science_spot

Science_spot goes "No-Poo."

Science_Spot recently made the decision to go green in her household and blog about her green living experiment along the way.

This week she talks about "No Poo"—a natural hair care method that uses baking soda and vinegar instead of shampoo.

Six weeks ago I stopped using traditional hair care products on my hair. My hair is dark, thick, and very curly. It turns wavy if I comb the curls out, but I get so many compliments on the curls, I want to keep them!

I initially tried the "no-poo" method I read about because so many moms rave about it. Basically, instead of using shampoo and conditioner, you use baking soda to wash and a vinegar rinse (see details in Green Organic Natural Simple Living).

This method was working fine for me, and my hair felt clean. It was very soft, and it was nice to be able to touch my hair for a change! The problem was, because I wasn't putting anything in it to control the frizz and hold the curls together, it looked awful. I had to keep a headband in it so it didn't look unruly, and there was a constant frizz to it, which means it didn't look curly.

These problems pointed to the fact that I needed something to use as a styling aid. A friend suggested olive oil. I have thick hair so I need to use a fair amount to coat the curls. After some use, I determined the best way to control the curls was to apply the oil when the hair was starting to dry on top, and then again once the hair was dry.

Since I have been doing this, my hair looks good again, and the curls hold together all day long. There is no scent, and my hair is nice and soft.

Although no-poo was working well for me, I had some reservations about using baking soda and vinegar on the kids. The vinegar is smelly, so I knew Abby was not going to like it, and there is a high risk of getting it in the eyes on days her cooperation level is low.

I wanted something more "mainstream" but still "natural." After much of research, I decided to try Aubrey Organics' line of shampoo and conditioner. Because the shampoo doesn't have any detergent in it, it doesn't foam up at all. As with the baking soda, you don't need foaming action in order to clean, and they have been working very well for me and my daughter. These products are about $10 each at the grocery store, which is only slightly more than the Pantene I was using previously. If you factor in the savings on mousse and hair spray I no longer buy, I am actually saving money!

When followed by my perfected olive oil styling method, my hair looks as good as it did before I made this switch. I may still try some other brands, but I am so happy to have found something that works for me, available locally, and at a reasonable price.

Previously:

Going Green: One CafeMom's Natural Transition

Green Home Experiment: Week 2

Green Home Experiment: Week 3

Green Home Experiment: Week 4 

Green Home Experiment: Week 5

Green Home Experiment: Week 6

Green Home Experiment: Week 7

Green Home Experiment: Week 8 (Part 1)

Green Home Experiment: Week 8 (Part 2)

Green Home Experiment: Week 9

Green Home Experiment: Week 10

Green Home Experiment: Week 11