January 31, 2013
Rapunzel inspired hair
For something completely different but in tribute to the name of my blog, here are some beautiful pictures I found recently of Rapunzel/Tangled inspired hair...
Winning combination
Even though I'm not on a strict no-shampoo routine at the moment, I've been getting compliments about my hair since using apple cider vinegar again.
Last night may have been the best one so far, which was a quick baking soda rinse on the crown of my hair (prone to shampoo build up), then a wash with Tresemme Brunette shampoo and Herbal Essences conditioner, following by two diluted ACV rinses.
Today I have extremely soft hair with some good body happening, especially at the front.
I also put a permanent hair colour in a couple of weeks ago, which was less about making my hair a darker brown, but moreso to repair the damage from the banana disaster! Doing a colour always seems to make my hair look, feel and smell amazing. That conditioner you get in the packet should be sold by the litre!
I don't like the darker brown and luckily the vinegar helped because it strips the colour and lightens my hair up again.
I've probably written this many times before but seriously, if you ever want a product that is good for your hair, start using apple cider vinegar!
Last night may have been the best one so far, which was a quick baking soda rinse on the crown of my hair (prone to shampoo build up), then a wash with Tresemme Brunette shampoo and Herbal Essences conditioner, following by two diluted ACV rinses.
Today I have extremely soft hair with some good body happening, especially at the front.
I also put a permanent hair colour in a couple of weeks ago, which was less about making my hair a darker brown, but moreso to repair the damage from the banana disaster! Doing a colour always seems to make my hair look, feel and smell amazing. That conditioner you get in the packet should be sold by the litre!
I don't like the darker brown and luckily the vinegar helped because it strips the colour and lightens my hair up again.
I've probably written this many times before but seriously, if you ever want a product that is good for your hair, start using apple cider vinegar!
January 16, 2013
Banana: Hair's worst enemy!
Wow. So I thought I would have a nice relaxing night in and do a hair mask, as well as a facial using all natural products.
The face mask was fine: this was based on something I heard in a post-Golden Globes show with tips for star's secrets. They said to mix a mashed banana with some honey and leave it on your face for 15 minutes. This worked well and was easily washed off, I can't really comment on the result because I was unbelievably stressed due to the hair disaster that followed!
Being careless, I googled hair masks that involved egg and olive oil. I should have just left it at that, and gone with my original plan. Instead, I got carried away and used a more complicated recipe I'd found online, thinking that the more ingredients, the better the result.
Hair mask: 2 eggs, olive oil, yoghurt, milk, honey, mashed banana.
Every ingredient listed would probably have been great for my hair EXCEPT for the banana!!!
It wasn't until afterwards when I found myself frantically searching "How to get banana out of your hair" on Google, that I'd discovered that you should never EVER put banana in your hair!
Banana does not come out of your hair. At least, it doesn't come out without an intense washing, combing and showering process... I would have gone through almost an entire bottle of conditioner, several shampoo washes, and still the banana did not comb out. It was literally stuck in my hair and I got out of the shower, looked in the mirror and there were chunks in my hair that wouldn't come out! Luckily for me, I wasn't working the following day, and thank goodness I didn't attempt to get nice hair the night before a recent wedding!
What eventually happened, was that I used anything and everything that might have helped the chunks slide out with a comb. This included olive oil, bio oil, baby oil, Sunlight soap.
I did finally get the banana out, although this morning I'm not sure whether there are still a few sneaky pieces that I can't see. I had to spend a good half hour combing a LOT of conditioner through to get all the knots out. My hair had gone really dry and tangled, I'm sure I've caused a thousand split ends during this process.
I've slept with lots of conditioner in my hair to try getting some moisture back into it.
So this is a warning, like all the others online: Never ever EVER put banana in a hair mask!
The face mask was fine: this was based on something I heard in a post-Golden Globes show with tips for star's secrets. They said to mix a mashed banana with some honey and leave it on your face for 15 minutes. This worked well and was easily washed off, I can't really comment on the result because I was unbelievably stressed due to the hair disaster that followed!
Being careless, I googled hair masks that involved egg and olive oil. I should have just left it at that, and gone with my original plan. Instead, I got carried away and used a more complicated recipe I'd found online, thinking that the more ingredients, the better the result.
Hair mask: 2 eggs, olive oil, yoghurt, milk, honey, mashed banana.
Every ingredient listed would probably have been great for my hair EXCEPT for the banana!!!
It wasn't until afterwards when I found myself frantically searching "How to get banana out of your hair" on Google, that I'd discovered that you should never EVER put banana in your hair!
Banana does not come out of your hair. At least, it doesn't come out without an intense washing, combing and showering process... I would have gone through almost an entire bottle of conditioner, several shampoo washes, and still the banana did not comb out. It was literally stuck in my hair and I got out of the shower, looked in the mirror and there were chunks in my hair that wouldn't come out! Luckily for me, I wasn't working the following day, and thank goodness I didn't attempt to get nice hair the night before a recent wedding!
What eventually happened, was that I used anything and everything that might have helped the chunks slide out with a comb. This included olive oil, bio oil, baby oil, Sunlight soap.
I did finally get the banana out, although this morning I'm not sure whether there are still a few sneaky pieces that I can't see. I had to spend a good half hour combing a LOT of conditioner through to get all the knots out. My hair had gone really dry and tangled, I'm sure I've caused a thousand split ends during this process.
I've slept with lots of conditioner in my hair to try getting some moisture back into it.
