Baking Soda - NEVER AGAIN

[katienoonan]

:-( I just used Baking soda as a clarifying shampoo with plenty of conditioner... I'm trying to quit shampoo and looking for an alternative...

I have no idea whether it;s dried out my hair, but detangling my hair afterwards has clogged my comb in a way that shampooing never has... Has anyone else lost hair this way? I'm really alarmed :(

[Svenja]

Sounds to me like you used too much baking soda. Which mixture did you do?

[CaityBear]

I would guess you used too much and/or didn't rinse it out enough. I know the first time I used baking soda I didn't rinse it out enough and my hair was sooooooo dry and tangled.

But I've used it since and never had a problem. My favourite way to use it is to add some to my conditioner (I CO) when I need a deeper clean.

[spidermom]

Baking soda stays in the kitchen at my house.

[katienoonan]

I used 2heaped teaspoons in 600mls of water and conditioner... :-( I was rinsing for 10minutes..

[spidermom]

BS caused my hair to matt together so bad that it was almost like felt. I don't know why people think that BS is a natural alternative to shampoo. Have you ever seen how baking soda is made? Nothing natural about it.

[ratgirldjh]

Baking soda dries out my hair and skin like nothing else!!!

The only way I have ever been able to even use it for clarifying is to use 1/4 teaspoon in a liter of water!!!

This worked and only dried out my hair a tiny bit.

I stay away from it and try and stay away from substances that make me need to clarify with something so strong.

djh

[Wanderer09]

If your hair is already on the dry side, baking soda will be wayyy too harsh.

[gossamer]

Speaking up as someone who uses baking soda on a regular basis to wash, you NEED to follow your BS rinse with something acidic. I use tea or diluted vinegar. If you don't do this, your hair stays tangly and awful. The acidic rinse closes the hair cuticles that you open with the basic baking soda so that your hair becomes smooth again.

You can totally swear off BS and never use it again to clarify, but there are ways to make it work.

[Chiara]

I think it might also depend on skin and hair type- BS is too harsh for me too (even when diluted way down). Even with an acidic rinse, it left my hair tangled and dull.

It's great (with vinegar) for cleaning the bathroom, however!

[elbow chic]

yeah, the couple of times I've tried it, it was horrible for me, too. Even followed by a vinegar rinse. blech!

[angelthadiva]

I use about 2T of BS mixed with lemon juice or lime--I ran out of lemon the last go around...I put it in a 12 oz cup, add water and about 1T of Kiwi Lime Squeeze Shampoo and mix that together to create a foamy substance and I apply that to my head.

To me the clarifying shampoo is *meh* but to add the BS is like adding OXY clean to the shampoo in a sense it gives it a boost. That my hair needs and likes.

OP going by your hair length and mine that is about how much I use on hair that is twice your length. With this, a little goes a long way--Really.

FWIW, I don't follow with an acidic rinse, but put it in the shampoo/BS mixture. My hair hates ACV.

[CaityBear]

I use very little baking soda when I mix it with conditioner. Like half to a third of what you used.

With that said, it could just be that your hair doesn't like it. Obviously some people's hair reacts differently. And maybe you're one that just can't do baking soda.

[homeschoolmama]

I'm another one who just can't use baking soda. I use it to scrub things all over the house, but it hates my hair. For some reason I decided to try it as a clarifier a few years ago after a full season of swimming in chlorinated pools. I don't remember exact proportions, but I know I used less than a tablespoon of soda in at LEAST 1/4 cup of conditioner... and used plenty of ACV (which my hair loves) after soaking/rinsing the "bejeepers" out of my hair. I tried again a few months later thinking that perhaps the soda on top of chlorinated hair might have caused some sort of fluke-tragedy, but I had the exact same results and that time my hair had been in tiptop condition!

I had attributed my failures to the fact that my hair is damage-prone and tends towards the drier side of normal. This still seems likely to me, but at least now I know I'm not alone and am definitely NOT going to try again either!

[luluj]

Baking Soda did not do a thing for my hair, just left it far too dry. I agree with those who feel that you used too much baking soda.

[jeanniet]

That's a lot of baking soda. When I do BS washes, I use 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. in a pint of water, and follow with an acidic rinse. Conditioner may be on the acidic side, but it may not be enough to counteract the effects of the BS.

[embee]

Baking soda matted my hair badly, although I rinsed very well. It took several washes and conditionings to be able to get a comb through. What a mess. Never again!

[katienoonan]

I've tried to condition it out of my hair twice now, and my hair is already damaged... It's been doing so well lately, now It feels like all my care and love has been ruined because it's breaking and shedding so much at the back... I feel like crying, I have so little of it anyway.

[jesis]

When I used baking soda to clarify I did an ACV rinse immediately after because I have heard of this happening to others. I experienced no problems.

