A New Experiment in ... OMG That burns!!!

Okay, so it's a new year!
I decided that it's a good time for a little experimentation and trying new things!

So, the past 2-3 days, I've been experimenting with dadadadummmm... "Washing my Hair without Shampoo!" Okay, okay, before everyone scooches away from me in disgust, let me explain!

Since I've decided to change my eating habits to something a little more healthy and natural (blog post coming soon), I figured, why not try a few other more natural things? (No, I haven't gone full on hippy, "lets burn our bras, never shave, and go live off the land in the rainforest!" I just figured that if removing some of the processed, chemically manufactured foods from my diet can be beneficial, then what about using fewer chemicals in other parts of my life?) If it doesn't impress upon your inner "natural (wo)man" (<- The good one; not the one that makes you wanna have sex outta wed-lock or any of those other "baser-instincts.") then, perhaps it will impress upon your frugality. Just hear me out.

Image via Flickr

Apparently, you can replace your shampoo (which, even at $1 a bottle at the dollar store, is more expensive than the alternative I'm about to suggest) with...Baking Soda. Additionally, you can replace your conditioner with Vinegar (most sites I've read recommend White or Apple Cider).

Here's the reasoning (and I'm just paraphrasing - you can actually read a little more about it here and here and of course, you can always do a bit of Googling on your own to learn more):

Shampoo strips your hair of it's natural oils > So to make up for it, your body produces even more > So you have to wash your hair with stronger stuff or wash it more often (or both) > So your body produces even more oils > etc.

Image via Flickr

If you break that cycle by using something natural that doesn't strip your hair's natural oils (like baking soda and vinegar), first your body will go through a transition period (I've read that depending on your hair, what you were using, and how much oil your body produces, and whether or not you wuss out part way through and try shampooing again ;p this can last anywhere from 1-6 weeks) during which, your scalp has to learn just how much natural oil to produce (so your hair might be a little more greasy sleek than you're used to). However, after that transition period, there are a number of benefits to not using shampoo...

Your hair is supposed to become:
Healthier, easier to manage, shiny, easier to brush through (yay fewer rats!), easier to style, won't have to be washed quite as often, will have more vibrant natural color, and will have more body/volume

I'm totally up for benefits like those!

How to do it:
It takes a little while to figure out the exact ratios that are best for you (this is one of those, everyone is different kind of things) but basically, you create a mix of water and baking soda (most things I've read recommend a ratio of 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water - but, again, you're meant to troubleshoot until you find a ratio that works for you) and a similar mix of vinegar and water (or you can go it straight, depending on how much acidity your hair needs to up the acidity of your hair to kill bacteria and what not...it's chemistry stuff - I'm just gonna mess with the measurements until it works. Some people don't like the harsh vinegar smell...[which fades as your hair dries] so they'll add some essential oils like tea tree or lavender to mask the smell).
Side note: If you dye your hair with chemicals, the vinegar will strip the color!

Okay...
So, I'm currently trying it - I'm on Day 3.
My hair isn't quite as oily as I thought it might be, but it's enough to bother me a bit. (Yes, it's driving me insane to have it that way...but I'm hoping my transition period is only gonna last 2 weeks...if it lasts longer...I may wuss out and go back to shampoo :p  -- Or, I'll try an alternative such as Marseille Soap which, because it lasts longer than shampoo, is still cost effective and is also more natural). Additionally, I suddenly have lots of little flakes ( though I can't tell if it's dandruff (in which case, I'll add a little tea tree oil to the vinegar), if it's because I didn't rinse out all the baking soda, or if it's because I showered with hot water <- cooler water is better for your hair/skin, because it doesn't dry out our skin like hot water).

Though I am going to note something very important that I've learned so far (and this is where the "OMG That Burns!!!" part of the blog title comes in) - wait until AFTER rinsing your hair with the vinegar to shave your legs. If you thought using Nair burned...try shaving and then having a few drops of apple cider vinegar hit your legs (remember that chemical burn scene in the movie 'Fight Club'? Yeah...it's basically that!)

Something else I'm considering trying: Oil Facial Cleanses Goodness knows I'm willing to try anything to even out my crazy crazy skin!