starting your creative handmade business
In recent times no shampoo movement has gained a trend. It is the abstinence from the commercial hair care usage. That includes giving away the shampoo and other regular hair care products. That makes most of us wonder what exactly to wash hair with. Should one go natural with no poo or worry about what is low poo shampoo?
[Read more…] about Valuable how to what is low poo shampoo perspective
If you have made a shift towards a greener lifestyle. Then, without a doubt, you must have come across a no cosmetic lifestyle. No cosmetic refers to the abandonment of the store bought toiletries and beauty products. It may sound unclean and unhygienic. But for a matter of fact. It is not. The green lifestyle involves extensive use of baking soda. Its technical name is bicarbonate of soda. It is present in almost all alternative cleaning products. That means bicarbonate of soda shampoo. Bicarbonate of soda toothpaste. And even bicarbonate of soda face and body scrub.
The granular powdered baking soda when used to scrub the scalp makes it bicarbonate of soda shampoo. This shampoo cum scrub sloughs off unwanted stuff.
If you are wondering how to use baking soda for hair dandruff. Then, use it in the powder form to scrape off the dirt, oil, and all the unwanted stuff from your scalp and hair.
Apart from the scalp. It cleans the hair as well. Baking soda dissolved in water makes a wonderful liquid hair cleanser. A tablespoon of it added to a cup of water is a good ratio.
Soak the hair in this liquid. Or drench portions of hair with it. Then wait for 5 minutes for the bicarbonate of soda shampoo to work its magic.
After that rinse the entire hair and scalp with plain water. This completes a simple hair cleansing ritual with no regular shampoo. By the way, this process is the no poo one.
No poo is popular slang for no to shampoo. Hence, no poo.
If you are not comfortable doing this. Then, you can also try baking soda mixed with shampoo. That way it gets easier.
People with a dry scalp and or hair can follow no poo with a conditioner. Much like the shampoo. The conditioner is also an alternative to the regular ones.
It involves the use of apple cider vinegar. A tablespoon of it diluted in a cup of water is fine. You can pour it both on the head and the hair.
There is no need to wash it off with water. This conditioner is good as a final rinse.
I am on a no-poo route since last 2 years. Without a doubt, that was the best thing I did to my hair and life.
Not only my hair became fuller since using this bicarbonate of soda shampoo.
But also, they tend to break and fall less. In fact, my scalp secretes less oil. As a result. The hair strands attract less dirt and dust. Thus, that calls for lesser hair wash per week. In fact, I shampoo just once a week.
This shampoo routine might perplex many. I know a lot of people who shampoo a lot. Some even every alternate day.
But still, I get asked sometimes if the bicarbonate of soda worth all its hype?
But I know a lot of people who could not continue the bicarbonate of soda shampoo for long.
At times it was the presence of hard water. Other times it was the inconvenience involved with this alternate mode of cleansing hair. Some find the alkalinity of baking soda to drying for them. And in most of the cases, it was just the difficulty to adapt to the strangeness of going no poo.
Whatever be the reason to not go ahead with baking soda to clean hair. The failure of baking soda as shampoo does not mean the end of a no poo journey.
In fact, there are various other methods and products to do no poo. These alternatives to bicarbonate of soda shampoo are food based. Hence, limit out the possibilities of ingesting in harmful chemicals or toxins.
Following are the 5 ways to do shampoo that does not involve the use of baking soda. Read further to know how to go about doing them.
This is one of the simplest means to go shampoo free. All that this method requires is about 3 tablespoons of honey dissolved in a cup of water.
Though you can also heighten the cleansing properties of this shampoo. You can do that by replacing plain water with green tea.
Boil about 1 teaspoon of water in a cup of water. Then, sieve the boiled tea. Use that liquid to dissolve in the honey.
This shampoo is a wonderful cleanser. It works as a conditioner too. Conditions like dry scalp also get relief with this honey + tea shampoo. Also, you have the option to use green/ black/ white tea.
Though it is mandatory that honey and tea be of organic nature. Else, you might see gray hair. I use the following honey and tea to make my shampoo.
Shikakai, Amla, and Aritha are fruits of plants. Hair fruit, Indian gooseberry, and Soapnut are their respective English names. All 3 of them are popular in the Indian subcontinent.
Since times immemorial, they are popular as hair conditioners and cleansers.
Both shikakai and aritha have saponins. Hence, they work as cleansers. While Amla nourishes hair and scalp.
