My eco solution to rat problems

[Guest]

I think you may be right about what hair is used to. My daughters are using Green People shampoo now and one in particular moans that it isn't very good. Yet when I use it, my hair looks fantastic, really shiny and healthy.

 

I am beginning to think that our hair may be more sensitive than we realise. It's always bad when we feel ill isn't it? Possibly when we feel miserable too. It seems logical that it is affected by hormones and possibly even by what we eat.

[The Dogmother]

That's right Ginette, after all your hair can be different at various stages of your menstrual cycle - the hormones would affect the amount of oil produced.

[Happymama]

About water softness ...

 

Maybe we should do a poll - did non-shampoo hairwashing work for you: hard water>soft water>coastal (usually hard, yes?).

 

I can say that I'm on soft water and it works for me.

 

You have soft water if there's no fur in your kettle. It may be artificually softened, though, and this may make a difference. I think if you live near the coast you may have this. I remember as a child going on hols to the seaside and soap wouldn't lather. Now some places it does. Maybe they've started artificially softening?

[Sheilaz]

Good to hear from you, the thread really took off didn't it?

Yes, but depends which coast. It's the lime/chalk which makes water "hard" and I'm sure LSH could tell me in detail where the chalkstreams are nationwide. It's great for a cup of tea, but not so good for hair it seems. However, mine has definitely improved since I re-started our water softener.

But, when we went to Devon recently, and I'm fairly sure the water was soft, it felt it with soap, my hair was disgusting after "washing."

I have another theory; the first day, being due a wash, I did this lying in the bath, as there wasn't a separate shower. I've found this worse before at home and rarely use that method. Even though I tried really hard to rinse well this way, I do wonder if the shower action, or the greater ease in using 2 hands, makes all the difference.

It was so bad that I was really tempted by the lovely Ren shampoo in the hotel, and of course it happened on the w/e that I was trying hard to be glamorous. But, I resisted girls, & the first wash back home has been fine again.

I'm sure you're right Ginette & Clare, other factors such as health & hormones will make a difference too.

Does anyone else compare the shower & bath method, as well as the water?

Oh, & rest assured, we left our drinking water direct from the mains, so you can be sure of a lovely cuppa if you drop in!

[Louise]

I made the mistake of rinsing in the bath as well I think my problem was the water just wasn't hot enough

 

I had seriously manky hair when I had a disgusting cold it was very greasy but has been fine since

 

I was doing clean rooms last week and it was getting washed about 6 times a day when I was using shampoo I had to re acclimatise my hair to a normal schedule again but the no-poo means it doesn't need to recover at all

 

In fact I even stopped using the shower gel last week too and my skin is much happier for it just using water was okay as it was happening soi frequently I used soap in the shower at home this morning though

 

My water is very soft but it is a little harder at work and both seem okay with me

[Guest]

So, 2 questions for those of you who feel you've 'got there':

 

Do you still get the grey dirty stuff on your hairbrush?

and Is your hair still falling out a lot?

[Louise]

I still have a manky hairbrush

 

My loss level never really changed at all

 

Mind you I shower so much at work it is probably on the high side anyway

[Sheilaz]

Definitely yes on the manky hairbrush. I notice more hair on the brush than there was before this, but I hope it's because less comes out in washing, not actual hair loss. It's hard to tell, but if it's hair loss I'll be stopping. But there is a lot in the brush each day, I just hope that's normal.

Lots of fluff in the brush, where does it all come from? A bit like noticing fluff if you change to floorboards in the house, you can't believe the amount of fluff. Well, that's my hairbrush, and of course the fluff collects dirt. Lovely isn't it?

[Guest]

Sounds like me and mine then! That's a relief.

 

The hair on my head doesn't seem thinner, so I don't know where it all comes from!

[Happymama]

The dust bunnies - I know them! With two cats and two dogs you can imagine the dust bunnies under our dining room furniture. Never noticed them when we had carpet in there ...

 

I sometimes just wet my hair and swoosh it around in the bath, and sometimes only rinse it off after with the shower. Naughty, eh? Don't notice a thing different about my hair, though.

 

I get lumpy bits stuck to my scalp that I can dig off with a fingernail if I've left it longer than a week (like right now, no Step Aerobics on Monday, so no hair rinse after) and get some bits showing at the roots, if I brush too vigorously. However, I don't feel this gunk is wrong or unpleasant, it's dead skin cells and redundant oils, nothing more, nothing less. Doesn't smell, just looks a BIT like dandruff, I suppose, but not as profuse.

