wash. Her waist-length hair is thick and unmanageable, and as long as we brush it out before washing, it combs out as if it had a coat of conditioner on it. Best of all, it’s so gentle on her flake-prone scalp. She’s the real reason I realized going cheap on shampoo isn’t smart. (Unless you’re talking baking soda & vinegar–b/c nothing is cheaper!)
Right now we’re trying out a brand called Naked Naturals. I happened to see it in Walgreens for a buy one get one free special. It smells of citrus and boasts of the following:
- No Lauryl or Laureth Sulfates
- No DEA or TEA
- No animal by-products
- No artificial colors
- No synthetic fragrance
- No harsh chemicals
- PH-balanced
- Not tested on animals
We like it!
Have any of the rest of you been more faithful to the “no poo” experiment than I have? Would love to hear about it in comments, and also if you’ve found a favorite alternative to take the place of the typical shampoos and conditioners.
And what’s the big deal anyway? Well, check out the ingredients in your toothpaste and baby wipes (and shampoo) among other things. See anything called “Propylene Glycol”? It happens to be the main ingredient in antifreeze and hydraulic fluids and is commonly used as solvent! It’s a toxic chemical, and so is Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Want to know more? Here’s an article that tells exactly what these two toxins are in, what health problems they cause, and why we should avoid them.
I tried the no-poo and had similar results. I, too, use the baking soda every few days now. But I was inspired to look for something better than the usual chemical concoction. My find was at the health food store and it’s not cheap. Tates Family Shampoo is awesome. I use it for shampoo and body and face soap now, and I love it.
http://ourtatefamily.com
My hair feels so much softer than it did a month ago. And my face is soft and clear. I’m sold and I’m saving up for a gallon of the stuff as this is the cheapest per ounce… I’d encourage everyone to look to what we put on our bodies as well as in.
I agree with you two. We have been switching all our household stuff slowly over to healthier alternatives to the regular brands. Slowly, because it is so costly to switch everything over at once. But it’s so hard, because I find even the stuff in the health food stores sometimes “sneak” the bad stuff in. You really have to know your ingredients while shopping, and with my pregnant “mommy-mush” brain that is really hard! I just bought this one kind “Green Beaver” cranberry shampoo that smells delicious! But, even though most things are organic, there are some things on the list that I need to sit down on here and “wikipedia” the ingredients to find out what they all are. The conditioner I just bought is “Kiss My Face” organics Green Tea and Lime…MMmmmm…even DH commented on the smell!
Ooh, I’m jealous of the brands/scents you two have uncovered! And you are so right, Geri, about even the health food stores carrying products that have some of these ingredients. I thought I was doing so good to buy my daughter a non-aluminum deodorant at our health food store when she started needing it, but come to find out, one of the main ingredients in it is propylene glycol! Argh!
I forgot to mention that I’ve been dipping into the baking soda while showering and using it for a quick face wash…it’s wonderful…like a gentle exfoliant, it leaves my face squeaky clean.
Thanks for the link to the Tate Shampoo, Cena, I like the idea of buying it in bulk…so many of the organic type shampoos come in tiny bottles, not so ideal for families like ours with lots of hair!
Did you try the rosemary rinse conditioner Mary?
Amy’s last blog post..Changing me
Hmmm….and it really doesn’t smell bad?
Also, I have very, very, very thick hair and it is coarse. I am very hesitant to shower with baking soda.
I will do some more research and I may try baking soda for my face. I bought the Dermabrasion from Avon.
Leticia’s last blog post..PART IV
Oh I was SO close to going no-poo and glad I chickened out now and you were my guinea pig. I will look for Naked Naturals next time I’m in town. I’d been having some itchy scalp stuff and reading about no poo made me realize I should address it naturally! Your hair is LONG! Wish I could see it in person though 🙁
Amy, nope! I need to though…I’ll be emailing if I can’t find your original instructions! 😉
Leticia, if you rinse really good, you don’t smell the vinegar. Especially if you only use it one or two days a week in between your regular shampoos. My daughters and I were surprised when our hair still had the scent of our normal shampoo several baking soda/vinegar washes later!
Jana, I’m your Huckleberry! But you really should try it for a couple days…Initially, it really amazed me, and then when I went back to shampoo, my hair couldn’t have been softer. Btw, I think you misread my post above. It’s not me with the waist length hair, it’s my oldest dd. My hair is only to my shoulderblades…I’m trying to grow it longer, but am due for another trim.
Mary, I am still scared to try it, yep I am a big chicken.
Leticia’s last blog post..PART V
Hee hee, well, I’m not trying to convert you, rest easy!
No, I was looking at your avatar pic. It is much longer in that pic than I’ve ever seen it in real life. Very pretty.
I *might* try it sometime when I have no where to go 😀
Oh! Thank you! I need to get to the beauty salon soon though, have been putting it off!
I did the same thing, Mary. One Sunday morning before church I looked at my hair and realized it was a mess. I washed my hair under faucet with my church clothes and makeup on. I felt so clean afterwards! Like you said though, my hair felt great after a real shampoo, so for that reason, I periodically do the baking soda & vinegar.
Thanks for sharing that, Amy! I’m glad I did try it, b/c it definitely takes care of build up…