Keeping the grass down around the skirt of the runs?

[Sheilaz]

Oh dear, shall I shan't I? I feel impatient to try it now I've decided. Mmmmm. Don't know now!

Thanks for compliments, a friend indeed!

[Guest]

Lesley, I think you would need to persevere for quite a while. I forced some 'natural' shampoos on my girls and their hair didn't look brilliant, although mine did! So I have concluded I no longer need the chemicals but their hair does - and probably yours does too. Maybe try alternating the shampoos and build up from there?

 

Sheila, I have been wanting to ask you if your hair was suffering, but was unsure whether to and ended up not asking! I should have done, shouldn't I?

 

You are describing how I felt a little while ago, well I think at the time I couldn't get my hair looking even passable! I have invested in a few shampoos, some of which I have passed on! I have gone a whole month now without using shampoo and my hair is much less tangly than it had become. But I need to refresh it properly with shampoo again now - I am trying to hold on until Friday! The vinegar rinses don't leave it clean any more.

 

I am thrilled to have survived a month when previously I had been shampooing every 12 days. I will attempt to shampoo monthly from now on, but we all have to be guided by the state of our hair!

 

Sheila, Charlot is right about waiting. Your resolve will be very low at the moment and you certainly don't want to be battling over something so stupid as hair! Why don't you plan to use shampoo on 16th so that your hair looks fab the next day? Don't plan any further than that - just see how you feel and what your hair needs. Now is not a good time to make decisions.

 

xx

[Sheilaz]

Oh, I don't know now! It's not lack of resolve as it's not as hasty a decision as it sounds, and just seems the most sensible thing to do now.

It's the hairbrush as much as anything, also Charlot's hair looks fab on it whereas mine hasn't looked fab since...

...um, I was her age!

I daren't try on the 16th, it might be worse! So, now or never, or later in the year.

Perhaps it's the time of year & circumstances. But, on the other hand, it hasn't looked terriffic in all this time. I've been waiting for it to be good enough to tell people what I've done, and they'd say Wow! I think they'd say Ugh!

[Guest]

I know what you mean Sheila. My hair has never looked so fantastic that I could tell everybody. But most of the time it is all right. Maybe 10 months isn't long enough, maybe it's the water, maybe it's just us. But I am happy that I am not massaging chemicals into my scalp, so close to my brain!

 

I would still advise not to make any long-term decisions. You are not in your 'right' state of mind. It's not a black-and-white thing. Use the shampoo and take it from there. Make decisions on a 'today' basis. AND don't feel bad!

[The Dogmother]

Rosie has been going nearly a year too Sheila, with only a couple of shampoos in that time. Last night I shampooed her hair because it was looking pretty manky. This morning it looks lovely; shiny and bouncy. I will get some natural shampoo for her to use periodically. I am still doing rinsing punctuated by shampoos, I will change to natural shampoos when I have used up all the ones I have.

[myles]

Sheila how about trying a soap nut solution, i use them to make shower gel and to wash our clothes. They seem very gentle and leave my skin soft maybe worth a try.

 

Sorry I've only just caught up on your news, i would just like to say my thoughts are with you.

 

Anne

[Sheilaz]

Thanks, Anne, I've been meaning to try soapnuts for some washing, so you've reminded me. Thanks for your kind words & thoughts, everyone here has been so helpful.

 

Ginette & Clare, thanks for the input, ideas and balance.

 

When I posted last night, I thought that I was late enough not to receive replies, then I would shampoo with the new bottles I'd bought, & report back.

Well, you made me think again. I showered with just water as usual and it looks quite good! Beforehand, I snipped a few annoying bits, and was feeling anxious about doing that as I'd like to avoid hairdressers but thought I might need one to repair the damage! However, I'm pleased with the result, and won't use the shampoo just yet!

However, it has been useful for us to discuss the fact that we are all better off whether we just shampoo occasionally instead of frequently, or use a regular or occasional "green" shampoo, or indeed stay just on water.

 

Thanks for listening to my indecision everyone who joined in. Part of me wants to stick it out for at least 3 years to see if unshampooed hair is in better condition after that time than my longer hair is at present. We'll see!

[Guest]

Well done Sheila! That is good news and I'm pleased your hair has come out OK.

[Sheilaz]

This is a bit odd after my last post, but......

I washed my hair with Faith in Nature shamppo & conditioner this morning!

Sorry girls!

It wasn't a hasty or desperate decision, not made on a really bad hair day or anything. Just time to enjoy a really good cleanse. I thought about using bicarb, I'm sure I could have continued then. But, I just felt the time was right, and I'm not regretting it at all.

Nor am I regreting the Project, I've certainly learnt a lot & support the theory to a great extent.

I shall never ever buy the old shampoos, only the above, or Green people, or other without SLES. I shall leave long gaps between shampoos, not sure how long, it'll depend how it goes, but maybe just water sometimes.

 

I never did reach a stage where I could shake my head & proudly confess that it looked so wonderful because...

 

Today, LSH admired my hair, (1st time for some years, certainly not the last yuear! ) it must have been looking good after the shampoo!

 

However, if I hadn't done this at all, maybe just changed shampoos, it wouldn't be this good, I really needed the detox!

