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Rosemary is the Best Hair Herb I Know!

Last week I told you how to use rosemary oil for hair growth.  I said I’d [...]]]>

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Rosemary is the Best Hair Herb I Know!

Last week I told you how to use rosemary oil for hair growth.  I said I’d share one of my favorite hair remedies soon, and today’s the day.  I mention in the title that the article is about using rosemary to improve your hair’s natural curl and shine, but if you have pin straight hair, you’ll still want this home remedy.  Rosemary not only improves the shine, it helps your scalp’s health and deters dandruff.  It improves scalp circulation, promoting hair growth.  The scent is naturally uplifting and is anti-anxiety and anti-depression.  So many great reasons to use it!  And yes, if you have curly hair, this will definitely give the curls a boost.  I use this technique on days when I have somewhere special to go.

As a no ‘poo person, I don’t have to wash my hair every day anymore.  It just doesn’t get dirty or oily very fast at all.  So on days I do the rosemary treatment, they are the days I didn’t wash my hair with baking soda and cider vinegar in the morning – the in-between days, I guess you could say.  

Here’s how I do it:  The night before (or several hours before) I bring some water to boil, then steep about a teaspoon dried rosemary herb in a covered container with the hot water.  I leave it to steep, either overnight or for several hours.  Then I strain it.  I shower as usual, but I just wet my hair without washing it.  (If you’ve used a lot of product the day before, or if you usually use shampoo, you’ll probably  have to wash it.)  After my shower, I place a large plastic bowl in the tub.  Leaning over the bowl, I slowly pour the tea over my hair.  I work it in a little (or not, depending on how impatient I am), then wring my hair out in the large bowl.  I dump the tea from the bowl back into the mug and repeat the process several times – about 5 to 10 or until there’s no longer tea to use (because I’m messy and always spill stuff).  I then wrap my hair in a towel and let it soak up the moisture.  I tend to use a dark towel, because the tea is dark.  I’ve never ruined a towel yet, but the drips do stain until I wipe them up, so I’m cautious just in case.

Uncomfortable?  A wee bit.  Time consuming? Not really.  In the end, I save a lot of time in hair styling, and it always  feels like a simple fix.  After I squeeze any more water out of my hair with the towel, I run my fingers through it and let it air dry.  It’s best to not fool with your hair much, but let the air do its thing.  Try hard not to fuss wit the curls no matter how tempting.  When it’s almost dry, I fluff it up a bit with my hair dryer, then spray  it with my homemade hairspray. The end result is springier curls and great smelling hair!

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Going Bald Wasn't a Great Look for Britney and it Probably Wouldn't be so Hot on Me Either

I ditched my shampoo back in June, and it was quite an adjustment at first, but I was so curious about the great results I’d heard others had had, [...]]]>

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Going Bald Wasn't a Great Look for Britney and it Probably Wouldn't be so Hot on Me Either

I ditched my shampoo back in June, and it was quite an adjustment at first, but I was so curious about the great results I’d heard others had had, so I stuck it out.  After a month or two, I was thoroughly convinced.  No doubt this was the way to go for me.  I learned how to use baking soda to scrub my scalp and apple cider vinegar to give myself a conditioning rinse.  My hair became soft, manageable, and curly.  I didn’t need a comb in the morning like I had my entire life to untangle my wet hair.  I didn’t need mousse, styling gels, or even a hairdryer.  I loved it!

But I made a couple of big goofs that almost threw me off the no ‘poo trail.  

Goof #1: I colored my hair.  Although I use a natural hair color and have for a long time, this particular product must still manage to strip the natural oils despite its lack of chemicals.  I was initially afraid to color my hair, but with about 2 inches of dark regrowth staring at me in the mirror, I decided I’d do it anyway.  It dried my hair out pretty good.  But I carried on.  After about 2 weeks it was almost back to what I loved about no ‘poo hair.

