A long post about why I no longer use shampoo.
A year or so ago there was discussion on one of my mailing lists about going shampoo-free. This intrigued me because I like to use as few chemicals as possible* in my life, but I wasn't sure that it was right for me because of my hair type, and the fact that I use hair color. But as a result of that discussion I discovered a new type of shampoo that uses only saponified oils--soap--and no unpronounceable chemicals.
I started using that shampoo and I was fairly happy with it, although it did seem to leave behind a slight residue. But the residue wasn't a big deal since I always put some sort of hair product in after washing, anyhow. Fast-forward to last November, when we were on a long scuba diving vacation. We would spend several hours in the water each day, where the saltwater washed any dirt and oil (and haircolor) out of my hair. When I'd get back on the boat I rinsed off with fresh water, and that was that. During the sixteen days we were on the boat I did not wash my hair once, yet it was cleaner than it had been any other time in my life. This was especially pronounced once I returned home and used my new-ish shampoo and had to deal with that residue. Yuck. But how to get my hair so clean without spending hours each day immersed in salt water?
That when I remembered the old "no shampoo" email thread. I started cleaning my hair with baking soda, and then rinsing it with diluted apple cider vinegar**. OH. EM. GEE. My hair is now so clean and soft, and free of weird coatings, residues, and chemicals.
Think about it - regular shampoos and conditioners remove dirt, but they leave behind a coating on the hair shaft. This can leave straight, fine hair (like mine) flat and lifeless, so then you add styling products to your hair to give it texture and body. That stuff weighs down your hair and attracts dirt, so you wash it more often and the cycle repeats. With the no shampoo routine, I'm washing my hair maybe twice a week, and it doesn't look dirty between washings. The best part about this? It's cheap. I'm now spending about $10 a year on hair cleaning products, versus the $100-200 per year I was spending before.
This has been a public service announcement from someone who is thrilled with her hair :)
* Some might argue that if I really wanted to remove chemicals from my life then I would stop coloring my hair. Well, I'm much too young to live with grey hair, so I will use as few chemicals as possible while still retaining a standard of living with which I am happy.
** To clean your hair, take a handful of moistened baking soda (it does not dissolve) and rub it into your scalp. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Soak your hair with 1/2 cup or so apple cider vinegar solution (1 part vinegar diluted in approx. 10 parts water), and again rinse thoroughly with warm water. That's it.
I started using that shampoo and I was fairly happy with it, although it did seem to leave behind a slight residue. But the residue wasn't a big deal since I always put some sort of hair product in after washing, anyhow. Fast-forward to last November, when we were on a long scuba diving vacation. We would spend several hours in the water each day, where the saltwater washed any dirt and oil (and haircolor) out of my hair. When I'd get back on the boat I rinsed off with fresh water, and that was that. During the sixteen days we were on the boat I did not wash my hair once, yet it was cleaner than it had been any other time in my life. This was especially pronounced once I returned home and used my new-ish shampoo and had to deal with that residue. Yuck. But how to get my hair so clean without spending hours each day immersed in salt water?
That when I remembered the old "no shampoo" email thread. I started cleaning my hair with baking soda, and then rinsing it with diluted apple cider vinegar**. OH. EM. GEE. My hair is now so clean and soft, and free of weird coatings, residues, and chemicals.
Think about it - regular shampoos and conditioners remove dirt, but they leave behind a coating on the hair shaft. This can leave straight, fine hair (like mine) flat and lifeless, so then you add styling products to your hair to give it texture and body. That stuff weighs down your hair and attracts dirt, so you wash it more often and the cycle repeats. With the no shampoo routine, I'm washing my hair maybe twice a week, and it doesn't look dirty between washings. The best part about this? It's cheap. I'm now spending about $10 a year on hair cleaning products, versus the $100-200 per year I was spending before.
This has been a public service announcement from someone who is thrilled with her hair :)
* Some might argue that if I really wanted to remove chemicals from my life then I would stop coloring my hair. Well, I'm much too young to live with grey hair, so I will use as few chemicals as possible while still retaining a standard of living with which I am happy.
** To clean your hair, take a handful of moistened baking soda (it does not dissolve) and rub it into your scalp. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Soak your hair with 1/2 cup or so apple cider vinegar solution (1 part vinegar diluted in approx. 10 parts water), and again rinse thoroughly with warm water. That's it.