After 2 weeks of no shampoo...

[Moxie]

I've decided that shampoo is awesome! It makes my hair clean! And it smells pretty!! Yeah for freaky chemicals!!

[1GirlTwinBoys]

No kidding!  :lol:

Edited April 24, 2017 by 1GirlTwinBoys

[Guest]

A-yep.

[Guest]

You done seen the light! Lol

[Scarlett]

LOL........you crack me up.

[sheryl]

I don't use chemical-based shampoo or conditioner.  :) 

[kewb]

I think we need to know more about your no-poo experiment.

[Guest]

I think we need to know more about your no-poo experiment.

I mixed up a battle of baking soda and water to wash with and rinsed with a bottle of ACV and water. This was done every morning in the shower.

 

-ACV smells. No matter how much I rinsed, I could still smell it. My towel smelled, my bathroom smelled.

-A bottle of water sitting in the shower stays just barely above freezing. Unpleasant running down your back to say the least.

-My hair took longer to dry. I can't explain it but it did.

-While my hair didn't look greasy, it certainly didn't look good. I kept waiting for that day when all the chemical-induced frizz would disappear but that never happened. My hair was quite a bit flatter on top and it didn't feel clean to the touch.

-I smelled like a pickle.

 

I used my Suave this morning and it was fabulous.

[wintermom]

I don't use chemical-based shampoo or conditioner.  :)

 

Everything is made up of chemicals. Do you mean you use something with supposedly milder effects on your hair and scalp? Even water alone dries skin. It won't dissolve oils, though, hence the need for something that will effect oils. 

Edited April 24, 2017 by wintermom

[kewb]

I mixed up a battle of baking soda and water to wash with and rinsed with a bottle of ACV and water. This was done every morning in the shower.

 

-ACV smells. No matter how much I rinsed, I could still smell it. My towel smelled, my bathroom smelled.

-A bottle of water sitting in the shower stays just barely above freezing. Unpleasant running down your back to say the least.

-My hair took longer to dry. I can't explain it but it did.

-While my hair didn't look greasy, it certainly didn't look good. I kept waiting for that day when all the chemical-induced frizz would disappear but that never happened. My hair was quite a bit flatter on top and it didn't feel clean to the touch.

-I smelled like a pickle.

 

I used my Suave this morning and it was fabulous.

 

Thank you for sharing.  I have never been brave enough to try no-poo, even though the internet teems with glorious photo after photo of fabulous hair that is no longer slave to modern day hair products.  I will stick with my pantene.

[Lady Florida.]

:lol: Good for you and good for freaky chemicals!

 

A  mom in my old homeschool group decided to go no-poo some years ago when it became The Thing. She insisted her hair looked better and was cleaner. Those of us around her thought otherwise. 

 

I understand the desire to not use harsh chemicals on one's hair (though I get highlights and color my gray so I'm not one of them) and skin, but there's a reason why humans started using soap and shampoo in the first place. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Haha...

 

 

[PrincessMommy]

I completely agree with Moxie.  I love shampoo.

 

 

[lavender's green]

I tried no-poo several years ago and gave up when I became a mommy. I figured I needed all the beauty help I could get after all the pregnancy and postpartum effects!

 

For a long time I only shampooed twice a week, which worked really well for me; I really think it was a good routine for me at the time. Then about a year ago my scalp would started red, itchy, and sometimes even blistered if I went more than a day or two without washing. I figured I could either go to a doctor about it, or, you know, just shampoo every day or two like a normal person! Problem solved.

[maize]

Most shampoos make my scalp itch. I've tried all kinds of different brands, even the sulfate free ones make me itch.

 

I've started to wonder if it is the water itself making me itch. Maybe I should use distilled water! Chlorine in swimming pools gives me hives so it might be that there is enough chlorine in my shower water to cause problems.

 

My current solution is to wash my hair not more than once a week; one advantage of this is that washing less often signals the scalp to produce less oil.

[KungFuPanda]

I haven't used shampoo in years, but I do remember the first few weeks of breaking the habit and thinking that a I wasn't so sure about this. Back then, there weren't any no-poo, no-sudsing shampoos and it was just conditioner. No shampoo ended up being a real game changer for me and when I would occasionally used shampoo because I'd been camping or something it would take my hair a week to recover from re-frizzing.

