I Stopped Buying Shampoo...

Yes, you read that right, I no longer use shampoo.  I know you are thinking how gross that is and no matter how much money you were trying to save or how green you want to be, you would NEVER stop washing your hair.  Well, guess what, I didn’t stop washing my hair, I just stopped using shampoo.  

I have been doing a lot of research lately on how to make your own laundry soap, dish soap, hand soap, bath soap, etc.  I thought why not see if I can make shampoo.  Sooo, I googled “homemade shampoo” and it didn’t bring up a single thing about making your own shampoo.  What I did find though was a ton of information on going “poo free”.  At first I thought that this couldn’t possibly be true and how there is no way people are going around with dirty hair.  Then I opened the links and I got really intrigued.  I mean, if this lady, has been shampoo free for 2 years and her hair looks like its nice and clean in the pics she has posted (they were posted after 3 months of no shampoo), then maybe there is something to it.

So, how does this no shampoo thing work you ask?  All you need are the ingredients shown in the picture below.

Basically, all you have to do is mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup of water.  When you take your shower you just squirt some of the solution directly on your scalp, rub it in, and rinse.  Do this no more than every other day.  Yup, thats it!  I did it last night and my hair looks awesome today!  Here is my pic:

Now, I know you probably have some questions and I will give you the best answers I have right now.

Q. What if I have hair that needs conditioner?  

A. Mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water, pour it on your hair, avoiding the scalp, let sit for a few seconds then rinse.

Q. What if I have dandruff?

A. You can use a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup white vinegar twice a week.  Do this before you wash your hair.  

Q. Will my hair get oily if I use this method?

A. Your hair may be a little more oily than usual for a week or two during the initial transition period.  If it continues to be too oily, use less vinegar conditioner, or stop using it all together.

Q. How much money will I save using this method?

A. Well, that depends on how much you currently spend on shampoo.  Over the last year I have been buying my shampoo and conditioner at the Dollar Tree and I go through about a bottle of each a month.  So if you do the math, I was spending $24 a year on shampoo and conditioner.  Using this method, I estimate I will use about 1 tablespoon of baking soda a week and even less of the apple cider vinegar.  I got a box of baking soda for 50 cents at Kroger and I figure that will likely last me a year.  Apple cider vinegar I got at Kroger for about $2 and that will last much longer.  Water is free :)  So, that adds up to $2.50 at the most for the year.  That is a savings of $21.50 a year for me.  If you buy your shampoo and conditioner at the grocery store, you could be spending $5 or more per bottle.  That would be up to $120 a year, so for you that is a savings of $117.50 a year.  Just think of what $117.50 could buy if you used it elsewhere.

For more information and answers to all the other questions you may have, such as why is it green to go shampoo free or why is shampoo not so good for us or the environment, you can check out this website as well: http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html#bad