 

Ginette, I discussed the whole thing with Charlot. Before I succumbed to the products, I said, "But, if these shampoos don't strip like the others, how come we need conditioner?" She pointed out, that all our visible hair is dead, and modern life really gives it a battering way beyond what our hair can cope with, so it needs extra.

Also, our expectation is for a particular type of hair, we like that shampooed look, but it would look after itself if we didn't mind it not looking shampooed.

I think I agree, especially with end length of hair having been around for some years, so now, having given it a break, I'm happy to care for it with kind products.

[The Dogmother]

Great to hear it Sheila

 

I bought some JASON 84% Aloe Vera shampoo at the weekend and it works beautifully without any SLS or other nasty chemicals. You can see the range here:

 

http://www.jason-natural.com/products/everyday_hair_care.php

[Martin B]

This thread is getting a bit heavy, maybe it should be trimmed!

[Sheilaz]

Martin, was that a joke, as in heavy hair needing trimming, only there weren't any smilies?

You cannot be serious!!

Ginette & I have specifically asked for this to stay on the forum as it is a historical document! If the length does affect the forum, I will liase about tidying it, but do request that no one else does until we have logged our personal records elsewhere.

I've done this for over 10 months (bother, thought it was 11 until I checked) with no products at all other than the bicarb/vinegar/wholemeal

I wondered what you were doing on the topic, Martin!

Claret, thanks for the support & encouragement, and also the useful idea for products, I'm looking forward to checking them out.

[Martin B]

I was just wondering because it's 90 or so pages, and other topics are normally put into another one with the other lingering about elsewhere, such as the good life.

 

I dind't realise the pun!

[Sheilaz]

Ah, but there's a reason to keep it all together.

You've just made it longer by asking!

PS.

PPS. Now no one will notice my earlier post about...shampoo. Phew!

[Lesley]

Of course we all noticed

[Sheilaz]

Bother, thought I'd imagined it!

[Linda]

So did I!!! Must be having a senior moment!

[Lesley]

You go with what feels right for your hair Sheila - I think you've got the balance right - for you.

 

You did wait and think about it as well - at what was a difficult time for you.

 

I think you made a good decision

[Egluntyne]

Just browsed a bit after not having read this thread for ages.

 

It got me remembering something that I hadn't thought about in ages.

 

My French Grandma Marcelle never washed her hair .

 

She cleaned it in sections with cologne on cotton wool, and her scalp too.

 

Her hair was absolutely snow white and smelt lovely. It was long too and always up in a very elegant pleat.

[Sheilaz]

That's interesting to hear, Egluntine, I love the smell of cologne. I'm sure it looked elegant in that style.

I feel that very frequent shampoo washing has only become the norm in the last half century. 2 grandmothers in our family could sit on their hair, but wore it plaited across the head, or over the ears. I'm sure washing it would have been infrequent & a big event, brushing was the regular activity.

Smells do hold memories, don't they? I remember the smell of Grandma's face powder, for dusting, on her dressing table from when I was tiny.

Lesley, thanks for your support (now you can tell me what it really looked like last time you saw me )

[Guest]

Sheila - now you're doing what I have been doing for a while! I'm no longer the poor cousin! I am so pleased that you had that boost yesterday, probably just what you needed. Especially to receive a comment from OH!

 

I managed to go a whole month between shampoos this time, so I'm pleased about that. And I have learnt that a shampoo lasts a whole week. My hair is definitely less tangly without the shampoo, but doesn't look so good.

 

My OH used shampoo on DS's hair last week. I was really cross and asked him why/how? He said he 'didn't know, just habit I suppose'. HABIT!!!!!! I shouted! He hasn't used shampoo for 10 months, how can you say it was habit? Men!

[Merryn]

Hi, everyone, it's me, after a long time away - no excuses. The hens are fine and my hair is fantastic! I thought I ought to encourage those who haven't gone without shampoo for long and are feeling down about it. KEEP AT IT, it does get easier.

I stopped using shampoo back in May last year and now just use water. My husband was convinced and has never looked back since stopping - so there isn't a bottle of shampoo in the house, much to the annoyance of my son on a visit.

[Sheilaz]

That's terriffic, Merryn, thanks for keeping us posted, I was wondering if you were still in.

[Guest]

Merryn, thank you so much for posting. That is really good news. I think I'm right in remembering that Birmingham has soft water, am I?

I was coming to the conclusion that water-only was really not possible, just a myth. But you have restored my faith in it, though I still think that I can't do it here with this very hard (but tasty) water.

 

I did a vinegar rinse on Wednesday, 5 days after the previous vinegar, and my hair has come up really nicely. Very clean-looking and feeling! Can't predict what will happen next time though!

[Sheilaz]

Yes, I agree about the water being important, Ginette.

I'm sure hair type is a factor too. The condition of mine is vastly improved on a year ago as the length was straw dry. However, even at it's best, I have rather boring hair. Goes flat on top, hangs limply and sticks out in odd places and splits, then matts & tangles. Jealous eh?

Merryn's looked so full of body, texture and a lovely shape, from what I recall.

Louise's too seems only to have benefitted on water only.

Maybe environment too, but I think hair & skin type are factors.