No Shampoo... Call me Crazy

This is the beginning of my no-poo lifestyle change.

Yes, that's right. I don't use shampoo.

You guys are probably looking at me thinking... "Sick, you don't use shampoo?"

The most surprising part to me is, as I researched it, I NEVER once thought that.

Benefits of this method: Personal health, Healthy for environment, Cheaper, Effective

But, from the first time I tried it, I felt so great about the cleanliness, silkiness and most importantly...

safe natural ingredients used to do so.

 

January 31 to March 1... and I don't look like a grease ball. huh. Imagine that.

Now, let me tell you why I don't use shampoo.

I first read this blog. And I am going to share a lot of the same information. This blog also goes along with several research articles and posts about this method.

Why not shampoo?

1. Shampoo is a detergent. It strips the hairs of its natural oils. So, it gets rid of our greasy hair and the healthy oils that our hair needs as well. The scalp realizes the oils are gone and produces more. This is why with shampoo, often times you do need to wash your hair every day.

Hint: If you wash your hair every day, it will get greasy faster.

2. Shampoo contains many hazardous chemicals. Many chemicals found in shampoos and conditioners are known for the toxicity and possible cancer-causing ingredients. Other chemical disrupt the pH level of the skin and hair. Other chemicals may cause hair dryness, or hair thinning (tricky companies...). A lot of conditioners and shampoos (especially cheap ones) form layers of wax on your hair.

{I was told this story} 
A woman was using cheap shampoo for a long time. Her hair wouldn't take to hair dye very well, so they hair dresser put her under a blow dryer to see what they could do. White wormy looking things started coming out of her scalp... it was wax build up from all the years of that shampoo and conditioner. GAG.

I can't vouch for every detail of that story because I do not know the woman. However, I do not that there are lots of hair products that do cause your hair to be waxy and sometimes affects the way your hair takes color.

3. A lot of conditioners that claim to be more gentle for your hair, do not have a balanced pH level. The natural pH level of your hair is between 4.5-5.25. Average 5.0. Next time you have some pH strips handy, see how close your conditioner is to 5.0.

4. Shampoo is expensive. If you use shampoo, you have to wash your hair MORE. If you use cheap shampoo, it's not helpful for your hair. So you're going through expensive bottles of shampoo all the time.

So, What is No-Poo?

What you need:

Baking Soda

Apple Cider Vinegar or Vinegar

Optional: Essential Oils

Baking soda... what? The first time I told my husband I was doing this... he seriously thought I was like a hippie. (Not gonna lie, I got a little "hippie" vibes inside myself... but I am interested in overall health and wellness). He's gotten used to the baking soda and Apple Cider Vinegar in the bathroom.

Baking soda gets your hair clean. And leaves it feeling clean.

Some people need a few table spoons, others needs 1/4 cup. 

I get my hair wet. 

Put baking soda in a measuring cup & dump a little bit here and there as I move the part around. 

Then I put down the measuring cup and scrub it clean.

As for conditioner, I do a ACV rinse. 

ACV stands for Apple Cider Vinegar. (I think this is really where I lost my husband in the beginning).

What I do is 2T of ACV in a cup of water.

Literally, a cup from the kitchen.

I soak the ends of my hair in the water for about a minute.

Then I dump the rest through my hair.

(I would suggest warm water, made the mistake of using cold... brrrrr).

The vinegar smell doesn't linger. Promise!

I stole the next part from the blog listed above, she explains it well. 

"So why ACV? Most importantly, it has a natural pH of 4.25-5.0 when undiluted. Your hair’s natural, healthy pH likes to be somewhere similar, or just slightly more alkaline than that. Water’s pH is a neutral 7.0, and a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar is all it takes for that water to become the perfect pH for your hair."

After you use the Baking Soda and ACV method... your hair won't smell like anything.

(Not even that gross "hair" smell).

If you want to add a scent to your hair. Add a little essential oils.

Also for deep conditioning... every once in a while I use raw organic coconut oil or olive oil.

Let me know if you try it and love it. Or try it and hate it.

Also, don't feel like you have to do THIS method to avoid harmful chemicals 

or other shampoo side effects. There are many recipes and also natural shampoos out there.
Shampoo is the first step to starting to weed out unnecessary chemicals.

Lately I have been doing a lot of research and it makes me feel empowered.
To make my OWN decisions after realizing how they will really affect me.
I've gotten a lot of judgements after branching out in different ways from the norm around me.
But, I feel good, and that's what matters.

Happy No-pooing.