new thread
Hey everyone,
For the longest time I've wanted to try going without shampoo, but I've never had the guts to actually do it. I hear that shampoo causes excess sebum buildup on the roots and scalp, since shampoo strips the natural oils from the hair, and the body's reaction is to produce much more than needed.. it's a vicious cycle. I've finally decided to give it a try, and let my hair restore to its natural balance, without any shampoo or conditioner.
So, after much research, I went out and bought some baking soda and apple cider vinegar. From what I have read, baking soda acts as a mild cleanser that is not nearly as harsh as shampoo. However, this leaves the scales of the hair open, as it is an alkaline substance. So to balance this, and close the scales, diluted apple cider vinegar is used to rinse. I've heard many good things about this, so I'm trying it out.
I haven't shampooed my hair since Thursday, and it was starting to get very greasy today, especially since I mix clay for my college's ceramics studio, so clay dust builds up in my hair. So after getting back from work today I decided to try my baking soda and vinegar. My hair is still wet after the shower, but it does feel very clean and healthy so far. I suppose I won't know until it fully dries, but I am feeling very hopeful that I can stick with this and not ever return to harming my hair and scalp with all the chemicals in shampoo and conditioner.
This is my new journey. I am promising myself that I cannot cave and use shampoo. I've never once in my life experienced the natural oils of my hair, except in the form of its buildup after shampooing. I feel we've been relying on chemicals for too long, and I for one would like to return to my natural state.
Do any of you guys use this or a similar method? Any success? Failures?
Sounds like the right thing to do. Our hair is not meant to have chemicals from shampoo and conditioner rubbed into all the time. The more natural the better I would say. Keep us updated.
I use the exact same cleansing method. ^_^
I've had success, though my scalp feels different without the shampoo. My hair loves it, but I may have to go back to my old ways to help my scalp not feel as irritated, though it isn't that bad.
And I've been using that method for about...a month or two now, maybe? Just to give yo a scope on how long it's been effective.
OH! And make sure you're only using a tablespoon of BS added to a cup or more of water. Any more will gum up the hair and cause damage. Add more water if necessary, but not more BS. XD
Oh, and apple cider vinegar rinses (ACV rinses) are good for the hair whenever, not just when cleansing. They're quite helpful.
Ah, thanks for the tips. I've heard a few disputing claims about the ratio of BS to water, though. Some websites say to mix it equally so that it's somewhat of a liquid paste, but others say to use one tablespoon to a cup, which makes it very liquidy. I have very thick hair, so I'm not sure what to do. When I tried it today, for the first time, it seemed to be way too much water, so I added some more baking soda. It worked very well, and my hair is very clean and soft. Feels almost as clean as with shampoo, but doesn't leave my hair feeling straw like-- it feels really healthy. I'll experiment with different ratios to see what suits my hair type.
I've been growing my hair for 9 months, and I do not use shampoo or conditioner. I wash with only water every 3-4 days. I have been doing this for about 5 months, and maybe its because of my hair type but I dont ever feel like its dirty or overly greasy...most of my friends are grossed out by it, but I feel it is the most natural and best way to maintain my hair.
kirby