Goof #2: I went to the hairstylist.  My sister is a hairstylist and usually does my hair, but she lives a good distance away.  So when I just can’t stand it anymore, I go to a local salon for a trim.  Not usually a big deal, and this time I really needed it after the hair color incident.  My ends were pretty much shot.  I washed my hair before going for a cut, thinking I’d tell my stylist to please not shampoo me.  I even went in with slightly damp hair.  But when she stuck my head in that bowl, we were so busy yapping that I forgot!  She glopped on the shampoo and I said, “Oops!  I just washed my hair.”  (Yes, skeptics – no ‘poo girls do indeed wash their hair – just not with the stuff from the store.  I get that observation a lot.)  She said “No problem!” and washed the soap right out.  But something odd happened.

What happened when my hair met shampoo after 4 months? It went limp.  Dull, straight as a board, flat to my head.  For DAYS.  It became a terrible rat’s nest that I couldn’t undo, even after major conditioning.  And I could smell the shampoo in my hair for a week, no exaggeration, even after massive amounts of baking soda scrubbing, vinegar rinses, rosemary treatments… But the worst part was that it was like starting all over again.  My hair went into major oil overload.  The only reason I can think of is that shampoo does in fact strip the oil from the hair, forcing your body to produce more oil.  That’s why most people, even with expensive shampoos, can wash their hair in the morning and have an oily scalp by evening.  I’ve gotten used to waking up in the morning with hair that’s still soft and clean from the morning before.  

At first I’ll admit it, I wanted to give it all up and cry, cut my hair extra short, and go back to shampoo.  But then I remembered the reason I started it all in the first place, and I reminded myself that my stylist had used a brand of shampoo that, once upon a time, had been my favorite pricey brand.  And that it had taken out all the curl, given me snarls, and made my hair completely unmanageable for almost 3 weeks.  So that was that.  I’ve toughened it out and for the first time since my haircut, I enjoyed manageably curly hair yesterday.  My husband even commented on how cool all those curls were.

What was that expensive shampoo that turned my hair into a rat’s nest?  Hmm.  I don’t want to type it here or else those Google ads on my site will start spitting out advertising for it, but his initials are PM.  I think you can figure it out from there.

So for now I may be done with the no ‘poo updates.  It’s no longer an experiment; for me, it’s just become how I do things.  Yes, I’m enthusiastic about it, especially when someone who hasn’t seen me in a long time plays with my hair and tells me how great it looks.  And especially when I realize I’m doing something really good for my health, not just my appearance.  

I’m a no ‘poo girl.  ’Nuff said.

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Go Ahead - Make My 'Doo

It’s been nearly five weeks with no shampoo.  What’s happening to my head?  Well, I’m still really impressed with baking soda’s ability to keep my hair and scalp clean, and the vinegar rinse is really shining things up.  Between all the scalp [...]]]>

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Go Ahead - Make My 'Doo

It’s been nearly five weeks with no shampoo.  What’s happening to my head?  Well, I’m still really impressed with baking soda’s ability to keep my hair and scalp clean, and the vinegar rinse is really shining things up.  Between all the scalp massaging and rosemary oil, I’ve actually had to cut my bangs about once a week!  My hair grows fast anyway, but there’s a noticeable increase in long bangedness, if there can be such a word.  I’ve never had to cut them this often – over 1/4 inch of growth in a week!  (Yes, I measured.) 

Problem is, my hair is starting to seem a little dry.  I still don’t have tangles or snarls which is still a great surprise to me, but I’m feeling a wee bit frizzy.  I’ve read around, and it seems many no ‘pooers still use an occasional conditioner. I did try a light leave-in conditioner a few times earlier on in the experiment, but I stopped because at the time I didn’t feel the need for it.  Sometimes for frizz control I’ve also used a little hair oil, but the last few days it doesn’t seem to do the trick anymore . 

I also tried the egg trick – smeared an egg yolk in my hair, let it sit for about 10 – 15 minutes, and rinsed it out.  And gagged at the smell, rewashed with baking soda, rerinsed with cider vinegar and cold water, reapplied the rosemary oil.  And gagged at the smell. Gee, I had shiny hair that day.  But egads, the smell!  No thanks.

So now I’m back to trying to find the best solution for my hair.  I know most no ‘pooers had to get through a transition of one month to two, even three.  I think I’m hitting a bump in the road, but I’ll stick it out because one of the reasons I started this whole thing in the first place was that my  hair had started to misbehave in strange and mysterious ways (most likely having something to do with age and the bizarre weather patterns of the Great Lakes).  So I’ve nothing to lose.  

