To 'Poo or Not to 'Poo: That is the Question

Throw a stone and you can find a blog post, website or article devoted to the trend that has been dubbed the "No 'Poo Method." A rather unimaginative and gross-sounding name, in my opinion. Basically, it's the idea that not washing your hair is better for it and you. Some people stop washing all together. Others use a combination of baking soda, water, and apple cider vinegar. Well, I tried it. Long enough to have an opinion on the subject.

A lot of people do it to be eco. Others to be frugal. Although I like both of those reasons, I did it simply to find relief. And to try something new. I have been struggling with my fine hair for years and finally decided that less might actually be more in my case.

A little back story: I have a crotchety, sensitive scalp. Seriously, I must have miffed the hair gods in a past life. I have never been able to use lovely smelling products, just medicated shampoos. I was using T-Gel shampoo when I was six. Seriously.  Despite my careful product selections, I still struggle with an itchy, oily, flaky scalp. Dermatologists call it seborrheic dermatitis. I call it annoying.

When I first heard about "washing" your hair with baking soda, I was skeptical. Every derm I've ever had has said I need to shampoo every single day, as my symptoms are an immune response to my own sebum (aka hair grease). But what I was doing wasn't working, so I decided to give it a go.

I opted to start with one tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of tea tree oil in a small bottle. I add water and squirt it on in the shower. I rub it around on my scalp, let it sit for a bit, and rinse. The vinegar "conditioner" didn't appeal to me so I skipped it, instead applying my usual argon oil after towel drying. That seems to work fine and my hair was never dry-looking. Then I style as usual. One 8 ounce bottle lasts me several days.

Surprise, surprise! My hair looks pretty good! Although I'd get out of the shower thinking "My hair is sooo greasy right now", it wasn't. Admittedly, there were a couple of blah hair days, but nothing a ponytail couldn't overcome.  I did notice some dryness, but attribute that to the Rogaine, as they were little dry flakes on just my crown as opposed to my usual sebum buildup. Have I grossed you out yet?

For the first time in forever, my hair abandoned it's irritated, flaky ways.  A week turned into a month, and I was still going strong. Some people don't even need the baking soda very often after a while, but I definitely do. Just rinsing with water isn't enough for me. Also, to help moisturize my scalp, I coat it in oil once a week before bed then use shampoo (now it will be Dr. Bronner's) to wash it out the next morning. I've been doing it for years. It sounds counter intuitive for an oily scalp, but it has a balancing effect. I love Caroline's Daughter Hair Elixir or just plain almond oil. Both are non-greasy oils and leave my scalp feeling nourished.

No greasy hair here!

The other day I decided to add some colored highlights and was forced to use a little shampoo to get all the excess dye out. I'll admit, it felt nice. But my scalp was itchy and irritated not a day later. I use Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Special shampoo and conditioner, which is better than most, but it still doesn't allow me to achieve scalp perfection. I was also sad to notice that the 3rd ingredient is a sulfate. Bummer.

When I went back to my baking soda rinse, my hair rebelled. For the first time since I started, it just didn't do it for me. Perhaps two days of shampooing had interrupted the delicate balance I had achieved. But part of me started resisting the idea of a system that could fall apart in just a couple of days.

Then I had a liberating idea: Why does it have to be all or nothing? The hygiene world isn't so black and white that my only options are shampoo or nothing. There are great natural, sulfate-free, fragrance-free hair cleaners.

So this morning I dug my Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap out of the closet. I bought a HUGE bottle years ago so I could wash my hair in the lake at my in-law's vacation home (it's biodegradable and free of chemicals). What can I say, I dabble in hippie.  It was foamy and satisfying. I didn't read the instructions (who can find them among all the ramblings on the bottle?!) and therefore neglected to dilute it. I just dumped it on my head, whereas you're supposed to add about 1 tbsp per gallon of water. Oops. My hair was definitely cleansed, and made a nice reee, reeeeee, reeeeeee noise when I combed it. Live and learn.

A few hours later, I'm sitting pretty. My scalp isn't screaming and my hair isn't greasy. Win-win. Tomorrow I will use the baking soda. And probably the next day. I'm not sure what my new routine will look like, but I hope to only use the good doctor when it feels like my hair needs a little more oomph (once or twice a week); relying on the baking soda mix the rest of the time.

I'm a beauty addict. There is no doubt about it. But not at the expense of my comfort and well-being. When I was a teenager, I would inflict great discomfort on myself for the sake of foofy smelling hair. Now I care less about that and more about what is best for my health. If that means using a baking ingredient in lieu of lust-worthy products, so be it. FYI: I had my husband do the sniff test after a week of using the soda rinse and he said my hair smelled just fine.

I think there was a point to all this. Oh, yeah. It works. It helps me and performs waaay better than I thought it would. And it caused me to rethink what I put on my head...which made this whole adventure worth it. Gone are the days of suffering for beauty. I have options, yo!

A few suggestions should you decide to take the plunge:

Wella liquid applicator bottle

• Give it time! Your scalp has to adjust. I committed, and before I knew it a month had gone by. There couldn't have been that many bad hair days or I would have quit long before that.
• Experiment with the ratios. I've found that a tablespoon of the baking soda per 8 ounce bottle of water works best for me, but you may need more or less depending on your level of oiliness. 
• I went to Sally Beauty and got a bottle with a tip cap for easier application. The mixture is only warm on the day you make it, and you don't want to dump cold water down your back every morning. This way, I just apply it to my scalp.
• If you opt to use the vinegar, only use it on your ends. Lemon juice is another option. So I've heard. Apparently it's all about acid (vinegar)/base (baking soda) chemistry.