I take 1 teaspoon of dried powder of each to make a paste with water. After that, I apply the paste on my hair and scalp. Within 15 – 20 minutes the paste dries up. Then I wash it off with plain water.
By the way, you can use the shikakai and aritha as stand-alone products for a shampoo.
That is because both of them have cleaning properties. Hence, they are good as a single ingredient shampoo all by themselves. But that is not true for amla.
Amla works as a conditioner, but not as a cleanser. You can team it up with either of shikakai and aritha. Or you can always mix all the three together.
I love the feel of clean and bouncier hair after using these 3 miraculous ingredients. But be careful of using counterfeit products. They might end up mixing up a lot of spurious stuff. After many permutations and combinations. I have zeroed in on the following.
I know it sounds gross to clean hair with mud. But in many ancient cultures, people did clean themselves with mud.
Certain muds have excellent cleansing properties. It is due to their adsorption quality that they stick themselves to the dirt and oil. Then, get washed off with water. This leaves the hair and scalp clean from the oil and grime. At the same time, mud gives nourishment to the hair with its richness in minerals.
But I am not referring to any kind of mud. The cleansing muds are different from the one we have in our garden.
Bentonite, Rhassoul and Fuller’s earth are the popular muds for cleansing.
You can use any of them as a shampoo. If you get hold of all the 3. Then, mix them together with water to make a paste. 1 tablespoon of clay with enough water to make a thick paste works well.
Paint this paste on your hair and scalp. Wash it off when it dries in next 15 – 20 minutes.
I use the following sources for the muds.
As the name suggests. This shampoo uses rye flour as a shampoo. Rye flour makes a bond with the external stuff on the head. Oil and dirt are the usual culprits.
You can make a paste with 2-3 tablespoons of rye flour with water. Then, smear this paste all on your hair and head. Wash it off with plain water when it dries. Then, enjoy your clean and fuller hair.
You can check with your local grocery supply store for a good quality rye flour. Rye is from the wheat family. It is high in potassium, magnesium, and b-complex vitamins. It also has some amount of saponins. Thus, it works as a wonderful nourishing shampoo.
You can find any good quality of rye flour for a shampoo. It is in a small quantity. But it lasts a lifetime. Ones bigger in quantity end up infested with insects as it takes longer to finish.
I have kept the best one for the end. This is, in fact, the first shampoo alternative that I ever used.
I still have memories of my mother washing mine and my younger sister’s hair with it.
Those were the times our family was living in a remote place in the northeast of India – Kumbhirgram.
The era was 1986-87 and we were living in a remote Indian Air Force base camp. Those days at that place there was no access to sophisticated toiletries and cosmetics.
Thus, my mother ended up whipping some eggs together to wash her hair along with ours.
She tells me that those days 1 egg beaten to perfection with a fork was enough for her and her toddler daughters.
Though decades hence to those days. Today, 1 egg is mandatory for shoulder length hair of an adult.
I got hair to my waist length. So, I whip up 2 eggs together. Though, I do not use a fork. Since it does not get the results that I desire.
I rather use an electric beater to get a fluffy consistency of eggs. This way the egg shampoo does not run all over me. Instead, it stays on my head in a thick froth. Much like the commercial shampoos.
Also, invest in a sturdy beater to get a good end result from your homemade egg shampoo. I got one electric and another a mechanical one. I recommend them to get nice and thick beaten eggs. The whipped eggs will surprise you.
Though for the eggs. The usual ones will do. I have used chicken and duck eggs. Though do not be experimental with those of lizards’ or crocodiles’. But if you do. Then do let me know the results. Adventures always tickle me.
I pour the beaten eggs on my head and hair the way one would do with their regular shampoos. I then rub it in on my scalp. Also, I smear it well on my hair strands.
Then, I give about 5 minutes for it work well. After that, I run water over my hair to wash it off.
Though make sure to not use hot water when dealing with egg shampoo. Eggs are super sensitive to heat. They get cooked at warm temperatures.
So, use cold to tepid water for washing off the egg shampoo. For more egg-based hair masks, you can read this article.
The shampoos mentioned are not harsh. Unlike the presence of detergents in regular shampoos. These nature-based shampoos do not strip off the oil from the scalp. Thus, their use does not require much of a conditioner.
