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?

Back to No-Poo: Day 4

After my last post, I was feeling really guilty. I caved in and washed my hair after only 3 days when some people go weeks without doing it. I mean, what a wuss.

So, after my last washing, I started up with No-Poo.

Today is Day 4 again. Instead of giving into my old ways and washing with shampoo, I gave the whole baking soda scrub followed by vinegar rinse thing a try.

Here are the results:



Did it work? Why, yes, it did.

In a small plastic container, I mixed 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda (as directed by the no-poo community). Put a lid on it, shook it up really well. Then, I poured it bit by bit onto my head, working it into my scalp and neck nape as well as I could. The baking soda really did cut down the grease significantly. But rinsing with vinegar is a MUST. My hair felt so terrible after the baking soda. It immediately tangled up and felt coarse. As soon as the vinegar touched it -- happiness. Silky, smooth, detangled. Amazing!

The chemistry behind this: baking soda is basic (meaning, on the pH scale, it has a pH value greater than 7. Seven is neutral). Vinegar is acidic (meaning its pH is less than 7). If you mix an acid with a base, it will neutralize into two byproducts: salt and water. And that, my friends, is why you rinse with vinegar -- to neutralize the baking soda. Make sense? I hope so.

*Chemistry buffs, correct me if I'm wrong

I finished with a teensy bit of Herbal Essences conditioner, just to rid myself of the vinegar smell.

Then, I blow-dried it, and my hair did something very strange. The top half got very curly, while the bottom half went straight! Huh? Not sure why.

So, I did use a flat-iron to wave out the straight parts. And the above picture is the finished product.

Since the baking soda/vinegar thing worked out for me, I feel empowered! I can do this no-poo thing. I'll keep you all up to speed (although I don't feel the need to post a daily picture anymore). I can do it!

Day 4: 'No-Poo' no more.

Last night, as I brushed my teeth, flossed, and removed my make-up, I noticed my hair wasn't looking too shabby yet and figured I could go another day without washing my hair. This no-poo thing was going to work out for me. I had somehow managed to escape the greasy dreadlocks other people whined about. My hair was just going to skip the "poo" stage and look marvelous straight out the gate.

Then, I woke up with a burning scalp.

What ... the ...

I'm not sure what changed during the eight hours which passed while I slept. My head itched so badly this morning, I thought I might have lice or leprosy. Flakes covered my head. I HAD to wash my hair. Had to.

So, I did. I guess this means I lost.

(Oh, and ... it felt SOOO good!!)

BUT. I did learn something from all of this. And that is, I can go more than a day without washing my hair. I can go three days! How liberating. I'm sure to save a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner this way. Plus, it's got to help the environment at least a little bit, right? Not putting as many chemicals down the drain, using less water, not buying as much plastic ... all good things.

So, it looks like I will be starting over again. I'll see if I can make it four days this time.

Thanks for joining me on my "no-poo" journey. And to all those who are thinking about doing it ... do it! You've got nothing to lose, really. It's fun to try (until your scalp starts burning). Go on ... say "no" to the 'poo!

Day 3: Fun Bun!

I know I looked ticked, but I'm really squinting from the sun.

This morning, I woke up to a surprisingly normal-looking 'do. I didn't even have to use baby powder. Touching it was an entirely different matter; it felt really gross, as if I'd rubbed it with Crisco the night before. Yuck. I figured I'd put it up in a messy bun ("fun bun" as my baby sister used to call it) and it'd probably still be presentable. I was right. Thanks for the suggestion, Nicole!

It's nice not having to wash your hair when you have to get up early. Normally, to be to church by 8:00 a.m. to play prelude music, I would have to wake up at 6:30 so I could shower, blow-dry and style my hair, put on make-up and eat breakfast before heading out. But when the hair factor is gone, I can get up at 7:20 and still have time to spare. Now, that's what I'm talking about. I am not a morning person, so every extra minute (or hour) makes me a happier gal in the long run.

