My eco solution to rat problems

[Sheilaz]

Sounds lovely, Anne, I keep meaning to use rosemary, you've reminded me, thanks.

I daren't speak too soon, but I've used water only for 18 days now and I'm really happy with my hair. Not quite good enough to share my secret yet. I really want to say and watch people stare in disbelief, not stare & say I wondered what was wrong with your hair!

But, I'm hopeful that I might reach that stage sometime.

[myles]

Hi Sheila, i've still not told anyone, I'm afraid people will think i'm dirty.

Great news about your hair, we just need Ginette's hair to settle and i think we've all cracked it Now we're at this stage it doesn't seem to have taken very long

 

Anne

[Louise]

I didn't care what people thought and my mum was so impressed she is doing it too with even better results than me

 

I have to go to a wedding this weekend and I am for once not worried how awful my hair is going to look

[Linda]

That's great Louise. Let us know how many compliments you get!

[myles]

Thats really great Louise, your hair seems to have been the greatest success of all, my hair is just the same. But if i'm not mistaken your's is better than it used to be

 

Anne

[Louise]

Much better Anne, I have very frizzy curly hair and unless I used some sort of roller before after drying it was just frizz the pic of me with Princess Anne shows it beautifuly

 

Now if I give it a brush when wet then let it dry naturally I have curls They even stay after I have slept on it I still have a couple of areas where I need to use tongs to get it to curl nicely but they hold now It is also softer than any conditioner has ever made it and it doesn't feel weighed down with product as it used to feel

 

I also used to have a really itchy scalp and was heading for dandruff which I think is due to work as sometimes I have to wash it many times a day That has gone now and when not dictated by work I can leave it a whole week before I feel the need to was whereas before it had to be done at least once a day

[sarahjm]

Hi everyone,

I'm still in and have been watching the thread all along! I'm just over 3 months now and looking forward to 6 months - it's very up and down isn't it?

 

So far I've stuck with an odd vinegar or bicarb and have only washed my hair with soapnuts once, in desparation and despair - which made my hair lovely again. Annoyingly I went for a hair cut, thinking that having the older ends cut off would help, and it didn't! It made it just too short to tie up anymore so it's harder to hide the bad days, doh.

 

Anyway, you're all still inspiring me to keep going, thanks!

 

- soft-ish water here -

 

S xx

[Merryn]

Hi, everyone. I must share my news: I went to the hairdresser yesterday for a cut and she said that when I first told her about not using shampoo (back in the summer) she was very sceptical but seeing it now she thinks it looks better than it did when I was using shampoo! She thinks it's thicker and she's dead jealous I don't even need a conditioner.

So take heart those who are still having difficulties.

AND I have NEARLY persuaded hubby to try no shampoo

[Louise]

Great news merryn mine definitely feels thicker as well

[Guest]

That is great news Merryn. Well done!

 

My OH stopped using shampoo the same time as me - as did Anne's (Myles). Both have had no problems at all right from day 1. So if his hair is short, he really doesn't need shampoo. It seems to be money down the drain really!

[The Dogmother]

Phil never needs shampoo

[Sheilaz]

Thanks for posting, Merryn, that's really encouraging.

[Happymama]

Hi everyone!

 

I've discovered that now I have short hair, and need a cut every 8 weeks or so, I can still manage ok. My hair gets a bit smelly during the 2nd week for about three days, then it goes away. I don't wash it during that time because it's smelly, though, i still wash it only on Monday night after Step Aerobics. Maybe that's why it recovers so quickly.

 

I'm using a 'micro-vegetable oil' thing on it to define the curls, this stuff is great, washes out with warm water and gives 'beach hair'. I can just run wet hands through it every day to recharge the look in the mornings.

 

It's been 2 years now for me, and the only time my hair's seen shampoo in that time is at the hairdressers, and that was only 6 - 8 months for ages.

 

Sorry things aren't better for you, Ginette. Wonder if it isn't some small, overlooked, silly thing that will make all the difference ...? I must say, though, that on balance, there seem to be more people happier with their hair than without. Or is it just that they are the only people to report on this thread?

[Guest]

Sorry things aren't better for you, Ginette. Wonder if it isn't some small, overlooked, silly thing that will make all the difference ...?