So this is a warning, like all the others online: Never ever EVER put banana in a hair mask!
January 8, 2013
It's been a while!
Alright, well clearly it has been quite a long time since I posted anything on this blog!
I think it's been over a year, and the big question for most would be "Are you still on the no-shampoo method?"
No.
BUT! That's not to say I won't try it again. I'm beginning to think that it's a good detox that you could do every once in a while. Lately I've noticed that my hair is getting to second day and needs a wash already (although it is summer time now...), which is quite frustrating. I'm not satisfied with my S&C combo - currently Head and Shoulders with Almond Oil (Shampoo) and Herbal Essences classic (Conditioner).
I still maintain that Herbal Essences conditioner is the best smelling, and best textured I've ever used. I never coat the hair near my scalp with it, only the pony tail section and ends.
I think it's time to do another baking soda and vinegar detox, which I'll post about once I've started again.
Side note: I now use baking soda to cleanse my face every couple of days. Too early to report just yet, but as I mentioned when I first started this blog, I've heard only good things about the many benefits of using the powder for beauty routine purposes. I also use it as an additional scrub on my arms, which are susceptible to dryness and roughness.
Anyone tried and ditched this like I did? Any regrets down the track??
I think it's been over a year, and the big question for most would be "Are you still on the no-shampoo method?"
No.
BUT! That's not to say I won't try it again. I'm beginning to think that it's a good detox that you could do every once in a while. Lately I've noticed that my hair is getting to second day and needs a wash already (although it is summer time now...), which is quite frustrating. I'm not satisfied with my S&C combo - currently Head and Shoulders with Almond Oil (Shampoo) and Herbal Essences classic (Conditioner).
I still maintain that Herbal Essences conditioner is the best smelling, and best textured I've ever used. I never coat the hair near my scalp with it, only the pony tail section and ends.
I think it's time to do another baking soda and vinegar detox, which I'll post about once I've started again.
Side note: I now use baking soda to cleanse my face every couple of days. Too early to report just yet, but as I mentioned when I first started this blog, I've heard only good things about the many benefits of using the powder for beauty routine purposes. I also use it as an additional scrub on my arms, which are susceptible to dryness and roughness.
Anyone tried and ditched this like I did? Any regrets down the track??
December 19, 2011
Post-holiday hair
I haven't forgotten or abandoned my blog! I went away to the UK and Europe for 6 weeks which was fantastic as expected, but did test my routine a little...
Since I was traveling around quite a lot between family visits, I tended to use those little travel shampoo bottles. Taking a packet of baking soda on local flights was something I didn't think very safe! Carrying white powder through customs, no matter how harmless, seemed like a dumb thing to do. Plus I was anticipating a difference in hair quality, feel etc since I was now in England where they have "hard water".
I didn't notice too much of a difference, but I indulged myself and went back to Herbal Essences for the first week. Well... interestingly and I guess not surprisingly, my hair clogged up immediately. It was dried out from the shampoo, my scalp became itchy again and I just felt a general build up around the back section.
I went to a health store somewhere in East England one day, and found a bottle of organic tea tree shampoo. This was a great find, and cleared up my hair straight away. I also eventually did buy some ACV from Waitrose and was rinsing my hair with that when not on short trips to other countries. Stuck with Herbal Essences conditioner for the ends to keep some moisture in there, as I was outdoors a lot.
It was a fairly happy balance, a little less messy that carrying baking soda and a bottle around everywhere I traveled. The shampoo was cleansing and close enough to my recent Tea Tree Oil rinse I'd be doing just before I left. The vinegar is definitely the key to shiny hair. People comment on how soft and shiny my hair is all the time, and they are a bit skeptical when I tell them I put vinegar in it!
I did notice my hair lightening, but I've thrown a semi permanent colour in there every few months to keep it back to brunette. People have pointed out that the highlights look good in the sun and especially suit the upcoming Summer here in Sydney.
Since I've been back I'm now on: Redwin Tea Tree Shampoo, ACV rinse over my whole head and then Herbal Essences classic conditioner on the ends.
Next step is to try Coconut Oil which a reader suggested to me :) Apparently this will help take away any itch and since reading about it, I've heard there are many benefits from using it!
Since I was traveling around quite a lot between family visits, I tended to use those little travel shampoo bottles. Taking a packet of baking soda on local flights was something I didn't think very safe! Carrying white powder through customs, no matter how harmless, seemed like a dumb thing to do. Plus I was anticipating a difference in hair quality, feel etc since I was now in England where they have "hard water".
I didn't notice too much of a difference, but I indulged myself and went back to Herbal Essences for the first week. Well... interestingly and I guess not surprisingly, my hair clogged up immediately. It was dried out from the shampoo, my scalp became itchy again and I just felt a general build up around the back section.
I went to a health store somewhere in East England one day, and found a bottle of organic tea tree shampoo. This was a great find, and cleared up my hair straight away. I also eventually did buy some ACV from Waitrose and was rinsing my hair with that when not on short trips to other countries. Stuck with Herbal Essences conditioner for the ends to keep some moisture in there, as I was outdoors a lot.
It was a fairly happy balance, a little less messy that carrying baking soda and a bottle around everywhere I traveled. The shampoo was cleansing and close enough to my recent Tea Tree Oil rinse I'd be doing just before I left. The vinegar is definitely the key to shiny hair. People comment on how soft and shiny my hair is all the time, and they are a bit skeptical when I tell them I put vinegar in it!
