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Jaxibella
July 24th, 2014, 10:02 AM
I've been searching for days, but can't seem to find a thread dedicated to shampoos/washing methods in general! (If it does already exist, I'm super sorry - please point me in that direction?) Rather than learning about one specific method, I'd love to hear more about how you wash your hair, if you do wash it. What products/recipes do you use and love, what didn't work so well, all that fun stuff :)

I quit using shampoo and conditioner at the same time that I did my first henna, about 2 months ago. I tried an all natural shampoo that was 98% oils, and consequently was left feeling oily. I tried a mostly-natural shampoo but it made my hair flat and unhappy. Currently, I am using finely ground rye flour mixed with honey and warm water once a week, and WO one or two other times during the week, if I'm feeling oily. If I really feel like I need to, I may also rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar. The only time I use shampoo is when I go swimming, I will use a swimmer's shampoo to help wash out the chlorine.

queenovnight
July 24th, 2014, 10:14 AM
My routine is pretty basic. I co-wash every other day, to every three days. I don't use any cones or styling products - avoid any possible buildup, and I simply hate styling products. - and I clarify once a month. I do an AVC rinse if I intend to style my hair, but that isn't too often these days.*

Madora
July 24th, 2014, 10:19 AM
I wash my hair once a month with one tablespoon of George Michael's Pink Crème Shampoo (diluted).

As to washing method:

Before wetting my hair, I brush it thoroughly with my pure boar bristle brush (which is great for keeping less hair out of the shower hair drain strainer)
I center part my hair, then braid each side loosely
All hair is then thoroughly saturated with warm water.
I pour the diluted GM shampoo all over my scalp and hair, then gently massage it in with my fingerpads.
To help discourage tangling, I work on one side of my head at a time, starting from the center part and down to my neck. I work in rows...not wily nily.
Once all hair and scalp has been thoroughly massaged, I then rinse with warm water, followed by a cold rinse.

Then I repeat again. I try to keep both sides separate during the shampooing and rinsing procedures.

Then I gently wring out my hair, place it in a towel that I wrap around my head for a few minutes. I clean the shower, etc. then undo the towel.
I then use 4 drops of mineral oil (on my hands, not applied directly to the hair), then run my hands down my hair. The MO is used sparingly and helps provide slip for detangling.

Then I detangle my hair by fingercombing, then taking small sections and combing them out (working from the bottom of the strand up to the scalp).

If the weather is good, then I go outdoors and airdry in 25 minutes or so. My hair is just scraping knee.

ravenheather
July 24th, 2014, 10:33 AM
I wash every other day with renpure argan oil shampoo and conditioner. They are sulfate free but do contain amodimethicone. So far no buildup on my fine hair. They make my hair behave and not fly all over.

Sharysa
July 24th, 2014, 11:02 AM
I wash my scalp twice weekly (3-4 days) with Dr. Bronner's Unscented soap (with sweetgrass essential oil for scent), and I condition the length with Ouidad Curl Quencher conditioner. Then when it's damp, I comb almond oil through it (also with sweetgrass for scent) and put it in pigtail Dutch braids for more reliable waves.

Once every month or two I do a pre-shower oiling with plain almond oil as well as my normal oiling.

Also, except for wash days, I stick to finger-combing. Cuts down on frizz, very friendly for my easily pulled-out waves, and it's a great time-saver.

ExpectoPatronum
July 24th, 2014, 11:11 AM
My routine is pretty simple.

I usually do a pre-wash oiling with whatever oil I have around. (Really want to try almond oil!). I don't use a lot as I don't find I really need to, but I let it sit in my hair anywhere between half an hour to overnight just depending on when I get around to oiling. I always thoroughly detangle my hair before a wash using my tangle teezer. It not only keeps my hair from getting tangled in the shower, but it also gets out shed hairs so they don't clog the shower drain.