 

Sheila, I think you're right - you loose less hair in the washing, so you get it in the brushing, instead. I hardly ever brush my hair, only when it's wet, and that's once a week on average. I'm a mop-head anyway, that's one of the reasons behind getting it cut (another freeby coming my way next week at Saks in Northallerton, hoorah!) shorter. I don't have to pull long hair out of the plughole, either, but that's more down to shorter hair, maybe.

 

I think this thread is mass-eeeeeve. I've even referred people over to here from INEBG, on the temp log-in method, and who knows, they may buy an Eglu too! It's been a bit exhausing keeping two threads going that are so active, so I've taken a back seat on this one a bit, you all seem to be getting on quite well.

 

Keep at it, you determined people, you!

[Sheilaz]

Thanks for the encouragement. You inspired us to start, and now we've flown away with it!

I enjoy brushing my hair but then it sounds such a different type to yours. Mine comes alive when brushed, & is limp without, whereas yours seems to have a life of it's own! Sounds fab short. How come you have a freebie cut at Saks? In Northallerton...I thought Darlington was miles away, or have you moved? Although as a Southerner I don't know how near or far they are. Hope the OH stuff has worked out OK.

I have a cousin in Northallerton who I haven't seen for 30 yrs!

[Guest]

It's interesting that this thread goes very quiet isn't it? We must all feel settled.

 

My latest régime is a 12 day cycle. I shampoo (with a herbal natural shampoo) on day 1, do a vinegar rinse on day 5 and a bicarb on day 8. Then I shampoo again on day 12 and carry on. I arrived at this because the vinegar rinse worked beautifully the first time, but when I did it again 4/5 days later it didn't work. So I decided bicarb might be the answer and it worked well too. So I am using a natural shampoo 2-3 times a month which seems all right to me.

 

I'm sad I can't manage with just water but I know that I have achieved something because the herbal shampoo works absolutely brilliantly on me, but not on my older daughters who haven't embarked on this project.

 

I would love to hear about the group of people who followed us. How are you all getting on?

[myles]

Hi all we're getting on....very mixed. All our hair has gone backwards, Peter who's hair is very short, asked me if his hair looked greasy the other day . Myles' hair looks greasy after only a few hours of being washed and sticks up and looks like he's got hair gel in . Well mines quite rough feeling to, my vinegar rinses only last one day, then it feels dirty and i fear looks bad too. is it a winter thing does our hair need a shampoo i just don't know. So far i've tried Bi-carb which works for approx 5 days, vinegar last 1 day, i've also tried the old oatmeal which does make it feel better, but am i really all the way back at the begining again. To be honest i don't feel i could do it again, it's been like it since mid october, so not a temporary blip.

 

Just for interest i've PH tested out tap water, it's 7.3 and i'm sure thats shouldn't have changed.

 

Maybe our hair is starting to get a build up of dirt on it and it needs a shampoo

 

I haven't been on much, too busy with Christmas gift making, at the mo i'm making Sarah's (cinnamon) pomanders

 

Anne

[Guest]

Well you've read what I'm doing Anne. I'd say a shampoo wouldn't hurt and may get you all back on track. HappyMama has hers washed every 8 weeks, so maybe there is a build-up.

 

I also find vinegar only really lasts a day, but I get through 4 without looking too bad - it sort of gets batter on day 3 I think. It all depends how much you have to interact with people outside your home, doesn't it?

[Louise]

it sort of gets batter on day 3

 

Crikey oily enough to warrant some batter

[Guest]

 

That's not like me!

[Louise]

I love typos that are so well placed for comedy value Ginette sorry couldn't resist

[Merryn]

Hi, I haven't been on this for sometime - busy, busy. BUT hair going fine - just on water nowadays, about twice a week. AND hubby has stopped using shampoo and his hair has immediately taken to the regime - it's lovely and soft and looks fine. He's been lucky not to have to go through all that angst at the beginning...

I can't believe it's 6 months since I stopped using shampoo

[Guest]

That is good news Merryn. Well done!

[Sheilaz]

Lovely to hear from you Merryn, that's great news! I've settled down to just water every 4 days or so, no actual routine!

