{Awesome Guest Post} How to Go Shampoo-Free

Would you like to know how you can stop using shampoo and conditioner and have the best hair youve ever had? A month ago, I was tired of constantly washing my hair every day. No matter how much I tried to take care of my hair, it was always super greasy the day after washing it and Id have to wash it all over again. This was a pain, since it meant having to blow-dry and straighten it and basically fight it to look decent. This was time-consuming! So I started doing some research to see what I could find that would help solve this issue and I stumbled across the baking soda/apple cider vinegar method.

Yes, using baking soda as shampoo and apple cider vinegar as conditioner is good for the hair! I admit, I was skeptical, as baking soda seemed like itd be too harsh. But when I read blog after blog and different reviews from many people, both women and men, saying how much they loved it and how it improved their hair, I decided to give it a trial run.

After all, if it didnt work, Id just stop it.

Well, its been over a month now using the baking soda and ACV rinse method, and I am never stopping it! From the very first time I tried it, my hair felt so clean and not weighed down. It did take a couple weeks of a detox period for the hair to stop overproducing oil, though. Did you know that using regular shampoo makes the hair constantly produce too much oil because it strips the hair of its natural oils? But this short period wasnt too bad, and I kept it under control by simply increasing the amount of baking soda I used. It cut down on the oiliness and now my hair is stable, strong, shiny, and soft. And I only need to wash it every two to three days now. Yay for saving time!

So, for those of you who are interested in trying this, heres what I found while I experimented. Basically, I started out with a tablespoon to 8 ounces of water, then I tried different methods.

1. I tried a paste method, where the baking soda was thick and not watered down. Didnt like this so much because it was harder to get into the scalp.

2. I switched to another method, where I put a tablespoon of baking soda in a 12 ounce water bottle and filled it completely with slightly hot (not too hot but just very warm) water then shook it well.

The watered down method, I found, was better for my hair. It was easier to squeeze the baking soda water over the tops of my scalp/roots. You dont need to worry about pouring it over the tips or length of the hair. Concentrate more on the scalp and it will naturally run down the hair and cleanse it.

I also found that I needed slightly more baking soda than just one tablespoon because my hair is very long. So you can adjust it according to the length of your hair if you have short hair use less than a tablespoon, if very long use more. Its really all about experimentation and playing around with it to see what works best with your hair, because everyones hair is different anyways. This is important because if you use too much than what works for your hair, you dry the hair out too much. So experiment and figure out whats a good dosage that keeps your hair clean but not too dried out.

Make sure you massage your scalp with the baking soda/water mixture! It will feel slightly slippery in your hair; this is normal, and means the baking soda is working well. Once youve rinsed the mixture out well, follow up with the apple cider vinegar rinse. I usually put about 1 tablespoon and a half to 2 tablespoons of ACV to about 14-16 ounces of water (also in a water bottle). Again, my hair is longer, so I use more. Just be aware, if you notice your hair is still greasy sometimes, try cutting back on the ACV.

Leave the ACV on for a few minutes (about 3-5 minutes is enough) then rinse with cool-cold water, depending on how cold you can stand it. This helps to close up the hair strands and keep it soft. You can rinse it all out or leave some in to keep it conditioned. Youll be amazed at the difference. 🙂 I know I was.

Another thing that really has changed is the time taken for drying my hair. Before, it would take me a full hour and a half to dry it naturally, which was why I blow-dried my hair so often. But on this method, now it takes me just 15-20 minutes for it to dry naturally! Which means, I can cut down on the necessity to blow-dry it and just let it style. I love this aspect. Makes my life easier!

One additonal tip: If you find that sometimes you have fly-aways or frizz, (it cant be perfect EVERY time, of course) try using a tiny drop or two of argan oil or coconut oil. I usually smooth just a drop or two over the tips of my hair and lightly through my hair and it helps keep it under control. I also use lemon/water/vodka mixture spray bottle as my hairspray. Its a great way to finish up the process! If youre interested in trying that, I highly recommend it it keeps my curls so amazingly defined! Seriously, I have never had waves this good (not even with the expensive beauty products)! You can find the recipe here.

My Weekly Regimen:

After awhile, I realized that using baking soda more than once a week was too drying for my hair, so I experimented and now my hair washing method has adjusted a bit. Heres what I do.

Sunday: I do a deep conditioning with blackstrap molasses left in my hair for an hour (this stuff is incredible!).
Tuesday or Wednesday:
I use baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinse.
Friday: I do a water-only wash with a scalp massage brush then finish off with ACV rinse.

The other days of the week I dont even need to wash my hair!

The result has been healthy, shiny, well-kept hair and it looks fresh! 🙂 Youll have to experiment a bit to figure out what works for your hair. but it can be done!

NOTE: Baking soda DOES lighten your hair! I didnt realize this at first (only found out after doing additional research) but my hair has gradually lightened since I started using the baking soda/ACV method. Now it has lots of natural red-highlights. So just be aware of that.

Again, it takes patience and experimentation and just playing around with it. But Im glad I did it. My hair is the healthiest looking its ever been and so easy to style. Its a lot more manageable now than it was before. So glad I discovered this method!

And the best part? Im saving money, too!

Amee

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