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Shampoo and Conditioner Alternatives

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no pooFor many years now I have tried to eliminate unnecessary chemicals in my life, this included switching to natural alternatives for shampoo, conditioner, face wash, moisturiser, deodorant, body wash, make up and tooth paste. Some of these products have been great and worked really well, and others have had a less than average effect on my skin or hair.

Now that I am pregnant, it’s even more important to me to be avoiding as many harsh chemicals as possible.

Over the next few months I will be writing about my experiences with different beauty regimes.

 

This month – hair!

I have always had fairly oily hair and moving to natural shampoos didn’t help that at all. In recent years I have also had pimples in my scalp, which can be rather painful and uncomfortable. So I was getting a bit frustrated with frequent washing of my hair, having thick and long hair it would take all day to dry naturally.

So after some internet browsing I found a possible solution that gave me a little hope. It’s called the “no poo” method, and no it’s not constipation. It involves using baking soda as a shampoo alternative and for the conditioner an apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse.

This method is not only beneficial for oily hair, but also dry, curly and frizzy hair.

The idea is that the more you wash your hair, the more the natural oils are removed, so your scalp over produces extra oils and you need to wash your hair more. It’s great for shampoo sales but not so great for your scalp. Our ancestors certainly didn’t wash their hair every day or 2, and over the last hundred years the washing has become more and more frequent.

A brief how to;

  • Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with a cup of water for the shampoo
  • Mix 1 tablespoon ACV with a cup of water for the conditioning rinse
  • Brush your hair daily with a bristle brush to distribute hairs away from the scalp
  • Try to extend your hair washing day by 1 each wash so the oils have a chance to rebalance

There are alternatives you can use, such as egg for the shampoo and lemon juice, honey and tea for the conditioner. I did find the honey made my hair oily though so I am sticking with ACV.

My experience has been mostly positive, with a few headband/scarf days when I was at day 4-5. It’s a bit tough at
the time as I hate the feeling of dirty hair, but if you can get through these days it is supposed to make a big difference.

I had been going for about a month and was up to hair washing on day 5 or 6, then went to the (organic) hair dresser for a trim and didn’t want to miss out on the lovely scalp massage so also had shampoo and conditioner. I took a big step backwards after that and feel like I had to retrain my scalp! I think next time I will just be upfront with the hairdresser and ask them just to wet it for the cut. After the hairdresser I am now back to every 5 to 6 days, and interested to see if I can push it further. Some “no poo-ers” get to the point that they don’t even use the baking soda rinse anymore and might just rinse with water a few times a year.

I know many males that never shampoo their hair, and might just rinse it with water every few weeks. I have never noticed oily hair on them, even with all the gel they use.

So all in all I would say this has been a successful experiment, I am washing my hair half as often, I no longer have pimples in my scalp and my hair feels softer and cleaner (for the first few days anyway). It does get a bit stinky on Day 5-6, but hopefully this will get less and less.

For more information refer to;
http://www.nopoomethod.com/

 

Fighting Cellulite.

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celeryCellulite – many women (if not all) of us have it and are not particularly fond of it. There are simple steps you can take to improve your blood circulation and lymphatic circulation which in turn will help to move on the fatty deposits which cause cellulite and that “orange peel” appearance.

 

Dry Skin Brushing

Dry skin brushing is a great way to encourage circulation and to help the elimination of waste from the tissues.

Five minutes of skin brushing with a firm bristle skin brush in the morning before getting in the shower is an invigorating way to start the day and excellent for getting those fatty deposits moving.

 

Lymphatic Drainage and Reflexology

Lymphatic drainage is a light pressured massage that works to remove waste by stimulating the lymphatic fluid towards specific drainage points in the body. Reflexologist, Cathy, offers lymphatic drainage in her reflexology sessions at Health In The Bay.

 

Exercise

I know I harp on about it but it’s the best thing anyone can do for themselves, for so many reasons…

Getting the heart rate up improves circulation as well as burning up the excess fat stored in our bodies.

 

Essential Oils

Massaging the affected area with a combination of essential oils in a base oil, such as almond oil, will help to improve the circulation and therefore the removal of wastes. Oils specific for cellulite are:

  • Cypress – which assists in the management of fluid retention and is a circulatory tonic.
  • Juniper – is a diuretic known for its clearing, cleansing and detoxifying properties. It also improves circulation
  • Geranium – stimulates the lymphatic system and regenerates cells
  • Grapefruit – is said to assist in the breakdown of cellulite when mixed with evening primrose oil.

 

Herbal Medicine

Herbs which have a detoxifying effect and help to move excess water and eliminate wastes can be useful. These include celery seed, dandelion leaf and root, horse chestnut and St Mary’s thistle.

 

Regular Detoxification

By stimulating bile flow and liver detoxification the body is able to break down fats more efficiently. A good detox will also speed the clearance of toxins stored in fat.

Whether it’s a complete detoxification program or even the regular use of a good quality liver tonic your body will thank you for it.

Detoxification is best (safe and effective) when done under the care of a healthcare practitioner.

 

Whole food diet and plenty of water.

Its obvious! Put good stuff in and you’ll look and feel great. By avoiding foods high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, you will have less fat to store. Because lets face it – if you’re not burning those nasty hard to digest fats off straight away they’re going to find, or even worse create, a fat cell and get rather comfy. And remember – sugar and alcohol will ultimately end up there as well if they are not burned off by exercise.

It is important not to fear all fats though. Make sure you get plenty of essential fats such as those from raw nuts, seeds and fish, for healthy cells. These fats DON’T MAKE YOU FAT, actually studies have shown quite the opposite. People who eat diets with adequate amounts of essential fats tend to have smaller appetites and feel full and satisfied for longer after eating.

Fresh vegetable juices can also help due to their detoxifying effect – celery, carrot, beetroot and watermelon are particularly good.

 

Ingredients To Avoid

Mineral oil reduces the body’s natural oil production and causes dry skin. Synthetic fragrance oils are artificial, have no therapeutic effect and can irritate the skin.