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BambooBeauty
February 4th, 2013, 10:00 AM
Hi! I hope some of you could help me out with this problem I have. In our house we have a shower in the basement and then in our upstairs bathroom we have a tub. We can't use the shower because of plumming issues and I'm unsure of how long we will not be able to shower, so I have been having baths. I love having baths but I'm trying to stretch washes and take really good care of my hair. So the few questions I have are: When I'm laying in the water and my hair is also in the water is that damaging my hair? Since I'm trying to stretch washes should I not be use bubble bath? Is there anything special I should be putting in the bath with me to help my hair? Any other advice anyone has about just having baths instead of showers would help. And who else has more baths then showers? Thanks for all the help. :)

DancingQueen
February 4th, 2013, 10:06 AM
I wish I could take a bath when I want to, but sadly, I only have a shower. If you don't want your hair to get wet, you can just put a shower cap on? Or you can put your hair up?

I don't know if it is damaging, but I don't think so. :)

TheMechaGinger
February 4th, 2013, 10:10 AM
I like taking baths more than showers so unless I'm pressed for time that's what I do. Just having your hair in the water won't damage it but bubble bath might not be a good idea on non-wash days. What I do is just use plain water when I'm washing my hair (every three days or so) and If I'm not washing my hair then I tie it all up in a bun on top of my head and don't even get it wet. On non-wash days that's when I'll use stuff like oils or bubble bath in the water because my hair doesn't touch any of it

neko_kawaii
February 4th, 2013, 10:13 AM
I generally put my hair up while soaking in the tub. Then you can put whatever you want in the water and not worry about whether it should be in your hair.

minxe
February 4th, 2013, 10:39 AM
The main ingredient in most bubble bath solutions is SLS, so I would think laying with your hair in a bubble bath would be drying over time, especially if you don't rinse it out with clean water at the end of your bath. I take a lot of baths too, and taking bubble baths has helped me stretch washes because I've been conscious to put my hair up and not let it touch the water. I would just be careful to put your hair up and not get it wet if you're putting anything in your bath.

Dorothy
February 4th, 2013, 10:48 AM
I agree with putting your hair up whenever you're not washing. I only have a tub and while I will rinse out my first shampoo/treatment mermaid style, for all subsequent rinse I begin draining the tub and then fill up a pitcher from the tap (mine is enameled metal, you could use plastic) and pour that over my head to rinse out conditioner, apply vinaigre, etc.

melusine963
February 4th, 2013, 01:12 PM
When I'm laying in the water and my hair is also in the water is that damaging my hair? Since I'm trying to stretch washes should I not be use bubble bath? Is there anything special I should be putting in the bath with me to help my hair?

Marinating my hair in bubble bath and other things would count as a daily hair wash for me. Since most of my damage comes from detangling my hair during and after washing, I make sure to pin my hair out of the way whenever I have a bath. I can happily soak while keeping my head above the water level.

Carolyn
February 4th, 2013, 01:33 PM
I take baths all the time at home. The only time I have the luxury of a shower is when I stay in a hotel or at a friend's house. I'm not a bubble bath user but I don't think it would be more damaging than shampoo as long as you rinse well and condition after soaking your hair. I do mermaid soaks all the time but I make sure my hair is detangled while I have conditioner on it and that i rinse well with my head tipped back and my hair flowing down my back.

furnival
February 4th, 2013, 01:55 PM
I don't have a shower. I just put my hair up when I'm having a bath unless I'm washing it. There's no point getting your hair wet if you don't have to, especially with all the soap and stuff that's usually floating around in my bath ;)

wishywashy
February 4th, 2013, 03:16 PM
Well if you are trying to stretch washes, just enjoy your bath without dunking your head. I shower everyday, but I wash my hair every 3 days. I just put it up in a high bun, wash everywhere else except my hair...there might be a little bit of moisture at my nape, temples or whatever, but stay 99% dry.

eta- in regards to damage, I think the bubble bath would have the "washing" abilities as soap???

