I'll start with the bad news first: I failed. After a full month of going "poo free" (using Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar instead of Shampoo and conditioner), I threw in the towel. Once I got past the initial weirdness of adjusting amounts of BS and ACV until my hair looked and felt "normal." I thought I had done it, I was so happy! But that's when I took a closer look... my hair was filled with Baking Soda.... I mean filled. From the roots to the tips, I had an insane amount of BS residue in my hair. I tried combing my hair thoroughly, then massaging my scalp with water for extended periods of time every time I showered in hopes that it would eventually wash out. In combination with my combing/massaging, I went a full week and a half without adding anymore BS/ACV to my hair. Surprisingly, my hair never got greasy, but even more surprisingly, the stupid Baking Soda never left.
I was so torn. I mean, ditching shampoo and conditioner CLEARLY works. My hair looked and felt exactly the same (minus the beautiful dandruffy looking BS floating around), but I couldn't keep this as my permanent hair plan. I was OK going to school looking like a dandruff ridden freak, but not so cute when out with Clients. I posted on boards, googled, and researched. Why was this happening to me? At first, long time BS/ACV users were convinced I was using too much BS. A reasonable deduction, but in no way possible. I was using a teeny tiny amount (maybe a pinch per cup of water) and rarely used the whole solution. So what could I blame this on? Do I just have freak hair? Then I found it. Something that was mentioned in the VERY FIRST article I read about going "poo free." I have hard water. Apparently, hard water does not dissolve BS and can not pull the Baking Soda out of your hair.
Sure, I could purchase a
water softener... I could put it right next to my new unicorn with it's diamond encrusted horn. OK, OK, I may be being a little too dramatic, but I really don't have the extra cash to invest in a $1,000 water softener. Some people suggested boiling water for a/b 10 minutes then adding the baking soda, but that didn't seem to work for me either. Unfortunately, because of the condition of my hair, I'm not sure I would have been able to tell what was and was not working. So I made an executive decision. Go back to shampoo and conditioner until I have the resources to get a soft water filter. I felt like such a traitor as I squeezed those first few drops of shampoo into my hand. While it was nice to have a good old fashioned lather again, I kind of missed my little potions lining the shower walls. Well, what can a gal do?
So the moral in all this... if you live in a
softer water state, try it! I can vouch for the fact that it does indeed keep your hair clean, and your hair will look and feel just as good (if not better) once you've made the switch! The good news in all this is that I can now try a few hair masks I've been wanting to try (I was nervous the BS wouldn't properly wash them out).
If you're going to give the BS/ACV a try, shoot me an e-mail and I can pass on some tips that may help!
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