 

Recently I decided to try the no-poo shampoo to go with my conditioner. It's been two months. There is NO differnce in my hair now and how it was using just conditioner. The conditioner was doing the job just fine and at 1/4 of the price. My hair improved again when I discoverd ouidad heat and humidity control gel. LOVE that stuff.

 

It could be my particular hair type works well with conditioner only cleaning. It's dry, and fine, and a I have a ton of ringlets but there's no real weight to them. My daughter has thicker, more oily hair with looser curls and shampoo free was not for her.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Most shampoos make my scalp itch. I've tried all kinds of different brands, even the sulfate free ones make me itch.

 

I've started to wonder if it is the water itself making me itch. Maybe I should use distilled water! Chlorine in swimming pools gives me hives so it might be that there is enough chlorine in my shower water to cause problems.

 

My current solution is to wash my hair not more than once a week; one advantage of this is that washing less often signals the scalp to produce less oil.

 

Have you tried dandruff shampoo?  That's the only kind I can use.  Otherwise it's an itchy flake fest. 

[Sk8ermaiden]

I feel the same way!!! There is one mom in our co op who doesn't use shampoo. And her hair does look totally normal. But she says it took TWO YEARS for it to fully adjust. If I go THREE DAYS without shampooing I end up so miserable itching my scalp that I end up bleeding. So not worth it. I'll keep worshipping at the shampoo altar. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm the poster that recently chopped all my hair off... ahem... This has been my experience:

 

When my hair was waist length, I could get away with shampoo every 2-3 days without looking like a greasy disaster.  

Within a couple of days of cutting my hair to chin length, I'm back to the greasy hair I remember fondly from pre-long hair.  lol.  

 

So there really is something to that whole "the oil distributes over longer hair better" thing.  

 

Anyway, I'm back to a daily shampoo.  I will say that if I skip a day, my greasy hair now looks more "cool" that it used to.  That's probably due to it thickening up for some strange reason over the last 5 years or so.  Or maybe I just watch too many youtube videos on "second day hair".  I didn't even know that was a thing until recently.  I thought there was only clean or dirty hair.  haha!

[mellifera33]

I went for a while without shampoo, and my hair adjusted, until I got pregnant and it freaked out and begged for shampoo. Now I'm back into the shampoo habit and I think I'll stay addicted. Shampoo and coffee aren't such bad habits, right?

[Pawz4me]

:lol: Good for you and good for freaky chemicals!

 

A  mom in my old homeschool group decided to go no-poo some years ago when it became The Thing. She insisted her hair looked better and was cleaner. Those of us around her thought otherwise. 

 

I understand the desire to not use harsh chemicals on one's hair (though I get highlights and color my gray so I'm not one of them) and skin, but there's a reason why humans started using soap and shampoo in the first place. 

 

Yes. I always think sort of the same thing when people talk about making their own laundry detergent and household cleaners. I understand if there are allergy issues or concerns about chemical exposure. But as for effectiveness -- there really is a reason commercial products became and remain so popular.

[Seeking Squirrels]

I went no-poo for several months a few years ago. I found it to be a pain and after several months my hair still didn't look better. I think I tried to convince myself for a while that it did, but it didn't. I went back to shampoo but I only use it about every 4 days. That seems to be the best for my hair. It doesn't like daily washing at all. 

 

 

[maize]

Have you tried dandruff shampoo? That's the only kind I can use. Otherwise it's an itchy flake fest.

Dandruff shampoo is as bad as any other.

 

Lots of people say their scalps itch when they don't shampoo; mine itches when I do. Its pretty happy if I just leave it alone.

 

Except that my hair does eventually get greasy.

[MercyA]

I don't mind being a hippie but I refuse to be a stinky hippie. I  :001_wub: my shampoo!

[goldberry]

I've decided that shampoo is awesome! It makes my hair clean! And it smells pretty!! Yeah for freaky chemicals!!

