Sharing a secret...

.. which maybe I shouldn't divulge until I am sure it is working, but I'm two weeks in and I can see a difference so I'm stepping out and sharing.

I'm going SHAMPOO free.  (And conditioner free too!)

Crazy talk?  Maybe.  But this could be good.  For the pocket book and my head.

Here's where it all started.  I went on vacation with my parents in July and took along a sample of shampoo and conditioner to use, saving me from packing my big bottle.  My sensitive skin had a horrible reaction leaving a rash on my neck.  My parents encouraged me not to use shampoo that week.  That they haven't used shampoo, other than maybe once a month, in a year.  What!?

Day 2 in and I couldn't do it.  My hair felt gross, and I started back on shampoo as soon as I got home.  Then two weeks ago, some friends on an online forum also started confessing THEY don't use shampoo.  And they shared their secrets.  Baking soda and vinegar.  I jumped on the bandwagon.

Week 1 I started gradually eliminating my normal shampoo (Dove), and using every second day a shampoo I had at home that was "safe" (sulfate and cone free).  My kids Burts Bees baby shampoo.  That first week my hair felt "dirty" and my scalp itchy.  Week 2 was the worst and my hair was SO tangly.  On the days inbetween the shampoo I used a baking soda solution and a rinse with WHITE vinegar.  My scalp was starting to feel better but to be honest, my hair felt NASTY.  Here's a picture from my daughter's birthday party this past weekend.  All I can see when I look at this photo is BAKING SODA.  Because that's how my head felt.  Coated in baking soda.

And I gave in yesterday and used a 'cone conditioner spray in because I couldn't handle the tangles.  Today I was ready to drive to LUSH to pick up a cone free conditioner to use.  Then luckily I found this blog.  And instead of running to LUSH, I had a shower and used APPLE cider vinegar.  I also used a baking soda paste rather than a wash.  Third I combed my hair while in the shower.  DUDES!  It worked!  My hair feels CLEAN, my scalp still feels good.  Week 3 is starting to feel like I CAN be shampoo free.

My plan for this week is to only rinse with water, using the baking soda and vinegar solution maybe part way through if I need to.  The other difference I notice is my hair feels thicker with more body.

I only wash my kids hair once a week, and thinking on it, their hair always looks good.  This week when I gave them their bath I used the Burts Bees baby wash on their hair.  This next week I'm switching them to my soda and vinegar routine.  Pretty soon we will all be product free with healthier happier hair.