(no subject)

[ocelot]

I haven't shampooed my hair since April 1st. I've been washing it using baking soda and apple cider vinegar (see here for more info). According to one thing I read, this works because bases (baking soda) make the scales on the hair stand up, helping get rid of dirt, product buildup, and so forth. Then acids (apple cider vinegar) make the scales lie flat, so the hair is shiny and doesn't tangle as easily.

(This is often called the no-poo method. I utterly refuse to call it that.)

I do the whole thing once a week, with apple cider vinegar rinses more often to help with tangles.

It works ok. My hair smells fine (like hair, not perfume, but not bad), looks fine, and feels fine (not the squeaky clean super silky soft you get from ordinary shampoo/conditioner, but not bad or greasy either).

The main problem is that my hair tends to get tangled very easily. This is a problem for Leif, too. In fact, it's worse for hime since he hates having his hair brushed and gets terrible rat's nests when it doesn't get brushed, which just reinforces the brush hatred. I think it may be related to the water here. It's possible that if I used the ACV rinse every single day it would go better, but I'd be going through a lot of ACV (still cheaper than shampoo - a gallon is like $5.00)

I tried coconut oil once, but it just made my hair feel greasy for two days, and then crinkly and dry after that.

Another no-shampoo method is the Curly Girl method, which involves using conditioner only. I'm giving that a shot for a little while to see how it goes. Looking at the ingredients list on the conditioner makes me cringe a little after doing without all that for six months, and I'm not dealing well with the artificial smell, but if it helps with the tangles and doesn't make our hair yucky, it may be worth it, especially for Leif.

(basbleu, you planted the seed for all this a while back when you were talking about Curly Girl.)

I wouldn't mind having actual curls, and my hair is wavy enough that I probably would if I followed the whole method, but it seems too labor and hair product intensive. Perhaps I should read the actual book, not just the LJ communities.

About a year ago, I stopped washing my face with anything but water, a washcloth, and the occasional Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Oil soap if I'm having a breakout. I just got tired of spending money on facial cleanser. My skin immediately improved tremendously, and the only times I break out now are clearly hormonally related.

At about the same time, I started using one of those deoderant crystals. It worked great for a while, but the past few months I've been feeling stinky. Someone on naturalfamily mentioned that they thought their crystal absorbed odors after a while, and that seems plausible to me. So yesterday, along with conditioner I bought the squirt bottle type of crystal deoderant. I do think it's working better (of course, today is also the coldest day we've had so far, so perhaps not the best for testing). While the bottle itself is about half the price of the solid crystal, I can already see that I'm going to be going through it a lot faster (I could probably get another few months out of the crystal I bought a year ago, assuming it was actually working), especially if I can't convince myself that one spray per pit works as well as several.

When it is gone, I may try the crystal again, but use it only immediately after I've showered, and use something else if I feel I need something later in the day. Either that, or just rotate it when I start to feel stinky. Still cheaper than buying other types of deoderant - I think it worked well for at least six months last time.

I want a DivaCup when finances allow. I'm sure I've spent more on tampons since deciding I wanted one than I would have spent if I'd just gotten one from the start, but I've never made it a budget priority. I wish it were the type of thing I could request for Christmas, but it really isn't, you know? :)

Comments

[figgy-newton.livejournal.com]

I am probably going to buy a divacup before the end of the year. I used instead this last time around and it was such a nice change. And I think the divacup (or the keeper, same thing) would be even better.

I have been using the Dr. Bronner's soap for a body wash. And reading the bottle is always amusing.

I am only using organic all natural shampoos and conditioners (a company called /J/A/S/O/N/).

My hair gets so oily so quickly I can't imagine not using shampoo every day.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I love reading the Dr. Bronners bottles, though I'll admit I rarely pay much attention to them now that I've been reading the same thing for years on end.

I used Instead for a while. It was great when it worked, flood-land when it didn't, and that was often enough that I didn't stick with it long term. I've heard DivaCup tends to be better in that respect. It also tended to irritate me after using it for a few days.

Probably part of the reason your hair gets oily is because shampoo strips the natural oils, encouraging overproduction. A lot of people go through a big greaseball period for the first month. I didn't much, but probably because I'd already weaned down to shampooing only once every four days or so.

[savia.livejournal.com]

I did the no shampoo thing for several months, but discovered that my hair is just naturally greasy. Ah, well. I just wash every other day now (with Jason Naturals currently, actually), and that's about it. I try to use just a little bit of shampoo, and just on the roots. My hair needs a ton of conditioner, tho, on account of being so processed over the years.

re: the crystal, I discovered that if I use it when my pits are already stinky, the crystal tends to absorb the odor. So it works best right out of the shower. I'd recommend keeping it in a sealed container and just applying it after you've washed your pits. I used mine in India (woo! jungle conditions!), and it worked beautifully.

