I'll be the first to admit-I am not your typical "earthy crunchy" person. I am motivated to do things first by my budget and wallet, and then I usually realize that the change I have made is just better for me and my husband, and the world in general. What I really love about making these switches to homemade and natural products is that I am saving money and being more healthy, and those choices also have positive impacts in other areas. I'll never drive a Prius. I'll never live on a farm and raise all of my own organic food. But I can make easy, everyday choices in my little home that reduce my spending and my impact, and that is a good thing.
Today's post is on Natural Shampoo. I have seen a whole mess of posts and ideas online (mainly via Pinterest) about going "poo free." I'm sorry, but I can't just do the baking soda in my hair thing. I am a person that has been socialized to the point that the idea of not using something that lathers just kills me. Unfortunately, the stuff that makes shampoo lather, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate, is some nasty stuff. Shampoo, like commercial body wash and soap, are detergents. They strip your body of essential oils and moisture. The chemicals contained in them are not nice things. Basically it boils down to this for me-the FDA has tested many of these chemicals and deemed them safe in limited quantities. Large exposures in lab animals have yielded cancers and other bad things. I don't know about you, but I think that a lifetime of using chemicals directly on your skin is probably not a limited exposure. And what about babies and children? Yikes! Shampoos and conditioners are also blasted expensive! So personally, I decided to make a switch, and to try the natural route, but a route that felt more like traditional shampoo and not baking soda.
I have tried a million shampoos. I have very thick, curly hair that can be dry, but can also become greasy easily. I also heat-style it a lot. That does a number on my hair! I no longer color my hair, which helps with it's overall health, but the heat styling takes a toll. My hair is also very long right now. When it is straight, it reaches my waist in back. I have also had major issues with dry scalp over the past few years. The only shampoo I have ever used that treated my scalp well was Pureology, but at $26-$45 a bottle, I could never afford it! So I need a shampoo that is inexpensive, will moisturize, balance oils, and maintain a nice, neutral PH for my scalp. I have tried two different recipes, and this is my favorite! It lathers beautifully, makes my hair very soft, and can be made for just cents on the dollar.