I did notice my hair lightening, but I've thrown a semi permanent colour in there every few months to keep it back to brunette. People have pointed out that the highlights look good in the sun and especially suit the upcoming Summer here in Sydney.
Since I've been back I'm now on: Redwin Tea Tree Shampoo, ACV rinse over my whole head and then Herbal Essences classic conditioner on the ends.
Next step is to try Coconut Oil which a reader suggested to me :) Apparently this will help take away any itch and since reading about it, I've heard there are many benefits from using it!
September 17, 2011
Losing Count
Well I have absolutely no idea which week I would be up to by now! I'm guessing it's roughly 3 months since I've been shampoo-free (minus the recent "cheat"!).
I'm now on a regular routine of a tea tree oil rinse followed by a vinegar rinse, tiny bit of conditioner optional.
The other night I was at a friend's, and asked for her honest opinion on the condition of my scalp. Since it's hidden under all the hair, I'd hardly thought to take a a look at it. We parted my hair and noticed that there seems to be no flakiness, no real irritation aside from a very slight pink shade in areas. Hardly noticeable, but there all the same. I guess I do get the occasional itch now and then, and I'm thinking about doing some research on whether it's actually safe to be using tea tree oil this much on my skin.
But so far, so good. I leave for a 6 week European holiday in 8 days from now, and having switched to this method months in advance has been great! It takes me way less time to have my hair ready to go out, because I'm even at the point where I can wash and go to bed without waking up to an afro! It's just nice and wavy, especially if I twist it before going to bed.
The interesting thing will be seeing what the international shower heads do to my hair. I remember last time I was in England, I bought a 2-in-1 head and shoulders shampoo/conditioner, which did not agree with my hair. Combining that with "hard water" as I'm told, was not a good recipe. Luckily I have a few days at my relatives' home to see how it all works over there. If I really find my hair too gunky and looking too limp, I might have to consider changing the routine while I'm away. I certainly don't want to have dirty-looking hair in the photos that will last a lifetime! :)
I'm now on a regular routine of a tea tree oil rinse followed by a vinegar rinse, tiny bit of conditioner optional.
The other night I was at a friend's, and asked for her honest opinion on the condition of my scalp. Since it's hidden under all the hair, I'd hardly thought to take a a look at it. We parted my hair and noticed that there seems to be no flakiness, no real irritation aside from a very slight pink shade in areas. Hardly noticeable, but there all the same. I guess I do get the occasional itch now and then, and I'm thinking about doing some research on whether it's actually safe to be using tea tree oil this much on my skin.
But so far, so good. I leave for a 6 week European holiday in 8 days from now, and having switched to this method months in advance has been great! It takes me way less time to have my hair ready to go out, because I'm even at the point where I can wash and go to bed without waking up to an afro! It's just nice and wavy, especially if I twist it before going to bed.
The interesting thing will be seeing what the international shower heads do to my hair. I remember last time I was in England, I bought a 2-in-1 head and shoulders shampoo/conditioner, which did not agree with my hair. Combining that with "hard water" as I'm told, was not a good recipe. Luckily I have a few days at my relatives' home to see how it all works over there. If I really find my hair too gunky and looking too limp, I might have to consider changing the routine while I'm away. I certainly don't want to have dirty-looking hair in the photos that will last a lifetime! :)
September 4, 2011
Cheater?
I think I've just passed the 8 week mark! But, confession: I used a bit of shampoo.
So this goes against what I was trying to do, but it was after a horrible week and a day where I felt my hair was just a little too annoying for my liking. So I gave it one wash with a little bit of Herbal Essences, but still rinsed with my usual ingredients.
I have to admit, it did feel good. Although, my hair was tangled again as soon as I'd used the shampoo. I know now that vinegar fixes this, which has been a benefit over the last 2 months. I don't think doing this one wash has ruined my plan. If anything, it actually pointed out how well my hair now reacts after a shampoo wash. Someone commented on how amazingly shiny my hair is now. And this was a couple of days later as well. The shampoo wash felt nice, but it's not something I necessarily need to do. I've considered a shampoo wash on Sundays, then a week of my now normal routine.
I definitely haven't given up though, and I've noticed such a great result having given my hair a break from chemicals these past couple of months. It's softer, and as I mentioned through someone else's observation, very shiny.
I've read other people and the general idea seems to be to find something that works for you. In my case, it's a quick rinse of water (600ml) with a few drops of tea tree oil to cleanse the scalp, a rinse of apple cider vinegar in water (still 1 tsbp to 600ml) and if I really feel like it, a bit of conditioner on the ends of my hair.
I'm now alternating between letting it air dry and go wavy, or blowdrying and straightening on occasion. People tend to notice the shine more in straight hair, and I've always loved it that way. But being able to wash my hair, give it a quick comb and run out the door is definitely convenient. I just have to twist it up into a bun for a little while to encourage some curls and after that it actually looks pretty good!
So this goes against what I was trying to do, but it was after a horrible week and a day where I felt my hair was just a little too annoying for my liking. So I gave it one wash with a little bit of Herbal Essences, but still rinsed with my usual ingredients.
I have to admit, it did feel good. Although, my hair was tangled again as soon as I'd used the shampoo. I know now that vinegar fixes this, which has been a benefit over the last 2 months. I don't think doing this one wash has ruined my plan. If anything, it actually pointed out how well my hair now reacts after a shampoo wash. Someone commented on how amazingly shiny my hair is now. And this was a couple of days later as well. The shampoo wash felt nice, but it's not something I necessarily need to do. I've considered a shampoo wash on Sundays, then a week of my now normal routine.