[CoCoNuT123xx]

ive used it before and its been fine..just a little bit mixed in with your shampoo. you should be fine! dont use it again until ur hair has been hydrated, or just buy a quality clarifying shampoo...

[katienoonan]

I don't understand why people use it with thier shampoo... Surely the shampoo does the cleansing on it's own... Baking soda is intended as a 'natural' replacement...

It felt entirely unnatural on my head, as soon as it was on it felt like it stripped all of the goodness out...

I resepect that In some peoples opinion I used too much, but I really can't see how rincing with more harsh concoctions (acid rinces) is going to help the damage and tangling produced... Fizzing baking soda and lemon juice strips ceramic toilets... why would i use it on my 'antique lace' hair?


:-( :-( :-(

[jesis]

There are many people on the this forum who use acid rinses on their hair regularly and they all have beautiful, healthy hair. So why not take our advice?

I can understand if you are just looking to complain, but we are all only trying to help you. You said your hair was breaking off and that's a serious thing here on the LHC so we are giving you advice that has helped us. And they are telling you that you used too much so you won't make the mistake if you dare try again.

I used regular vinegar on my head to rinse after I did a baking soda clarification. You have to mix it with some water, but it really did help. I hope you will at least take some of our thoughts and suggestions into consideration. Again, we are only trying to help.

[jeanniet]

You don't use the BS and acid rinse together. That would be a disaster. You need an acid rinse following the BS (rinsed out) because BS is slightly basic and the acid rinse helps to balance that out.

You also have to mix the BS with warm water, and make sure it's dissolved. I don't scrub my head when I use it; I just pour it through slowly, let it sit, and rinse it out.

[CurlyCyndi]

Hi that sounds horrible. I have never used baking soda to clarfy but a good thick conditioner & lots of water would cleanse your hair very well. I have been using only conditioner no shampoo since 2008... I just purchased a shampoo last week though to clean only my scalp as i have been doing heavy oiling treatments lately. * I started with less than 4 hair in 2008 and now I am 22"... and that is with a lot of trims and a few cuts).

I am a newbie here and still learning but i really prefer cleansing with conditioners. I started with WEN cleansers but the realized you can have the same type of results with less expensive conditioners. The key really is water. And you can actually get your hair very clean with just plain water in the shower. Just massaging your scalp in the shower for a little while should do it.


The shampoo I recently purchased is DermOrganic Conditioning Shampoo... I will only be using it in my scalp. I freaked out when I noticed it lathers as I had not used anything that like that in years but i am happy with it...


I know I ramble but hope that helps

[katienoonan]

There are many people on the this forum who use acid rinses on their hair regularly and they all have beautiful, healthy hair. So why not take our advice?

I can understand if you are just looking to complain, but we are all only trying to help you. You said your hair was breaking off and that's a serious thing here on the LHC so we are giving you advice that has helped us. And they are telling you that you used too much so you won't make the mistake if you dare try again.

I used regular vinegar on my head to rinse after I did a baking soda clarification. You have to mix it with some water, but it really did help. I hope you will at least take some of our thoughts and suggestions into consideration. Again, we are only trying to help.

No, i'm sorry. My wording was awful and I really didn't mean to make it sound like i was directing my greivance at anyone.. I'm just incredibly sad and frustrated. I have bought so many new things and all of them haven't produced the success that many others have had. EVOO, Coconut oil, No-Cone Conditioners, Condition Only, No sulfates, Baking Soda, Honey rinses... It seems like all my hair likes and wants is good old fashioned Cones cones cones... I guess me holding onto my brittled breaking mess and hearing that to make it better i need to use an acid rinse made me want to cry...

I just CWC with cones and now my hair is so happy again... Maybe i'm destined to be a cone-head...

[mrs_coffee]

I tried a baking soda rinse once and it left my hair a tangled, sticky mess.

[elbow chic]

I think it's like they used to say at La Leche League "take what you can use and leave the rest." Not everything will work for everyone.

[katienoonan]

I think it's like they used to say at La Leche League "take what you can use and leave the rest." Not everything will work for everyone.

Difinitely! I guess trial and error will have to be shelved for me for a while... I'll play around a little more when i have more hair to lose! :o

[Arya]

Difinitely! I guess trial and error will have to be shelved for me for a while... I'll play around a little more when i have more hair to lose! :o

You've got to play around with stuff for a long time before you know if it does or doesn't work for you. I happened upon some really awesome shampoo and conditioner that my hair and scalp seem to love in the midst of trying things, but I still feel like I don't know whether or not Condish Only would have worked for me, because I didn't stick with it long enough. I'm still evaluating Coconut Oil and just starting ACV rinse. Trying it once and hating it is like trying a braid once, deciding it looked crappy, and then not sticking with it. If you are really interested in baking soda, give it a month, put a *tiny bit* in shampoo, rinse it out, mix a bit of ACV/lemon in a pitcher, rinse with that, and then evaluate. See how your hair does. Combing out baking soda says to me that you used waay too much. In the meantime why don't you use some EVOO on your hair and see how it responds? I think this would be the perfect opportunity to see how EVOO responds to damage in your hair.