So, Day 3 is better than Day 2, but only because I put my hair up. Otherwise, I think I'd be singing a different tune. Like maybe the tune of the funeral march. But ponytails make everything better.

As a side note, I got contact lenses yesterday. It's my first time ever using them, and so far, I like them. I can only wear them for four hours at this point (eventually, I will work my way up to eight). I did notice my eyes starting to strain a little at the end of today's four-hour block. Something weird I noticed: my eyes take longer to adjust from looking at distance objects to looking at close-up objects. Is that normal? I have no idea. I hope it goes away eventually. Glasses are fun, but contacts are really nice!

Day 2: No-Poo

Her smile has become less enthusiastic ...

When I woke up this morning, my hair still looked pretty good from yesterday. I was a little surprised. I expected to wake up with a family of rats nestled in my tresses. But I still looked alright. Far better than I ever did as a teen at Girls' Camp.

I should have stopped there. Should have whipped out the baby powder for the extra greasy spots, combed it a few times, and walked away from the bathroom.

But, I decided to rinse my hair. Big mistake.

See, after rinsing it, I had to blow-dry it. Because it simply WOULDN'T AIR-DRY. Too much oil. My head looked a mess. So I turned on the hair drier, hoping it might produce yesterday's luscious locks after a few minutes.

I wish I had taken a picture to document it for posterity, but a description of what ensued will have to suffice. Just imagine the top of my hair plastered to my scalp, and the rest a dry, frizzy mess.

I scrambled for the baby powder. Frantically sifted it through my hair.

Not ... working (!!!)

Then, I turned on the flat iron. Not to flatten it, but to wave it.

A little more baby powder, a strategic braid in the front to hide my greasy bangs, a little hairspray, and voila! I'm half-way decent again. What fantastic luck.

Tomorrow is going to be a problem, though. See, tomorrow is Sunday, and I play the organ for the congregation at my church. And I can promise the congregation is going to think something's fishy when I'm sitting up there, playing hymns of worship while looking like a bum with dreadlocks. (Maybe I should bring a hat and then people can throw coins in it while I play.)

So, I just might have to bust out Bubby's shampoo (which is semi-acceptable, since it's non-drying and doesn't contain dimethicone). I mean, it's church. I have to look (and smell) presentable in the Lord's house. And my head ... my head is unhappy with me. It's trying to tell me it doesn't want to go through puberty again and to please wash it already.

But I can't give in yet. I'm not a quitter!

No-Poo: Could you do it?

Have you heard of "No-Poo?" I'm not talking about poo, as in, #2. That simply wouldn't be healthy or beneficial in any way. Everybody has to go poo.

But I digress. I'm talking about completely swearing off shampoo, a new philosophy that's catching on quickly with women across America.

I saw this article the other day and it got me thinking: could I go without washing my hair for days? Weeks? Even MONTHS?

These women, the "no-poo's," say they stopped using shampoo when they learned it strips the scalp and hair of its natural oils, causing the scalp to go into oil overdrive (which is why most of us can't go a day without washing, unless we want to look like we dipped our heads into a vat of melted butter).

Supposedly, this "no-poo" way of life eventually allows your scalp to regulate, producing just enough oil to moisturize your hair without making it look greasy. The first few weeks, your hair looks like ... well, poo. But after about six weeks, they found their hair to be thicker, shinier, and more manageable. And, they said it didn't smell at all (in case you were wondering -- I know you were).

They said they will periodically rinse their hair in hot water and baking soda to remove any accumulating dirt and bacteria (phew, I was wondering about that). Some even use conditioner on the ends to keep their hair from drying out. But shampoo is off-limits.

In the past, I have been an "every other day" washer. My hair has some highlights in it, and it's best not to wash every day if you want to preserve the color. If I wake up looking like a greaseball, I will take a little bit of baby powder and rub it into my roots. Grease, be gone. It's magic.

Since I am already used to not washing my hair every day, I'm going to give this no-poo thing a shot. YES, I AM GOING TO TRY IT. I might as well, before I hack all of my hair off in 15 days (Oh, you didn't know? Yes, I made the appointment to get my pixie cut for June 6th). Plus, the testimony comes after the trial of your faith, right? Well, here goes nothing.

