No 'Poo Help!

[MotherOfDragons]

I've tried no 'poo a few times, and sort of liked it. Both times I stuck it out for about a month, and used the baking soda and apple cider vinegar method. I noticed a LOT less breakage; ACV is a great detangler! However, both times I stopped because I was pouring oils and leave in conditioners; it made my hair very dry.

I am in love with the idea though: fewer chemicals, no parabens, and wallet savings! I'm just nervous about trying it again coming in to winter. My hair is dry anyway and winter is rough.

Does anyone have any advice?

[allierat]

You could look into co washing, sls free or water only methods if the baking soda and avc didn't quite work for you, they would all cut down on chemicals (some more than others!).

[MsPharaohMoan]

Baking soda is horrendous for your mane, something about the ph being really incompatible with your hair. I'd snoop around here to find out more.

[serin blackwood]

There are lots of natural alternatives to baking soda for no- poo. Foods that contain saponins that cleanse gently include bean flours like soy, chickpea and gram (mungbean). Make a paste or pudding out of them and use as a no-poo. Green tea has saponins as well as B-5, use by itself or in a flour or clay paste. Some add acv or honey (which is also cleansing). Matcha, which is green tea powder can be used as well.
Rhassoul or bentonite clays are cleansing - there are threads for all of these methods if you search.

Guar or Xanthan gum (found at any health food store) can be added to no-poos or homemade conditioners to thicken, and are also a coating conditioner in themselves - they are called film forming humectants.

Then there are all the cleansing Indian herbs - Shikakai, cassia, sedr, or ziziphus, aritha (soapnut), even a henna treatment cleanses hair very well.

I have tried all of the above, in different combinations, with success, I've also washed with eggs, both the whites and the yolks or applesauce (the malic acid in it is a gentle cleanser).

The only time I would use baking soda would be to clarify and even then I only use a pinch or so, adding it to one of the combinations of the ingredients listed above.

[KittyBird]

Baking soda is abrasive, alkaline and it doesn't clean your hair. I really don't see why it would be better for your hair than sls-shampoo. If you want something more gentle for your hair, maybe try co-washing or sulfate-free shampoo.

[PeaceTeaRules]

I've tried Water Only for quite some time, it works well, especially in the winter. Read somewhere that ACV cuts build up and hard water residue. It still takes a bit of time however; as you need to scritch massage and preen to get what's left of the oil to the ends to condition. But other than that, WO strongly recommended for the winter months. Also Apple Cider Vinegar is a good moisturiser, though don't trust me with this statement, as it had been a while since I've used it myself...

Wow... After reading the link, my advice seems quite moot. Though ACV I believe does lock in moisture or something to that effect... Sulfate-free shampoo or CO-washing method recommended. (though I hadn't messed around with them in quite some time, since my Water Only experiment. To each their own... Different things work for different people.)

Wonderful link KittyBird! Loved it and may very well become a regular site.

Looking back on the experiments over a year ago, baking soda really is horrendous for your hair, no wonder I didn't like washing my hair using that method... I do hope that you find something that works for you, MotherOfDragons!

[Logi Bear]

For me baking soda worked well, as long as I didn't use too much, or use it too often.
My advice though would be to experiment with water only washing, and maybe slowly cut down on how often you use shampoo until you feel comfortable going without it. I'm not completely water only, but I've made a lot of progress, and its kind of liberating not being dependent on shampoo.

[gthlvrmx]

Maybe try looking into co washing and water only! Baby oil is also very helpful to keep your hair nice and full of moisture! Baby oil easily washes off with conditioner or shampoo. If you decide to CO wash, just remember to lather really well for 5 minutes at least and rinse really well for 5 minutes. Conditioner is a little harder to get in and out than shampoo.

[veryhairyfairy]

Another vote for baking soda being horrendous on hair, there are other alternatives!
I use a paraben free, sulfate free shampoo from SheaMoisture and it's wonderful.

I make my own conditioner using a behentrimonium methylsulfate + cetearyl alcohol concentrate that I bought online (maybe lotion crafter?).

Both of those things are free of the nasties I want to keep out of my body, and they make my hair feel and look wonderful!

[katielea]

I tried baking soda and acv for a couple months and I agree it damages your hair. I read somewhere that alkaline substances (like baking soda) are used to open the hair cuticle when color treating hair. So it makes sense that adding baking soda to your hair regularly would damage the cuticle.
I always wondered about adding the acv to the baking soda before putting it in your hair to neutralize the baking soda.