I definitely haven't given up though, and I've noticed such a great result having given my hair a break from chemicals these past couple of months. It's softer, and as I mentioned through someone else's observation, very shiny.
I've read other people and the general idea seems to be to find something that works for you. In my case, it's a quick rinse of water (600ml) with a few drops of tea tree oil to cleanse the scalp, a rinse of apple cider vinegar in water (still 1 tsbp to 600ml) and if I really feel like it, a bit of conditioner on the ends of my hair.
I'm now alternating between letting it air dry and go wavy, or blowdrying and straightening on occasion. People tend to notice the shine more in straight hair, and I've always loved it that way. But being able to wash my hair, give it a quick comb and run out the door is definitely convenient. I just have to twist it up into a bun for a little while to encourage some curls and after that it actually looks pretty good!
August 25, 2011
Week 6: Still here!
Lately I've hardly had any time at all to update my blog, but the good news is it's now been almost 6 full weeks of the no-shampoo thing and it's mainly positive results!
I've had people comment on how much more natural and bouncy my hair looks, like beach waves or windswept. I also finally got the nerve to visit a hairdresser.... thinking she would freak out. Not the case though! She didn't say anything till I mentioned it. She's not a fan of this method, but she said that my hair's clean and healthy so keep doing what I'm doing :)
There's been the odd urge to wash my hair just once with shampoo and conditioner fully, but I've resisted based on the fact that I've made it 6 weeks, with the only cheating being conditioner on the ends of my hair.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet because I'm busy, but this is a word for those considering the idea. Do it, stick with it because if you can make it to 6 weeks like I have, you'll reap the benefits and enjoy it. Trust me :)
I've had people comment on how much more natural and bouncy my hair looks, like beach waves or windswept. I also finally got the nerve to visit a hairdresser.... thinking she would freak out. Not the case though! She didn't say anything till I mentioned it. She's not a fan of this method, but she said that my hair's clean and healthy so keep doing what I'm doing :)
There's been the odd urge to wash my hair just once with shampoo and conditioner fully, but I've resisted based on the fact that I've made it 6 weeks, with the only cheating being conditioner on the ends of my hair.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet because I'm busy, but this is a word for those considering the idea. Do it, stick with it because if you can make it to 6 weeks like I have, you'll reap the benefits and enjoy it. Trust me :)
August 12, 2011
Week 4: Goodbye hairdryer...
I've been so busy that the last thing I could think about was reporting on the state of my hair... but I'm approaching the one month mark and today happens to be a great one for an update!
I'm realising that not only is a change of product really helping my hair, but so is reducing the amount of blowdrying and straightening.
Last night, only due to a lack of time, I let it air dry. It must be the combination of this and the natural products I'm using because today I have nice, wavy hair! It's something to get used to, having straightened it for almost 7 years... I've always felt that shiny, straight hair always looks the nicest, neatest etc. But I'm told otherwise, especially by men. The more natural, the better it seems.
I'm not doing this to please anyone's tastes, this whole experiment/change of lifestyle was originally motivated by a need to fix my badly damaged hair. Obviously, it's nice to know that eventually I might be able to spend less time maintaining it, apparently resulting in an improved appearance.
ROUTINE UPDATE
- Using a very minimal amount (pinch) of baking soda in a small bottle of water and poured over the trouble areas: front hairline and crown
- Diluted ACV on the bottom half of my hair only
- Diluted lemon juice poured over my entire head concentrating on reaching the scalp
- Thoroughly rinsed
- On occasion I'm indulging in a small amount of Herbal Essences conditioner on the ends, purely for how amazing it smells and just moisturises the ends a little.
As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I figure that conditioning the ends is not going to affect the roots. My scalp and the new hair follicles are what need to get used to the all-natural products, and anyway, I'm getting a hair cut so the current ends will be gone soon anyway! :)
I'm realising that not only is a change of product really helping my hair, but so is reducing the amount of blowdrying and straightening.
Last night, only due to a lack of time, I let it air dry. It must be the combination of this and the natural products I'm using because today I have nice, wavy hair! It's something to get used to, having straightened it for almost 7 years... I've always felt that shiny, straight hair always looks the nicest, neatest etc. But I'm told otherwise, especially by men. The more natural, the better it seems.
I'm not doing this to please anyone's tastes, this whole experiment/change of lifestyle was originally motivated by a need to fix my badly damaged hair. Obviously, it's nice to know that eventually I might be able to spend less time maintaining it, apparently resulting in an improved appearance.
ROUTINE UPDATE
- Using a very minimal amount (pinch) of baking soda in a small bottle of water and poured over the trouble areas: front hairline and crown
- Diluted ACV on the bottom half of my hair only
- Diluted lemon juice poured over my entire head concentrating on reaching the scalp
- Thoroughly rinsed
- On occasion I'm indulging in a small amount of Herbal Essences conditioner on the ends, purely for how amazing it smells and just moisturises the ends a little.
As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I figure that conditioning the ends is not going to affect the roots. My scalp and the new hair follicles are what need to get used to the all-natural products, and anyway, I'm getting a hair cut so the current ends will be gone soon anyway! :)
August 5, 2011
Day Eighteen: Back and forth
I'm almost three weeks into this all-natural hair routine now, and I've still got little to complain about really. My hair is of course still adjusting, and it doesn't have the silky smooth feeling I used to get after conditioning. But that also presented problems which I now don't have to worry about. I can actually pin my hair up without it just sliding straight back out because its too smooth. It's got some nice body to it and definitely looks more natural. I like that it doesn't have to be perfectly straight to look nice anymore.