But in case you feel the need to use one. Then, you can use the apple cider vinegar conditioner. It is a natural one. Also, it does an excellent job of keeping scalp and hair humidified.
Apple cider vinegar conditioner troubleshoots the build-up issues as well. For instance, the mud method of cleaning hair may leave some build up with regular usage. The acids in vinegar help wash the buildup away.
Also, for the egg shampoo. You can add a few drops of essential oils to ward off the odor.
I use the following oils to my apple cider vinegar conditioner rinse.
Please feel free to use your favorite essential oil. These are my current favorites.
Baking soda shampoo recipe is one of the basic means to no poo. But at times, it may not work out for everyone.
External conditions like hard water may render cleaning power of baking soda futile. Though for some individuals, its high alkalinity might be a problem.
Whatever be the reason to avoid using baking soda as a shampoo. It does not mean to ditch your plans of going no poo.
There are several other means to go no poo. These means serve as suitable alternatives to the bicarbonate of soda shampoo.
They are nature-based sources to achieve cleaner hair. They work as good as the commercial shampoos. Plus, they do not contain petroleum by-products and other toxic compounds.
You need to get well versed with their usage. Once you get comfortable with their use. Then, from there it is a matter of sticking to the habit.
If you are skeptical of using baking soda as a shampoo. If you go bonkers wondering if baking soda for hair good or bad. Then, the recipes mentioned in this article are for you.
I am sure anyone can do it. Believe me, now is the best time to go no poo. Drop toxins from your scalp and life. It is much easier than you think.
Image Courtesy: Pixabay
If you are not usual to bad hair days. Then, it is quite likely for you to not worry about what to wash hair with.
But in case you are not a Rapunzel kind. Then, do not worry. You are normal.
Most of us struggle to find the best solution for the everlasting question. What to wash hair with for best results on hair.
The question has perplexed me for a donkey number of years.
I have lost count to the number of shampoo brands I have smothered on my mane.
And also what to do after the shampoo. The suffix products after washing with shampoo have huge data too.
I am yet to find someone who has never changed their shampoo brand. By shampoo, I mean the regular commercial one. The one that we find in fancy bottles. The bottles that have a long list of ingredients on their labels.
But do you ever trigger your reasoning to know why we cannot stick to one shampoo for long? What is the reason that a shampoo product stops to bring in the wonderful results after some time?
That too when its initial performance seemed satisfactory.
The answer lies in the presence of not so good stuff in the shampoo these days.
That means ingredients like Sulphates, Parabens, Artificial colors and fragrances.
Sulfates are the cleansing ingredients. Parabens are the chemicals that increase the shelf life of cosmetics. The artificial colors and fragrances impart visual and olfactory appeal to these shampoos. Of course, it goes without a mention. That these ingredients to enhance the sensory appeal arrive from the laboratories. Their preparation is a synthetic one and not from nature.
The common Sulfates are of Sodium and Ammonium. Parabens exist in the form of methyl and ethyl compounds. Though, the colors and fragrances exist as a common generic term – artificial color/ fragrances.
These ingredients find a mention on the shampoo bottles with their over-complicated names. Those names are not only difficult to read. But are difficult to pronounce as well.
Their complicated names seem like a plan to overwhelm me. Or rather a strategy to make me feel as if some breakthrough stuff is inside the bottle. The stuff that will create wonders, the moment I wash my hair with it.
But alas. It does not happen that way.
The ingredients mentioned above are good to clean the hair. But along with the cleaning job. They tend to bring in a lot of associated harm.
In particular, the sulfates tend to dry the hair. Their cleansing is a little on the aggressive end. Thus, wiping out the body’s natural sebum along with the dirt and grime.
By the way, sulfates form from the sulphuric acid. That is the same acid found in the lead batteries. The acid is high on corrosive properties.
Sulfates form through the process of burning fossil fuels and biomass. And I do not want to go on repeating the rhetoric on that source. Fuels made from non-renewable sources are detrimental to the environment. Imagine putting the same stuff on our bodies on purpose.
The thought itself quirks me.
The post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase any of the products mentioned in this article through routing via the links in this post. Then, I may end up receiving a certain monetary percentage from the sale. Though the one who purchases through the link does not end up paying anything extra apart from the mentioned MRP on the product.
That is a good question.
If the regular shampoos have a load of bad stuff in them. Then, instead what to wash hair with?
For obvious reasons. One cannot let the mane remain dirty. Also, without cleaning. The scalp would accumulate a layer of dirt and oil as well.