In the shower, I do a CWC using Tresemme Naturals conditioner from my shoulder down, followed by washing with Toadstool shampoo. I love my Toadstool shampoo! It's all natural, gentle but actually cleans, and despite it smelling amazing, it doesn't irritate my skin. After I rinse it out, I apply some more conditioner to my ends, put my hair up in a claw clip, and then go about showering. After I'm done, I'll rinse my hair with lukewarm to cool water. There's really no reason I do that besides the fact it feels refreshing as I tend to get hot in a shower.

When I'm done showering, usually I'll put my hair into a turbie twist, and leave it there while I get dressed and what not. After that I'll take it down, apply a leave-in and comb it out once more. Depending on what I'm doing, I like to leave my hair down to air dry a bit and then put it up in a bun or braid. Sometimes I leave it down to dry.

In the summer, I wash my hair every other day. In the winter, I can stretch to every two days. I've always been a frequent washer. Stretching washes too far upsets my scalp :(

Gertrude
July 24th, 2014, 11:26 AM
I wash every fourth or fifth day with mild sulphate free or very mild sulphate shampoo. Any stronger and I get peeling skin and soreness. So I avoid 'cones, hydrolised proteins, guar and some quats in conditioners as the shampoo won't remove them fully and then my fine hair sticks together. I use my Mason Pearson BBB before the washing, gently, so any loose hair is removed. I wet my hair and scalp, gently rub conditioner from the ears down into the length, not a lot of conditioner, then dilute the shampoo in my hands and gently divide it over my scalp. No rubbing or scrubbing, I let it do its thing for two minutes or so, then rinse, rinse, rinse, apply the conditioner again, more of it and let that sit for a few minutes, then rinse.

Detangle with Mason Pearson rake comb, then apply old fashioned non silicone, protein or coconut oil leave in from the ears down.It's not intentional but everything I use seems to be costly. I have my go to products but they're not cheap. I have had so many allergic reactions to products that are " all natural" and itching and eczema from heavily scented brands. And although protein is good for many,many fine haired people, it doesn't work for me. So I use the Phyto non sulphate shampoo, or their mildest sulphate, the Neal's Yard rose conditioner and my absolute must Phyto 7 leave in. It's wonder ingredient is perfectly ordinary plant mucilage which has conditioning and detangling properties but is oil free and protein free. For the price I could purchase pounds of plant mucilage, but a little goes a long way, hair is happy and behaves. The formula is actually very similar to bandoline, the Victorian styling and dressing product. You can use it to style but you have to hold it in place while it dries. Hence the Band in Bandoline. I stockpile the Phyto 7. I have three in the cupboard any one time.

StellaKatherine
July 24th, 2014, 11:51 AM
Nice thread! Will be really interesting to read everyone's washing methods :)

OK for mine. I wash my hair once per week, but last time I experimented and washed on the day 10. Not sure if I will continue once per week or start washing once per 2 weeks. We will see how it goes with time and how lazy I am :)

I've been oiling my hair with coconut oil before every washing from 4 hours to overnight and even 24 hours. I put my ends in a coconut oil bottle and let it get all wet and then carefully take all the extra oil off the hair and with my oily fingers I go through the rest of the length.

Then I WCC. I carefully shampoo my scalp. I am trying now Timotei Brilliant Repair shampoo and I kinda like it (0% parabens 0% colorants). After that I apply conditioner to my length. First time for about 2-5 min and second time for 10+ min. Sometimes I add to the last conditioning some honey and aloe vera. As a conditioner for the first one I use some left overs from all the millions of bottles that I have in our bathroom ;) For the second conditioning I use Tresemme Naturals. Before I would apply my conditioner fast on my hair , roll it up and leave it be, but now I try to go through the whole length making sure all the strands get some conditioner on. I do shed quite a bit now in the shower though, but then again I do not shed mostly at all after shower :hmm:

After washing I put my hair in a towel for a while. Then apply leave in conditioner take 2 drops of BC Oil Miracle on my hands and go through my ends and the length. I truly enjoy this moment. Feeling my still wet hair in my hands and looking how my waves wake up and ends start to curl dramatically. I do not finger comb or anything, just let my hair air dry. I will finger comb after my hair is completely dry and then comb with the wooden wide tooth comb. I do not add anything to my hair until next wash. I do not like to use any of the styling products as I do not like the feeling of those on my hair...