I went back to ACV last night for the rinse, as I wondered whether the lemon juice in water was doing much different. I think either are fine really, and even though they haven't solved the crown problem I mentioned yesterday, my hair isn't looking or feeling dirty at all.
I'm looking forward to the day where I can wash it in water-only, but I'm not there yet. I may start alternating between a natural wash one day, and water the next. Hopefully after a while I can gradually reverse the routine so that I'm only washing with ingredients once or twice a week.
And also looking forward to the weekend! Might go lazy and give my hair an unwashed break again...
I went back to ACV last night for the rinse, as I wondered whether the lemon juice in water was doing much different. I think either are fine really, and even though they haven't solved the crown problem I mentioned yesterday, my hair isn't looking or feeling dirty at all.
I'm looking forward to the day where I can wash it in water-only, but I'm not there yet. I may start alternating between a natural wash one day, and water the next. Hopefully after a while I can gradually reverse the routine so that I'm only washing with ingredients once or twice a week.
And also looking forward to the weekend! Might go lazy and give my hair an unwashed break again...
August 4, 2011
Day Seventeen: Sunlight
I've had a busy few days, although always managed to keep up with this hair care routine. I was finding that the crown section was still not feeling clean enough, with a gunky feel to it. Not very nice...
So I tried another approach after my Mum suggested using Sunlight soap. I Google everything before I try it, so I read a little and heard that there are women who've sworn by Sunlight soap for body and hair care their whole lives.
One supermarket trip later and I was back at home, in the shower and testing out the Sunlight method. It certainly does give that squeaky clean feeling, and it doesn't really clog up the hair very much like I'd expected. Maybe it helped also that I did the lemon rinse afterwards too.
The only problem is the crown again. Sunlight soap is probably best not worked into the scalp like I did. I've since learnt to return to baking soda for my scalp, wash the rest of the hair in Sunlight, then rinse it all in lemon water.
Today it's feeling ok, but the crown... not sure I'm ever going to get this fixed. But it is after all the roots of my hair, and if this is the adjustment period, I'm doing pretty well. It does look and feel slightly greasy at that part of the hair, but the rest looks really clean and healthy so it's not too noticeable.
So I tried another approach after my Mum suggested using Sunlight soap. I Google everything before I try it, so I read a little and heard that there are women who've sworn by Sunlight soap for body and hair care their whole lives.
One supermarket trip later and I was back at home, in the shower and testing out the Sunlight method. It certainly does give that squeaky clean feeling, and it doesn't really clog up the hair very much like I'd expected. Maybe it helped also that I did the lemon rinse afterwards too.
The only problem is the crown again. Sunlight soap is probably best not worked into the scalp like I did. I've since learnt to return to baking soda for my scalp, wash the rest of the hair in Sunlight, then rinse it all in lemon water.
Today it's feeling ok, but the crown... not sure I'm ever going to get this fixed. But it is after all the roots of my hair, and if this is the adjustment period, I'm doing pretty well. It does look and feel slightly greasy at that part of the hair, but the rest looks really clean and healthy so it's not too noticeable.
August 1, 2011
Sidenote: Baking Soda face wash
Although this blog is about my hair experiment, I've read about the many uses of baking soda (way more than I ever thought there could be!). One of them is to use it as a facial wash. I have complicated skin... it can get dry, but the T-zone is also prone to slight oilyness. Pretty sure this means I have combination skin (?). So since I'm on this baking soda thing anyway, I decided to try it out as my new face wash. I have to say, a few days in and I am pretty pleased with how it feels. I don't get any irritation, but probably because I followed instruction and make sure I moisturise straight away (maximum 10 minutes later). It doesn't sting, leave blotchiness or anything, I just need to be careful not to get it in my eyes.
I would definitely recommend it as a cleanser though, it even removes my eye make up! I'll keep an eye on what it does to my skin and blog again in a couple of weeks, and hopefully with more positive things to say.
I would definitely recommend it as a cleanser though, it even removes my eye make up! I'll keep an eye on what it does to my skin and blog again in a couple of weeks, and hopefully with more positive things to say.
Day Fourteen: 2 weeks later...
It's now been two whole weeks since I've been shampoo-free, and I'm already at a point where I'm quite happy with these results! The only downsides are slight itching which, when I was a little stressed, caused me to scratch and I've realised I need to be careful. My scalp is adjusting and is a bit tender so I have to refrain from touching it.
But generally, I think I've found a good routine for myself and my hair is looking surprisingly healthy right now. I've definitely converted to the lemon juice wash, rather than apple cider vinegar. It may work for some people, but I found that it just dried out and left my hair feeling strange. The lemon water makes it a lot softer and works well after the baking soda wash. I've kept indulging in the Herbal Essences to condition the ends only.
The only problem area for me is still that crown section, the top/back of the hair. It's the only area that still gets kinda oily, but is easily fixed with a bit of talcum powder brushed through, or a spray of my Batiste dry shampoo.
The best part of this is still that my need to straighten has all but disappeared. I have thick hair, so when I used to shampoo, condition, blow dry (or leave to air dry), I was left with a big frizzy mess. Since switching to natural ingredients that has really changed, and I think there will be a significant improvement now that I'm not straightening.
