Adventures in no-pooing: Day 5

Well, folks, today is actually Day 6 of my no-poo adventure, but I want to write about Day 5 because it was pretty awesome.

Once I overcame my fear of using baking soda and vinegar to wash my hair, things definitely started looking up. Yesterday, I was even able to blow-dry and STRAIGHTEN my hair without any greasiness! Here's a picture:

Please excuse my hideous glasses. They are an old prescription from eight years ago. Bubby broke my other glasses, remember? This is all I have to rely on when my contacts start buggin'.

But anyway, I still can't believe this really works!

One thing you need to know about are 'cones, like dimethicone and silicone. They are chemicals normally found in shampoos and conditioners that make the hair feel really silky and smooth, but they are kind of deceptive. What they really do is bond to the hair shaft, making it impossible for nutrients and moisturizers (like the oil your scalp produces) from nourishing the hair. Plus, they are impossible to remove, unless you use a sulfate shampoo to break the bond. So, your hair is drastically dying of thirst under the cones as they build up over time. Poor hair!

And that's why you HAVE to wash every day or every other day when you use shampoos with 'cones in them. Your thirsty hairs are sending a message to the scalp -- "PLEASE SEND MORE OIL. WE ARE DYING OUT HERE" -- and your scalp is complying. Makes sense.

You can read a lot, lot more about 'cones right here.

Kind of complicated, I realize. I suspect any chemists out there will find it fascinating.

So, now you know. I highly suggest you all try the baking soda scrub/vinegar rinse. It's as easy as it sounds. You can use apple cider vinegar if the smell of regular vinegar makes you want to hurl. Also, you can use conditioner on your hair occasionally, if you wish -- just make sure it doesn't have any cones in it. Suave Naturals is usually safe (and cheap -- go figure). Always read the ingredients on the bottle before you buy. If any of them end in "cone", ditch it.

As a side note, some people are probably wondering if the baking soda/vinegar regiment is going to strip out any hair color. It may. I have no idea. I have a little bit of blonde highlights in my hair that haven't seemed to fade, but then again, they are already six months old. But in theory, you don't want to do this more than twice a week, anyway. Since your hairs will be getting the moisture they need from your natural body oils, your scalp's oil production will decrease a whole lot. You may eventually find yourself going weeks without doing the baking soda/vinegar thing.

Good luck!

P.S.~ I realize some of you may be 'cone users and you love 'em. That's OK! I don't judge. I think if they are used in moderation, they are probably fine in the long run. But it won't hurt to try going no-poo or at least cone-free, right?