Honestly I am still learning. I still searching for the best shampoo and for a good leave in conditioner. I think I probably over oiling my hair right now, but we will see with time if that is so :) I like to experiment, sometimes put some egg yolk and some oils as a deep treatment. My hair seems to like honey, coconut oil and aloe vera so far. I want to try tea rinses and such in future.

Madora, This is first time I hear about going to shower with braided hair! You do not use conditioner at all ?

jacqueline101
July 24th, 2014, 12:01 PM
Mine is weekly Saturday I take my hair down detangle with Michel Mercier brush use cool water head use vo5 split end set shampoo scalp condition length from ear lobes down lustrasilk cholesterol treatment for 3 minutes rinse cool water use Aussie 3 mm rinse cool water turbie towel half dry air dry if it's in the winter I blow dry using a heat protector.

lilin
July 24th, 2014, 12:12 PM
I wash my hair about twice a week. I've recently switched from shampoo bars to soap nuts, in a final attempt to get off anionics (I'd tried virtually every other natural washing method in existence, and none of them worked for me).

The soap nuts do work! There is a method to it, which I'm still tinkering with, but I think I've got it mostly figured out. I really gotta get it in there -- dumping it over my head isn't enough. For me, it requires a good scritch into my scalp, all over the place.

I rinse with diluted ACV to finish.

My hair dries fast, and it is unprecedentedly shiny and curly. My ends also don't feel as dry as they did with shampoo bars, to say nothing of sulfate shampoos which made it dry everywhere.

It's been very tricky finding the middle ground with my hair. Most stuff just isn't strong enough -- my hair stays greasy. But most of the stuff that IS strong enough is TOO strong -- my hair is fried. There's a "Goldilocks zone" that's about the width of a pencil where it is both clean and not too dry, and I think I've finally found it.

arr
July 24th, 2014, 12:48 PM
I wash my hair every other day with regular sulfate shampoo and condition with silicone free conditioner. I use a little of the conditioner mixed with a little coconut and olive oil as a leave in. Thats it. Every other wash i shampoo the length as well. Im sure it sounds like a harsh routine but my hair is so much better since i got over my fear of over washing, stripping it, drying it out. Its smooth and silky instead of puffy and frizzy. Once or twice a month i do an overnight oil soak before washing the next day.

ErinLeigh
July 24th, 2014, 12:52 PM
My routine is pretty basic. I co-wash every other day, to every three days. I don't use any cones or styling products - avoid any possible buildup, and I simply hate styling products. - and I clarify once a month. I do an AVC rinse if I intend to style my hair, but that isn't too often these days.*

That is mine word for word, with the additions of oils as pre wash (coconut), and post-wash (jojoba)

Éowyn_GreyEyes
July 24th, 2014, 01:12 PM
Brush through my hair before getting in the shower, get it wet but wash my face and back before I do anything with my hair so as not to get soap in washed hair, rinse off that and do the follwing.... Dime sized amount of shampoo every second day just where my hair gets greasy (forehead area and along my part) and condition from under ears down to the ends. Very gentle on both steps. Finishe the rest of my shower while keeping my conditioner in and rinse it last before I get out of the shower. Then I use a leave in Aveeno sprat conditioner and comb through with a wide tooth comb. Argan oil all my damp ends and rough hair at the nape of the neck. Anything left and I smooth it through the rest. Rarely use heat or blowdry but if I do it's with a protectant spray. Comb once more to get the oil etc. distributed nicely