 

What sort of silly thing did you have in mind? I don't put anything on my hair at all - no hairspray, gel, mousse, nothing.

 

It was 5 days since I used Green People shampoo and my hair was looking and feeling a bit dirty. I rinsed it in a litre of warm water with a teaspoon of White wine vinegar in it. I can feel that my hair is really clean but it has a funny layer on it and looks worse than it feels. It looks as if I have left too much product in it. To be honest, vinegar has always had this effect on my hair. But I am depressed by the fact that it doesn't work. I will just leave it now till Friday, unless it looks truly terrible in which case I will rinse it with water.

 

I'm convinced now that it is the water. I need to install a water softener.

[myles]

Hi All....Ginette's and mine last posted have vanished, hope things are still ok Ginette.

 

My hairs seems to be a bit greaser lately, maybe it's an autumn/winter thing

 

Anne

[Sheilaz]

Yes, mine seems fine one week, and not so great another. I think there must be several factors, not just the water. Could be weather and all sorts of things!

Interesting Happymama that you have a weekly routine. I'm still undecided about frequency of rinsing, which Ginette & I discussed a while ago, but will just have to keep experimenting. Sometimes, if I leave it nearly a week it seems to get better each day, but not necessarily improved upon rinsing. Then, I wonder if rinsing more frequently would keep a good balance, but that doesn't seem true either.

Oh well, sometimes it's good, sometimes not, but I never know which day will be which!

[Guest]

Hi All....Ginette's and mine last posted have vanished, hope things are still ok Ginette.

 

My hairs seems to be a bit greaser lately, maybe it's an autumn/winter thing

 

Anne

I posted the next day to say my hair improved overnight and had lost its stickiness. It's been OK all week and I might leave it until Saturday before doing another 'shampoo'. It has to look all right on Sunday or otherwise I might have just tried another vinegar.

[The Dogmother]

We're off to Norfolk for the weekend, and the water there is really soft, so I'll have to report back.

[Charlottechicken]

I have been following this topic on and off with great interest and although I am not joining in with the no hair washing, I would like to offer some hard/soft water comments.

 

Birmingham has lovely soft water and I can get away with small amounts of shampoo and either no conditioner or very little. But I used to spend a lot of time in North Yorkshire which has very (VERY) hard water. Most times after washing my hair (with shampoo) it did not feel clean, it wasn't silky like in Birmingham, it felt dirty and matted (I have straight hair which doesn't knot easily) and shampoo did not lather well, causing me to use too much. I couldn't wait to get back to Birmingham just to wash my hair!

 

Maybe if you are in a hard water area the best course of action would be no rinsing with tap water?

[Guest]

I am really interested by that Claire, even using shampoo you can notice a difference. We have really hit on a truth here - softer water is better for your hair.

 

Last night I did a vinegar rinse and for the first time EVER I am really pleased with it. My hair looks clean and a bit shiny. It is not glued to my head and dull. I am so pleased!

 

The other thing is that it is in good condition now, not at all dry or frizzy and apart from the grey bits I think it looks really youthful. (Please don't laugh!) I had never realised before that hair is an indicator of age just as wrinkles and sagging skin are And I am thrilled to have young-looking hair again! (Now, about the rest of me . . . )

[The Dogmother]

The soft water in Norfolk made my hair manky

[Guest]

The soft water in Norfolk made my hair manky

 

Clare! That totally destroys our scientific theory! Just when I was beginning to feel that was the answer!

 

Maybe there were other reasons? I'm sure there must be another explanation Maybe there's always an exception to the rule and it doesn't necessarily destroy the theory?

 

Back to the drawing board then! You just don't realise how much turmoil you have thrown me back into!

[The Dogmother]

Sorry Ginette

 

It was fine straight after I rinsed it and it had dried, but the next day it was itchy and felt dirty.

[Guest]

How strange . . . and disappointing.

[Charlottechicken]

Could it be that there are subtle differences in additives used by different water companies that Clare's hair is used to, and by attempting a rinse in slightly different water she has upset that balance and her scalp and hair were attempting to correct it?

 

We also have flouride in Birmingham water, so not sure if that would also make a difference