My riveting shampoo update.

The baking soda vinegar rinse worked! Hooray!

I try not to wash daily--unless needed. (Its just wasteful, come on.) I washed my hair with the BS&V mixture and the next day it felt great and looked clean and shiny. The following night I didn't wash it and towards the end of the second day my bangs started looking a little greasy again.

Wah-wah.

Maybe I can use a dry shampoo in between washes and keep my hair looking fresh? Lets try that experiment tomorrow morning!

Here are some awesome suggestions I've gotten on social media from other friends who prefer natural methods of scrubbage. I was really impressed. Thus far, I can only vouch for my method but I'm excited to check out the others, especially the: cocoa powder dry shampoo, coconut oil antiperspirant, and the honey sugar facial scrub!


Natural hair care:

• "I've seen great tutorials for the "shampfree"/"no-poo" vinegar method on the website howtohairgirl.com"

• "I use a homemade dry shampoo to absorb excess oil in between washings. It's a mix of cornstarch, cocoa powder (mostly so the powder looks closer to my hair color, but the chocolate smell is a bonus!) and a few drops of essential oil (I use tea tree). I keep it in a little jar and apply it with an old makeup brush (the big ones for loose powder are good). Let it sit for a minute or so then comb it out. It's amazing how well it works--plus it adds a little texture to fine hair, so styling/volumizing is easier!"

• "I've tried and had mixed results and feelings. These days I'm using a tea tree shampoo from Trader Joe's that I like pretty well... The main thing that has improved my hair recently is changing my washing frequency from every 2 days to every 3. My hair never looks greasy! Good luck."

• "Oh, argan oil is awesome for all hair types. I use it all the time- it's expensive, but it lasts a while."

• "I've used baking soda as a dry shampoo and it was awesome until I would take a real shower and then it would burn the hell out of my eyes"

• "I use Nature's Gate shampoo. It's a good natural shampoo. It lathers really well for a shampoo with no sulfates."

• "I've done an apple cider vinegar rinse to balance out the ph in my hair. I've found that the smell is gone once your hair is dry."

• I just started using baking soda and vinegar a few days ago! I asked someone to smell my hair and they said it vaguely smelled like vinegar but wouldn't have noticed if i hadn't told them what it was. Also, it sort of looks greasy, but my hair is short and uneven and crazy right now, so, i don't know, it doesn't bother me."

• "I know folks who have done it - your hair can get a bit greasy for the first few weeks, but then it tends to get better."

• "I've done just vinegar. It dried out the tips of my hair and the roots were still a little greasy. So, I started to wash it with Burts Bees shampoo then do the vinegar afterward. Never used baking soda though."

Natural antiperspirant:

• "Coconut oil + baking soda = magic. After a shower simply rub a little bit of coconut oil into your armpits, then pat on just a little bit of baking soda. It works SO WELL. Sometimes the baking soda starts to itch or irritate (not often, but especially if you shave daily)  BUT REALLY you have to try it. Everyone who has tried it has the same results: MAGIC.
• Also, you can blend coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder and an essential oil of your choice and make it into a stick, but I have yet to do that because the simple recipe above works so well!"

Natural facial scrub:

• "Acv toner. Also, for a facial scrub I also use honey, but mine has crystalized over time, so I don't even have to use sugar or salt. It's quite abrasive. And delicious."

• "The honey and sugar facial scrub- works really well as an abrasive and tastes good too! I just keep mine in the shower so it's not quite as messy. Also, you could adjust the type and amount of sugar...raw sugar would obviously be more abrasive than others..."

• "My all time favorite facial scrub is making a mixture of honey and sugar (or salt). I only do it once a week or so right before I get in the shower. Otherwise, it's kind of a mess to get off."

Welp, more details to come on my natural hair cleaning adventures after I try out some dry shampoos on my greasy locks in the morning. I hope this was helpful or at least interesting to anyone out there wanting to give up on traditional shampoo and conditioner!