molljo
July 24th, 2014, 03:37 PM
I'm still in the "experiment with products" phase, but the techniques I use are pretty consistent.
I wash every 4-6 days.
Prepoo overnight with either coconut oil by itself or mixed with olive oil.
Detangle prior to washing, which, like has been mentioned, helps remove shed hairs and and makes the whole washing/conditioning process easier.
WCC: wash the scalp with a sulfate-free shampoo, usually diluted, let the suds run down length. Condition with a heavy cone-free cond., leave on for about 5 minutes, rinse, condition again with a light cone-free cond., leave on for about 3 min, rinse.
LOC: add a pea-sized amount of one of my RO conditioners as a leave-in, seal with a few drops of olive oil, scrunch in gel, let dry, done.
During the week I employ some S/WO techniques like scritching and preening to help distribute sebum from my scalp to aid in stretching my washes.
I clarify and chelate using a combo product once a month to deal with both product and hard water buildup, washing from root to tip. I deep condition for about 1/2 an hour after this.

kdaniels8811
July 24th, 2014, 06:11 PM
Homemade shampoo bars or herbs for washing, catnip tea for conditioning. Pretty simple and inexpensive.

LunaLuvsU
July 24th, 2014, 07:37 PM
I wash every 3 - 5 days. Im still figuring mine out but one way that works for me is egg and apple cider vinegar. I also like to use Funori, japanese seaweed cleanser. It gives great body and softness/silky-ness (especially to my virgin hair) I like the smell too. Its reallly easy for me to over clean my hair yet I have a hard time not getting it clean enough because of the fear of drying it out.

longNred
July 24th, 2014, 08:35 PM
I've gotten lazy... Wash every 4-5 days now, always coconut oil the night before a wash. I put a bit of TTO in my shampoo, which is still a cheap suave naturals (rosemary & mint), hair loves it... I just wash my scalp though and let it run down the length. I went back to Pantene conditioner (gasp!) because again, my hair LOVES it. And I do a final ACV cool rinse. When my hair is feeling particularly bad (not very often) I'll do a clarifying shampoo and deep condition, but it's rare these days.

ARG
July 24th, 2014, 09:17 PM
My hair routine has been changed.

Originally I washed every 5-7 days, oiling heavily the night before with coconut oil. I'd braid my hair and then the next night gently unbraid, run a comb through it to get rid of all the loose hair, wet my hair with cool water, use Nature's Gate Daily Herbal Shampoo just on the scalp massaging it very gently and let the suds run down the length as I'd rinse with cool water. Use the matching conditioner on the length, pin up while I finished the rest of my shower, and rinse it out with cool water again. I'd pat my towel on my length to remove the drips, and let it dry about 30% before using coconut oil or Fox's Shea Butter on the ends and length. Go to sleep and comb it out in the morning.

Now I'm practicing contentious benign neglect. Due to pregnancy, my scalp has changed and my hair needs with it. I've fully embraced cones once more, so that I may ignore my hair better. I wash every 7-9 days. I no longer use a tangle teezer or comb, but finger comb it. I'm using the same washing process but now using OGX Moroccan Argan Shampoo and Conditioner, and I use the deep conditioner after every wash. I'm no longer pre-pooing or using anything afterwards. I usually just braid it at 30% dry without combing and go to bed.

I'm sure after my pregnancy I'll have post-partum hair to adjust to, and that'll be a whole new routine and probably babying due to post-partum shedding. Basically, I go with my hair's flow and let it dictate what it likes without feeling bad about it. Healthy hair is the ideal, no matter how extensive or simplistic the process.

spirals
July 25th, 2014, 02:04 AM
My goal is to wash every 4 or 5 days, but if my scalp gets itchy, I wash. That's sometimes every other day. I usually use Dr. Bronner almond liquid soap, but recently I received a shampoo bar as a gift and love it. I concentrate on the top of my head and kind of let the soap rinse down the rest of my hair. If I have buildup, I do baking soda on the ends or maybe all over--once or twice a month. After rinsing the soap out, I then bend forward so I'm looking at the floor and pour my own herbal rinse all over my hair and squeeze out the excess. It then gets wrapped in a microfiber towel.

A few minutes later I comb it out with a rake comb and then put up in my old pareo, which is a very absorbent cotton fabric, to get the last of the excess water out. I put styling product in my bangs and let it air-dry. This has been my routine for 2 years.

