No Poo Update

Now that I'm back on the no poo path after my little detour, I've been noticing a few differences in my hair. First is that without the use of conditioner I've been have really dry ends that usually lead to tangles. I've recently cut the majority of my hair off so hopefully that helps but I've been thinking of doing bi-monthly masks to help with this problem. Some of the masks I've been thinking about are either yogurt and avocado or olive oil and honey. I've read that straight coconut oil on your hair can be really hydrating but I'm worried about my hair looking to greasy if I only use oil. Anyone have some suggestions?
The other issue is that I've been having some dandruff. Usually I would treat this with a week of Head and Shoulders but I decided to try using tea tree oil instead and it appears to be working. Occasionally it seems to be really challenging to get the oil to spread evenly through my wet hair but in the end my hair always looks clean so I must not be doing that bad a job.

Poo Guilt

So October was to be my 6th month without shampoo. I love not using shampoo. For 6 months of clean hair I paid about $6 for the baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Using shampoo probably would have cost me triple. My hair was clean and my scalp was less irritated, it was great!
Now for the guilt part. I've been to the hair salon for a cut and an up-do and I let them wash my hair with their salon shampoos. I totally regret it because my scalp felt itchy and my hair had an overly perfume smell to it that I didn't like. I also just feel guilty. I'm not sure why, it's not like there are shampoo police checking if I've used any or not. I think I feel guilty because I kind of betrayed my body. My skin and senses loved my homemade baking soda and vinegar blend and I was so uncomfortable during the shampooing at the salon that I was actually grinding my teeth.
I'm back on the clean, natural path and I'm feeling better. My hair is taking a while to recover from the chemicals at the salon but I know my nose appreciates the change.

2 months without Poo

It's been 2 months since I used shampoo and I love it. My hair is so shiny and my scalp isn't as itchy anymore. There were a couple rough patches when I didn't mix things right and my hair looked greasy the next day or when I accidental got the vinegar rinse in my eyes but overall I really enjoy been shampoo free.
On an totally different note...my hair is losing it's red!!! I'm so sad. I finally appreciate my natural red hair and it fades away. Maybe the summer will help bring out the red.

1 week without Poo

Well it's been a week and I'm really happy with my hair. I've only done 2 vinegar rinses and 4 baking soda washes this week but my hair is soft and shiny and it just looks fuller. I'm shocked by how such a simple change can make such a difference to my hair. Another added bonus is that I've notice my head feels less itchy. Which makes a lot of sense since I'm allergic to so many different things there was bound to be something in that long list of ingredients on my shampoo bottle that I was allergic to. I'm lovin' the lack of poo in my life.

No Poo

I've decided to ditch the poo. I really should have done it a long time ago but I was worried that I would have greasy yucky hair. I haven't used shampoo since Thursday and did my first vinegar rinse last night. I'm actually really surprised but how clean my hair looks and how much more volume it has. I hope this works for me because it will save me a ton of money plus it's easier than going to the store and trying to find a shampoo that isn't filled with chemicals and its way better for the environment.
The way it works is that before you hop in the shower fill one jar with about a tablespoon of baking soda. Dissolve it in about 1/4 cup of water. It should look cloudy. When you are in the shower, wash just the top of your head with the baking soda wash. This will get the grease and dirt out of your hair. Then in another jar (or if you're like me just reuse the same jar) mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with about 1 cup of water. Rinse your hair with the vinegar mixture. This will wash the dirt out for the rest of your hair and give it a nice shine. Some people have said that using the vinegar rinse too often can dry your hair out. But I usually only wash my hair every other day unless I've gotten really sweaty or dirty. We will have to see if even that is too often. I've also read that some people worry that their hair will smell like vinegar but I didn't find that at all. But if it a concern for you, add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil to the vinegar rinse. I'll keep you posted on my hair minus the poo.