My Natural Hair: I Don't Smell Like BBQ Sauce Anymore

I don't wash my hair with baking soda and vinegar anymore.

For those saying "What the hell is she talking about?", read this.

Go on. I'll wait.

Back? Okay... Yes, I've gone poo again. As in SHAMpoo. Shampoo, conditioner, styling product -- the whole package. I started on the Saturday just before Christmas, so it's been over a month.

I'm so bummed about this because I had such wonderful results on the no-poo. And I truly tried to continue it. Through the increasing static, the frustrating flatness, the undeniable stringy-ness, the appearance of a few too many flakes -- all of which started pretty much as soon as the mercury dropped below 0C -- I tried! For the love of FSM, I TRIED!

But no matter my efforts to hang on, I just couldn't stand looking like this anymore... Yikes! ...Because in this city, winter is just too dry, and I'm just too Filipino.  

Curse you, cruel fate!

To be born on a beautiful tropical island only to be dumped in the middle of the frigid, dry, mosquito-infested Canadian Prairies! Oh, for pete's sake, I need humidity 24/7/365 or else I shrivel up. And end up looking like that. Ugh, I look like I haven't bathed in a month! I just washed it that morning!

Anyway, after the first shampoo and conditioning, I looked like (brace yourselves) this... Holy Big Hair, Batman! Okay, it's not as big as my 80s picture. And the picture makes it look worse than it really was. It's just really wavy. Like I'd braided my hair just after showering and went to sleep on it.

But you know, what really rocked my world were the scents! OMG, my hair smelled so PRETTY! I'd forgotten.

So, I used -- of course -- natural haircare products:  

• Shampoo: Hugo Naturals French Lavender Shampoo  
• Conditioner: Aloe 80 Organics Daily Conditioner  
• Styling Product: Aveda Confixor 

Then, blowdry. Scrunching. Remember "scrunching"?

Okay, fast forward 4 weeks. Now, my hair looks like this... Sorry 'bout the faraway shot. I was sitting at my laptop at the diningroom table writing this post. Too lazy to get up.

So, my hair doesn't feel as light and fluffy anymore, as it did during the baking-soda/vinegar days, but the lack of static, the moisture, the bounce, and the pretty flowery scent make up for it.  

For now.

Hair guinea pig, out!

My Natural Hair: The First Cut

I swear, you must, by now, think this is nothing but a 'hair blog'. All I talk about is my hair... and hot actor dudes who remind me of my husband. I'll try to talk more about other stuff. I promise. Except today.


Today, we'll talk more about my hair. Stop laughing.

The last time I saw Jane, my awesome stylist, was September 2007, just before my 20 year high school reunion. What she gave me that time was a little shorter than my regular cut, so instead of waiting the usual 9 months before the next chop, I was able to wait 13 months.

Doing the no-shampoo thing since June has certainly helped. See? I owe this awesome hair to washing with a baking soda solution (2 tablespoons in 2 cups of water) and rinsing with an apple cider vinegar solution (also 2 tablespoons in 2 cups of water) once a week.

No evil vinegar smell remains. The hubby thinks my head just smells like me.

I really could've waited a little longer for a cut. It didn't look bad. It wasn't unruly. It was just heavy, thick -- just too much hair.

Even at the peak of my new wave band days, I didn't have that much hair. Even for a hot bassist.

See? Okay, now stop laughing. Ahem, okay, back to the present. So, I went in to see Jane on Tuesday for my first cut since no-shampoo. That was the first time shampoo had touched my head in 4 months! Oh, cripes, it felt so wrong! And the smell was so fake and un-me.

 If the scalp massage hadn't felt so good, I think I would've screamed for her to stop and rinse out that Concoction of Evil.

Now, you might be asking "Why did you go for the shampoo, Nenette? You could've said 'no'!" Well, one reason was that I wanted to go in looking like I normally did everyday to give Jane an idea of what I do with my hair now.

I mean, it's been over a year, right? And secondly, I was more than a little curious to know what effect shampoo would have.

Now I know. The cut was fine. Here it is. Still long. Thinned out. It's the usual.

Then she styled it... with styling product. Oh, lordy. Since going no-shampoo, I haven't needed product. Now, my hair felt heavy and coated. It didn't have that clean bounce.

And suddenly, on my way home, my scalp started to itch. Jeepers. I started driving a little faster.

Imagine if I got stopped for speeding? "Yes, officer, I know I was going 10 klicks over the speed limit, but my scalp itches so I have to hurry home and pour baking soda and vinegar on my head."

Um, okay, crazy lady, get off the road now.