 

I felt the same way after an experiment with natural deodorant.    :svengo:

[sheryl]

Everything is made up of chemicals. Do you mean you use something with supposedly milder effects on your hair and scalp? Even water alone dries skin. It won't dissolve oils, though, hence the need for something that will effect oils. 

 

 

Hmmm,  I might be wrong, but I don't think so.  Still, I'll look at my bottles.  I buy from the health food store.  Years ago a woman I met who was an R.N. told me about the chemical sls and others.  Since then I've used only natural.  My understanding from "natural" and/or "organic" products is that only natural and/or organic ingredients are used - many flowers, seed oils, etc.

[Upennmama]

"Chemical" is such a strange term. People seem not to understand that water is a chemical.

[Liz CA]

Chemicals has come to mean artificial, harsh and potentially harmful. We probably all know that technically chemicals are everywhere and very useful but I think the meaning has changed over the years. I tend to use the word in this context as well.

[EmilyGF]

So my hair does the best with no shampoo but then it starts getting stinky.

 

I now use New Wash by Hairstory and really like it - all the benefits of no shampoo, which for me are a non-itchy scalp and hair that actually has body (except for the cost $$$) without the stink.

 

When I was telling hubby about New Wash, he said, "What, have you been listening to infomercials???" But after using it for a few weeks he started talking about how beautiful my hair was. And he's not a type of guy who notices stuff.

 

It is $$$ but for me it is worth it for me.

 

Emily

[lynn]

Love my shampoo.  I am always changing brands depending on my mood at the time.  I can go a day or 2 with out shampoo, depending if I work out but no more than that.  I break every curly hair rule.  

Edited April 24, 2017 by lynn

[Cinder]

I mixed up a battle of baking soda and water to wash with and rinsed with a bottle of ACV and water. This was done every morning in the shower.

 

-ACV smells. No matter how much I rinsed, I could still smell it. My towel smelled, my bathroom smelled.

-A bottle of water sitting in the shower stays just barely above freezing. Unpleasant running down your back to say the least.

-My hair took longer to dry. I can't explain it but it did.

-While my hair didn't look greasy, it certainly didn't look good. I kept waiting for that day when all the chemical-induced frizz would disappear but that never happened. My hair was quite a bit flatter on top and it didn't feel clean to the touch.

-I smelled like a pickle.

 

I used my Suave this morning and it was fabulous.

 

I tried going without shampoo and had similar results. The vinegar rinse? I smelled like salad dressing for a couple of weeks! Even after shampooing several times. :svengo:  I actually stuck it out for about a month before giving up.

[Rebel Yell]

First, I REALLY wish there was a better name than "no-poo" because it just sounds like everybody's hair is constipated.

 

Hmmm,  I might be wrong, but I don't think so.  Still, I'll look at my bottles.  I buy from the health food store.  Years ago a woman I met who was an R.N. told me about the chemical sls and others.  Since then I've used only natural.  My understanding from "natural" and/or "organic" products is that only natural and/or organic ingredients are used - many flowers, seed oils, etc.

Anything can have "natural" ingredients, and even poison ivy can be organic. Even health store brands, while many of them do use better ingredients, can still contain harmful ingredients. Some brands will list the source so ingredients, meaning which seed or plant it came from. But even plant-based ingredients may need to be heavily processed to be suitable for use in products.

 

 

  

"Chemical" is such a strange term. People seem not to understand that water is a chemical.

I ran out of likes for today. Giving this the thumbs up! We all have to be aware of the effects of dihydrogen monoxide! Seriously, WAKE UP PEOPLE!

[maize]

Hmmm, I might be wrong, but I don't think so. Still, I'll look at my bottles. I buy from the health food store. Years ago a woman I met who was an R.N. told me about the chemical sls and others. Since then I've used only natural. My understanding from "natural" and/or "organic" products is that only natural and/or organic ingredients are used - many flowers, seed oils, etc.

Flowers are made up of chemicals. Seeds are made up of chemicals.

 

A walk through a patch of stinging nettle is a good reminder that natural does not equal harmless :)

[Amy in NH]

I recently discovered that sulfur soap gets rid of my rosacea. The likely reason - it kills the skin mites that are probably causing the skin problem.  Did you know that everyone has microscopic skin mites?  Cuz I sure didn't.  My skin looks better than it has in years!