Jaxibella
July 25th, 2014, 07:46 AM
I wash my hair about twice a week. I've recently switched from shampoo bars to soap nuts, in a final attempt to get off anionics (I'd tried virtually every other natural washing method in existence, and none of them worked for me).

The soap nuts do work! There is a method to it, which I'm still tinkering with, but I think I've got it mostly figured out. I really gotta get it in there -- dumping it over my head isn't enough. For me, it requires a good scritch into my scalp, all over the place.

How do you use soap nuts? I've heard about them, but am considering just buying the soap nut shampoo bar from hennasooq. It seems easier, haha.


Homemade shampoo bars or herbs for washing, catnip tea for conditioning. Pretty simple and inexpensive.

I'd love to hear what you use in your shampoo bars :) Also I had no idea catnip tea worked as a conditioner!


Now I'm practicing contentious benign neglect. Due to pregnancy, my scalp has changed and my hair needs with it. I've fully embraced cones once more, so that I may ignore my hair better. I wash every 7-9 days. I no longer use a tangle teezer or comb, but finger comb it. I'm using the same washing process but now using OGX Moroccan Argan Shampoo and Conditioner, and I use the deep conditioner after every wash. I'm no longer pre-pooing or using anything afterwards. I usually just braid it at 30% dry without combing and go to bed.

I'm sure after my pregnancy I'll have post-partum hair to adjust to, and that'll be a whole new routine and probably babying due to post-partum shedding. Basically, I go with my hair's flow and let it dictate what it likes without feeling bad about it. Healthy hair is the ideal, no matter how extensive or simplistic the process.

Wow, you're so attuned to what your scalp needs - I'm impressed! I'm still trying to figure this all out. My scalp has felt so dry since I started using WO (though my hair feels incredible) so I don't think I'm doing a good job so far >.>

Verdandi
July 25th, 2014, 07:59 AM
I wash my hair every 2-4 days depending on how my scalp feels, if I've been exercising or if I'm going somewhere special. I do a very simple shampoo - conditioner routine, because my hair just doesn't care about elaborate routines.
I shampoo with Desert Essence Lemon and Tea tree shampoo or Utekram Nordic Birch. I dilute it slightly and focus on the scalp and just let the suds clean the length (no rubbing or anything on the length) and rinse with warm water. Then I condition with a cobe free conditioner, at the moment I'm using Desert Essence Coconut, but I alternate it with Garnier Respons deep conditioners (I use them just as I would a normal conditioner). I condition from the ears down and put it up in a claw clip while I do the rest of my shower duties.
I bend forward and rinse it out with cold water, that way the conditioner never touches my back, which reduces break outs, and the rest of me doesn't have to stand in the cold water ;)

I squish most of the water out of my hair, twist it up in a turbie towel-knockoff and let it sit for about 20 minutes, then I take it down, detangle gently with a wooden comb and let it air dry, which take about an hour.
That's it, really. :)

Johannah
July 25th, 2014, 11:12 AM
Atm, I just shampoo and condition. That's it. I use products with hydrolyzed keratin because my hair loves it. They contain cones and my shampoo contains SLS. I've tried to go SLS- and cone free in the past twice, but it doesn't make any difference for my hair and it's just way easier to be a conehead :p I've also tried CO but it gives me massive build-up, so that wasn't really an option either.

lilin
July 25th, 2014, 11:21 AM
How do you use soap nuts? I've heard about them, but am considering just buying the soap nut shampoo bar from hennasooq. It seems easier, haha.

You can either boil them, or just let them steep, like tea, overnight. It's pretty simple. :) It'll keep for a week or two in the fridge. Or you can freeze it to keep it for longer.

For boiling, take 4 or 5, simmer in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes, add a cup of water, simmer for 10 more minutes.

For steeping, boil some water, pour it over 4 or 5 soap nuts, cover, and it'll be ready in the morn'.