Also, a friend of mine swears by a mixture of corn starch and baking soda for underarm deodorant. The corn starch even works as a mild anti-persperant. Plus, it's super cheap.

Incidentally, you might be interested in the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which is a campaign I do a lot of work for via the Breast Cancer Fund (my employer).

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

Hmm, the sealed container may well be part of the problem. I tend to drop the thing, and the cap broke beyond use a while ago. I hadn't thought about that.

The versions I've seen recently seem like they may be made out of a slightly sturdier plastic.

[silkensteel.livejournal.com]

I really want to get at my books. I'm pretty sure Grace Firth's "Secrets of the Still" or "Stillroom Cookery" have a recipe or something for conditioner. It might just be stale beer, but I can't remember.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

Beer is definitely one of them, though I haven't tried it.

The cider in our fridge may well be apple cider vinegar by now.

[jtersesk.livejournal.com]

Ooh, can you tell me more about the deodorant crystal thing? I think I've heard of it before but I don't know where to find it. Sounds quite interesting, and I find antiperspirants don't...anti-perspirate me, as it were.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I got this one at the local food co-op, but I've seen them at every health food store I've ever been in.

The crystal is basically just a rock in a plastic case. You get it wet, then rub it on your armpit like normal deodorant. It isn't an antiperspirant, but it does keep the smell down well.

the CRYSTAL

[hideousallusion.livejournal.com]

I am completely with the crystal.

The big thing for me about it is that Crystal Stick is just deoderant- no antiperspirant at all. This means that just like the shampoo further up the thread, you tend to be quite uncomfortably sweaty for a few days, but after that your body adjusts to the point that even without the stick, you dont smell too bad because you just don't sweat as much.

Re: the CRYSTAL

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

You're actually the reason I started using it - I saw that you were using it, and you didn't stink, so I figured it was worth a shot.

[fleckerbug.livejournal.com]

Gah.. you would probably have a cow if you saw my bathroom.. I likes me my smellies. I at least tend to go for more natural stuff and like mostly nice smellies like sandalwood, patchouli, ginger, natural florals. Anywho.

I buy crap for my skin, but it really just works the best when I don't wash it that often, too. When I do wash it I use a tea tree oil liquid facial cleanser. I also use tea tree oil for spot treatments. The brand I use also makes a mask I like to use.. I'd like to find a different brand though.. The Body Shop is the devil.

I just bought a mooncup. I heard better things about it that the Divacup and, truthfully, I liked the name better! :) I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. One of the reasons I ordered it over the Divacup is I was told by users of both that it was more maleable and I have a very sensitive bladder and I thought soemthing more squishable would be better. It came in the mail halfway through my last period and I only used it twice. My periods have been so unbelievably light lately, I'm not sure it's worth it. I halfway would rather just wear old undies. Meh. Maybe next time it'll work better. I'm also not sure I'm putting it in right. They say to wear it low in your vagina, but I was so 'short' at the time that it was practically coming out of me even when placed as high as possible. Meh. I might trim it more too, though I cut the stem completely off. I'm thinking of using lube to try putting it in, but I haven't been able to find glycerine-free lube yet and I tossed out all my old glyceriney ones.

I'd like to find out about more natural ways to take care of my hair. Right now I use Pantene because it's what works for me. I just don't know if I could imagine not washing/conditioning it.. I'm kinda weird about my hair.. it's kind of one of my better features(or so I'm told) so I like to take care of it. I know Ted would love to not use it though.. the only reason he wears deodorant is because of my sensitive nose.. hah.

I tried that Crystal stuff when I was younger. For some reason I didn't like it.
What is this Curly Girl deal?

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I don't mind smelly stuff that actually smells similar to what it's supposed to smell like, but this is cheap-ass conditioner and just smells fake :) I have a weakness for ginger, too.

I do tea tree oil spot treatments if I think about it, but I rarely do. Tea tree oil is great. The Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Oil soap basically entirely cleared up koyote's scalp problem that even special shampoo wasn't really helping.

I'm not too familiar with the curly girl thing, really. It's a way of taking care of curly hair. You're not supposed to use shampoo (for most hair types), just conditioner (without any ingredients ending in cone), and you're not supposed to brush your hair or use heat on it. I really should read the book, because it's complicated enough that I don't really understand it :)