I haven't reported so frequently because it's settled, although it varies from quite good looking to quite bad looking. Also, I found that I was talking to myself.

Anne, did yours settle again or did you reach for the bottle?

[myles]

Hello again, my hairs feeling alot better thanks , but I told Myles to use shampoo because his hair truthfully looked ghastly. After a shampoo it looked much better and a shade lighter, he's now returned back to using just water.

 

Fingers crossed mine has settled again, i used eggs and honey last Friday and yesterday a vinegar rinse, so far seems ok

 

Hope your all well

 

Anne

[Sheilaz]

That's good news, Anne.

I'm sure it must be harder for teenagers to do, with skin & hormonal changes, so I think Myles is doing really well, and it is necessary to feel & look clean.

Glad yours has settled again, fingers crossed.

[Sheilaz]

On Monday I went to the hairdressers for a trim. Not that I wanted to, I don't enjoy it at all. But I was spurred on by the aim to get rid of the old hair, and decided to pay a lot & go back to the one I tried last time, in the hope that it would benefit from good styling too.

Last time, she was fine about just using water to rinse my hair, and I told her I'd washed it already that morning using my own natural products, and that I didn't want any shampoo. Although she didn't understand why as their shampoos are so wonderful, she went along with it.

However, this time, she just sprayed it with water (at least she remembered me, before I even mentioned no shampoo. But then, she kept having a go at me. Asking specifically what I used, and could I at least bring my own shampoo in for them to use (I didn't call it shampoo, she just assumed it must be a green shampoo). I felt so humiliated as she said it would be easier for her to cut, and sounded put out. I had given it a successful (in my terms) rinse that morning. It maybe looked a bit flat & dull because it always looks better a day or 2 later, but not at all greasy, honestly. But, I couldn't possibly explain to her that it was just water I used, she only understood 1 way of doing things & I felt really wretched. She styled it but it looked stupid. I guess the cut is OK once I've brushed it & not styled it, but not worth the money (no discount for no washing, I didn't dare suggest it though!) or humiliation. She didn't spend long, and I just felt she didn't like doing it.

Now I'm stuck. I thought I'd found a good one the first time, as she accepted the rinsing & didn't chat, just cut & dried.

But, I'm not going back again. The more I sat feeling bad, I looked at her hair & it was the style (?) that has lots of uneven layers with dry tapering ends. I just wanted to even up the ends! Mine didn't look any more unwashed than hers. So, I was in the wrong place!

Oh, another theory. Now that mine is coming through in natural condition, I reckon it retains moisture very well. This is what products are advertised to do, re hydrate the hair. The natural oils do this. But, perhaps, although the condition must be "perfection" in terms of protection, it doesn't look dry & fluffy like shampooed hair. However, after a couple of days more drying out, it looks nearer the washed look! Does that make sense. If I'd thought, I should have blow dried my hair before going.

This means that most hair is drier than it could be, even after lots of conditioner, but we are used to that look and feel now.

Oh well, I might see if sis in law will attempt the next trim. Or will that be more embarrassing?

Brighter note... It's nearly 10 months and I've only used at most a bottle or so of vinegar, a tub of bicarb, and a third of a pack of wheatmeal, and now I'm really happy with just water. Amazing, I can't believe how well it works.

[Guest]

Oh, Sheila, poor you!

 

We can't expect people like that to understand! We need an Omlet hairdresser - there must be someone!

 

It's great news that your hair is settled now and doesn't need anything on it. Be cheerful and superior - we've got gorgeous hair which doesn't need enhancing in any way.

 

I have also wondered about 'real hair'. Is natural hair very shiny? Is it light and fly-away? I'm not sure that it is. It's difficult to explain, but is the sleek, shiny beautiful hair we see on TV ads really what hair is supposed look like?

 

I hope you feel better tomorrow!

 

xx

[Lesley]

I don't think most people look like the ads anyway - they're in the market of selling dreams!

 

Sheila - your hair has looked so much better each time I've seen you so don't worry about what the hairdresser thought. Like you say - who wants to look like they do anyway.

 

Each time a hair salon in town has a new stylist, they show a photo of them - i always think "why on earth would I want to look .ike that!!!" How can that possible bring in new custom?

 

Do you have a visiting hairdresser in the area? - or is that just a rural thing? I have my hair cut at home and I think they are a different breed of hairdresser.