To be honest, I've only recently converted to hair" au natural".
Previously, like everyone else, I was disgusted by this simple idea.
Not using shampoo to wash my hair?! Never!
But that was before.
More and more people decide not to use shampoo anymore, as is the case of this person who testifies.
One fine day, 3 years ago, I decided to stop torturing my hair - and my health - with a whole bunch of chemicals.
And I do not regret! Now here's how I do it:
I first let a not very pleasant phase of 5-6 days go by without washing my hair at all.
Why ? This is so that the hair's natural sebum can best nourish the roots.
Then, instead of using my usual store-bought shampoo, I do the following:
1. I run my hair under lukewarm water.
2. I dilute baking soda in water, then I knead my hair with this mixture for about 2 min.
3. I then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, insisting on the scalp.
4. I mix apple cider vinegar with water and then massage my hair with this preparation.
5. After thoroughly soaking the entire length of my hair, I rinse with very cold water.
These gestures, I repeat them once every 5-6 days , with a clear warm water wash in between. And of course, a balanced diet...
And There you go ! My hair is now shiny, healthy and naturally!
To convince you to adopt this natural hair washing method, here are the 7 lessons I learned after 3 years without using shampoo :
After these long months without shampoo, my hair is much more silky and supple than before. I no longer use any product.
I just blow dry with a hair dryer that has a diffuser (like this one).
The beautiful waves in my hair stay throughout the day. And I can tell you that when you know you have good hair, it's like a magical power that gives you confidence and erases other worries you may have about your looks.
Another more unexpected effect:the color of my hair has more shades, which makes it even shinier. For my part, my light brown now has beautiful shades of blonde, so much so that people ask me if I'm blonde.
The reality is using the shampoo for decades has darkened my natural blondeness. The chemical molecules in the shampoo caused the sebaceous glands to overproduce.
This overproduction of sebum then "asphyxiated" my scalp. The result was years of dull hair, when the blonde I knew as a child was not so far away!
Dig into your distant memories of chemistry class:do you remember what pH is? I help you a little:the pH scale goes from 0 to 14.
The so-called "neutral" pH is at level 7. Also, anything below this threshold is "acidic" and anything above it is said to be "basic" or "alkaline".
Human skin needs to be slightly acidic to prevent fungus and bacteria from growing.
So when I use baking soda to wash my hair (basic pH) and then apple cider vinegar (acidic pH), my scalp pH stays stable.
Sebum production then remains low and bacteria and fungi of all kinds avoid multiplying.
This is simply why my hair stays clean longer!
This is also the reason why white vinegar should not be used:it is far too acidic. Prefer apple cider vinegar.
Industrial shampoos are made to be slightly acidic. It is also often marked on the bottle "balanced pH".
But some of the ingredients used, in particular sulphates, dry out your hair, thus causing an overproduction of sebum despite this slightly acidic pH.
I always got good grades in chemistry at school. Unfortunately we never had a course dedicated to the care of hair products :-)
To wash my hair naturally, it's very simple and very fast!
I first put in a 1.5 liter plastic bottle the equivalent of 6 tablespoons of baking soda.
Then I fill it with water. This mixture is the "1st bath" for my hair.
For the "2nd bath", I fill another bottle half with apple cider vinegar, and half with water.
Once these 2 preparations are finished, I leave the 2 bottles in my shower. I just shake them a bit before each use. And that's it!
The roots of the hair:this is where it is necessary to insist.
Of course, it's not about forgetting the lengths of your hair when washing. But where it all happens is close to your scalp.
Hair roots are the first to be affected by excess sebum since they are closest to the sebaceous glands.
So when I do my baking soda and then apple cider vinegar washes, I always emphasize the parts near my scalp rather than my lengths.
Sometimes it's also good to let your hair be "nourished" by the natural sebum of the scalp.
In this case, you can do like me:wear a wide headband, a pretty scarf or a hat to hide the slightly oily roots. Once well washed, they will be shiny, silky and fortified.
That's always good to know.
If you have a physical job, work outdoors in the heat, or live somewhere hot and humid, you'll probably have to wash your hair more than once a week.
Anyway, know that it is not good to wash your hair, naturally or with a classic shampoo, more than twice a week.
Like baking soda and apple cider vinegar, your nails have a big role to play in making your hair beautiful.
The nails are indeed used to effectively wash your scalp with the 2 bicarbonate/vinegar preparations and allow you to clean the roots that are a little too greasy when you simply clean your hair with clear water.
For my part, I pour my baking soda mixture on a small part of my scalp, then gently scrape with my nails in a circular motion.
Gradually, my whole head is then covered with the preparation. Ditto then for the cider vinegar wash.
And no need to have long claws. My nails are very short, but strong and therefore do the job well.
Whether or not you like to smell the smell of other people's hair, I think I have everyone in agreement. The opinions around me are unanimous:the smell of my hair is very pleasant!
Of course, people ask me what my shampoo is. That's when I answer:"Well let me tell you my little secret…". People are always surprised.
Some take my word for it, but I'm always willing to let someone touch my hair and smell it a 2nd time so they can see for themselves that my hair doesn't smell like vinegar.
Obviously, they don't smell like "Orange peel under the southern sun" or "Pomegranate water with Pacific pearl extracts".
Their smell is just pleasant, neutral, that of clean hair.
Silky, fortified hair, naturally and at a very low cost.
Seriously:how could I do without it today?!
And you, now that you know what I learned from 3 years without shampoo, would you be ready to stop using shampoo too? Give me your opinion in comments :-)
