Muppet81 Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 First of all, I am sorry to hear that you are not feeling too positive Ginnete. Looking at previous posts you have had bad days before and come through them. I think you have done amazingly well to get so far. Don't give up yet. I think I had already decided that I would view things as Sheila is and not try for just water. There is something nice about using "something" to make you feel more groomed. My own view is that I am thrilled that I am not shampooing on a daily or twice daily basis as I was. My hair (which is also thin and fine) does feel thicker and originally I thought greasy but maybe that is just having a bit more body. I do accept though that the horrid and difficult phase is unavoidable. I like your idea Redfox of the herbal vinegars. Could I have the recipes please? I have been using cider vinegar for my rinses and somehow that feels nicer than using a bog standard white vinegar. Though I don't doubt it does the same job exactly as a fraction of the cost It's "because I'm worth it". Or is that a line from a shampoo advert? Perhaps best not to use it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I'm not thinking of giving up, just fed up with unattractive looking hair. I did a vinegar rinse last Friday and my hair felt and looked gorgeous, but by Saturday it had gone I suppose I was unnerved too the week before when I used vinegar and my hair looked absolutely awful afterwards. So it's not being a good time for me and I feel down about it, but as long as I don't have to see anyone I don't care! Thanks all for your encouragement. The thing is it can all change so suddenly. Our hair is such a big thing in how we feel. The day it looks glorious again, I will feel positive and attractive again! And all this will be completely and immediately forgotten! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 First of all, I am sorry to hear that you are not feeling too positive Ginnete. Looking at previous posts you have had bad days before and come through them. I think you have done amazingly well to get so far. Don't give up yet. I second that - I know you've said you're not going back to shampoo, so it can't be that bad, eh? :) I like your idea Redfox of the herbal vinegars. Could I have the recipes please? I have been using cider vinegar for my rinses and somehow that feels nicer than using a bog standard white vinegar. Though I don't doubt it does the same job exactly as a fraction of the cost It's "because I'm worth it". Or is that a line from a shampoo advert? Perhaps best not to use it Sure! Herbal Vinegar Rinse You need: * 1 bottle or jar * Enough white (or cider) vinegar to fill same * Hair-friendly herbs/flowers/fruit - I use 4 sprigs of rosemary, as rosemary shampoo suits my hair, but other woody herbs such as lavender would also work, and blondes might like to try chamomile flowers and/or strips of lemon peel * Ribbon (optional) 1. If you're using a bottle of vinegar from the supermarket, pour the contents into a clean jug (the bottle needs to be empty for step 2 anyway). Soak off the label with hot water. 2. Put your herbs in the bottle. 3. Pour the vinegar back in. 4. Leave in a cool dark place for a month (or until you run out of your current vinegar!) 5. If desired, tie ribbon around neck of bottle. Enjoy! Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Going to bed last night, OH said my hair looked greasy. This wasn't a surprise, but on examination I found that it didn't feel at all greasy and it wasn't thick like it usually is when very dirty. Maybe it is just the heat? It certainly didn't have the 'lanolin' effect that we are all familiar with. Anyway, did a vinegar rinse today, so hoping for the best! If it's not brilliant I will do a bicarb next week as I am staying with friends for the last weekend in July and it would be helpful if it looked all right then! I'll hopefully report back with happy news later - when it's dry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 It's probably just generic hot-weather mankiness - I'm amazed anyone is alert enough to notice or care at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Well, it's almost dry now! How can it take 6 hours in this weather???? And it looks just as bad as it did before. I've just tied it back now and will forget about it! Maybe it'll go away - no please don't do that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myles Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Ginette......i'm sorry you feel your hair still doesn't look good. Don't forget the allways useful oatmeal, maybe it needs a lift in this heat. I find egg seems to cleanse my hair as well as condition it, i think i prefer it to bi-carb or should i say, that what seems to suit my hair at the moment. My hair seems totally settled at the moment, fingers crossed it remains that way. Redfox....i like the sound of herbal vinegar, i'm going to make some up with lavender and rosemary from the garden. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I've just (unhelpfully) thought of something, Ginette! Maybe the hair/scalp is out of balance, the PH level affected by vinegar? So, perhaps a bicarb would swing it the other way, tp good effect. Then, the next vinegar after that would be like the best ones you've done again. Er, this is my theory, perhaps the heat has gone to my head? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted July 19, 2006 Author Share Posted July 19, 2006 On 'This morning' this morning they featured a girl who hasn't washed her hair for 4 weeks. She talked about her experiences and then a trichologist came on and said that it was total rubbish that hair cleans itself and that everyone should use shampoo frequently. People with dandruff are just not shampooing enough I'm merrily dismissing him as an idiot, but he is a professional. Anne - we haven't heard from you for a while. Are you OK? Presumably he knows something about evolution that we don't then. And that about dandruff ... he's no expert, for sure. Mind you, I'm sure that head and shoulders stuff doesn't cure the problem. What is the benefit for them if it does? All rubbish. And I remember a chap on Richard and Judy a long while ago who had waist length hair and that never saw shampoo, and it was FAB. Lovely long smooth and affirmably non-smelling tresses. Look, anyone who gets really desperate, try one of the proprietory hair degreasers, you spray them on, and sometimes brush them out. Douglas Stafford does one and I saw an ad for another, but I take no notice of ads so don't ask me what it was about, but it seemed turquoise if it helps you find it in Boots. I used one on my roots a couple of times before I went out and it made a difference. Not too often, but it does