That could turn out to be a bigger mess to deal with as well.
Then, the question arises how to remove grease from hair without washing?
Worry not.
The good news is that one can clean the scalp and hair without the shampoo too.
I know it sounds overwhelming. But it is possible.
To let out a fact. I have not used commercial hair care products for the past 2 years.
Yes. Despite how untrue and unbelievable it sounds. It is a fact.
I have not purchased or touched a lot of products. That includes the shampoo, conditioners, hair gels, hair mousses, pomades or the serums.
No. I do not regret not using them. In fact, since the time I have abandoned them. My hair has felt and looked a lot better.
My hair washing regime is a simple 2 step process.
This is it. Just about 1 tbsp of baking soda is all that I need to clean my hair.
Then, I follow it up with a conditioner. For that, I have my Apple cider vinegar diluted with water. I use a raw, unpasteurized one, with the mother.
At times, I do add a few drops of tea tree, lavender, and rosemary essential oils too. I either add them to the baking soda. Though, sometimes I even add the oils to the apple cider vinegar conditioner as well.
I cannot express my fulfillment and joy in sticking to this simple hair wash routine. Though, I do bring in some spice to this routine by introducing other ingredients to wash the hair.
That could include eggs, clay, flours, and different flowers and fruits as well.
If all this overwhelms you, then you can switch to a low poo shampoo.
Since the time consumer, good multinationals came into existence. Humans have got comfortable with the idea of lathering toiletries for personal hygiene.
But little do we give a thought to the fact that since ages humans have had the means to stay clean. Though that does not mean the usage of cleansers in fancy packaging.
Prior to the realms of commercialization. Water, milk, clay, plant extracts were the popular cleansers.
We are in luck. Since the goodness of nature is still competent to wash away the dirt and grime from our bodies. Still better. The cleanliness from natural resources is no way harmful to use and the environment.
Since the ingredients inside shampoos have petroleum by-products as the principle ingredients. Also, the components of the shampoo are not biodegradable. That means they accumulate in nature. Thereby, the soil and water around us receive a share of contamination through them.
It is high time now for users to realize the perils of commercial toiletries. Hence, the need to figure out ways for shampoo replacement.
Within the broad category of toiletries and other personal cleansing products. Shampoos are by far the most used and obsessed with products. Our obsession with clean hair results in our own loss in the years to come.
The funny trivia is that mane and scalp can clean with simpler and milder ingredients as well. There is no need for over-complicated products. They are nothing but more or less plastic in a liquid form.
Image Courtesy: Pixabay
Almost everyone suffers a bad hair day. That is fine until those days do not become a norm. But in case those days happen every other day. Then, there is nothing much that can help as an immediate cure. Of course, except a good hair conditioner recipe to recover from the havoc on mane and scalp.
There are innumerable hair conditioning products available on the supermarket aisles. I am sure you must have tried almost all.
Though I am not sure if any of them worked for you.
For me, nothing worked after a few applications.
Though, the initial use of a new conditioner brand did wonders. But with continued use, the magic vanished.
Much like the hollow promises by a shallow date.
It is not that every hair conditioner will not work. But the truth is that most of the products end up creating a build up.
A build-up refers to ingredients in the conditioner that end up in the hair after each application.
Although one washes off the conditioner after an application. But still few of its elements stay back on the scalp and mane.
If you notice a white powdery instance on your head. Then, that is what I am referring to with the term “build up”.
A conditioner provides a suppleness to the hair. But while doing so. Most of the commercial conditioners create a build up.
This build up then makes the scalp itchy. It also plays havoc on the hair. It makes the mane irritable as well.
Although the day you apply conditioner everything seems good. Hence, it is hard to imagine that the conditioner could be a problem ever.
To understand what goes wrong in a commercial hair conditioner recipe. One needs to understand what happens with the hair when it needs a conditioner.
A huge portion of hair is a protein called Keratin. This keratin has anions. The anions are amino acids that are negatively charged.
On the other hand, the conditioners have cations. For obvious reasons, they are positively charged. Hence, they end up forming bonds with the exterior shafts of the hair.
That is how the hair seems to feel revived. The cations leave a thin film of shine and smoothness on the hair. Due to the strong affinity between the opposite charges. These formed bonds do not dispel.
They kind of become concrete. Even when one washes off the conditioner with water. The layer of cations remains intact on the hair.
