Coconut Oil
I am no longer stinky! I added baking soda to my coconut oil and it is great! I didn't measure it (shame on me!)but I added enough to make it just a tiny bit more liquid-y than a paste. It has been hot and I have been moving furniture and so far so good. I find that I do not feel "fresh" by the end of the day but had Tom do the smell test and he says I just smell like coconut.
No Shampoo
This is driving me a little crazy. Some days I have the most incredible hair! A few days ago it was wavy and shiny and lovely. Other days it is a frizzy, ugly mess. I suppose I had days like that when I was still using product though. I have started adding a dab of coconut oil to my hair when I wear it down and that seems to help a lot.
oil Cleansing for my Face
This is going fine. My skin is just the same as always. I am going to continue this method because it works really well at getting make-up off and I like that it is chemical free. It hasn't changed my skin at all though.
Showing posts with label shampoo free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shampoo free. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
I smell and my hair is frizzy
Haha! Well, the title is not completely true. I thought it was time for an update on my new natural cleansing techniques.
Oil Face Cleaning Method
This is going well. My skin does look better. I have not had any major breakouts. However, this method draws the blackheads out more and I notice them. When I notice them, I pick at them. When I pick at them, they get all gross! So, I need to leave my face alone. I think if I can do that, my skin will look great!
"Poo-free"
Eh. This is going okay. I haven't given this a completely fair shake because we spent a week in the pool and now the top of my head id braided so my hair is doing different things. My hair is cute with the front braided and curls nicely. It feels a but dry and oily. However, it looks like I have put mousse in it. This one needs some more time before I can decide one way or the other.
Coconut Oil Deodorant
This worke beautifully for 2 weeks! I smelled perfectly lovely. However, over the last few days I am stinky! I decided to mix some baking soda in with the coconut oil and so far so good. I will keep you posted.
Oil Face Cleaning Method
This is going well. My skin does look better. I have not had any major breakouts. However, this method draws the blackheads out more and I notice them. When I notice them, I pick at them. When I pick at them, they get all gross! So, I need to leave my face alone. I think if I can do that, my skin will look great!
"Poo-free"
Eh. This is going okay. I haven't given this a completely fair shake because we spent a week in the pool and now the top of my head id braided so my hair is doing different things. My hair is cute with the front braided and curls nicely. It feels a but dry and oily. However, it looks like I have put mousse in it. This one needs some more time before I can decide one way or the other.
Coconut Oil Deodorant
This worke beautifully for 2 weeks! I smelled perfectly lovely. However, over the last few days I am stinky! I decided to mix some baking soda in with the coconut oil and so far so good. I will keep you posted.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
No Shampoo- brushed straight
I decided to try something new with my hair. I have been combing it after my shower and then letting it dry without scrunching it up. My hair feels amazing when I do this. I don't love the look but maybe I will in time. I am completely amazed at how soft and healthy my hair feels. I have not had any itchiness or discomfort.
This is not the best shot (it was 8pm and I had been cooking in hot kitchen) but it gets the idea across.
This is not the best shot (it was 8pm and I had been cooking in hot kitchen) but it gets the idea across.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Going Shampoo Free
I have decided to go Shampoo Free. I tried to go soap free on my face for about 6 weeks at the beginning of summer and I wasn't impressed. I want to keep wearing make-up for now so I have decided to try forgoing shampoo this time instead.
Why go shampoo free?
A. We are trying to get to a point where we don't put things on our bodies that can't go in our mouths (we'll see if we get there). Shampoos are made of chemicals and I would like to avoid placing them on my body once a day. I took a look at the ingredients on my shampoo and used my handy dandy Google option and looked up all of the chemicals. While I was doing this I came across an article on the National Geographic Website called "The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics" by Catherine Zandonella.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/personal-care/dirty-dozen
Of the ingredients she listed, several were in my bottle:
4. 1,4-Dioxane
1,4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients. The FDA monitors products for the contaminant but has not yet recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. A 2007 survey by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that most children's bath products contain 10 parts per million or less, but an earlier 2001 survey by the FDA found levels in excess of 85 parts per million.
6. Fragrance
The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead.
9. Parabens
(methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-) Parabens, which have weak estrogenic effects, are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.
While all of this is scary to read, I do understand that the argument is that people have limited exposure (5 minutes or so) and that there is not evidence linking this amount of contact to the toxicity listed above. However, I imagine that repeated exposure could be dangerous and since there is not much research to show that it is safe, I have decided it makes sense to try to avoid it.
