my week three and lucy's first wash

Lucy was pleased (sic) to have her first bicarb/HACV wash today. It didn't sting her lovely blue eyes, was overall very easy to do, and left her with the silkiest, shiniest, softest hair. I kept looking at it and touching it and remarking on it to Lucy. I am her mother though, and mothers do things like that. Seriously, I am super impressed and although she wouldn't let me give it a good brush, the parts I did manage to brush were done with relative ease. That's the main reason I wanted to try this for Lucy, as I've heard its great for knots and tangles. So fingers crossed it does the trick. If so, Lucy may even warm to hair brushing again.


Also, I am still really pleased with how this is going for me. I have to say again, and this might sound odd, my hair looks like real hair again. Rather than going fly-away when I brush it, the more I brush it the better it looks. Full of body and feeling nicely moisturised. To hell with shampoo! And still using only a little spray on the odd day. No other styling products at all (despite a drawer full of them). And if you knew me, you would say that in itself was a miracle.

So exciting.

day sixteen

I feel I've been doing this forever now (but obviously only sixteen days)! I've tried both a bicarb liquid and a bicarb paste formulation, and for my hair prefer the liquid. That is:

The Wash: 1C water with 1T baking soda/bicarb dissolved. Pour into a recycled shampoo bottle or similar, and pour over the hair. I often get 2-3 washes from a bottle, so obviously I'm using a lot less bicarb per wash than others might.

I did try the paste method (1T bicarb mixed with a little water to a paste, then worked into the scalp/hair) but it felt too drying for the way my hair is right now. Maybe I just left it in too long? Whatever the reason, I prefer the liquid/dilute version.

The Rinse: 2T honey cider vinegar in 1C water, poured into another bottle, which I then pour onto my hair. Again, this amount lasts a few washes.

To Finish: Once towel-dried, I rub a few drops of Jojoba oil through the mid lengths to ends. If blow drying, I apply the Jojoba oil first, and may add a touch more as a finisher depending on how my hair is looking/feeling. Jojoba oil is the closest to human hair and skin oil, and I find it is great for adding moisture and shine.

Since starting this my hair feels sufficiently clean and shiny, has plenty of body and texture, and has almost diminished my need for styling products with the exception of a little spray on occasion. When I tie it up or back, it holds better than it did when using conventional shampoos and conditioners. I found then that I needed products to thicken it up.

Here are some photos of my hair over the last week (natural/unstyled):



So, all in all, I am really happy with the way this is going and have no intention of stopping. I have yet to wash Lucy's hair with it, but am keen to do it soon as I've heard it helps with knots and tangles. Lucy is comb-shy now, so tends to have a head of tufty blonde hair. She's still beautiful though, tufts, tangles and knots aside!

day six

Today I used bicarb paste and massaged it into my scalp for a minute or two and then put the HAVC rinse only on my ends (whereas before I had been putting it all over). The last two times I’ve also roughly blow-dried it, but this time I will let it air dry, which is what you’re supposed to do (it’s been a bit cold though lately, and I can be a bit of a wuss).

When I’ve used shampoo and conditioner in the past my hair often needs product or styling to boost it up a bit, or tame it, or curb fluffy bits. This method seems to make my hair thicker and more manageable, adding texture. You gotta love that! It also feels moisturised, and despite it feeling like it might be a little tangled after the wash a comb easily glides through it.

Also, there is no residual ‘fragrance’ from the apple cider vinegar which I’ve heard others complain about. Not a trace. Mind you, my Honey ACV smells quite nice to start with, and not potent like some vinegars can be.I think I’ll wash Lucy’s hair with bicarb tonight. It tends to look lank quickly, and gets rather tangled so maybe this will change that.

I am still astounded I am able to get nice hair from simply washing it in bicarb and rinsing it in vinegar. I feel self-satisfied thinking of the money the hair industry is currently not getting from me. Long may it continue!

day one

Today the 'shampoo' felt like it was actually cleaning my hair, and the rinse seemed lighter than what I am used to from a conditioner but then I think I over-condition anyway. Once it was towel dried I rubbed a couple of drops of jojoba oil through it (I have long-term colour treated hair).

My hair has a lot of body and feels ever so slightly dry but totally fine. As I said, I think I over-condition so this is just a new feel for me. Funnily enough, since my haircut a few weeks back it looks the best todayI asked Brendan what he thought of my hair, and he said it looked good and had I coloured it? When I told him what I done, admittedly he pulled a face.

If I can get my hair looking good without spending all my money on expensive hair products with big claims how happy would I be?! More money for fabric perhaps.

in the beginning

I've been seeing a lot of this no-shampoo lifestyle lately and am intrigued. I'm sure it's been going on for quite some time, but just this week I've started noticing it.

I confess I am a serious hair product junkie. If there were a support group (HA perhaps?) I should be attending it, heading it perhaps. Mum used to joke about me and my hair, and my obsession to get it looking just right (whatever 'just right' meant). Perhaps the influence of too many Vogue magazines at a tender age?

Lately, and given it's probably partly post-partum talking, my hair has been dismal. Today it has been lank and lifeless and has been making me feel the same. And this is after using $40 shampoo and $30 conditioner not to mention expensive styling products! To think I almost bought a $50 Kerastase product the other day in the hope of 'silky, lustrous hair'. I'm so glad I didn't get suckered in like I might have in the past.

So today, and it was the best possible day to start this given the description of my hair (above), I started the no-shampoo trial.

The formulation I am using is:

Shampoo: 1T baking soda to 1C warm water (dissolved)

Conditioner/Rinse: 2T HACV (honey apple cider vinegar) to 1C warm water

For as long as I do this (which could be days or weeks or months) I'll document my progress.


No-Poo Links (just a few of the many around):http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/index.php/389/why-you-should-go-no-poo/http://web.mac.com/jfmori/iWeb/nz/No%20Shampoo%20Experiment/No%20Shampoo%20Experiment.html