I prefer steeping. It leaves more of the rind intact, so you can get more uses out of it because it doesn't break down the shell as much.

You can use them for all kinds of things -- body wash, general cleaner, laundry, etc -- so having the actual soap nuts around is really handy. I initially bought them for laundry (although, being a pet owner, I do keep some commercial detergent around for tough jobs).

Also, I will say that some people find soap nuts to be pretty strong, so my method might be too intense for some people. For some, dumping over the head and giving a quick rub might be plenty. Like I said, I just have very hard-to-clean hair. It just seems to want to grab on to everything. So I have to get a bit more intense with it.

I think whether the shampoo bars are worth it depends on what you want. I wanted to move to gentler nonionic surfactants, and get totally away from anionics. Soap is still anionic, so for me, getting the shampoo bars defeated the point.

But I also have no patience for complicated recipes. Some people have a whole cook book for their hair, takes an hour to prepare, has to be left on for 30 minutes, etc -- I can't do that.

Soap nuts are simple to prepare by themselves. They take time, but you can sleep through that time, so it's no big deal to me. And it doesn't need to be left on the hair.

Jaxibella
July 25th, 2014, 12:23 PM
I think whether the shampoo bars are worth it depends on what you want. I wanted to move to gentler nonionic surfactants, and get totally away from anionics. Soap is still anionic, so for me, getting the shampoo bars defeated the point.

Sorry, could you explain nonionic and anionic? Generally when I look at surfactants I just consider natural vs. chemical.

lilin
July 25th, 2014, 05:23 PM
Sorry, could you explain nonionic and anionic? Generally when I look at surfactants I just consider natural vs. chemical.

Anionic surfactants are the strongest cleaner types, and they have the ability to denature proteins, which is what hair is primarily composed of. SLS is one of the strongest and most irritating, while soap is a weaker one. But soap is also alkaline and lifts the cuticle, so you need to bring the pH back down again with a rinse. Thing is, when you're lifting the cuticle over and over again, eventually it may start to chip.

Nonionic surfactants are still good cleaners, but not as strong, and can't damage proteins (in some cases they actually renature them). There are lots of natural ones -- shikakai, yucca, soap nuts, soapwort, etc. They're all slightly different and some work better for some people than others. Shikakai is on the gentler end, and soap nuts are on the stronger end. Basically, it's cleaning ability without the potential for damage or irritation that anonincs can cause.

PsychoLoverly
July 25th, 2014, 07:47 PM
Wow so many washing methods 0.0

I wash my hair twice a week. On sunday i wash with a sulfate free shampoo, curreentally Im using one of Vo5. Then I condition with a cone free protien conditioner. On Thursday I CO wash with Vo5 split end remedy conditioner, rinse then condition with the protein conditioner.

After rinsing I scrunch my hair till damp then apply cantu coconut curl enhancer cream for naturals. After scrunching that in I apply 2 drops of aragon oil, and wrap my hair in a cotton t shirt. I usually decide to get dressed and other stuff while its wrapped. Then i take it down and let it air dry. Im trying the leave it up for three months challenge so when its dry i put it up:)

The soap nuts sound really intersting, i might have to try those :D

Jaxibella
July 25th, 2014, 07:50 PM
Anionic surfactants are the strongest cleaner types, and they have the ability to denature proteins, which is what hair is primarily composed of. SLS is one of the strongest and most irritating, while soap is a weaker one. But soap is also alkaline and lifts the cuticle, so you need to bring the pH back down again with a rinse. Thing is, when you're lifting the cuticle over and over again, eventually it may start to chip.

Nonionic surfactants are still good cleaners, but not as strong, and can't damage proteins (in some cases they actually renature them). There are lots of natural ones -- shikakai, yucca, soap nuts, soapwort, etc. They're all slightly different and some work better for some people than others. Shikakai is on the gentler end, and soap nuts are on the stronger end. Basically, it's cleaning ability without the potential for damage or irritation that anonincs can cause.

Ooh, okay! Thanks for clarifying :) I feel even better about the shampoo bars I am looking at - they contain nonionic surfactants!

