Yip that's right! Except I didn't not wash
it, I'm not that hardhealthcore just yet... but I didn't use shampoo. In
pursuit of living a more chemical free life I stumbled across the hair care
option known as, 'no poo'. Basically you use that mind blowingly versatile
ingredient that is always the tops of the pops when it comes to those '34
things you didn't know you can do with...' click bait types. Know what I'm
talking about? It's bicarb. Straight up plain Bicarbonate of Soda, in fact you
probably have some lurking in your kitchen right this moment.
Ok enough of that, here's the story and
the what to do (because you should do this).
So as is turns out using regular shampoo
paves the ways for a vicious cycle of rather ironic behaviour from your hair.
The chemicals used to clean your hair are so harsh that they strip your hair of
all its good and nourishing oils. In an attempt to renourish itself the hair
over compensates and becomes an unsightly oily mess and because you then wash
it again those good oils never make their way down to tips of your hair to
moisturise it and so it dries out and you are required to then use more
chemicals and spend more money to do the job your own body was trying to do in
the first place. Enter bicarb. The bicarb is incredibly gentle on your hair and
doesn't strip it the way normal shampoos do, because it's not a detergent. It
cleans the hair of dirt and unhelpful oil but just lets it be. It does not
however moisturise your hair and this is where another unsung pantry hero comes
out to play. Say hello to Apple Cider Vinegar. Hi. Your hair is naturally
acidic and what the bicarb clean off, the vinegar puts back in and somehow is
the most effective detangler I have ever used.
As I said, it's been a year now since I
threw away my last bit of shampoo and I haven't looked back since. I recently
had my hair cut and my hairdresser was more than happy with the health (and
cleanliness!) of my hair. So below is the what to do!
For the wash, pour 1-3 Tablespoons of
bicarb in your bottle. The amount will depend of the length and thickness of your
hair, I use about 2 Tbs.
Add 1 cup of water and 5 or so drops of tea tree
oil, this is optional but is really good for scalp health. Shake it up but
don't let it dissolve, the water is really just there to help you distribute
the bicarb evenly. On a side note, I once used a bicarb that felt more like
icing sugar and less like granulated sugar and I didn’t have much success with
it. You need to feel the granules in your hair and massage them well into your
scalp and through your hair. Use the whole bottle! When you rinse it out your
hair should feel squeaky clean :)
Next is the rinse. Add 1 Tablespoon of the
Apple Cider Vinegar.
And 1 cup of water. Rinse it through your hair and give it a few
minutes to do its work. The smell is quite strong at this point so if you'd
like you can add some nice essential oils of your choice but it washes out well
and you won't smell of vinegar when you are done :) Give it a good rinse and you’re
good to go!
So there you have it. Quick recap:
Wash: 1-3 Tbs bicarb
1 cup water
5 or so drops Tea Tree oil (optional)
Use it all!
Rinse: 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup water
a few drops of an essential oil if you'd
like
Use it all!
Have you tried this or other options? Would
love to know!
My year of no shampoo...and my (here unseen) son taking me out from my waist shortly after taking that photo :)
