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slz
July 4th, 2009, 03:26 PM
I've come to a point where I feel is only rinsed properly when I do the "mermaid" thingy - i.e., letting my hair loose in a bath, head under water. It bothers me in that it's not the most practical thing, and it's not what you'd call "eco friendly" - although given the time a "conventional" rince would take, maybe all in all it doesn't take more water, I don't know. I only shampoo once a week at most (sometimes once in two weeks), so it's not that much anyway. Still I don't really like the idea to have to take a bath in order to wash my hair.
Anybody here feels like this ? Having rinsing issues ? How do you rinse / mermaid anyone ?
Tell me, so I do not feel *that* weird :D.

manderly
July 4th, 2009, 03:29 PM
Have you considered changing your shower head? There have been times in my life where I have taken a shower other than home and the shower head was so pathetic that it could barely wet all my hair. I had to stand there separating my hair for what seemed like hours!

My showerhead at home is one of those big "rain" types. I lurve it :crush:

ladylibra
July 4th, 2009, 03:35 PM
I do everything in sections. I literally wash, detangle and rinse my hair in 4 sections (front left, front right, nape, crown).

Something else that helps... I have a giant 44 oz. plastic cup I got from a gas station or somewhere like that. While rinsing under the showerhead I can also immerse the section of hair into the cup, pour water from that cup onto my hair. You will definitely saturate your hair that way! ;)

Shermie Girl
July 4th, 2009, 03:51 PM
I get my fingers in and under my hair, lift it and separate it so that water gets to all of it and rinses it thoroughly. It takes a me a little time but it gets the job done very nicely. :D

daeana
July 4th, 2009, 04:02 PM
can you get a handheld showerhead? i find it helpful to put the showerhead like right on my scalp.

slz
July 4th, 2009, 04:04 PM
manderly : actually my shower head does have several settings but I always use the one i prefer for my body, even for my hair. It never occured to me that the settings i dislike for the shower might be better for my hair ... duuuuhhhhh

ladylibra : thanks for the tips - since I use a bowl to pour my nutsoap shampoo mixture on, I can see perfectly how it'd be useful to rinse, will have to try that. (can I say duuuhhh again ? :D )

Daena : actually I tried to but I can't since it's somewhat rubbery and I always end up with hair stuck in the tiny side handle meant to change settings, so i try to keep it away from my head.

nowxisxforever
July 4th, 2009, 05:58 PM
I get my fingers in and under my hair, lift it and separate it so that water gets to all of it and rinses it thoroughly. It takes a me a little time but it gets the job done very nicely. :D

I do that too. My hair isn't very thick in the shower, it's more thick because each hair stands apart from the other hairs (so weird)... I just use a minimal amount of shampoo on my scalp and use oil in my length for any conditioning that's necessary after the fact. I don't use conditioner often.

Roseate
July 4th, 2009, 06:07 PM
I do the fingers-in-the hair thing too, and I have a plastic squeeze bottle that I use to squirt on my ACV rinse, sometimes I'll refill that with water and squirt it right on my scalp. I agree, rinsing is a pain! And my scalp hates it if I don't get everything off it, so I pay the price if I don't do enough.

Dementia1013
July 4th, 2009, 06:08 PM
I actually bring a large tooth comb into the shower with me. I take the time to seperate the hair comb conditioner through. Then I comb as I rinse to make sure I get everything, It takes quite a while, but I shower with cold water anyway so I don't have to worry about running out of hot water. :D

nowxisxforever
July 4th, 2009, 06:51 PM
I actually bring a large tooth comb into the shower with me. I take the time to seperate the hair comb conditioner through. Then I comb as I rinse to make sure I get everything, It takes quite a while, but I shower with cold water anyway so I don't have to worry about running out of hot water. :D

Brrrrr! How can you shower with cold water!? Lukewarm I can see, or slightly chilly... but cold?

Any specific reason?

Dementia1013
July 4th, 2009, 07:00 PM
Brrrrr! How can you shower with cold water!? Lukewarm I can see, or slightly chilly... but cold?

Any specific reason?

I read a 'prevent split ends and keep color' thread a while ago... not on hair, I was just googling and they reccomended washing and rinsing your hair in cold water. I tried it and hated it.. lol. However, it's been about 85 degrees here daily lately so i welcome the cold showers. :D

On cold days I throw just a touch of Hot water in so that I don't die of hypothermia. lol...

lacereza
July 4th, 2009, 11:42 PM
I think you're less likely tp have rinsed well in the bath! The shamp/cond/etc will be in the water. In the shower the water is all clean. I always have a quick shower after a bath.

