"no Shampoo"

[BelleVie]

We talk a lot on here about whether or not our shampoos and such are safe, but I'm wondering if any of you have given "no poo" a try? I am on my 8th day, and I'm actually REALLY pleased with it. "No poo" is a way of washing hair that uses very basic ingredients. I use baking soda and water to wash, and I condition with apple cider vinegar and essential oils. It's REALLY great, free of harsh chemicals, and free of the big bad G. Here's a link if anyone is interested! 

 

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[notme]

do they mean a 'commercial' clarifying shampoo?   do you have pre-existing scalp issues ( because i do and worry about making it worse ) - might give it a try........  no vinegar smell?  i use tea tree oil anyway and make my own stuff, so would be easy to put some in a spray bottle with water

[BelleVie]

I think so. I think you're supposed to do one final rinse with a clarifying shampoo to get all of the chemical goo out of your hair, and then from there you let it recover back to it's normal, sans shampoo state. My hair has always been really oily at the roots, and it was oily for about a week, but now it's starting to normalize. And no vinegar smell! It disappears once your hair is dry! Let me know how it works for you if you try it out! 

[Adalaide]

I've been doing this for months, maybe even close to a year now. I get shampoo in my mouth, don't ask how because I don't know. I just do. After a canned response basically saying "you don't eat shampoo moron" when I specifically pointed out in my email that I just happen to sometimes accidentally get it in my mouth on occasion so simply wanted to know if it is gluten free or not (and from more than one company), I decided that I'm done with asshat companies that treat me like I'm too stupid to know what celiac is and that I have to actually eat the stuff for it to be a problem.

 

Anywho, I use a plain squirt bottle like you would use for mustard or whatever for both the baking soda and vinegar. I have way too much hair to spend time with a spritz bottle with the vinegar, it takes a full 8 ounces to soak my hair with it. I just pour it on. My hair was wonky when I started at first and I'm not sure if it was because of the change or because I was learning to adjust. Unless you already simply massage your scalp when you wash, it takes a little getting used to.

 

I used to use shampoo, conditioner and a spray in conditioner just to be able to get a comb through my hair. Plus styling products. I've given all that up. My hair is soft, super manageable and has never been easier to take care of. Plus it is so cheap. I've thought about buying an essential oil to use in the rinse or on a brush. The vinegar doesn't leave any scent and I do miss having lavender or peppermint scented hair. I could smell like Christmas all winter long!

[1desperateladysaved]

If you can tolerate it, a couple of drops of lavender, or peppermint, or other essential oil and your hair could smell terrific.

 

I make my own shampoo bars and am happy with them. 

 

D

[nvsmom]

Hmm, this i interesting to me! How long was the adjustment period? I'm generally a really oily person so that adjustment time makes me nervous.

[Adalaide]

Took me a week to get things figured out and learn how to wash my hair properly. Took maybe another week after that for it to become soft and perfect, but it wasn't weird during that time. I felt like the adjustment period had more to do with me learning the difference in how to use this instead of shampoo and less to do with what I was using to wash my hair with. I know that it may not be as solution for everyone, but I simply put my hair in a ponytail during that time when I left the house.

[BelleVie]

nvsmom, my hair has always been super oily too, but I've found that minus the dairy and gluten, the oil has gotten a lot better, and once my hair adjusted, my scalp stopped producing so much excess sebum. I'm on week 3 of the adjustment period. My hair is still oily, but it has definitely improved. I hope it keeps getting better.  

[BelleVie]

So, Adelaide, do you scrub your scalp really well, or do you just let the baking soda soak and then rinse? 

[Adalaide]

I scrub my scalp with my fingertips, never my nails. I make sure to get my entire head and spend about 2-3 minutes doing it, much like they would do at a salon. Then I spend about a minute massaging while I rinse. I do just let the vinegar soak. Probably for about 5 minutes while I finish showering.

[JNBunnie1]

See, I tried the vinegar thing and the smell WOULD NOT QUIT. I have waist length, very soft,

slightly wavy fine hair, but I have LOTS of it, just a stupid pile of hair on my head. Even two days

later my hair still smelled like vinegar, to the point where it nauseated me. Am I doing something

wrong? I'd LOVE to go no-poo, and would happily just hat my head til the adjustment period is

over. You rinse the vinegar out, right? I did and the smell still smacked me two days later....

[shadowicewolf]

See, I tried the vinegar thing and the smell WOULD NOT QUIT. I have waist length, very soft,

slightly wavy fine hair, but I have LOTS of it, just a stupid pile of hair on my head. Even two days

later my hair still smelled like vinegar, to the point where it nauseated me. Am I doing something

wrong? I'd LOVE to go no-poo, and would happily just hat my head til the adjustment period is

over. You rinse the vinegar out, right? I did and the smell still smacked me two days later....

Yes, you rinse and rinse and rinse.

 

I use apple cider viniger along with regular shampoo.

[Adalaide]

I always rinse really really really well. My hair is currently about down to my bra strap and I have no lingering odor after it is dry. Even when it is still wet the odor is only very very mild.I use a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for every 8 ounces of water and use 8-10 ounces for every rinse. Sometimes if I'm feeling adventurous I'll make an herb steep with the water first which does leave a wonderful smell in my hair.