I'm going to post again today because I've discovered a second use for baking soda that's now incorporated into my daily grooming routine!
But generally, I think I've found a good routine for myself and my hair is looking surprisingly healthy right now. I've definitely converted to the lemon juice wash, rather than apple cider vinegar. It may work for some people, but I found that it just dried out and left my hair feeling strange. The lemon water makes it a lot softer and works well after the baking soda wash. I've kept indulging in the Herbal Essences to condition the ends only.
The only problem area for me is still that crown section, the top/back of the hair. It's the only area that still gets kinda oily, but is easily fixed with a bit of talcum powder brushed through, or a spray of my Batiste dry shampoo.
The best part of this is still that my need to straighten has all but disappeared. I have thick hair, so when I used to shampoo, condition, blow dry (or leave to air dry), I was left with a big frizzy mess. Since switching to natural ingredients that has really changed, and I think there will be a significant improvement now that I'm not straightening.
I'm going to post again today because I've discovered a second use for baking soda that's now incorporated into my daily grooming routine!
July 29, 2011
Day Eleven: 50/50
After yesterday's horrid result, I attempted to fix the greasy mess of hair that resulted from the food mask. I did a bit more reading yesterday and found out that some people prefer lemon juice to ACV. Since I've had good results from the lemon water rinse on Day 1 (and tried it successfully years ago), I decided that lemon juice was going to be the remedy for last night's wash.
I started with a bottle of diluted lemon juice and completely rinsed my hair, hoping it would wash out the leftover gunk. I then did a baking soda paste scrub to my scalp and thoroughly rinsed it out. Instead of ACV, I did a tea tree oil rinse as well to combat itchy scalp (which is a side effect as your hair adjusts) and then a lemon water rinse. I'm lucky enough to have a lemon tree close by so I just chopped the leaves up and left them to sit in boiling water for a while, before using that water to rinse my hair.
I slightly caved on the conditioner front, just using a very small amount of Herbal Essences on the ends of my hair to keep them soft. After all, I'm essentially trying to get the new hair and my scalp used to this alternative method. The ends really aren't going to be affected as much, and the conditioner gave it a nice scent as I was going out.
After blow-drying, there was definitely an improvement compared to last night. My hair is still adjusting, so there's a layer of oil but as a friend commented, it's really not noticeable and still looks fine.
The most positive thing to report is that even after blowdrying, I've noticed a dramatic reduction in frizz and flyaways. This was always a problem for me, and was something I would generally fix by straightening my hair all the time (too much!). Despite the slight amount of oil, my hair had a nice bounce, wave and frizz-free look to it. Quite natural and a little bit more interesting than previously dead straight hair!
So it was really a case of half bad, half good when it came to the results. I'm willing to overlook the oily texture as, like I said yesterday, that was something I'd read about and expected. I was quite pleasantly surprised with how nice and natural my hair started to look, so I'll be interested to see what happens when the oilyness subsides. I'm hoping to be left with naturally wavy hair minus the annoying frizz, and with no need to blowdry or straighten! Fingers crossed...
I started with a bottle of diluted lemon juice and completely rinsed my hair, hoping it would wash out the leftover gunk. I then did a baking soda paste scrub to my scalp and thoroughly rinsed it out. Instead of ACV, I did a tea tree oil rinse as well to combat itchy scalp (which is a side effect as your hair adjusts) and then a lemon water rinse. I'm lucky enough to have a lemon tree close by so I just chopped the leaves up and left them to sit in boiling water for a while, before using that water to rinse my hair.
After blow-drying, there was definitely an improvement compared to last night. My hair is still adjusting, so there's a layer of oil but as a friend commented, it's really not noticeable and still looks fine.
The most positive thing to report is that even after blowdrying, I've noticed a dramatic reduction in frizz and flyaways. This was always a problem for me, and was something I would generally fix by straightening my hair all the time (too much!). Despite the slight amount of oil, my hair had a nice bounce, wave and frizz-free look to it. Quite natural and a little bit more interesting than previously dead straight hair!
So it was really a case of half bad, half good when it came to the results. I'm willing to overlook the oily texture as, like I said yesterday, that was something I'd read about and expected. I was quite pleasantly surprised with how nice and natural my hair started to look, so I'll be interested to see what happens when the oilyness subsides. I'm hoping to be left with naturally wavy hair minus the annoying frizz, and with no need to blowdry or straighten! Fingers crossed...
July 28, 2011
Day Ten: Discomfort
Well. Last night was pretty much a disaster. Everything seemed to be going fairly well despite a little oilyness as expected. But after reading several online articles yesterday about treating hair to a moisturising food mask, I decided to give it a go, and mashed up some ingredients to work through my hair in hopes of beneficial results.
- 1 mashed avocado
- 1 beaten egg
- Tbsp lemon juice
- Tbsp mayonnaise
This did give my hair a really nice clean and took care of frizz, flyaways and definitely did moisturise. I'm not quite sure what went wrong though. Whether it was the combination of then rinsing with diluted baking soda and ACV that caused this meltdown, I'm not sure. I did rinse very thoroughly after the mask, and was certain that at least the ACV would clear out any residue. But I was basically left with horribly greasy hair even after blow drying. Not even a second cold water rinse of the problem areas helped, which resulted in me having to comb through some dry baking soda and a bit of talcum powder through it all.