Madora
February 4th, 2013, 03:18 PM
I always cover my hair with a shower cap when I take a bath. I don't want anything to get on my hair unless I'm shampooing it when it is time for shampooing.

Long_hair_bear
February 4th, 2013, 03:19 PM
I put my hair up with acrylic sticks for baths.

torrilin
February 4th, 2013, 06:11 PM
I usually get my hair wet for baths, but I don't use bubble bath. I *do* use bath oil, and bath oil in my hair is one of the only ways I find I get a good oil distribution in my fine hair without going to a lot of trouble. I don't avoid bubble bath due to sodium laureth sulfate tho. I have a lot of fragrance sensitivities, and really dry skin in general and a local shop sells fragrance free bath oil that my skin gets on with really well. If I want scent, I'll add my signature perfume oil in a really really low concentration. Call it 5 mL added to 1000mL or so. A lot of bubble baths would give my fragrance sensitivities problems, and I don't really enjoy the bubbles anyway.

Basically, if you find that getting your hair wet or soaked in detergent is a problem, baths might be a problem too. For me, the problem with washing is the tangle potential, and as long as I stick to a routine where I finger comb before the bath and detangle after with a lot of conditioner, the tangles are less of a problem. I'm pretty agnostic on stretching washes being good in and of itself. I don't wash with shampoo often, and when I do it's diluted... but I'm pretty free in my use of conditioner whether my hair is wet or dry. (the conditioners I use most are both formulas that work equally well for me on wet or dry hair) For some folks, that would mean my routine is conditioner only... yet I do use shampoo. I'd generally describe my routine as CWC, since that's when I actually do scalp massage to loosen up excess dead skin.

I also tend to think it's more fun to have hair that you enjoy. I *like* the way water feels going through my hair. I don't like getting hair in my face. So for me baths with wet hair are fun, and so are updos. Obviously, not everyone agrees with me on what is fun. But I do think that it's worth taking fun into account as you grow your hair. A lot of why my hair is long is because it's what I like, and it's fun for me.

Naiadryade
February 4th, 2013, 09:23 PM
I'd like to add that there ARE things you can put in your bath that will be good for your hair (and skin)... think any conditioning herb that you might do a tea rinse with. Rose petals, lavender, hibiscus, chamomile, nettles, rosemary, catnip, or whatever suits your fancy. It's super luxurious and nice-smelling, and you can feel great about soaking everything in it! Maybe a good replacement for bubble baths? To avoid herbs in your drain, make a big tea bag out of cheesecloth (or use several smaller ones). I often start the bath with extra hot water to get the herbs brewing nicely, then add colder water after a few minutes to balance the temperature. You might even find that soaking in certain cleansing herbs, like lavender, help you stretch washes.

I would soak before you start washing your body, though, and not let your hair touch soapy water if you don't want to be washing it that day--as others have said.

Also this!!

I also tend to think it's more fun to have hair that you enjoy. I *like* the way water feels going through my hair. I don't like getting hair in my face. So for me baths with wet hair are fun, and so are updos. Obviously, not everyone agrees with me on what is fun. But I do think that it's worth taking fun into account as you grow your hair. A lot of why my hair is long is because it's what I like, and it's fun for me.

BambooBeauty
February 4th, 2013, 09:38 PM
Thanks everyone!

jacqueline101
February 4th, 2013, 09:40 PM
I take baths all the time just wear a shower cap.

Coolcombination
February 5th, 2013, 04:27 PM
I bath every other day, I only wash every other day too. On the day in between I just wash my face and other essentials. I don't use bubble bath either. I find that the steam coming off the bath makes me sweat so my hair gets damp from it which sticks it to my head so it needs washing anyway. I cant stretch washes my scalp is too oily!

lunalocks
February 5th, 2013, 04:33 PM
Getting soap thoroughly out of my hair is the only problem I have ever had with washing hair in the bathtub. I have a handheld shower I use to get shampoo out before I condition and then use it to rinse most of that out since there is soap and shampoo in the water, so it's a hassle. But I love the feel of mermaid hair, so I do this occasionally. For other baths, hair stays up.