B. The other reason I am going shampoo free is because it is better for my hair. After doing much reading, it seems like shampoo and conditioner and hairspray are "domino interventions"! Hair produces a compound called sebum which makes the hair shiny. Too much sebum makes the hair look oily. Shampoo strips the hair of sebum. However, it does it too well and leaves the hair dry. Conditioner creates an artifical sebum and then the hair looks healthy again. Throughout this, a person's scalp begins to over-produce more sebum to replace the old sebum and the hair gets oily etc. It becomes a vicious cycle until a person needs to shampoo everyday. Going shampoo free is supposed to allow the scalp to "reset" so that it produces the correct amount of sebum and is supposed to make my hair healthy and beautiful. :)
C. I hope it will end up being cheaper. I don't spend a fortune on hair products but it adds up. I would love to be able to skip another aisle at the grocery store (we already get to skip baby food, diapers, formula, feminine hygiene, and cleaning supplies).
D. I am hoping it will make my hair pretty. This one is very vain but true nonetheless.
I am armed with how-to materials:
http://sortacrunchy.typepad.com/sortacrunchy/2009/05/shampoofree-why-and-how.html
http://thaitrait.blogspot.com/2008/11/this-is-long-post-about-baking-soda.html
http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html
This is what my hair looks like with shampoo, conditioner, mousse, and hairspray.
I made a wash of water and baking soda and put it in an old water bottle. I used 2 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. I am getting conflicting suggestions on this so we will see how this goes and I will add more baking soda to the mix if I need to. I plan to use this every 3-4 days to start off with.
I also made a rinse of Apple Cider Vinegar and water in an old shampoo bottle. I used 1 tablespoon ACV with one cup of water. I added 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to make it smell nice. I plan to use this once a week.
I want to have a nice control picture so next I will post pictures of my hair with shampoo and conditioner with no hairspray. Then I start no shampoo!
Why go shampoo free?
A. We are trying to get to a point where we don't put things on our bodies that can't go in our mouths (we'll see if we get there). Shampoos are made of chemicals and I would like to avoid placing them on my body once a day. I took a look at the ingredients on my shampoo and used my handy dandy Google option and looked up all of the chemicals. While I was doing this I came across an article on the National Geographic Website called "The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics" by Catherine Zandonella.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/personal-care/dirty-dozen
Of the ingredients she listed, several were in my bottle:
4. 1,4-Dioxane
1,4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients. The FDA monitors products for the contaminant but has not yet recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. A 2007 survey by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that most children's bath products contain 10 parts per million or less, but an earlier 2001 survey by the FDA found levels in excess of 85 parts per million.
6. Fragrance
The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead.
9. Parabens
(methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-) Parabens, which have weak estrogenic effects, are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.
While all of this is scary to read, I do understand that the argument is that people have limited exposure (5 minutes or so) and that there is not evidence linking this amount of contact to the toxicity listed above. However, I imagine that repeated exposure could be dangerous and since there is not much research to show that it is safe, I have decided it makes sense to try to avoid it.
B. The other reason I am going shampoo free is because it is better for my hair. After doing much reading, it seems like shampoo and conditioner and hairspray are "domino interventions"! Hair produces a compound called sebum which makes the hair shiny. Too much sebum makes the hair look oily. Shampoo strips the hair of sebum. However, it does it too well and leaves the hair dry. Conditioner creates an artifical sebum and then the hair looks healthy again. Throughout this, a person's scalp begins to over-produce more sebum to replace the old sebum and the hair gets oily etc. It becomes a vicious cycle until a person needs to shampoo everyday. Going shampoo free is supposed to allow the scalp to "reset" so that it produces the correct amount of sebum and is supposed to make my hair healthy and beautiful. :)
C. I hope it will end up being cheaper. I don't spend a fortune on hair products but it adds up. I would love to be able to skip another aisle at the grocery store (we already get to skip baby food, diapers, formula, feminine hygiene, and cleaning supplies).
D. I am hoping it will make my hair pretty. This one is very vain but true nonetheless.
I am armed with how-to materials:
http://sortacrunchy.typepad.com/sortacrunchy/2009/05/shampoofree-why-and-how.html
http://thaitrait.blogspot.com/2008/11/this-is-long-post-about-baking-soda.html
http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html
This is what my hair looks like with shampoo, conditioner, mousse, and hairspray.
I made a wash of water and baking soda and put it in an old water bottle. I used 2 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. I am getting conflicting suggestions on this so we will see how this goes and I will add more baking soda to the mix if I need to. I plan to use this every 3-4 days to start off with.
I also made a rinse of Apple Cider Vinegar and water in an old shampoo bottle. I used 1 tablespoon ACV with one cup of water. I added 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to make it smell nice. I plan to use this once a week.
I want to have a nice control picture so next I will post pictures of my hair with shampoo and conditioner with no hairspray. Then I start no shampoo!
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