[SurprisingWoman]

I used BS once. That was about 10 times too many.

My hair hates it that much.

[angelthadiva]

OP you have only been here a month...Sometimes you can know immediately that what you've done is all wrong, and then other times you have to give it some time to see if it will work.

If your hair is matted or breaking--That alone would have me not repeating, but by the short list of what you've shared that is too many different changes in a short period of time.

My super-big sister advice would be to find your hair twin here who has been around the block--Then ask her or him what they do for their do. Chances are pretty high that it will also work for you.

Sometimes what we "want" simply doesn't work for us. There are some who wanted to go shampoo free and do water only. However as much as they have tried their scalp got angry or it didn't work out for them as well as they thought it would. There isn't a hard fast rule on what to do or not, it is a personal decision.

I, like you wanted to have great looking and feeling hair. After reading much of what I did way back when I felt guilty in some respects for using cones. I tried for a while going without them and that was just horrid. Then I wanted to try shampoo bars and after a month, my hair felt disgusting. I quit blow drying and flat ironing because I didn't want to treat my hair poorly, but using a little air on a low heat makes my hair look better and feel better.

What has been shared here in this thread is meant only as advice as to what worked and what didn't. :shrug: We have some here who swear by SMT, but my hair hates it. I ♥ Snowy though ;)

[Lianna]

Not a fan of baking soda here. Perhaps a SLS free shampoo, or CO washing works better for you.

ETA: Don't be afraid of vinegar. Diluted can be okay for hair and scalp, even helps some people with dandruff.

Here (http://www.youtube.com/user/kimmaytube#p/u/53/wBP7CzoiLbQ) is an interesting video about ph and some substances used on hair.

[Nia]

I've been thinking about replacing my (sulphate free) shampoo so I found this thread really helpful thanks everyone. Given my hair is naturally dry, a moisture hog and loves oils... I think I'll give the BS a miss!!
AVC sounds interesting though so maybe that's my next new project.

[StephanieB]

Baking soda stays in the kitchen at my house.

Mine too! (boy o boy)

[MychelleC]

Baking soda is so alkaline - ph around 12! Hair is acidic and prefers an acidic treatment for shine and detangling. A high ph will open the hair cuticle and expose the inner cortex, leading to tangles at best and serious breakage at worst. If you want to use baking soda dilute a teaspoon in a cup or more of water, and follow with an acidic rinse (such as ACV), or better yet a rinse and a nice conditioner. HTH!

[spidermom]

This is an old thread, but just for the record: Baking soda didn't damage my hair beyond repair. A few deep conditioning treatments and daily conditioner soaks put it right again.

[Carolyn]

Baking soda is just one of many LHC fads that have come and gone over the years :shrug: It works for some and is dreadful for others. The thing is you never know until you try. It was awful for me. I'm a believer in clarifying shampoo's for this purpose. I have no qualms and no fear of using sulfate and non sulfate shampoos. I don't believe they are as evil as they are often made out to be for most of us. Yes there are those who really do have allergies to sulfates but I think it's largely bunk. I know this is an old thread so I hope the OP has figured out something that works for her. Baking soda has a lot of household uses but not as something to wash my hair with :nono:

[swearnsue]

I would like to share my baking soda experience. I mixed a couple of pinches, probably about 1/8 tsp BS in a cup of warm water. After I shampooed, I poured on the BS water and it felt really nice on my scalp. I gently massaged it into my scalp and a stinky smell came out of my scalp and/or hair! Then I rinsed with my diluted ACV followed by plain cool water. My hair came out so shiny and clean! I tried it again but no stinky smell this time so it wasn't needed I guess. For me, I will probably use the BS rinse a couple of times a year only. But that is just me, my hair type, my water type, my shampoo, water temperature etc. So many variables!

[ratgirldjh]

My hair and body and teeth all hate baking soda. If I dare use it for a clarifier (which I don't any more) I find that I can clarify with 1/4 teaspoon in a liter of water. This is the ONLY measurement that didn't totally dry out my hair and scalp!!! If I brush my teeth with it (even in water) after a few days my gums start hurting.

[Foxy_Booker]

Thats really unfortunate! I use a few tea spoons occasionally like shampoo and it always leaves my hair really soft and crazy shiny. Some things are not for all hair I guess..