No poo

[slfcllednowhere]

Checked memories and tags and couldn't find anything on it, so: anybody do this? How does it work for your hair? Do you use baking soda or anything else instead? My hair is SUPER-THICK and I get a layer of GUNK on my scalp from shampoo cos I can't get it fully rinsed out and it's gross, and I am not too crazy about putting various chemical stuff on

Comments

[crabby_lioness]

My 11yo has hair like that. Once a week a mix up some "Lemon Aid": half conditioner and half lemon juice. I work it into her hair, let it set a short while, and it dissolves the gunk holding her knots together. She rinses it out and washes her hair with just conditioner the rest of the week. It works pretty good, and would work better if she would worked the conditioner through her hair better. (She's reading over my shoulder right now.)

[schexyschteve]

I don't do the no-poo yet, but I use an apple cider vinegar rinse once a week. It clears out the shampoo buildup.

[silver05]

The book Curly Girl: the Handbook by Lorraine Massey is great for folks who have curly hair or are trying to go low/no 'poo. The Lemon Aid mentioned above is listed in this book.

Lavender Mist is also a more on-the-go option. 1/2 gallon of water, simmered for an hour to purify it, mixed with 5 drops of pure lavender oil and allowed to cool. Put in spray bottles; apply as necessary.

Baking soda (called Whattacurl Wants) is 1 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 cup of warm water. Combine, pour into a spray bottle, allow to sit for a minute or two, then rinse. I used this recipe once, but I didn't have a spray bottle. I poured the mixture directly onto my hair instead, and then simply stood in the shower and let the water run through my hair for about five minites. It did seem to stop my scalp from itching for a few weeks.

There are other recipes, but they are more for nourishing your hair rather than rinsing it out. I have also found that edible aloe vera works to clarify my hair; I've also heard of raw eggs being used. Switching to a sulfate-

[seasontoseason]

i've been 'poo free for a few years now. I also have really thick hair, and before I cut it off recently I had really long, thick, wavy hair. I never used anything (lemon juice, aloe, vinegar, etc.) in addition... I simply used only conditioner. I've tried a few different brands of conditioner that are sulphate and 'cone free... my favorites are
L'Oreal Sulphate Free, and Wen Almond Mint Conditioner (more expensive but I think works better). I don't recommend Nature's Gate brand. It's goopy, and doesn't feel like it really conditions, either. Imho, avoid the "normal" conditioners that aren't sulphate free or more natural.

[seasontoseason]

also, if you can't afford Wen, try "hair one", they have the exact same ingredients. And reviews on amazon suggest that they really do seem the same in practice. And Hair One is much more affordable.

Joooohns!

[vanish]

I used to do a mix of baking soda and water, and it worked pretty well. I didn't do it often, as it was very drying, and I'd always follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse. You wouldn't believe how silky your hair gets!

These days, I just use organic conditioner. I don't do anything that gets my hair really dirty, anyway, but I only find the need to "wash" my hair once every several months, if that.