 

My scalp had the same bumpy, itchy, flaky problem that my face did. I had used dandruff shampoos for years with no relief.  Turns out that sulfur shampoo fixed it, so I'm guessing it was also the mites.  Now that these problems are gone I can use the sulfur shampoo once per week to maintain my scalp.  The rest of the time I just rinse extra oils off my hair and redistribute them using hot water, and then condition the ends.  My curly hair finally looks great - no grease, flakes, or frizz.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Amy in NH

[Guest]

Flowers are made up of chemicals. Seeds are made up of chemicals.

 

A walk through a patch of stinging nettle is a good reminder that natural does not equal harmless :)

I have made a habit of carrying around a bottle of chemicals to drink all day long. It keeps my skin hydrated, averts constipation and keeps my urinary tract clean. Water.

[Guest]

I recently discovered that sulfur soap gets rid of my rosacea. The likely reason - it kills the skin mites that are probably causing the skin problem. Did you know that everyone has microscopic skin mites? Cuz I sure didn't. My skin looks better than it has in years!

 

My scalp had the same bumpy, itchy, flaky problem that my face did. I had used dandruff shampoos for years with no relief. Turns out that sulfur shampoo fixed it, so I'm guessing it was also the mites. Now that these problems are gone I can use the sulfur shampoo once per week to maintain my scalp. The rest of the time I just rinse extra oils off my hair and redistribute them using hot water, and then condition the ends. My curly hair finally looks great - no grease, flakes, or frizz.

You mite be onto something...

[wintermom]

Hmmm,  I might be wrong, but I don't think so.  Still, I'll look at my bottles.  I buy from the health food store.  Years ago a woman I met who was an R.N. told me about the chemical sls and others.  Since then I've used only natural.  My understanding from "natural" and/or "organic" products is that only natural and/or organic ingredients are used - many flowers, seed oils, etc.

 

H2O is a chemical, is what I meant. The sales pitch of "no chemicals" is the point. It's a pitch to sell you the product. Organic and natural are sales pitches, too. There are a lot of naturally occurring chemicals. Some are more harsh and nasty than others.

[EmilyGF]

H2O is a chemical, is what I meant. The sales pitch of "no chemicals" is the point. It's a pitch to sell you the product. Organic and natural are sales pitches, too. There are a lot of naturally occurring chemicals. Some are more harsh and nasty than others.

And sometimes using a "natural" means more nasty chemicals than using the synthetic equivalent (almond extract is a good example of that).

 

Emily

[wintermom]

And sometimes using a "natural" means more nasty chemicals than using the synthetic equivalent (almond extract is a good example of that).

 

Emily

 

I didn't know that. So the cheaper, artificial equivalent is less nasty? Figures.  :laugh:   

[maize]

I recently discovered that sulfur soap gets rid of my rosacea. The likely reason - it kills the skin mites that are probably causing the skin problem. Did you know that everyone has microscopic skin mites? Cuz I sure didn't. My skin looks better than it has in years!

 

My scalp had the same bumpy, itchy, flaky problem that my face did. I had used dandruff shampoos for years with no relief. Turns out that sulfur shampoo fixed it, so I'm guessing it was also the mites. Now that these problems are gone I can use the sulfur shampoo once per week to maintain my scalp. The rest of the time I just rinse extra oils off my hair and redistribute them using hot water, and then condition the ends. My curly hair finally looks great - no grease, flakes, or frizz.

This makes me want to investigate sulfur shampoo--I've never heard of such a thing.

 

The only sulfur around here is the kind I feed to my blueberry bushes to keep the soil acidic :)

[Rebel Yell]

I didn't know that. So the cheaper, artificial equivalent is less nasty? Figures.  :laugh:

 

Sometimes.

 

A popular natural vanilla flavor comes from the anal gland of a beaver. http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/the-flavor-rundown-natural-vs-artificial-flavors/

[wintermom]

Sometimes.