Day 1: I rinsed in hot water, used conditioner on the ends. I let it mostly air dry and then blow-dried it on low heat to finish it off. Not a greaseball yet!

(we'll see if I'm still smiling tomorrow)

Now, WHO'S WITH ME (or not) ???

Hair today, gone tomorrow (?)

(Sorry for the repeat post, for those who read my family blog.)

This is me, looking at my hair.

See how luscious and curly it is?

Well, enjoy it while it lasts...

...because I think it's time for a change.

Mom the Intern takes on fitness.

So here we are, about 3 weeks into this motherhood internship. It has finally set in that I am a stay-at-home mom. At first (as you could probably tell by this post), I was really shocked by the transition. Like jumping into a pool of ice water in July. I honestly didn't know what to do with myself.

But, I've since picked up on some activities that are keeping me busy and also building my self esteem. One of these is regular exercise.

Back in high school and during my first semester of college, I used to care a lot about being fit. I lifted weights and ran on a regular basis. At one point, I was running three miles a day, no sweat (if only I could still do that)! I had abs of steel, toned arms, and perfect calves.

Then, I got married, and working out took a back seat. Why? I don't know. I have no good excuse. I guess I preferred eating at fun restaurants, going to movies, and shopping with my new hubby over breaking a sweat at the gym. Plus, Dill has never been one to exercise regularly, so he certainly wasn't helping the matter. I quickly fell out of shape, but lucky for me, I still looked good.

After a year of married life, I got pregnant. I realize it is perfectly safe and even recommended to exercise during pregnancy. But honestly, huffing and puffing with Denise Austin was kind of the last thing on my mind (my top priorities became sleeping and making it to the toilet in time). When my nine months of gestation came to an end, I wished I had tried harder to exercise during the pregnancy. I was out of shape and looking the part, too. Let's just say I gained 50 pounds during my pregnancy, and NO ONE (not even you, Tyra Banks) CAN HIDE THAT AMOUNT OF EXTRA WEIGHT. Especially not someone who is 5 feet 3 inches tall.

Sadly, the extra L-B's weren't motivating enough to start exercising again. Once, I started school again, I was just too busy (lame excuse, I know). I did begin eating better and tried to incorporate more physical activity into my daily routine, but I still couldn't make it to the gym regularly. So, it took 10 months to burn those puppies off ("those puppies" being the extra pounds. Get yo' mahnd outta da guttah!).

During my internship, I wasn't particularly concerned with the way I looked. Yes, I had lost the weight, but I was far from in shape. I would occasionally see jiggly things in places, but I thought, I can't be bothered by this right now. I just have to survive. Exercise can wait. But poor exercise had already been waiting for me for 3 years!

Now that I have no excuses, I have decided to make good ol' exercise a part of my life again. It is time to get back in the saddle.

Our apartment complex has a little weight/exercise room, so I have been going there a few mornings a week to run on the treadmill. Amazingly, muscles I didn't know I had are sore. Even the top of my butt was sore last week. But I am feeling so much better with each day. I used to go into asthmatic attack mode within 5 minutes of starting the treadmill, but now, I can jog for 15 minutes straight. And instead of collapsing in agony at the end of my work-out, I feel blissful and alive!

On days when I don't go to the gym, I try to hop onto my Wii Fit. I got it as a graduation present and I'm so glad I did. I really like that I can do yoga and basic strength exercises with a "trainer" (whom I have dubbed "Perky Boobs") in my own living room, any time I want! It also weighs you and tells you your BMI. I like that it holds me accountable and makes exercise somewhat fun.

Oh, if only my living room was as pretty (you can see Perky Boobs in the inset).

Now, I just need to get Dill motivated. But I suppose that's another post entirely.

Mother's Day.