[w8in4dave]

I was actually turned on to a shampoo kinda the same thing.. It doesn't lather and it is a learning experience! But you wash it like regular shampoo and your hair is clean , (I never use conditioner) There is a conditioner that goes with the shampoo I use, I am not home right now or I'd give you the name of the shampoo I use, also after I use this shampoo I use Argon oil , it is a dry oil, you put a drop or two on the palm of your hand and rub your hands together and then rub it in to the ends of your hair. Like I said it is a dry oil. I have never had so many complements on my hair before in my life!! Look up ARGON OIL it is wonderful!! With the shampoo I use and this Argon Oil it is wonderful!! My hair has NEVER been in better shape!! 

[Adalaide]

I don't mean to be a downer or anything, but the entire point of doing the baking soda thing for washing hair is to not use chemicals. The lack of a foaming agent makes no difference when the entire point of making this change is to simply strip chemicals from an entire aspect of your life.

 

As a matter of fact, I don't even use soap at all any more. I use completely homemade scrubs in the shower. If it weren't for the fact that I use lotions on my hands and feet I would be completely chemical free with my personal care.

[BelleVie]

I don't mean to be a downer or anything, but the entire point of doing the baking soda thing for washing hair is to not use chemicals. The lack of a foaming agent makes no difference when the entire point of making this change is to simply strip chemicals from an entire aspect of your life.

 

As a matter of fact, I don't even use soap at all any more. I use completely homemade scrubs in the shower. If it weren't for the fact that I use lotions on my hands and feet I would be completely chemical free with my personal care.

That makes me really happy to hear. I read the other day that the average woman uses something like 125 potential cancer causing chemicals per day in her beauty routine. 

[BelleVie]

Oh I forgot! Lately I've started putting in 2 tablespoons of baking soda for one and a quarter cups of water, plus one drop each of lavender oil, mint oil, and rosemary oil. My hair smells SOOO good.  

[Adalaide]

I guess I use slightly heaping tablespoons of baking soda per cup of water. I just find that it works better. The whole single, level tablespoon thing wasn't doing it for me. I tried 2 and it was leaving actual flakes of baking soda in my hair which was kind of gross. So I found a happy middle ground that works for me. I think it tends to vary for everyone just a little and we all need to find where it works for us just right.

 

That oil combo sounds amazing. I'll bet you smell amazing!

 

And I know this sounds weird and counter-intuitive for a lot of people... but I mostly use a simple olive oil and salt scrub. Lots of people think that's weird to use olive oil on my skin but I've never had less breakouts on my face and I stopped needing lotion after I shower because I don't leech moisture. In the fall I do things like pumpkin spice or brown sugar and cinnamon rubs. I do lavender and honey when I'm stressed. Other than washing my hands I frankly can't remember the last time I put soap on my skin and I practically glow. More people should try it if they're ditching shampoo too. There are dozens upon dozens of ideas and recipes for scrubs if you google it.

[w8in4dave]

I actually made some sugar scrub and salt scrubs last year and sold them at my Craft shop! It is soooooo easy to do ladies!! Sugar , either olive oil or grape seed oil .. ohhh you can google recipes!! They rock! And make your skin feel amazing!! 

[BelleVie]

Oooh I love the olive oil idea!! Gonna try that soon!

 

Along the lines of natural things, I made home made lip balm yesterday and it turned out beautifully. Here's the recipe:

 

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[GF Lover]

I also make my own lip balms and use only pure coconut oil on my face, hands and feet.  I also use olive oil for deep moisturizing treatments on my hair.

 

Colleen

[Adalaide]

That's a really great recipe! I have been using EOS lip balm and like it. Almost all of the ingredients in it are organic and I only need to put it on a few times a day. I just picked up a 5 pack at Costco for something like $11 so I won't need more for probably a year, but when I do I think I'll try making my own. There are suggestions for replacements for the vanilla but I'll bet you could do almost any flavor that makes you happy.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Late to this party, just had my shoulder length hair lopped off, chin length one side ear length the other. Has anyone had success with shorter hair?

[Adalaide]

Not that I've had short hair since idk when, but I see no reason it wouldn't work. The point if you do enough reading and research is that you're focusing on washing your scalp, not your hair. A problem I could foresee, depending on what your plans are with your hair are the types of styling products you use. Some are made to coat your hair in a way that would be difficult to wash out with anything but harsh chemicals. There are homemade substitutes for most hair products also to prevent that problem. As long as you're not using some of those chemical styling products it shouldn't be a problem, the silicone based ones would be the biggest issue. With hair that short, a good 2-3 minute scalp scrubbing should more than scrub your hair too.

 

Also, I went to get my hair trimmed today. For some sick, twisted, and totally stupid reason, I decided last year or something like that that I wanted bangs. So now I have a short part of my hair that I'm letting grow out and I keep trimming an inch or two at a time off my hair til it's all the same length. The girl was all "lets wash your hair" I'm like "lets not, I don't put chemicals in my hair." She asked how I take care of it, and I told her and she couldn't help herself I guess as she started combing out my braid, remarking how incredibly soft my hair is. It's so hard not to be vain sometimes.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Thanks Addy

Maybe you have a convert