This morning was probably the first that I've woken up and been extremely uncomfortable with the condition of my hair. I've put it up in a ponytail for work which has hidden a lot of the trouble areas, but it's itchy and just feels pretty gross overall. I really can't wait to get home and fix it up. Tonight I'm thinking I will need to work the baking soda into my hair dry at first, rinse it out. I'm not sure whether ACV is going to work this time, I may try the lemon water from Day 1 which seems to get rid of residue more effectively.
But I guess the moral of this story is that experimenting with all natural foods for hair and face masks sounds great on paper, but it's a completely different situation when you actually try it!
As I said before, I don't know whether it was the mask that created this result, it could just be the fact that I'm 10 days into the experiment and the adjustment period has really set in, as I was warned about. I'm really craving a good wash at the moment, with shampoo and conditioner that is. But I'm going to push through and still try to achieve the end result. All I can say is, it better be worth this discomfort!
- 1 mashed avocado
- 1 beaten egg
- Tbsp lemon juice
- Tbsp mayonnaise
This did give my hair a really nice clean and took care of frizz, flyaways and definitely did moisturise. I'm not quite sure what went wrong though. Whether it was the combination of then rinsing with diluted baking soda and ACV that caused this meltdown, I'm not sure. I did rinse very thoroughly after the mask, and was certain that at least the ACV would clear out any residue. But I was basically left with horribly greasy hair even after blow drying. Not even a second cold water rinse of the problem areas helped, which resulted in me having to comb through some dry baking soda and a bit of talcum powder through it all.
 |
| Feeling a bit like Danny Zuko this morning, although he put grease in his hair on purpose... crazy! |
This morning was probably the first that I've woken up and been extremely uncomfortable with the condition of my hair. I've put it up in a ponytail for work which has hidden a lot of the trouble areas, but it's itchy and just feels pretty gross overall. I really can't wait to get home and fix it up. Tonight I'm thinking I will need to work the baking soda into my hair dry at first, rinse it out. I'm not sure whether ACV is going to work this time, I may try the lemon water from Day 1 which seems to get rid of residue more effectively.
But I guess the moral of this story is that experimenting with all natural foods for hair and face masks sounds great on paper, but it's a completely different situation when you actually try it!
As I said before, I don't know whether it was the mask that created this result, it could just be the fact that I'm 10 days into the experiment and the adjustment period has really set in, as I was warned about. I'm really craving a good wash at the moment, with shampoo and conditioner that is. But I'm going to push through and still try to achieve the end result. All I can say is, it better be worth this discomfort!
July 27, 2011
Day Nine: Crunching Numbers
I don't have a lot to report on today, I'm still adjusting and haven't switched to water-only yet. But I decided to look into the aspect of how much money people save through this lifestyle. Shampoos and Conditioners now are extremely tempting, with their clever marketing, alluring packaging and promises of Hollywood-worthy hair.
Aside from the damage to your hair they can do, which I might blog about in a completely separate post, the other factor involved here is the fact that you're paying way too much for something you just don't need.
But here's the raw fact: Shampoos are a rip-off. We don't need them, we never have. Unfortunately, once you start using them you basically can't stop, unless you do exactly what I'm doing now.
So I've done some number-crunching today, and looked at the difference in savings, based on my own usage in the past:
Going by my previously favourite brand, Herbal Essences (seriously, how good does it smell!?), I'd say I would almost buy a bottle per month, but I tend to use more conditioner than shampoo. So in an estimated guess, buying 9 bottles of shampoo and 12 bottles of conditioner a year, I'm paying about $157 a year!
Going by my previously favourite brand, Herbal Essences (seriously, how good does it smell!?), I'd say I would almost buy a bottle per month, but I tend to use more conditioner than shampoo. So in an estimated guess, buying 9 bottles of shampoo and 12 bottles of conditioner a year, I'm paying about $157 a year!
Now, compare this to my current regime. Since I haven't been using the products for very long, it's hard to make an accurate guess but I've done some rough calculations and come up with the following result.
I've bought 500g of Coles Smart Buy baking soda ($1.50), and a litre of Cornwells Apple Cider Vinegar ($2.60). Based on my current tablespoon method (see previous posts), I get about 65 washes from these products.
If I want to wash my hair every 3 days (every day at first, gradually reducing washes by the end of the year), that's about 120 washes.
So basically I'm only having to spend about $8 for enough bicarb soda and ACV to last me for a year's worth of washing my hair.
As I said before, this is a VERY rough calculation, and it's really a hypothetical forecast. I'm only in week two of this routine, but even if my numbers are slightly off, there's still no comparison. I'm still going to save a lot of money by switching to this haircare regime.
And of course, by eventually switching to a water-only approach, the calculations are simple: no more money spent on washing your hair.
And of course, by eventually switching to a water-only approach, the calculations are simple: no more money spent on washing your hair.
July 26, 2011
Day Eight: Ickiness
Today is the first that I'm almost starting to regret doing this! I washed last night with only Baking Soda & ACV, with a quick rinse of lavender water too, as I just can't stay away from adding at least some kind of scent to my hair...
But I've well and truly hit the adjustment period for this experiment. It doesn't quite feel clean after a wash and I've been tempted to use conditioner at least once just to feel slightly more normal, but I'm determined to persevere and do this properly, not waste the past week's efforts.
It doesn't exactly look bad, but when you've been used to washing and conditioning basically every day, this definitely IS an adjustment. I'm finding that tying it up in a pony tail or half up/down is helping, but I'm hoping that eventually it will be naturally clean enough to wash and wear out.