So, yeah, I'm okay today. I don't think the shampoo really caused any significant damage. Roomie isn't convinced I've even had a haircut -- he'll know when the credit card bill comes in. The kids haven't said anything -- which is a good sign. My head feels lighter, but it'll take another month to get it to the ideal state where it'll stay until the next cut. I can't wait. I miss my hair already.

My Natural Hair: The Saga Continues...

I'm still loving the No Shampoo thing.

 I think I'm totally hooked. But I've had to make some changes after a couple of weeks.

You see, when dry, my hair felt soft and full, but in the shower, it felt... greasy, like I wasn't getting it clean enough. Water doesn't move grease, and I felt like I was wearing a wet helmet.

So, I stopped using my conditioner. Didn't help.

Determined not to reach for shampoo again, I found some great information at Babs' Babyslime, who also gives great solutions to specific no-poo problems, such as dandruff, dry hair, etc.

So, armed with some new info, I hopped in the shower with a tablespoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water and another cup with a tablespoon of lemon juice in 1 cup of water.

Feeling doubtful and more than a little dopey, I poured the baking soda mixture on my head and massaged.

Lo and behold, the grease washed away! It was all gone leaving light clean hair. I then rinsed it out with water. Next, I poured the diluted lemon juice on my hair as a conditioner. It felt really good on my scalp. I combed it through then rinsed. I let my hair air dry.

Conclusion? Well, the photo speaks for itself. My hair looks good and feels good. Very shiny. The waves are nice and full. I think I'll be doing the baking soda/lemon juice thing once a week or every 2 weeks. Or maybe just when it needs it.  

Have any of you tried the no-poo thing yet? How'd it go? Let me know!

My "Natural Hair" Secret...

As many of my friends can attest to, my hair is a big part of my image, my Island Girl look.

So, when I got so many compliments on my hair in my video post, I was overjoyed, over the moon, over so many things I was literally floating on air and dusting the top of my cupboards. No, not really - I hate dusting - but I was happy. Thanks again, y'all! *winky-wink*

And now, at the risk of freaking out my friends, I will tell you my gorgeous-hair secret: I don't use shampoo.

Yes, you read right. No need to re-read. I sport a No 'Poo 'Do. How's that for minimalist/low-maintenance hair?! :)  

Why No Shampoo?
For the same reason why I stopped using facial cleanser. Facial cleanser, like shampoo, cleans too well. Shampoo can be too harsh for your hair and scalp. It strips away all the sebum (natural oils), leaving your hair and scalp dry.

So, in response, your scalp then produces more sebum, resulting in greasy hair fast. Thus begins the vicious cycle: Your hair is greasy, so you shampoo, which leads to more grease. Besides, it's more natural to clean the body mechanically (scrubbing action) rather than chemical (grease-cutting of soap). And I like to use the natural approach.  

How Did I Do This?
So, I broke the shampoo-grease cycle about 6 weeks ago, I think it was, after reading about it first at Sarah's no 'poo adventures posts. Now, when I hop in the shower, I - with water, my fingers, and a good wide-tooth comb - scrub my scalp to clean it, and comb my hair to redistribute the natural oils. I then rub conditioner into the ends.

From various sites, I was told to expect really bad greasy hair for anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months until the oils normalize. And for about 2-3 weeks, it was really gross. Imagine what it feels like to have a large lump of clay molded around your head... for 3 weeks. Yeah, like that. Sexy, eh? I seriously contemplated doing a Brit. Nasty.  

After the GTP (Gunky Transition Period)... My perseverance paid off beyond my wildest expectations. I noticed the following things start to happen post-GTP:

• My hair has more shine, natural bounce and volume... even when I air-dry!
• My waves are fuller (more curly than straight).
• More good hair days... even after just rolling out of bed.
• Less hair in the shower drain catcher.
• The dandruff problem that plagued me since my teens started calming down - less itching, less flakes.

Moreover, I love that it's simple, fast, cheap, green, and natural. I don't have to use any more styling product, to waste time blowdrying and styling, and to chance poisoning my body through my skin. And I'm not pouring toxic, unnatural chemicals down the drain and into our lakes and rivers. Sweet.  

The Future...
As soon as my conditioner is used up, I'll start looking into using coconut oil instead. I've read that it prevents product build up, yet provides good moisture for those of us with flaky/dry scalps. Oh, I may even add some ylang-ylang essential oil to get that pretty, 'just showered' smell.  

Tips for Those Interested...
Some No 'Poo people use baking soda and/or apple cider vinegar to clean their hair, so if you're apprehensive about going cold turkey, you can try that in the interim. Some great info can be assimilated at The No-'Poo Do, so check it out!

Any questions? Hit me, baby! :)