This is a pretending business of commercial hair conditioners that is the problem.
The ingredients that these cations contain are not so good for us. They may contain any of the following :
a by-product of petroleum fractioning that can alter the genetic structure. Also claimed to be responsible for abnormal hormonal functions.
It creates an itchy scalp. Though it pretends to give a shining and smooth exterior to hair. But it does not live up to its promise after a few days. This one ingredient should nowhere be around your skin and hair.
I mean with such a prefix how can you not sense wrong. I prefer to stay away from drama. My hair conditioner is the least of all places to expect it.
On a serious note. Why would one want to color and smell good from an artificial source? I get scared with the thought of unnatural stuff clinging to my hair.
To get rid of these so-called conditioners. And to condition hair as well. One can switch to nature-based products for an effective solution.
A simple hair conditioner recipe that works like a breeze is with vinegar.
For this DIY hair conditioner recipe, you need 2 ingredients.
The ratio that I stick to is 1:5. For every part of vinegar, I add 5 times the water.
I got hair to my waist. For that length, I use 2 tbsp of vinegar. Hence, the amount of water is 10 tbsp.
It sounds simple. But, it is simple for sure. Though the best part is that it works.
It works because the acidity in vinegar balances the high ph of shampoo.
So, the scalp issues of dryness and flakiness vanish.
Also, the vinegar flattens the open cuticles on the hair. The cuticles open up due to the alkaline nature of cleansers. The acidity of vinegar calms those flyaway filaments of hair. That is how they lump up together and their shaft closes.
It is easy to use the apple cider vinegar hair conditioner. Shampoo as usual. Then, once you have rinsed all the traces of shampoo from your hair.
Pour the conditioner on your hair. Ensure that the conditioner reaches each part of your scalp. I also immerse my hair in the solution for a minute before pouring it all over my head.
It allows the conditioner to seep in the exteriors of the hair cuticle. Thus, working on closing the flyaway ends.
That is it. Do not wash it off the way one does with the usual conditioners.
Do not bother about the smell of vinegar. It will disappear once the water dries off.
Shampoo strips the hair off grime and grease. While doing so. It also manages to wipe off moisture from the scalp and hair.
To make both of them supple. One grabs a bottle of conditioner to dab some of the fluffy stuff on hair. But little do we know that that stuff pretends to provide nourishment.
It has a slew of ingredients in it that may cause damage in the long run. One of the major issues is of persistent flakes of white colored powder. And of course hair breakage with consistent use.
The alternative to its use is to use a natural hair conditioning recipe. The simplest of all is apple cider vinegar.
It does not contain harmful ingredients. Moreover, it makes the hair strands smooth. It also controls the itchiness of the scalp.
The commercial conditioners are high on ingredients that place a layer of artificial sheen on hair.
While the apple cider vinegar adjusts the ph mantle of the scalp. Also, it aligns the cuticles of the hair that disrupt due to washing.
Vinegar does not have any fats in it. Hence, does not weigh down the hair. But be sure to get an original unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the mother. Do not be conned by the inexpensive ones. The cheap ones are a mere dilution of apple juice.
Thus, it turns out to be a wonderful hair conditioner recipe minus the cons of a regular one.
Happy Hair to you!
Image Courtesy: Pixabay
It is not always possible to have beautiful hair. Bad hair days are more common these days. Most of us find figuring out how to condition our mane challenging. Among the people with different hair types. The ones with a dry scalp end up with more worries. For them, figuring out how to condition dry hair well is a constant struggle.
The problem is that dry hair ends up limp and disheveled soon after a shampoo. This is true even when you indulge in high-end shampoo brands. Unlike those with an oiled scalp, those with overactive sebaceous scalps at least enjoy 2-3 days of mane happiness after a shampoo.
But the ones with dry scalps are unaware of that fortunate scenario.
[Read more…] about How to condition dry hair to amazingly beautiful
Ever wondered what it would be to wash hair with a no lather shampoo? I mean the one that does not give out any suds or foam or the bubbles.
Well, if you give attention to the latest happenings in the cosmetic industry. Then, for sure you would know that there are shampoos that do not give out bubbles when they get in touch with water.
In fact, there are few shampoos that do not even need water to clean the hair.
Surprised? Do not be. Yes, products like a no lather shampoo do exist. [Read more…] about The ultimate know how on no lather shampoo
