I ran into this idea to wash hair with baking soda instead of shampoo. I don't even quite right remember how it happened. I just ran into couple of sources on internet 'bout this and kind of thought it is a good idea - it's way more natural than washing with shampoo. So I wanted to know if anybody besides me washes their hair with baking soda (however crazy that may sound ) or maybe somebody can tell me if this is bad for the hair, because I have long beautiful hair which I would not like to harm in any way. I've actually been doing this soda stuff since the middle of july, which makes it 4 months already. I am not sure, but it is possible that my hair has got a little thinner or weaker, but not dramatically. Any true knowledge appreciated
you need an acid -alkaline balance. straight baking soda is harsh. I use it to scrub my toilet! Baking soda leaves a mineral residue that vinegar will "eat" away. That residue clogs the hair folicles, the same thing that happens to balding men (a hormone byproduct, DHEA clogs those follicles) IF you wash your hair this way infrequently, it's OK. For people keeping their hair longer than shoulder length, I would say this is best only as an occasional treatment. If you have really oily scalp, a paste ONLY on the skin rinsed with water and followed by a vinegar rinse can help. Again, only as an occasional thing. Personally, I think the soda method takes too much water and therefore is out in my abode.
and if I don't want to use shampoo, then should I rather wash my hair with pure water than with soda? the oils don't quite go away if washed with pure water. soda removes it. and maybe you know - how often should hair be allowed to be washed in this brutal soda way? I am afraid to harm it, as I said!
try rosemary (plant) infusion. Make like a strong tea (herbal teas are actually infisions) You can also try soapwort froth, but with long hair that will get expensive. what are you avoiding with shampoo?
What am I avoding? Haha - I don't quite remember how it started Well, it's more like a DIY thing. I just thought that I don't want to be a slave to shampoo companies, so I found some info on alternatives and baking stuff was mentioned in several places so I thought it might be a good idea. I am a bit weird at times I just bought vinegar. Next time I wash my hair I'll use it to rinse my hair. It says that you should mix it with water 1:20. So that is the very proportion I should use for hair? Thanks for advices!
I used half-and half. You will smell...odd... for a bit, so go air out before you get on with your life. I was thinking about this over the weekend, and chemestry might be the answer. the first shampoos were soap, as detergents came around after the Pennsylvania oil fields.(1850+) what soap does is super wets your hair, allowing water to penetrate. Look for something that breaks the ionic bond in water, and you have your answer. pioneerthinking.org (com?) has some body and bath recipies...
as i saw it - alkaline soda makes the oils with dirt get out of the hair, soda kind of dissolves the oils. but i don't think that mixing it with vinegar is a good idea, because Ph is lost, it goes to normal - soda neutralises vinegar and vice versa, so you have minimum effect. so you have to use soda first and vinegar after. that's my math. whad'ya think?
vinegar AFTER the soda to remove residue, yep. Good call, O. Now, I scrub my face with baking soda (or salt) and I believe it is a great grease cutter (I use it all over my house) but I rinse the floor with diluted vinegar. You can see the soda film on the floor. Want that on yer hair?
Well, I tried that vinegar thing. I don't notice much difference, but I sure feel better, knowing the theoretical background and the meaning of vinegar in the process of neutralising alkaline Ph ballance. And one more feaky thing about my hygiene - i don't use soap... well, on my hands only, cause they get dirty sometimes (i ride a bike all the time, so you have to get your hands oily and dirty once in a while ). How that started? I remember this one - I found the idea in these forums somewhere around here. Somebody was ranting about soap and said like "Warm water and friction(rubbing) should do it" or smth. So I went for the idea I love to experiment with myself.. to a certain extent. I also brush my teeth with baking soda. Soda is da masta! Weird people...
osama, what's your hair like? coarse/smooth, think, thick, curly/straight? I found soda made my hair feel soft, almost too soft!
Ive never heard of washing hair with soda, but once and awhile i give my hair an apple cider vinegar rince, it does smell funky at first but after a couple hours its kinda nice. I also wash my face with soda once a week and its really cleared my skin up,and obviously a super exfoliant.
well... it's rather smooth, not too thin, nor thick - average, i guess. It's straight and a bit curling in the ends. I do get this horrible mess of hair in some places sometimes - nearly like dreadlocks I don't like brushing my hair Sometimes I would spend like half an hour just untangling my hair with my fingers But I don't really think soda has to do anything with this.
hmm. it could oils help detangle. I have waist-lenth hair that wants to half-dread ( i tried going full out, but it is too slippery to look decent) underneath and overnight. I braid it to keep it somewhat under control. BUT with the straight, it should be easy to rinse out whatever you use. I did find a shampoo recipie that calls for castile soap (dr B) and aloe.
