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[Jaimee]

Alright... I think I want to try this officially.  So for those of you that have done it/are doing it, can you please detail your routine?  Like how do you store the baking soda and ACV in the shower?  How much of each do you use?  How often do you use them?  How long did it take for your hair to regulate?  Any other tips or warnings?  Thanks!!!

[jbk21]

I use old shampoo and conditioner bottles.  I don't necessarily measure but I use a couple of TBS of BS in 2 cups of water, and same for the ACV.  I usually wash every other day.  My DH has gotten to the point where he only washes every ten days.  He's a man though, and he wears product in his hair daily so it covers any issues, though his hair isn't greasy at all.  I am not sure how much of each solution I use, I just squirt some in, haha!  If it didn't feel like enough, I add more.  I go easier on the ACV because my hair tends to get greasier since it's short, and the ACV is REALLY conditioning.  The first two weeks are rough... but after that it regulates more!  Over time it will get better and better.  You can always adjust the ratios as well, based on your hair type.  

[IwannaBanRN]

How the hell do you overcome the temperature of the no-poo when your pouring it in your hair? It's SOOOO cold!

[dashley111]

I did about 1/4 cup of ACV and 2 cups of water once a week to start out with.  Baking soda as needed for greasiness, but not too often.  Gradually I decreased my time between washings and now (3 years later) I use nothing.  About once a month I will do some sort of TTO infusion on my scalp so I don't get build up.  I have insanely thick curly hair, and no- it does not smell and is not greasy.

I think you hit the worst of it at about 2-3 weeks, and it gets better from there.  The difference in my hair is amazing now- its not dry, I lost a ton of frizz, and I rarely need to get split ends trimmed.  It feels nice.

[jbk21]

I just brace myself Becky!  It is SO cold! You're right!

Ash, can you PLEASE upload a photo of your curly hair?!  It sounds gorgeous!  Jealous!

[KayPea]

I tried no-poo, but the BS totally fried my hair. I have dry hair with thick individual strands. I don't think I was using too much BS, I used the least amount recommended from sites I found on the internet. When I was using the baking soda, I was also doing the ACV rinse. I now use a natural shampoo bar, and a lemon-juice rinse. Lemon juice since I am a natural blonde and I've read that ACV can darken blondes over time. But I find the lemon juice drying as well, though it leaves my hair feeling soft and well-conditioned near the top. i wash my hair twice a week at the most, but usually only once a week. 

Anyone have any tips for natural blondes wanting to wash their hair naturally? I'm not sold on my current routine. 

[Jaimee]

Okay... so I start out doing it every other day?  I usually shower every other day so I would rinse my hair with the BS and ACV every other day for the first month or so?  And then decrease from there as possible? 

What do you say to people who think you're crazy?  What would you say are the main benefits over using a natural shampoo?  I'd say I spend about $3 a month on shampoo/conditioner (going through a bottle of each every 2-3 months and I buy through our co-op, which is much cheaper).  So I'm not sure that the expense will be less.

[IwannaBanRN]

That's one reason I couldn't continue with the no-poo when I tried it, was the temperature. I think I'll make small batches, so it'll be warm when I use it. lol I can't get over how cold it is. Or use a bottle warmer. haha

[jbk21]

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

Okay... so I start out doing it every other day?  I usually shower every other day so I would rinse my hair with the BS and ACV every other day for the first month or so?  And then decrease from there as possible? 

What do you say to people who think you're crazy?  What would you say are the main benefits over using a natural shampoo?  I'd say I spend about $3 a month on shampoo/conditioner (going through a bottle of each every 2-3 months and I buy through our co-op, which is much cheaper).  So I'm not sure that the expense will be less.

Yeah I'd start out every other day since that's your normal routine anyway.  It may take longer than a month for you to be able to decrease washings, but it depends on your hair.  

People usually don't think I'm crazy (at least not to my face, heh) but they do ask if I smell like vinegar.  To which I just allow them to sniff my head haha!  The proof is in the pudding, and they see that I am a clean person, my hair isn't greasy, and it doesn't stink.  So I think they find it more interesting than anything else.  

I personally have an itchy scalp with conventional or even natural shampoos.   They are too hard on my head.  The ACV is a natural dandruff remedy and while I didn't have flakey dandruff, it certainly helped with the itchiness.  I don't know what type of shampoo you are using, but I'd wonder if there aren't still ingredients (sodium lauryl sulfate, etc) that are harmful.  You likely are using a very safe shampoo/conditioner, but that would be the only concern for me if someone said they were using a natural shampoo.  I just know there is a lot of greenwashing.  But you are smart ;-)  So I'm sure yours is truly safe.  If it doesn't irritate your head and it is cheap and you're happy with it, I'm not sure that there are benefits.  I am not sure if I will ever get to the point that I can stop washing my hair.  We'll see.  I have been no-poo for two months (I stopped for a while during pregnancy) and I'm still washing every other day.  I know my DH has decreased his washings significantly, but he is a man and uses product daily so I can't assume that I will be able to do that.  I don't know other women who do no-poo so I only know what I have read online from other women, and it seems that they can wash less often but that hasn't been my experience yet.  (I did no-poo for a longer period previously and still washed every other day.)  