Nineteen months ago tomorrow, I officially became a mother. It was October 11, 2007. I was rushed into the OR as my baby's heartbeat dropped dangerously with each labor contraction. I hadn't slept in over 24 hours; I was exhausted and I was scared. But calm. I knew that soon, I'd be holding my sweet little girl in my arms.

The operating room was frigid. Doctors wearing green scrubs wrapped me in warm towels as I shook like a leaf. They inserted strange tubes in strange places. Then, they put some medicine in one of them which promptly made me 1) dry heave violently and 2) feel like I was suffocating. The calmed me down and gave me some oxygen. I was going to be OK.

Then, the surgery began.

Cutting. Pulling, Cauterizing. Tugging. BIG PULL. Lots of pressure...

Then, the doctor behind me pulled down the tent.

And there she was.

The first thing I thought was, Wow, what a large, pink child I just birthed. The second thing: She looks just like me.

That first glance took my breath away. They whisked her away quickly to clean her up.

I was in love.

It was a new kind of love I'd never experienced prior to that moment. I knew what it felt like love my family members, I knew what it felt like to love my husband. But this ... this was different.

Earlier in my pregnancy, I experienced an immature form of mother's love when I first saw Bubby's image on the ultrasound machine. It was more of a childish wonderment than real love. Maybe like a schoolyard crush. She was beautiful and perfect; I was infatuated.

As the months waned on and my due date waxed closer, I thought I knew what a mother's love really was. I was suffering for this child, after all. I had endured the aches and pains only a pregnant woman can ever experience, I'd exchanged my lean figure for lovehandles, cellulite and stretchmarks, I'd given up sleeping. I'd made sacrifices, and had consequently learned to love the baby inside me.

But once I saw that beautiful baby, my love changed in an instant. It became real. It was unconditional. It was unlike the love I had for anyone or anything else in the world.

In that moment, I knew what mother's love was. And I had it bad.

Of course, this feeling grew and evolved over the next 19 months, and it will continue to do so forever as my daughter turns from baby to girl and from girl to woman. But the seed of motherly love was planted in my heart that day, and it all began with the first look. I was forever changed.

Author Elizabeth Stone said, "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."

And to that, I can attest.

Happy Mother's Day.

Post-graduate.

Last Saturday, Dill, Bubby and I headed to the station to drop off my access badge. I said some goodbyes, showed Dill around the newsroom, and headed out. That was it.

It was kind of sad. Bittersweet, I guess.

It's all over. No more school, no more internship. Just me, at home, with Bubby.

The first week as a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) was a little boring and frustrating. We had the "swine flu" scare going around; I kept tabs on the KPHO Web site to stay abreast. I was a little wistful I wasn't there to write the stories myself. I watched the 5 o'clock news every day. I wished I was there.

Other than that, I had a LOT of free time.

I was so bored, I made oatmeal raisin cookies. For no reason. I exercised in the mornings (KPHO's morning show was playing in the gym; how's that for irony?). I napped. A lot. I even practiced the piano, something my mom couldn't pay me to do when I was in high school. I signed up to be a ChaCha guide. I figured I need something to occupy my time; might as well make money while doing it.

I'm not bitter about being a SAHM. It's just been a very abrupt transition. I've never been solely "at home" like this before. I now completely understand common SAHM obsessions -- I mean, hobbies like scrapbooking, beading, making ridiculously large baby headbands, etc. I see why moms have babysitting co-ops and playgroups. They need these outlets. WE need them.

Since I've been home, Bubby's vocabulary has at least tripled. She learns one new word a day. I don't know if there's any correlation, but I would like to think so.

Speaking of Bubby, she's walking over to the computer now; Elmo's over. Time for her mid-morning snack.

Many of you are probably wondering about the fate of my blog. I'm planning to keep it. I will always have the inner battle between my studious, work-minded self and my SAHM self. And I will always be an "intern" of motherhood. That sounds ridiculously cheesy, but it's true. Does anyone ever graduate from motherhood? Yes, when they DIE. So there's basically no end in sight for this internship!

And quite frankly, I feel more like a fish-out-of-water as a SAHM than I ever did as a news intern.

We've got a long way to go...