To 'Poo or Not to 'Poo: That is the Question

Friday, October 5, 2012

Up and at 'Em

I'm exhausted. After a summer of late nights, differing time zones and sleeping in, I am having to adjust to being up early again. Earlier, actually. My son begins his 7:55a middle school start time in a week and I have an 8a class, so I now have to get up at 6a to get myself together . . . a whole hour earlier than in previous years. Kuddos to those warriors out there who have always worked this early (or earlier). You have my respect.

His elementary school started at 8:45a, so we've been spoiled over the last 4 1/2 years. My classes started at 10a (because I couldn't take the earlier ones), so I had a nice buffer for a Starbucks run. Those days are over. And I am feeling it.

A whole lot of this lately!  (Photo: slashfood.com)

The problem is, I'm not a morning person. It is hard for me to go to sleep at 9p in preparation for a 6a wake up time. I like to be up, and tend to be most productive around ten or eleven at night. Like a lot of people, I often find myself working against my natural rhythm.



It's not all bad, though. Sure, the adjustment period is rough, but it also feels really good to be up and at 'em this early in the morning. The day is my oyster. I have never really understood what that means. In the spirit of becoming a morning person, I'm looking at the bright side. In the form of my favorite back-to-school things.

A New 'Do:

Conair Infiniti Prodryer

I've never been a big blow dryer. My hair is fine, curly/wavy, and frizzy, and I've never quite mastered a technique to tame it. And with 10a classes, I always had plenty time to let it air dry. Not anymore. I have finally discovered a great system that gives my hair oomph for two days:  root lifting foam, blow dry with a round brush, run my flatiron over it to smooth . . . voilá! Manageable hair! The next day my hair slides right in to a chic, voluminous ponytail; cutting down on the lengthy primping time.

When my old blow dryer from high school blew its last breath a few months ago, I replaced it with a $10 Target find. Now that I'm actually using it regularly, I am realizing just how inadequate it is. And that I might be deaf by winter if I keep using it. Blow drying my hair took fifteen minutes yesterday. And it was frizzy. I am a mom and a student. I barely have fifteen minutes to bathe, let alone dry my hair!

I had a couple hours between classes and used part of it to research blow dryers. Studious, I know. This one came up a lot. I'm willing to pay for a really good flatiron (I have a Sedu), but firmly believe that there are reasonably priced blow dryers that can do the job just as well as the expensive ones. Cue the Conair Infinit Prodryer.

If I had been wearing socks, it would have knocked them off. It is powerful! My hair was completely dry in five minutes. If that. This beauty has shaved ten minutes off my prep time. Brushing my teeth in the shower while my conditioner works has saved me a couple more. This is hand down the best purchase I have made in a while.

 A Touch of Style:

Admittedly, I'm a bit of a scarf addict. I could write a whole post about them. Maybe I will. I wear them year-round and could probably circle the globe if I put my collection end to end. I am pretty picky these days, though. Too gauzy and you get two wearings out of them. Too thick and they don't lay right. And I have learned to be selective with prints. I used to buy a scarf simply because I loved it, but now I stop to consider if it actually goes with anything I own. A scarf that you can only wear with that one particular blue shirt is a waste of money and valuable closet real estate . . . no matter how cute it is. I have too many that just sit around waiting for something to match.

I'd seen this scarf at the Gap a few times and loved it, but never bought it (did I really need another scarf?). While in St. Louis we were invited out to a wine restaurant with some friends. We hadn't packed anything even remotely dressy, so I decided on a black tee, dark jeans and this scarf. The 30% off Friends and Family discount helped seal the deal. I love it. It's funky, yet neutral, and totally unique. It is out of stock on their website (some stores probably have it), but there are a couple others I really like here and here.


A Foot in the Door:

Women's Chelsea Flat by Lower East Side

I had written off Payless a long time ago. In the past, I couldn't find many things I liked, or they hurt my feet, or my son wore them out before he outgrew them. There is one in my town, but I often forget about it because it's hidden in the corner of a complex I rarely visit. While at a mall in St. Louis, I passed by one and saw these shoes in the window. They had to be mine. I was bummed to find that they were out of them in my usual size 9, but decided to check out the 9 1/2 section on a whim. There was one pair left! And because they apparently run a little small, the bigger size fit perfectly! They are delicate, sweet and appeal to my Shabby Chic-loving side.

What's more? They are sooo comfortable . . . and less than twenty bucks a pair. This lone pair of shoes has me rethinking Payless. They have really stepped up their game!

Although I aspire to be a high heel wearing professional in a smart pencil skirt, I'm really more of a flats girl. I have to lug textbooks around campus, take care of a kiddo, and live in a wooded area, so heels don't fit into my life right now. Maybe someday. More than anything, I like to be comfortable. And cute. Plus, at this price my feelings won't be hurt if they only last a couple of seasons. I will be sad, however, if I can't find an equally chic replacement.

Back to my homework. College professors like to buck the no-homework-on-the-first-day nicety. I'm hoping my blah state of mind lifts as the week progresses. I didn't have that little quickening of excitement in my belly on Monday like I have in past semesters. I think I am just growing weary. Still, it's good to be back and working toward the end . . . especially now that it is in sight.

Up and at 'Em

Wednesday, August 29, 2012