Long-time no-pooers, Help!

[MonP'titBoudain]

I've been doing no-poo for almost 2 years now with no problems. I've loved it and my hair has been gorgeous and healthy. Until this winter. I don't know if it's just pregnancy hormones or what but I've got some serious build-up going on my scalp complete with yucky dandruff-type flakes and heavy hair. I'm washing as much now as I do in high summer!

My routine:
about 2 Tbs baking soda mized in about 16 oz water. I part four ways and apply along the parts then from hairline backwards. I massage that into my scalp very thoroughly and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse. Then I mix about 1/4 c ACV with about 8 oz water and put that on my hair from the ears down. I have always diluted the last little bit of that mixture so it ends up being about 1:20 acv:H2O and applied that to my scalp so as to regain some of the pH balance to my scalp, too.

I've tried increasing the baking soda quantities (made hair too dry), lessening the bs qty (hair ended up too greasy), increasing acv, lessening it, and adding honey to the bs. I feel like I really want to scrub the yucky out of my scalp but I'm not sure how to go about that.

So, any thoughts?

[velcromom]

nak
I couldn't no-poo during pregnancy.

[aprilibarra]

i add 1 or 2 drops to my bs mix. it cuts the grease and clarifies, and seems to revitalize. it seemed to also help my dd w/ her dandruff. I'm sure there's a solution. Good luck!

[MonP'titBoudain]

Originally Posted by aprilibarra

i add 1 or 2 drops to my bs mix. it cuts the grease and clarifies, and seems to revitalize. it seemed to also help my dd w/ her dandruff. I'm sure there's a solution. Good luck!

1 or 2 drops of what?

[aprilibarra]

sorry! sweet orange oil.

[MonP'titBoudain]

Aha! Thanks! I've never heard of using sweet orange oil, though. Does it have astringent/stripping type qualities? Or what about it do you think works?

[aprilibarra]

it cuts oil, so i already used it for cleaning. so i tried it and it showed a difference w/out drying, but i only used it on my scalp, which is superirritable. I wouldn't use any more than that, though.

[pixiepunk]

i've only been no 'pooing for about 9 months, but i definitely noticed a difference in my hair when i got pg, much as you are describing. what i do is occasionally use some Dr. Bronner's to wash my hair. it cleans out the gunk without drying my hair. my hair's been really weird this whole pregnancy. i'm really hoping it gets normal again after baby arrives!

[aprilibarra]

really, i've seen no difference in this pregnancy. Does hair get oilier? no-pooing has definitely helped me in this dept.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

Do you bruch your hair before you wash it? I make sure to give my hair and scalp a good brushing before I wash. I think it loosens oil and dry skin flakes.

[MonP'titBoudain]

Yeah, I usually give my scalp a good brushing first, too. Ugh. This is such a PITA! I love no-poo and it's been super frustrating to have my scalp get so weird on me. I wouldn't mind if I could figure out what was the source of the problem, yk? Too much oil production, too littles, etc. Maybe I'll just add a gentle shampooing once a month or so until things are a little more balanced post-partum...

thanks everyone for the suggestions!

[tsume]

How timely! I've been no-poo since August and within the past couple of weeks have had dandruff.

I usually use baking soda, apple cider vinegar, water and sometimes honey.

Today I used the teensiest bit of Dr Bronner's Peppermint soap. It seemed to tame the dandruff.

I will get some of the sweet orange oil too.