BranwenWolf
July 4th, 2009, 11:46 PM
Look at the shower head. Just soaking it in CLR helped mine a bit, then I changed it out at the apartment, and might in the new place.

Also, if your water is softened or if you're in a hotel where chances are it will be, use a LOT less of shampoo or anything that has suds.

I usually flip it over each shoulder to help with rinsing and then turn my face into the spray to let it run down the top of my head.
With henna rinsing I stuck my head in a large mixing bowl I use for cookie dough.

Nat242
July 5th, 2009, 12:09 AM
I mix my final rinse in a big cup - I swish the length around in the cup before pouring it over my head. That helps.

Moonstruck
July 5th, 2009, 01:02 AM
Actually, for me... I KNOW I use less water when I use a bath, then when I take a shower. At college, I take shorter showers for the eco-friendly aspect, but at home.... I'm in the bathroom for 1-2 HOURS just relaxing in water. So bath is definitely more eco-friendly there. On top of that, I know my dad or my brother will end up bathing in the same water after me (I guess that's what my dad did in Taiwan, and it's considered very inappropriate to bathe before the girls (for which I'm glad, b/c....ew?!?). So, one bathful of water will clean me and another family member!

I also am looking into greywater systems, and regularly dump the water from my tub into the toilet after a flush. Sometimes I water the house plants with it, sometimes I use it for cleaning a little stain off my shirt, sometimes I rinse dishes with it... yeah.
However, keep in mind that I don't do this if I'm filthy (obviously), and that I use soap as my primary cleanser, therefore keeping stuff somewhat biodegradable and safe.

cupcakes
July 5th, 2009, 02:34 AM
The last time I had long hair I was in high school. I would get a dandruff-looking scalp residue because I couldn't wash or rinse my hair in the right way. A decade of shampoos at the salon (before a cut), and now with this fancy internet thing, I have a better handle on washing. Like others, I use a wide toothed comb to distribute conditioner and after rinsing... Because once I'm out of the shower I might not comb or brush. I also wash in sections (left, right, crown, and nape). Sometimes I brush before showering and if anything this helps to keep sheddys out of the drain. Overall I'd say the most important part of rinsing clean is having a long enough shower! And yes I do enjoy the sensation of free floating hair underwater, I should try it next time I'm at the lake :) (no way is my bathtub big enough to enjoy.
I wouldn't worry too much about "wasting" water in the bath. Just do dishes, laundry, and gardening more conservatively. If your soap is biodegradeable and your water treated by the city, don't worry. Eliminating things we enjoy is not a wise way to save the world IMO. Unless you're somewhere having a drought :P

slz
July 5th, 2009, 07:18 AM
lacereza : I didn't mention it but yes, I do shower quickly again after a bath, for the reason you said.
Branwenwolf : hmmm yes I'll have to soak the shower head in vinegar, I haven't done it in a while.

And I also try to minimize my impact by using mostly natural products (for my own hygiene as well as for house cleaning) and all, so I guess one bath a week isn't that much, but it's just the way I was raised, always having the impact of my actions in mind whatever I do to try and minimize it, it's really a habit.

Anyway thanks for the tips, I'll try them next shampoo - in any case I'm sure my shower head will thank me for the long overdue vinegar soaking, if nothing else.

gmdiaz
July 5th, 2009, 07:27 AM
I take an extra long time in the shower. . .love love love to wash my hair. I rinse my hair an extra long time, just because I love the idea of sitting in the rain. We have one of those big rain type shower heads.

When I do the mermaid rinse, my hair gets all tangled, so I quite doing that even though I think it feels marvelous. LOL

We have well water. . .so I don't worry TOO much. The water just goes right back out into the ground and seeps right back into our well. And I balance it also by having all low water use appliances and such. We use almost no water except for my haircare. lol

Periwinkle
July 5th, 2009, 07:31 AM
I put my fingers on my scalp and move them around and hold the hair away a little so that the water can get in.

Madame J
July 5th, 2009, 11:30 AM
I first rinse the top of my head, finger-combing a little, then I stick my fingers up under my hair at the nape and guide water down to those parts, lifting the hair away from the scalp gently, and then I'll usually turn around to face the shower head and flip upside-down to rinse and finger comb. Then, as a finale, I part my hair and make sure the crown of my head is rinsed down to the scalp, since I have an oily spot there that gets really bad if I don't rinse it well. And I can take a full shower in 5 minutes if I'm not shaving.