Oil control help?

[sofija]

Hello!

I've been a passionate and successful no-pooer however in the past 5 weeks I've been having trouble with oil all of a sudden. I used to do my routine every 7-10 days with water washes in the meantime, and now I have to do it every 3-5 days. My hair had been perfect, but then I went dancing and put a bunch of product in my hair and had to

Comments

[dodgy_mermaid]

The condition of your shower filter is a good consideration, I reckon. Also, have you undergone any dietary changes? Hair health starts with the insides of our bodies; anything weird going on inside can easily manifest as a change in sebum.

If diet and the shower filter aren't issues, I wonder if the baking soda is too old. You said you feel like it isn't getting slippery as it should; that's what makes me wonder if it's gone past its pull date. How do you store your baking soda?

[sofija]

I store it in an airtight container, in a cabinet under the kitchen counter/in the dark. It's bulk baking soda. Bought it probably a month ago or less.

[dodgy_mermaid]

Huh. That is how I store mine, too. Doubt there is a problem with it, then.

By the way--I find it odd that one harsh wash would have so thoroughly changed your scalp, but maybe.... Did you have a long adjustment period when you began no-'poo? I never had one, so I sometimes forget that other people often experience days or weeks of "oiliness" as their bodies adjust to the new treatment. I wonder if you are simply experiencing a long adjustment period, especially if diet isn't a concern.

[sofija]

I do think I'm going to ask at the place I bought my baking soda how long they keep their baking soda, how long it sits around, and get some new stuff to see if that helps. I think that's a great idea. Maybe I got a bad batch. Usually I put a little on my head and get that slipperiness.

I found it very odd too! Totally weird, right?? I did have a long adjustment but that was bc I wasn't putting the acid rinse on my scalp after the bs wash. Once I did that I was home free immediately. That one changed made an immediate difference.

However I have been fine from September-April so I'm out of the adjustment period. But maybe it's about the oils on my scalp being easily pissed off? I don't know bc this has never happened before.

[nnnph]

Wow! You keep great track of your washes. I know someone already mentioned your diet but I'd have to second that one! I've noticed with myself that when I'm eating super healthy (I'm vegetarian and try to cut back on sweets and such, but I still have them every now and then.) I can go 6-7 days without washing but sometimes when I eat a lot of greasy foods I can only last 4-5 days. Other than that, did the products you used have silicone in them (anything ending in cone on the label). Apparently these can only be removed from your hair with shampoo and are in certain products. So they could be coating your hair and causing it to appear greasy!

[sofija]

The tracking usually helps with figuring this stuff out. JMO and Onesta do not have silicones but the powder did. Hence the BS scrub and solution wash that started this all. Hate silicones!! They come out gradually with the bs wash; I actually think what I did was too harsh.

[veggie_one]

You might try mixing the bs with distilled water, it might be you have hard water, and see if it helps. And try initially wetting your hair with this mixture, I used a cup of water w/ a tablespoon of bs. I was having the same problem and it got all the grease out. you have to really scrub.

[sofija]

I use a shower filter and I've been using the same shower the whole year. Boiling the BS works for hard water as I've found out in Israel and New Zealand traveling. I will try the distilled though. Thank you!