I buy the huge box of BS but ACV is pretty pricey, so I see what you mean.  Again, for me it is less about cost and more about the benefits for my scalp and the peace of mind that I am not using chemicals on my head :-)

Kaypea- I am a natural blonde, but I have very thin strands of hair.  So it doesn't seem to dry mine out.  The BS isn't absolutely necessary, if you just did ACV rinses for detangling and light cleaning.  

[Jaimee]

So once you decrease to less often than you shower, you just rinse your hair in the shower, but put nothing in it, right?  What about brushing it out afterward?  My hair gets really tangly and difficult to brush without conditioner.  Or will this change?

I use Desert Essence Organics shampoo and conditioner.  It's paraben and pthalate free, though it is possible it has SLS.  I'm not allergic to that so I tend to gloss over that ingredient. 

Hmm...  well, at about 6 months pp I usually develop sebhorreic dermatitis, which is itchy, scaly, and flaky... basically adult cradle cap.  It sucks and spreads onto my eye lids.  Sometimes they get so itchy that they puff up and get pink/red and I have to put steroid on them in order to function.  I am wondering if I could better control this with a no poo routine or if my SD symptoms would just show up elsewhere. 

I'll have to think about this, I guess.  I have another bottle of conditioner that I bought last month, which I feel like I should use up first.  I was also thinking we might be able to make ACV this summer when we get apples form the orchards around here.  I hear it's pretty easy to do.

[dashley111]

Originally Posted by jbk21 

I just brace myself Becky!  It is SO cold! You're right!

Ash, can you PLEASE upload a photo of your curly hair?!  It sounds gorgeous!  Jealous!

Oh no no...its Jewish hair.  Like literally, the only thing aside from Irish in me is Jewish- so I have thick, curly, red hair :P  I have lost almost half of it between PP hormones and the thyroid issues I'm having.  I will try to find a picture, though, that can show the difference in my hair when I used to use shampoo and after i switched to no poo.

Originally Posted by IwannaBanRN 

That's one reason I couldn't continue with the no-poo when I tried it, was the temperature. I think I'll make small batches, so it'll be warm when I use it. lol I can't get over how cold it is. Or use a bottle warmer. haha

I always mixed mine in the shower, with the same temperature water I was using.  I had a big glass measuring cup I kept in the shower, and just put as much ACV as i wanted in it and filled it before I rinsed my hair with it.
 

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by dashley111 
I always mixed mine in the shower, with the same temperature water I was using.  I had a big glass measuring cup I kept in the shower, and just put as much ACV as i wanted in it and filled it before I rinsed my hair with it.

This was what I was originally picturing, but I couldn't figure out how to do that with BS unless I keep a big thing of BS in the bathroom, measure it into a cup and then just bring that into the shower...  Would you say you use about the entire 2C of water with the 2TBS of BS each shower?
 

[dashley111]

I actually made mine into more of a paste, and applied it only to my scalp- since I did not have any issues with greasy hair.  I found that if I put it on my hair also my hair ended up dry.  But I would probably have put it in the measuring cup and added water and mixed in the shower also.  I always just prepared my stuff in the kitchen (put it in the measuring cup) and brought it to the shower with me, especially since raw ACV has to be refrigerated. 

[MrsKatie]

I have been weaning off my shampoo, too.  I was using an organic/vegan/raw shampoo that is totally toxin-free (https://morroccomethod.com/) , but I love the idea of just not using anything.  So far I've just been increasing the time between washes.  Ultimately I want to use nothing; I tried the baking soda and ACV and my hair didn't react well to either, really, so I'm kind of thinking I'll go cold-turkey and just deal with the transition period by wearing my hear up all the time.  I kind of should anyway cause KJ has a monster grip on my hair these days!

And UGH to the post-partum hair loss!  I had no idea it would be like this!  I can't believe how much comes out when I comb my hair in the shower, it's kind of a nightmare.

[Paigekitten]

I found baking soda too drying for my hair.  I did Dr. Bronner's for a while.  Right now I am trying water only.  My hair is still adjusting, but if it keeps adjusting I think I will really like it.

[Jaimee]

Just checked the ingredients in my shampoo and no SLS or any other chemicals... all botanical.  But I feel like it would be a fun adventure to try and stop using a commercialized, packaged product.  I'll see how I feel when I use up this last bottle of shampoo.

So, when you pour the BS/water mixture over your head, do you massage it in like shampoo?  Do you let is sit at all?  What about the ACV?  I usually let my conditioner sit on my hair while I wash and shave... does the ACV need to sit as well in order to condition better?

[jbk21]

I massage- yes.  I think that will help with your scalp issues if you massage.  I have heard to let it sit.  Whether I do or not just depends on how long I get to shower :-)  

[MrsKatie]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

About once a month I will do some sort of TTO infusion on my scalp so I don't get build up.

Ash - how do you do this?

[Jaimee]

What do you do when you get your hair cut?  Do you ask them not to use shampoo?  Will one shampooing ruin the balance and start you back at square one?

[meesh933]

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

What do you do when you get your hair cut?  Do you ask them not to use shampoo?  Will one shampooing ruin the balance and start you back at square one?

I have ALWAYS wondered this. Whenever I've tried no-poo, I get fed up and just shampoo it after two weeks, and I'm back to square one. It seems like you'd have to re-adjust every hair cut, but maybe I'm wrong?