Many of you have been such a great cheering section for me; yes, you no ‘poo readers who’ve been at this much longer than 5 weeks have given me tips and encouragement, and your enthusiasm never fails to rub off on me.  I’d love to hear more from you guys on this one.  I’m also getting a great response from those of you who’d like to try it but aren’t sure if it will work for your hair type, etc.  With that, I have a request:  If you are a no ‘pooer, and if you’re willing to answer a few of my questions, please let me know by either commenting here or emailing me at themommyspot (at) gmail (dot) com.  OR if you’d like to go no ‘poo but you’ve got questions, please email them to me, or leave a comment here with your questions so I know what to ask our no ‘poo readers.  I’ll try and pull something together we can all learn from.

In the meantime I’ll keep going; I think I’ll try a different leave-in conditioner, perhaps use the hair dryer again on a low cold setting instead of letting it air dry.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated – unless it has something to do with a raw egg.

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Thou Mayest Have Tresses Like Unto Mine

So this is what happened:  We decided on a trip to the beach last week on a sweltering day.  Seems everyone else did too, because the beach was crowded and so was the water.  Imagine hundreds of people coated in non-biodegradable [...]]]>

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Thou Mayest Have Tresses Like Unto Mine

So this is what happened:  We decided on a trip to the beach last week on a sweltering day.  Seems everyone else did too, because the beach was crowded and so was the water.  Imagine hundreds of people coated in non-biodegradable sunscreen filing in and out of the lake all day long. I didn’t notice it at first, but at the right angle you could see what looked like a mini Exxon Valdez oil spill floating on the surface of the water. I didn’t notice it until after I’d submerged my head in the goo.  When we realized we were all feeling a bit slippery for a dip in a freshwater lake, I knew my hair would need a serious scrubbing.  So when we got home I decided to try the baking soda scrub followed by a cider vinegar final rinse.

Oh my GOSH.

You know I don’t type in all caps, but…

OH MY GOSH!

Now I know what makes the whole “No ‘Poo” thing such a big deal.  What I assumed would turn my hair into a tangled dry mess, what I assumed would be an unpleasant gritty experience, actually turned out to be the best-kept natural beauty secret I’ve ever blabbed on the internet.  Yes, the baking soda scrub is gritty as all get out, and yes it feels a little weird initially, but it rinses out very well.  And if I just put the recommended tablespoon or two of cider vinegar in a mug of cold water, dump in on my head at the very end without rinsing it back out, I have the most amazing hair of my life.  No, I don’t smell like Thousand Island dressing, but the shine is about blinding.

I’ve been doing this treatment every day for about a week now and my hair improves by the day.  At first I lost some of the new curl I’d gained, but it has returned and in a much shinier version.  Still no tangles to contend with, no need for conditioners.  My hair has become softer with some natural highlights coming into play.  Cider vinegar does give you reddish highlights over the long term which actually works well for me, so I’m happy.  

I see now why some super models and famous hair stylists recommend no ‘poo.  I get it.  I really get it now.  I don’t know how the adjustment would have been if I’d started out with baking soda and vinegar rinses right from the start, but I have a feeling it would have made things a little easier.  People who have done this treatment much longer than I have say there’s still an adjustment period of one to three months, even longer sometimes.  But now I can say with confidence, and in all caps, IT’S WORTH IT!!!

Read all my articles on my No ‘Poo Personal Challenge here.

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She didn't use shampoo either...

It is week three, and I’m still going strong with my personal no ‘poo challenge. I’ve had a wonderful response from you all, through comments and email, encouraging me and telling me your no ‘poo stories.  It’s been a real eye opener finding [...]]]>

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She didn't use shampoo either...

It is week three, and I’m still going strong with my personal no ‘poo challenge. I’ve had a wonderful response from you all, through comments and email, encouraging me and telling me your no ‘poo stories.  It’s been a real eye opener finding out there are many of you who don’t ‘poo, and that you love it.  Some of you have been doing it for years!  But what am I thinking in week three?

