Have you heard of the “no ‘poo movement”? No ‘poo as in shampoo. It gained popularity because shampoo is technically a detergent, so it removes your hair’s natural oils. If you have to rely on Head & Shoulders, it may be because the shampoo is stripping out more than just your natural oils. Plus, it’s often loaded with potentially toxic chemicals. Stuff like sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), parabens, DEA, MEA, etc. These are chemicals that you absolutely should be avoiding. It’s for these reasons (and the money saved) that the no ‘poo movement came about. Personally, I like shampoo (just not the conventional stuff). I love the way my hair feels after a shower. And there’s a way you can have your cake and eat it too – a natural, non-carcinogenic containing shampoo that won’t strip your natural oils. Natural Shampoo Directions The ingredients are simple. As with most natural soap recipes, you’ll be using castile soap. All castile soap is some type of oil (generally olive oil), water, and lye. It is incredibly basic, but effective. For this recipe, you’ll need: Just pour everything right into the bottle and shake it up. You’ll need to shake it before you use it every time because the liquids will separate a little bit. If you find your hair is too dry, replace the ½ cup of water with ½ cup of coconut milk. When you shake it, use more of a swirling motion though. Coconut milk will add lather, so too much shaking will turn your shampoo into bubbles. If you’re looking for something more, try adding a teaspoon of honey or aloe vera. More on the No ‘Poo Movement Just in case your interest has been piqued… The goal is to get to the point where you just use water to remove dirt, dust, and whatever other debris is in your hair. But before you get to that point, you’ll need to wash with a solution of baking soda and water and another solution of apple cider vinegar and water. For the baking soda portion, use about 1 tablespoon of baking soda and mix it with one cup of water. Play with the amount of baking soda until you figure out what works for you. As you increase or decrease the dose, you’ll notice differences in your hair. Pay careful attention to them so you know what works. Put it in a shower-friendly container so you can wash your hair with it. Rub it into your scalp and rinse out like you would shampoo. You’re going to do the same thing with apple cider vinegar and water. This ratio is the same (1 tablespoon ACV to one cup water). Again, tweak the strength of the solution to suit your needs. You’ll only be rubbing this into the ends of your hair – not the scalp. Your hair is going to produce more oil for a while when you start this process. Everyone’s hair is different, so the period of time it lasts will be different for every person. If you think it’s lasting too long, try using less ACV. As far as when you’ll actually be able to just use water? There’s no definitive time period. It’s going to depend on your individual hair. But give use this process for at least two months before completely going over to just using water.
• ½ cup distilled water
• 15-20 drops of essential oils (optional)
• A shampoo bottle or other type of dispenser