JennyP
July 25th, 2014, 07:53 PM
Soapnuts sound like fun! I've been on the conventional bus for the past year or so. I put few drops of shampoo in a squeeze bottle diluted with a few ounces of water and applied only to scalp, followed by conditioner and a little EVCO to the ends. V05 Sun-dried raspberry--only the best, lol! I wash every 3-4 days, and other than that, ignore it.

I have been getting the itch to experiment, though. If I experiment with washing and treatments, I can overcome the urge to chop my hair off at my chin.

lilin
July 25th, 2014, 08:20 PM
Ooh, okay! Thanks for clarifying :) I feel even better about the shampoo bars I am looking at - they contain nonionic surfactants!

A shampoo bar with soap nuts would contain nonionics, but soap itself is anionic. To be soap, it must contain oil and lye -- which together are an anionic surfactant with an alkaline pH. The ones I have seen have soap nuts as an additive, in addition to lye and whatever oil they use (usually coconut oil or similar, for the nice handmade ones).

And really, soap nuts are reasonably strong on their own, for a surfactant of their type. I went for more moisturizing additives when I was using them, personally.

Aingeal
July 25th, 2014, 08:43 PM
I cowash every two to three days with eden body works co wash. I then use Suave Tropical Coconut Conditioner for extra moisture as a leave in. My routine is pretty simple. I apply to co wash and massage my scalp with the pads of my fingers, making my way down through the hair, massaging the conditioner into the hair. I then finger detangle. I leave the Coconut Condish in as a leave in and go. Once a month, I marinate my hair in coconut and olive oil as a prepoo and shampoo with an sls poo (usually herbal essences.) I then give my hair a deep condition.

Jaxibella
July 28th, 2014, 07:49 AM
A shampoo bar with soap nuts would contain nonionics, but soap itself is anionic. To be soap, it must contain oil and lye -- which together are an anionic surfactant with an alkaline pH. The ones I have seen have soap nuts as an additive, in addition to lye and whatever oil they use (usually coconut oil or similar, for the nice handmade ones).

And really, soap nuts are reasonably strong on their own, for a surfactant of their type. I went for more moisturizing additives when I was using them, personally.

I did some reading, because I don't know a whole lot about soap-making, and learned that saponification is actually kind of like a chemical reaction, so when you're done and you have a finished soap bar, if you used the right amount of lye with oil, the finished product doesn't have any lye in it. This site explains it best out of everything I read - http://eu.simplynatural.se/a.asp?cidx=870&cidy=0&id=2020&page=complete

Not trying to change your mind of course, just thought it was interesting! It's great you've found something that works for you :) I'm still in the experimenting phase. Maybe I'll try soap nuts next!

Arwenlily
July 28th, 2014, 12:57 PM
The first routine I tried was co-washing but it made my hair fluffy and lacking curl, so I stopped. Next I tried stretching my washes to every 5-6 days with a all natural shampoo but I lost a lot of hair (about half my thickness) and decided to stop that. Finally, what I have found is best for me so far is to shampoo every 3 days with Eco Sevi Pumpkin Seed Shampoo, condition with Shea Moisture Curl & Shine Conditioner, and end with an ACV rinse. Afterwards I put a little Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner as a leave-in and seal that in with a coconut/olive oil mixture, comb it through with a tangle teezer and put it up in a turbie twist, take it down after 40 minutes or so and just leave it to dry. After my Sevi shampoo runs out, I'm going to have my try at shampoo bars. I'm very excited about that!

SongofLove
July 28th, 2014, 09:02 PM
For the longest time I used the CWC method by conditioning my length, washing my scalp area with shampoo, then conditioning the length again, and it worked fine (I wash my hair about twice a week). But lately I've been noticing lots of buildup in my hair, which causes it to clump together unattractively, so I've stopped using conditioner for now, and even sometimes I'll put some shampoo on the length. My hair seems to change a lot depending on the humidity and thus needs a different care routine sometimes!