 

A popular natural vanilla flavor comes from the anal gland of a beaver. http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/the-flavor-rundown-natural-vs-artificial-flavors/

 

I'm definitely avoiding "natural" vanilla flavouring, too. Poor beavers. When will man stop attacking the poor beaver!?  And the vanilla bean - I'd love to learn more about how these topical locations produce their beans. It's probably not a happy environmental story. 

 

This article also describes water-drinking fatalities, btw. 

Edited April 24, 2017 by wintermom

[Wheres Toto]

"Chemical" is such a strange term. People seem not to understand that water is a chemical.

 

This.  Water is a chemical, baking soda is a chemical, vinegar is a chemical, plant oils are chemicals, and so on and so on and so on.

[Lawana]

When I first started using baking soda and ACV to wash my hair, I made a slurry of about 1/4 cup baking soda and a little water. It took that much baking soda to feel like my hair was clean. Gradually, over the next year, I reduced the amount of baking soda to about 1/2 tsp in a 1/4 cup of water. I don't mix it ahead of time. I put dry baking soda in a plastic snack cup, then add hot water once I get in the shower.

 

I have naturally dry hair and scalp, and the switch away from shampoo has been life altering in terms of reducing scalp flakiness and itching.

[sheryl]

yes, water is a chemical "substance".  water is considered pure.  I just think people need to use reason/common sense.  it is very difficult to not use chemicals.

 

I'll go ahead and use my special shampoo and conditioner and choose not to use synthetics, sls, etc.

 

I use plastic but it's not good.  I still need to transition over to glass containers. 

 

I like cotton (natural) underwear (in it's entirety, not just the panel); not man-made synthetic nylon, etc.

 

I refuse to use Teflon or whatever it is.  I use cast iron - oh, that's "natural". 

 

And, the list goes on....

 

I trust the big name reputable companies that claim natural, organic, etc.  It's incredibly expensive to get that license and I believe if they put it on their label, they're honest by it.  If not, then I'll learn of it and move on.  People are deceitful but I choose to believe that most people are honest. 

 

 

natural vs. man-made....I go with natural as often as possible! :)

Edited April 24, 2017 by sheryl

[Amy in NH]

I tried the baking soda scrub with vinegar rinse for a few months quite some time ago.  It didn't work as well as once-per-week shampoo.

[Amy in NH]

This makes me want to investigate sulfur shampoo--I've never heard of such a thing.

 

The only sulfur around here is the kind I feed to my blueberry bushes to keep the soil acidic :)

 

I like this one.

[Ausmumof3]

I think it's possible to know that everything in the world is made of chemicals and still be cautious about what you use on your body - if you are prone to skin problems, hair problems etc.

 

Not all synthetic chemicals are bad obviously but a number of them have passed as fine through the years and later been found to cause issues.

 

I did try the reduced washing for my hair and it worked until I was breastfeeding and then I had to go back to a standard shampoo. As unscientific as it is, I honestly think trying stuff out and finding what works is best. Science can determine that overall a substance is mostly safe for most of the population but a few people will have a reaction. If they can identify the problem substance and avoid it that's great.

 

The skin mite thing is interesting. I think I read that the mites are on everyone's skin but there are more with skin problems. I often wonder why something that can be harmless for most of the population causes issues for a few.

[maize]

I like this one.

Thanks!

[wintermom]

I mixed up a battle of baking soda and water to wash with and rinsed with a bottle of ACV and water. This was done every morning in the shower.

 

-ACV smells. No matter how much I rinsed, I could still smell it. My towel smelled, my bathroom smelled.

-A bottle of water sitting in the shower stays just barely above freezing. Unpleasant running down your back to say the least.

-My hair took longer to dry. I can't explain it but it did.

-While my hair didn't look greasy, it certainly didn't look good. I kept waiting for that day when all the chemical-induced frizz would disappear but that never happened. My hair was quite a bit flatter on top and it didn't feel clean to the touch.

-I smelled like a pickle.

 

I used my Suave this morning and it was fabulous.

 

To be honest, these seems like "freaky chemicals" to be putting directly on your scalp. Vinegar and baking soda is considered gentle cleaning for the skin? Not in my book.