No Shampoo

I've been trying out this "no-poo" or no shampoo method for about 2 months now. The decision to try this method stems from lots of purchased shampoo and major scalp upsets because of it. I would get MAJOR dandruff, itchy scalp, frizzy hair etc.... I started buying shampoo in the bulk section of our green grocer so I could get smaller samples of them. Trying to go green and use only earth friendly shampoos started to become and issue with my scalp.

After doing some research I stumbled upon the "no-poo" method. Using only baking soda and apple cider vinegar. I did that for about 1 month. Same dandruff issues, no itchy scalp, but extremely fuzzy hair. The baking soda was too much for my already dry hair. For the last month I've been using a weekly apple cider vinegar/water mix,  2 tsp ACV/4 cups water and a once every two weeks dosage of 50/50 white vinegar/water mix. Usually 1 cup of each. This is curbing the dandruff issues. Not sure why but the acid in the vinegar seems to be doing wonders for my scalp.

But, I am getting into the stages where most people quit and go back to shampoo. My hair feels really greasy from my scalp to about 3 inches down. This is because my scalp is over reacting, detoxing if you will. See our hair is supposed to have an oil coating. Not slimy, greasy, oily but an oil coating on our hair. When I use shampoo all of that oil is stripped away, and our bodies ever in search of balance over produce that oil until it realizes that it doesn't have to any more. Since I can't use the baking soda without the dandruff disaster I have to wait it out. But it's not all bad. I take a comb to my hair (difficult with all these curls) and brush the oils down and away from my scalp. Then I hop in the shower and do my 50/50 vinegar rinse and it's much better. I've noticed my curls are tighter, less fuzzy. The only thing I use as a "styling" product is coconut oil for the last 6" of my hair. This is the dry, brittle part that needs some extra help.

Some people use a conditioner without silicones in them. Silicones bind to your hair and need shampoo to remove them. Using the conditioner as a "shampoo" in a similar vinegar mixture of 50/50 conditioner/water. I am considering this... but only half heartedly. I really don't want the extra chemicals in the conditioner.

The cost of the "no-poo" method is much cheeper than conventional shampoos. Plus I like how my shower isn't lined with plastic bottles of randomness any more.

In other greening news,  we've given up use of q-tips having done research that they aren't really good for you anyway. We'll keep them around for random cleaning of small things. But no longer are putting them in our ears daily. Also I am going to try making our own toothpaste and soap. I attempted the soap but it was a failure I am in the process of trying to save the ingredients.... we'll see.