But I've well and truly hit the adjustment period for this experiment. It doesn't quite feel clean after a wash and I've been tempted to use conditioner at least once just to feel slightly more normal, but I'm determined to persevere and do this properly, not waste the past week's efforts.
It doesn't exactly look bad, but when you've been used to washing and conditioning basically every day, this definitely IS an adjustment. I'm finding that tying it up in a pony tail or half up/down is helping, but I'm hoping that eventually it will be naturally clean enough to wash and wear out.
July 25, 2011
Day Seven: Weekend off
I've missed Days 5&6 as I decided that I won't blog on weekends, and especially since this past one involved a Saturday where I left my hair completely unwashed. I found myself running my fingers through it constantly, thinking I was really speeding up the process by spreading the natural oils all through my hair. By Sunday morning it was in desperate need for a wash, so I did the usualy Baking Soda & ACV rinse with a bit of Tea Tree as well.
I'm pretty sure the adjustment period I was warned about has started, it's not feeling particularly nice, but at the same time it still smells nice, looks ok. It definitely looks less greasy that when I used to leave it a day without washing. I'm not sure when I'll try to go from Baking Soda & ACV to just water, maybe alternating would work best for a week or so. But only on a week when I don't have anywhere to go except work! :)
I'm pretty sure the adjustment period I was warned about has started, it's not feeling particularly nice, but at the same time it still smells nice, looks ok. It definitely looks less greasy that when I used to leave it a day without washing. I'm not sure when I'll try to go from Baking Soda & ACV to just water, maybe alternating would work best for a week or so. But only on a week when I don't have anywhere to go except work! :)
July 22, 2011
Day Four: Feedback
I got to work this morning and the first thing my friend asked was "Oh, did you wash your hair? With shampoo?" Me: "No, still on the experiment!" Her: "Really? Wow!"
Maybe I don't even need to post anything else, considering that was a pretty good indication that using kitchen products for four days straight now has actually made my hair look better than before. I should also mention that someone told me last that it looks the best in a while, with a nice clean matte to it instead of shine. I personally prefer shine, but maybe sometimes it looks more like oil when it's like that.
I simplified my routine last night to just the basics plus one:
- Baking soda rinse onto dry hair and a scrub, rinse
- Vinegar rinse
- Lavender oil rinse, avoiding the scalp
Even though today is another rainy one, I managed to avoid getting my hair wet on the way to work, and it's looking extremely good! The itch has improved but not completely gone yet. Now that it's Friday I'm going to leave my hair unwashed until Sunday afternoon, as I'm slightly worried about putting vinegar in it four days in a row. I've heard it's good to give it a break anyway, to let all the natural oils work through.
Maybe I don't even need to post anything else, considering that was a pretty good indication that using kitchen products for four days straight now has actually made my hair look better than before. I should also mention that someone told me last that it looks the best in a while, with a nice clean matte to it instead of shine. I personally prefer shine, but maybe sometimes it looks more like oil when it's like that.
I simplified my routine last night to just the basics plus one:
- Baking soda rinse onto dry hair and a scrub, rinse
- Vinegar rinse
- Lavender oil rinse, avoiding the scalp
Even though today is another rainy one, I managed to avoid getting my hair wet on the way to work, and it's looking extremely good! The itch has improved but not completely gone yet. Now that it's Friday I'm going to leave my hair unwashed until Sunday afternoon, as I'm slightly worried about putting vinegar in it four days in a row. I've heard it's good to give it a break anyway, to let all the natural oils work through.
July 21, 2011
Day Three: Overkill
Well, last night I learnt the error of trying too hard. I tend to do this whenever I start some kind of health kick/diet fad etc... I guess sometimes I feel like the more intensity I start the program with, the faster the results will show. I'm almost always completely wrong about this!
Last night was the third wash, and I got the order mixed up whilst deep in thought. So what should have been a similar routine to the previous night, I ended up doing something along these lines:
- Baking soda scrub and rinse
- Vinegar rinse
- Realising I'd forgotten the tea tree oil I then added it here
- A few drops of lavender oil in a bottle of water and rinsed
- Thinking my hair would be too oily after these two previous steps, I think I overkilled by doing a second vinegar rinse, which I thought would clear out any oily residue and give me that detangled effect too
My hair didn't feel so good after drying... a little knotty, not so soft as the first night and the crown area seemed less clean. I'm also now at work this morning with a slight itching sensation and I've had to wear it in a ponytail to hide the slightly oily top area. It's also an extremely rainy day here so I wasn't going to wear it out anyway, but it would nice to know that some days after this new routine I'll be able to still wear it down for work. Ponytails get a bit old after a while!
Last night was the third wash, and I got the order mixed up whilst deep in thought. So what should have been a similar routine to the previous night, I ended up doing something along these lines:
- Baking soda scrub and rinse
- Vinegar rinse
- Realising I'd forgotten the tea tree oil I then added it here
- A few drops of lavender oil in a bottle of water and rinsed
- Thinking my hair would be too oily after these two previous steps, I think I overkilled by doing a second vinegar rinse, which I thought would clear out any oily residue and give me that detangled effect too
My hair didn't feel so good after drying... a little knotty, not so soft as the first night and the crown area seemed less clean. I'm also now at work this morning with a slight itching sensation and I've had to wear it in a ponytail to hide the slightly oily top area. It's also an extremely rainy day here so I wasn't going to wear it out anyway, but it would nice to know that some days after this new routine I'll be able to still wear it down for work. Ponytails get a bit old after a while!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)