Yeah, yeah, tacky title lol...
As I've previously written, I've been 'no-pooing' for about 3.5yrs now. After the initial adjustment period my hair went through with finding its own natural oil balance, the right amounts of ACV/baking soda to use, number of days between washes etc I have been absolutely sold on keeping my hair clean without the use of shampoo or conditioner.
During the first few years I even heat-straightened my hair every day. I then grew it for 18mths without a cut. All with my hair remaining soft and in good condition (until the last few months where it lost condition and was REALLY overdue for a cut which I recently had).
Anyway, when we were away on holiday last week I only packed shampoo and conditioner (I found that Danielle needed shampoo as it was hard for me to determine what was the best way to do it for her hair at her young age and often being unwilling to have her hair washed etc). It was like I was suddenly thrown back into the days of being a slave to shampooing daily! It was horrible. Within a couple days my hair was back to being greasy in the morning and absolutely needing a wash, lank by midday and just generally unmanageable from excess floppiness due to that "first day of washing hair", yet I never got to make it to the 2nd day where the texture is generally improved. So I started shampooing daily and it was only in hindsight upon returning home and getting back into the no-poo routine that my hair returned to normal (which happened pretty much straight away after the first BS wash) as I was starting to wonder if the new haircut just meant icky greasy hair due to shorter bits and a fringe. So, no more regular shampooing for me...
And talking of personal hygeine...I continue to use baking soda as an alternative to antiperspirant when I think I need it. As part of my herbal studies, one of the projects was to make a lavender vinegar that was purported to be great as a deoderant, yet not suppressing the glands from perspiring. So I made it up, but just couldn't get my head around using it and feared that I'd then go around for the day smelling of vinegar! Recently I was doing some reading where the author explained that perspiration smell often occurs in an alkaline environment. So putting two and two together and knowing that soap is an alkaline (and we do use soap in this house), it made sense that the skin - even after a shower - was left in an alkaline condition. I then wondered if that was why the vinegar worked since it's an acid (but contradicted why BS works since it's an alkaline!). So I trialled just splashing some ACV under my arms while in the shower and rinsing it off. My theory being that perhaps just changing the surface of the skin from alkaline to acid that perhaps it would work as well? Well, it does. And I don't smell of vinegar. If I feel the need for dryness, then a pat of baking soda takes care of it. And incidentally, BS is meant to work because it aids in rapid drying.
10 comments:
That's fascinating re the vinegar .... So would you use vinegar as a first choice now?
I guess it one advantage it has over BS is that you could make it entirely from scratch, relatively easily if you had to?
Yes, I think I will. It's just a case of remembering to do it before leaving the shower - I'm still in the routine building stage lol. Will be interesting to see how it pans out during summer. And yes, much easier to be self sufficient in. I wonder if lemon juice would do the same as well then?
I had success with using the crystal stones but only during summer. I've collected a couple of deodorant recipes to try soon too. Interesting about the ACV...maybe that's why I just bought a 3 litre lot;-)
Crystal stones never worked for me. Well, the last time I really tried was when I was working in an office in front of a computer and felt really wet all the time which was really uncomfortable.
Go the ACV lol - where did you get it (MW?). I might try and find a spray bottle to make it easier than losing half of the liquid when I pour a bit into my hand in the shower.
I must try out the vinegar. I've tried all sorts of home-made deo recipes but so far none that works consistently.
Have also been using baking soda on my hair for months now and absolutely love it. The only thing I occasionally miss is the yummy smell of shampoo - not enough to go back to using it though! :)
mmm still sitting on the fence re shampoo... You know I will be looking hard & smelling you each time I see you don't you??
Love Leanne
Christina, I know what you mean about missing the fragrance. I switched to a yummy smelling natural soap to help me out.
Leanne, I think it's just one of those things that does it for some and not for others.
Hmm I never considered using vinegar for deodorising before - will try that! Though I find baking soda to be absolutely perfect (even better than any deodorants I've used).
Leanne: I can recommend giving up shampoo & conditioner, I've been 'no-poo' for a couple of years, and no conditioner for many more. It would take a LOT to get me to use them again, although I did find it hard in that first 6 weeks while my hair was finding it's natural balance. I'd recommend starting mid-summer or mid winter, so you can cover up embarrassing hair for a few weeks with your summer or winter hat when you go out!
I was having great success with crystal as a deodorant and then developed a really annoying (and sore) case of candida under one arm. The doctor was actually a bit mystified as to why it was only under one arm. Anyway, he told me that it was important to use a good anti-perspirant and not just a deodorant because it was the damp environment that caused the problem (personally, I've always sweat a lot and so long as it doesn't smell, wetness doesn't bother me much). Aaaggh. For the time being I have gone back to finishing up the traditional ones I still had hanging around (I used to buy lots on sale if I ever found them and hadn't even gotten around to giving away the stockpile). He knew I wasn't too enthusiastic about the anti-perspirant and suggested maybe using talcum powder instead - but of course that doesn't do much as a deodorant. Thanks for the reminder to try bicarb. I've heard of lots of people using slices of lemons as deodorant too.
I gave up shampoo a few years ago too, really must blog an update on that sometime. The last two years, having moved to somewhere with ridiculously hard water, have been a bit tough. From only using water every week with a vinegar or herbal rinse every month or two, I've had to start using a vinegar rinse every week or else I get a kind of white build-up on my scalp. When I see the state of the taps, the kettle and the washing machine, it's not that surprising really.
Have to giggle at someone saying they're going to keep giving you a good sniff every now and again - I could WISH for a friend like that. Although I don't think my hair smells, it's definitely something I wonder about now and again and I sometimes wonder if my friends would come out and say it if they thought I smelled funny or wouldn't because they didn't want to hurt my feelings. But basically as long as I don't find my own smell offensive, I think I'm okay!
Moonwaves, definitely try baking soda first and if no luck, then the vinegar. Apparently candida finds it harder to survive in an alkaline environment on some parts of the body, and other parts, it's acidic that's the issue. If you use soap under your arms, that will be alkaline and possibly a cause in which case, a splash of vinegar or lemon juice may help get rid of it?
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