I've been meaning to write this post for a while, but I really wanted to get a little more experience under my belt before I did. A few people have asked me about this and here is my answer to all of those questions.
First of all, I need to confess something. Long before I went No Poo, I was only washing my hair once or twice a week. Yes, there were times that things got pretty (or not) oily and gross, but I was in a bit of a depression and I just didn't care.
Anyway, I decided to give up shampoo ages before I actually did it. I bought a brand new bottle of shampoo and I said, "this is the last one." I promised that I wouldn't buy another bottle of shampoo after that. It took foreeeeever to finish that one bottle due to the once a week washing thing I was already doing. I actually still have a little of that bottle left, but I jumped into No Poo anyway.
I used the instructions found here to get started with the No Poo Method. She gives great detail and answers tons of questions about No Poo.
The transition period for me was virtually non-existent. I didn't experience overly oily hair...I had already gone through that due to the infrequent washing in the preceding months. The only negative experience I had was a little dry scalp on the first day after using baking soda to clean my roots. My scalp was itchy and flaky but only for one day. After that, smooth sailing!
I have mainly used the method of mixing a little baking soda with water in a squirt bottle. I have only once used the paste method. (Before you ask, all of this is described in detail in the link above, no I will not repeat it here.) I used the paste because I noticed that my hair was feeling a little greasy, even after using the baking soda/water solution. The paste cleared it right up, so I will probably use the solution regularly and the paste for when I need that extra cleansing.
The apple cider vinegar as conditioner is good too. It won't give you that slippery feeling of commercial conditioners, but it definitely works. The smell goes away when your hair dries, so don't worry about smelling of vinegar all day. On a related note, coffee grounds will work as conditioner too, but it can be a pain to get the grounds out of your hair.
Now for the question of hair falling out. Honestly, there isn't anything about putting baking soda and vinegar on your hair that would make more hair fall out than normal. We lose tons of hair every day. It doesn't necessarily mean that baldness is nigh. I lose a huge amount of hair! I mean it. Tons! Every time I take a shower I could clog up the drain. Now, that is a normal thing for me. It is amplified by not washing my hair everyday. I also keep my hair pulled up most of the time. That means all that hair that is continuously falling out is stuck in my ponytail and can't fall out throughout the day. So, have I noticed a difference? Yes. Do I think it is a problem? No. If you brush your hair more often than me, you won't notice as much of a difference. If you rinse your hair in the shower between washings more often than me, you won't notice as much of a difference.
I am loving this. It is cheap. It is responsible stewardship of our planet. We really need to consider the consequences of what we put in and on our bodies, as well as what we put into our water system.
Go forth and be free of nasty chemicals!
Bonus: PS sleeping in the car. She was tired and had to share the backseat with another doggie. There were limited headrest choices. :)
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