wash out with water and vinegar (I was still using vinegar then, of course i need no such stuff any more) In this weather, mind you drink plenty or the sebum on your scalp could thicken, I suspect. Besides, you're sweating all the time on your scalp, which will smell etc. I'm even tempted to wash TWICE this week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Thanks for the suggestions! Would you believe my hair is still damp in places?!! Of necessity, it has been tied loosely back today, but even so it is still damp! It feels soft and clean, but looks stuck to my head! Hey, ho! I don't really care anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet81 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thanks for the recipes Ginette. I lke the idea of ribbon and a nice bottle so it does not look like a chippie in the bathroom I'm going to put my oatmeal into a nice pot too. The last couple of days I have felt that my hair has been heavy and greasy but put this down to the weather and suspect that even if I was shampooing, it would have been in a dire state by the end of the day. I have just been out in the rain to see to the chicks and noticed that it did not go flyaway as it always used to. I suspect that I will have to bicarb again on saturday ready for a night out. This will be only 7 days since the last bicarb. I know you all suggest at least a 2 week spell between bicarbs. Am I doing more harm than good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 No real harm, I'm sure, although you may dry your hair out too much. It's just experience - we were all so disappointed if we used it too frequently. It just doesn't have that wonderful clean shampooed effect. But we're all different, so you could give it a try and see if it works for you. Just make sure your hair is really dirty first! P.s. not my recipes! Redfox's I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet81 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Apologies! Many thanks to Redfox. Put it down to the recent heat addling my brain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 Taling of products you can use, and in the interest of experimentation, I've bought some wet-look gel and plan to try it. I will let you know if it washes out with just water. Why? My hair is mid-curly, and I prefer it straight, but we're off on holiday in August to Cornwall, and I'm not taking my straighteners camping, I absolutely refuse. So I must find some other way of keeping my hair in it's collar-length bob from looking mumsy, which it does if left to dry naturally. I hate mumsy. I might be one, but I hate mumsy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thanks for the recipes Ginette. I lke the idea of ribbon and a nice bottle so it does not look like a chippie in the bathroom I'm going to put my oatmeal into a nice pot too. I've done that as well - I've even put lavender sprigs around the edges (so they show through the glass but don't fall out when you scoop out a bit of oatmeal from the top). I've even scented my bicarb with rose essential oil pologies! Many thanks to Redfox. Put it down to the recent heat addling my brain Know how you feel - ghastly, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet81 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thank you Redfox. Using rose oil in the oatmeal is inspired. I had just returned form the supermarket and my hair was looking distinctly greasy. I felt a mess I rushed upstairs, found some geranium oil, put a few drops in the oatmeal and what can I say.... other than that I feel like a new woman. It looks much better and smells wonderful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Doesn't that make it wet? How do you use it with oil in it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet81 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I just used 3 drops (it is a very intense oil) in a small tub of oatmeal (perhaps a bit more than a yoghurt pot size) and gave it a good shake round. It mixed it in well and was not enough to make it wet. I feel as though I am wafting a rose geranium scent wherever I go now and it feels nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Good Lord, yes - if you're using proper essential oils from the wholefood shop, you only need 2 or 3 drops in a jam-jar-sized batch of oatmeal or whatever! Sorry I didn't make that clear My hair is pretty grotty today despite a vinegar rinse in the shower this morning - I might have to resort to the oatmeal again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Ugh - hair feels very sticky today [Day 7] OH was in the shower for ages so I didn't have time to have one myself and try a bicarb rinse, so I did an oatmeal 'dry-clean'. Hair so greasy at the roots, I had to scratch to get the oatmeal out, and now my scalp is itchy I'll have to tie it back and hope no-one notices how "Ooops, word censored!" my hair is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahjm Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Hi everyone, I know you must think I've given up but I'm still here! Actually my computer gave up ( ) so I'm abusing time in work to catch up ! It's about day 22 now, and I've still not used anything other than water, every day at first, now every 2 or 3 days, my hair looks OK, well maybe less than OK really, and feels quite greasy and i think I'm coming up for my first vinegar rinse - ooh, what a birthday treat! Oh, but i can add some herbs can't I for a real treat (thanks RedFox!) I've asked a few people, 'so how does my hair look then' without saying why I'm asking, with fairly positive responses. DH knows, and says my hair looks fine, but that doesn't count - what does he know?! I've told a few people too what I'm doing and no-one has batted an eyelid yet, best thing is to just tell people, get that part over with! I'll let you know next week if I succumb to vinegar over the weekend.... (gosh, you don't hear that sentence too often !) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Good luck Sarah I went the cold turkey water route too and it really worked for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 My hair does actually look and feel OK now, and it's a lot thicker-textured than "normal" - just a bit greasy to the touch. The dry ends are looking healthier too Just need to keep my brush washed regularly (think I should get a spare, so I can use one whilst the other is drying!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Lots of positive news then! Well done everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Mine felt thick for a few weeks too Anne but it doies wear off you wash out the excess oil using water over time but you are left with a protective coating of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
