For starters, nobody really seems to agree on the ratio of water to vinegar. I saw everything from 6:1 to 1 cup:1 tbsp (16:1) to no vinegar at all (divide by zero error).
Next, there was disagreement on how to use them, including some impossible instructions.
- Use baking soda only on the scalp, and vinegar only on the tips of the hair. I don't see how this is going to work if you have more than three hairs per square inch of scalp, at which point I would just shave my head. I guess if your hair is long enough, you can effectively reach this goal...
- Use baking soda on the scalp and hair, but vinegar only on the hair ends.
- Use baking soda only on the scalp and vinegar on the hair.
So... which is it, and why?
But my absolute favorite advice was to never get both on your hair at the same time. "This would be really bad." OK... why is that? Because you once saw a fake volcano made with these ingredients? Are they afraid of the carbonic acid created? Vinegar is already acidic, and in any event, the carbonic acid immediately breaks down into carbon dioxide and sodium acetate (which is safe for human consumption).
Meanwhile, I'm in that inbetween place some people hit while their hair adapts to a new regimen. Since I have longish (2" to 6" depending on where on the head) hair and can't really get away with Snape hair, I use a small amount of shampoo (just on the hair!) every 2-3 days.
So... can anyone point me to something definitive on this stuff? If I can't get away from shampoo as a cheater step soon, I'll probably give up and go back to using post-industrial waste on my hair. Someone help me!
7 comments:
Here's what I observed after months of doing this, starting last November or so:
1. You will go through an adjustment period during which your hair will get incredibly oily.
2. This adjustment period will level out, at which point you will only need to "shampoo" once a week or so. Plain water will suffice the rest of the time.
3. If you use more than about a tbsp of baking soda to a cup of water, your hair will dry out and get staticky. This amount, btw, should be enough for 4-5 "shampoos."
4. Don't use the vinegar every time; there's something about it that makes hair oily. I don't use a very strong mixture, either.
5. Your hair's texture will feel different after you've done the no-poo thing for awhile. If you care about such things, you'll also notice that you need far less product to make a style hold.
6. I've recently gone back to an organic shampoo and conditioner because going to the pool with my son has dried my hair out a bit, and the baking soda/vinegar regiment was not moisturizing enough.
7. I've found that if I add the suggested proportions of essential oils to the mix, my hair gets oily faster.
8. I prefer a bit of coconut oil on the scalp and run through the hair (a TINY bit goes a long way) to the vinegar rinse, for the most part.
Hope that helps!
Also, cheapo ketchup and mustard squeeze bottles work great for this - I use the red one for apple cider vinegar and the yellow one for the baking soda solution.
Thanks. I've been using empty shampoo and conditioner squeeze bottles. They wok great so far, and I know the shapes, so I can grab the right one by feel if I need to (this brand puts them in different shape bottles).
Oh, and also the second, if you use shampoo in between, your hair won't adapt too well because it changes the hair and scalp chemistry/pH, etc. And I realized I didn't really answer your question. So here goes:
Get the baking soda on your scalp and run it through the ends. Use the vinegar mostly on the ends, but if your scalp feels dry and/or itchy, the vinegar applied directly will help balance it out. Just remember that too much of the vinegar will make it oily (I want to read up and try to figure out why; I've never seen the explanation anywhere). :)
I've gone from baking soda to castille soap. Either is fine with me, but I just like using the castille soap (watered down, still lathers fine!). I used to do baking soda, and then do a vinegar rinse, it would foam, then I would rinse and nothing exploded. If I put oils in the conditioner mix, it would look like wet hair until I washed it. I wash every other day. I have a measuring glass in the shower but I really don't measure the vinegar. I put a big splash in the bottom and fill the rest up with water. I've put more and less in and all is well. So you don't really need exact ratios, when I had a large cup, same thing: splash in the bottom, then fill 'er up. my hair is a little bit oily, but looks healthy, and is fine for me. if it's too oily for you, mix some arrowroot powder or corn starch with the baking soda for extra oil absorption. But I still like my lavender castille soap.
And I found that castille soap - at least the peppermint Dr Bronner's - totally and completely makes my hair feel like straw. It dries it out sooooo badly...I guess it's just trial and error, Miles!
Well, I don't employ either of these methods right now - but I have used ACV on my hair to help with an itchy scalp and dandruff. It worked great, but the smell tended to linger!
I'm a HUGE fan of using WDV for just about everything. But putting the apple cider vinegar on my hair... the smell just didn't rinse out the way I'm used to white vinegar dissipating and going away. (Whenever I clean, do laundry, etc., with WDV - as soon as it dries, the odor is totally gone).
The scalp vs. ends thing refers to long hair. For folks with lengthy locks, you want to avoid over-drying the ends, and over-moisturizing the scalp. Hence, shampoo up top and conditioner down below. For short hair, just use both - but in smaller amounts.
I like using oil on my hair. I have thick, somewhat coarse, curly hair. With a little teensy bit of sunflower oil on my hands and then smoothed through my hair - it acts as a nice and easy natural detangler.
If you shower daily, or a couple times a day, I would recommend using another technique so you aren't using this stuff so often. If you're using the vinegar more than once a day, your oil glands might be over compensating and producing too much!
Essential oils are strong. Like, super duper strong. I only apply them directly to my body is SUPER diluted amounts. I prefer sunflower oil for direct contact stuff - I find it's a light and effective moisturizer for my skin and hair.
I do NOT shampoo daily. No way! I'd frizz my hair right out. I think that modern peoples overwash the hair too much.
Even though my hair type may seem unmanageable to many - I have really soft, smooth, nice hair. I've been growing it out and it's long now too.
I found some really affordable shampoo and conditioner - Renpure brand. It comes in red bottles that are shaped like a left and a right, so you can tell the poo and the con apart. I LOVE THIS BRAND! It meets all my requirements: affordable, cruelty-free, no crazy crap in there, organic, smells good, and works effectively.
Hope all my cents (it's a bit more than 2 considering the lengthy reply) helps!
Post a Comment