I’d say if anything, I’m getting more enthusiastic.  My naturally curly hair (which in the past was more like intensely unruly waves) is actually more curly and easy to manage.  I certainly wouldn’t have imagined curlier hair to be more manageable!  But there you have it. I’ve even stopped blowdrying, so my overall “get ready” time is much, much shorter.  With thick hair, I’ve always spent way too much time blowdrying and styling. Speaking of styling, my hair doesn’t require conditioner, mousse, gel, or even hairspray.  I used to use mousse for special occasions to try and tame my hair, then I’d have to load up on hairspray so my hair didn’t move as freely as I wanted.  I love the freedom of not weighing down my hair with stuff, and the fact that even though it moves around and shifts as the day goes, it still looks good if I just scrunch my hair a little with damp hands.

I’m still tinkering with how I like to do things.  For instance, I use rosemary oil on my wet hair and rub it into my scalp after I’m done scrubbing with water.  And I’ve discovered cold water (at least at the end of the shower) really makes a difference in shine and seems to make my hair feel and look smoother too.  I’ll want to tell you more about the rosemary oil later because I’m discovering a lot of great benefits with that, so perhaps the next post I’ll fill you in on what I’m experiencing.  

Let me end with what is perhaps the coolest part of my no ‘poo testimony:  This weekend my husband kept looking at me and laughing.  ”What?” I asked, “Is my hair going bad finally?”  It was extra curly that day, and I’m still a little hair paranoid at times.  ”No,” he said, “I really like it.  It’s just that women pay really good money to walk out of a salon looking like that.”  Huh.  And I don’t even do my hair anymore.

Read all my articles on my No ‘Poo Personal Challenge here.

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It is true. I do have a natural mane.

By now you’re all wondering, “Did she cave?  Did she finally crack open a bottle of shampoo, dump it all on her head, and lather away?”  Well, not entirely.  Even though my hair has been fairing much better [...]]]>

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It is true. I do have a natural mane.

By now you’re all wondering, “Did she cave?  Did she finally crack open a bottle of shampoo, dump it all on her head, and lather away?”  Well, not entirely.  Even though my hair has been fairing much better than I ever would have expected without shampoo, it’s not without its little challenges.  Not using shampoo may sound quite disturbing to some, but I think we can all agree the concept sounds simple – just don’t use shampoo.  But there are many ways around the shampoo issue as I’ve learned.  Some no-poo people prefer to scrub at their scalps with baking soda, rinse vigorously, then apply conditioner.  I haven’t tried this, but from what I’ve read you can have quite a head of tangles with this method.  I already suffer from that and have my whole life, so adding to the problem didn’t appeal to me.  Besides, not using shampoo has allowed me to have the most tangle-free hair of my life.  I don’t even need a comb after washing my hair – I literally run my fingers through my very thick hair to “comb” it.  This has been the best part of being a no-pooer.  Finally, snarl-free hair!  

Other no-poos use the tea rinses, which I thought worked pretty well.  The rosemary tea, for instance, adds shine and is pretty good at cleaning.  But a few days ago I didn’t have time to make the tea and let it sit for long enough.  So I grabbed a little bottle of rosemary essential oil.

I’ve used rosemary essential oil in my hair in the past, just a few drops rubbed in the palm of my hand and worked into damp hair to restore shine, support a healthy scalp, etc. so I figured this would probably work pretty well.  And it did!  I had great shine, my hair smelled wonderful, and my hair and scalp felt clean and fresh.  Alas, the next day I decided to shampoo anyway.  Sort of.  Using the most natural shampoo I own, I did wash it.  But since I’m no longer used to conditioning, I forgot that little step and had to really work on all the tangled mess I’d forgotten my hair can be.  Yesterday and today found me a no-poo chick once again, and with the aid of my rosemary oil, I’m rather enjoying my radical new me.

I still don’t know if this is a permanent change for me or not.  I think it calls for some more experimenting in what works best for my hair type.  I may just shampoo occasionally with my favorite natural stuff, or I might awaken one day to feel totally hippie-rebellious, pulling all my shampoos and conditioners into the shower with me to enjoy a suds fest.  Either way I’ll keep you posted.  So far it’s certainly been one of the more interesting experiments this blog has found me in!