amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

~Meeshi~ · 09-29-2004, 07:22 PM

A while back, I happened to read a thread about using baking soda and vinegar to wash your hair.

Now, for years, I have been feeling bad about my dependence on commercial, chemical-fffilled hair styling products. My hair is big, thick and curly, dificult to manage and prone to frizzing. So, I was using a moisturizing shampoo, super conditioner and mousee to style.

I never thought that I could just switch to baking soda and vinegar and not face the wrath of unruly hair. But, I tried it, and it WORKS!!

I can go 5 or 6 days between washes now, and my hair has more lift to it.

I also switched to a natural styling product by Giovanni Cosmetics called Sunset Styling Lotion. It is organic, cruelty free and made of a blend of plant extracts. ( www.giovannicosmetics.com ) I've had good luck finding it on ebay for a good price.

So, thanks to the Mamas here who inspired me to try something new and switch to a more natural alternative.

freedomlover · 09-29-2004, 07:43 PM

I have heard of just water and massaging and rinsing your scalp well.

I have been meaning to try that.

Christi · 09-29-2004, 09:40 PM

How did you mix it? Like how much of each?

~Meeshi~ · 09-30-2004, 08:22 AM

I did a search on Mothering.com to read the threads there on "poo free", and saw that there are a lot of different methods. Here's how I do it.

We have a 2 quart plastic pitcher I keep in the bathroom for rinsing the girls hair during their bath. Before I take a shower, I grab the pitcher and add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of baking soda and a tablespoon or two of honey. I also grab the bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar and bring it into the bathroom.

First I rinse my hair and wet it down, and then I use the shower water to fill up the pitcher containing the baking soda and honey. When full, I pour the mixture over my head and scrub at my scalp for 2 or 3 minutes. I don't scrub the ends at all. Then I rinse my head for a few minutes.

Then, I take the Apple Cider Vinegar and add about a half cup to the pitcher. I fill the rest up with warm water and slowly pour it over my head. some people add some essential oils to the vingear, but I don't mind the vinegar smell and it does rinse out well. When the vinegar is in my hair, I comb it out with a wide tooth comb and then rinse well.

That is it! It is a bit of a process, and a lot different than just using commercial shampoos. Actually, once in a while, I follow up with a natural conditioner from Giovanni if my hair is still snarly.
But, my hair does not seem to have a build-up or coating on it anymore, like some conditioners used to leave.

I know other people have different methods that work for them.... Maybe they can share them?

sahmmama · 09-30-2004, 01:01 PM

How to say this.....did your hair look/feel "okay" immediately?

I thought I had read (over at Mothering, too) that there was a bit of an adjustment period before your hair would behave, so to speak? For some reason, I'm thinking maybe a week or so? I've been wanting to go poo-free, but just never had that week where my hair could be nasty - always have to be somewhere looking nice (or at least clean, lol).

If this method kicks in without that "waiting period", then I'm all over it!

~Meeshi~ · 09-30-2004, 01:43 PM

Hmmnm, I didn't notice a period of bad hair at all.... Maybe because I use the Sunset Styling Lotion. I swear by that stuff! It's awesome for curly hair because it holds the curl together, holds in moisture and is lightweight.

I'm not sure about other hair types, though... Maybe some other Mama's can give their take on it?

GranolaMomma · 09-30-2004, 01:44 PM

I have went poo free, but I still used conditoner (watered way down so that I could be used as a leave in conditioner). I am a bit scared to go poo free, I don't think that it will have the same effects on African American hair.

Does any AA moms have any expertise on this?

mamabear · 09-30-2004, 02:18 PM

I have very oily, fine hair (but lots of it) and poo free didn't work for me. But, I haven't tried baking soda or vinegar. I tried just plain water and massaging my scalp. I would go about 4 days, then wash with a natural shampoo and conditioner. It was fine for a month or two, then got really limp and icky. Now I can't use my natural shampoo/conditioner anymore! (Giovanni Magnetic or Aubrey Island Naturals) Both make my hair all icky and limp, so every third or fourth day I am using some Suave I had left over. Ugh! I'm going to try the baking soda/apple cider vinegar method and I will report back.

sahmmama · 09-30-2004, 03:43 PM

Then I'll wait until you report, mamabear.

Sounds like we have the same type of hair....

I have to do the shampoo brand switching thing, too. It drives DH crazy b/c I have 2 or 3 different kinds of shampoo/conditioner in the shower, whereas he just has his one bottle of Pert, lol!

I'd love to go poo-free, but I'm nervous.....

Kinsey

choleblack · 09-30-2004, 11:54 PM

BS/V never worked for me. I tried as many different combos as I could think of and finally pulled out the shampoo again.

I have very fine, straight-wavey hair. My hair is very very soft. I also only shampoo 3x per week to begin with. When I did the BS/V my hair was wild! Almost impossible to comb, greesey at the roots, frizzy at the ends, wavey-curly and corse. I tried being shampoo free for about 2 months so it wasn't just a bad before good period thing.

Funny thing is that I have a friend (with 2 adopted AA children) who is shampoo free & her corse, curly hair looks great. As does her children's hair. I have had other friends with thick and or corse hair do BS/V and have good luck. I can't help but wonder if it isn't a hair texture thing.

Chole

joyfuljourneys · 10-03-2004, 11:34 PM

OK,,well you guys got me all jazzed,,and today was my first poo free day. BS and Vinegar was it ,,,,,and my hair feels great!

I actually talked my 12 yr old daughter into this adventure too, so I will report back how it goes with her!

sleepypnutsmama · 10-06-2004, 02:57 PM

I have been "poo" free since February and I love it! I was originally inspired by the Mothering.com threads as well.

Meeshi, I, too, have very thick, naturally curly hair also and I actually just use sweet almond oil as my styling product. It is very conditioning, gives my curl just enough hold. I keep it in a pump bottle and with some essential oils added to it for a yummy smell.

I have also noticed that if I make sure to only use lukewarm water on my hair it helps dramatically with the frizzies. I LOVE hot showers, but I make sure to turn the temperature down when rinsing my hair.

I originally began using the baking soda/apple cider vinegar every few days, but now I can actually go a few weeks between baking soda uses. I now just rinse my hair with water most days and sometimes use just water and the vinegar rinse on others.

Hope this info. helps!

rwikene · 10-06-2004, 05:02 PM

I have straight, oily hair and the BS/ACV works WONDERFUL for me

It makes my hair very soft, not oily at all, and managable to comb through.

I do use some organic shampoo sometimes if I'm in a hurry (this is whats in the shower, DH won't go shampoo free....so he uses some kind of TTO and mint shampoo), but if I want a deep down clean I always go for the BS/ACV. I can wash every other day with that, if I wash with shampoo my hair is oily by the end of the day.

oh, and thats the only thing I'll use on Gracie's hair as well. I wash hers about once a week, sometimes less.

heythereheather · 10-10-2004, 09:16 PM

hmm. I started doing bs/acv because my hair was nasty on shampoo anyway--I also have very very fine very dry hair.

The first day was fabulous. my hair was soooo soft, and beautifully curly (I have wavy/curly hair). I loved it.

Then, it gradually got too dry and brittle, and wouldn't do anything. So I switched back to shampoo, at least it wasn't so dry. Oh, it was after about a month that I didn't like it anymore.

But maybe I'll make some modifications to my routine. I was doing the soda about every other day, maybe that's too much. And I will consider throwing in a conditioner if it's getting too dry. Any other suggestions?

rwikene · 10-10-2004, 09:24 PM

maybe add some honey to the BS or an egg for moisture?