Shampoo is made to cleanse your hair of leftover hairsprays, gels, and other unwanted residue that builds up on your scalp and hair shafts. It’s been used for hundreds of years for this purpose, and has become an essential part of men, women, and children’s bathing routines. This being said, most people don’t think that they can do without using shampoo to clean their hair but here we share how you can actually shampoo-free your hair, enjoy healthy hair and save money the same time!
Unfortunately, shampoos that are frequently used in this day and age are causing more harm than good to both your scalp and hair strands. The reason why is because of the ingredients used to concoct the many different shampoos on the market. Fortunately, you can cleanse your hair without the use of shampoos or dry shampoos, and still have healthy hair.
Why You Don’t Need a Shampoo
The natural oil that your scalp produces is very important since it keeps you hair hydrated. And herein lies the first problem with shampoo because it’s hard to find a product that doesn’t strip your locks of all this natural oil. Shampoos are so drying for hair that you end up with fragile, hard-to-manage strands.
Furthermore, shampoo is basically a detergent, which is different from other soaps because of the chemicals that are used to make it. Detergents are slightly more powerful at removing dirt and oils, without leaving a residue or film behind on the surfaces meant to be cleaned.
You should also know that not all shampoos are created equally because some have more silicone and wax than others, thus causing buildup on strands that can be difficult to wash off. This creates a twofold problem because you’ll need to use more shampoo than necessary to try to remove the build-up. Shampoos can also contain mineral oil, which is an agent used to coat the strands of hair to make it appear shiny. This ingredient piles up on your scalp and keeps natural oils from reaching your hair, which makes you apply more products in order to hydrate your hair.
Going shampoo-free is great for eco-friendly men and women who try to avoid using or eating harmful chemicals.
Shampoos and conditioners have plenty of chemicals to go around, and those chemicals can be absorbed into your skin and enter your bloodstream; these chemicals are then held there for extended periods of time.
As if the above reasons aren’t enough to steer you away from shampooing your hair, then maybe saving money will entice you! Even if shampoo has been a part of your routine for your entire life, it’s not a necessity. This product makes you dependent on it as well as other hair products, which makes your hair-care budget skyrocket.
Conditioner is also overrated and is only needed because of the drying effects of shampoo. Deciding to go shampoo-free is a great way to be frugal because you’ll not only stop using shampoo and conditioner, but you’ll also use a lot less styling products like wax, gels, mousses, detangler, pomades – among other hair styling products.
Natural shampoo is also a great alternative, and you can purchase tear-free shampoo for your children! So now that you know the most important reasons for not using shampoo, here’s how to use baking soda and apple cider vinegar to repair your hair and scalp.
Quick Recipe
Baking soda is used for a number of different things including laundry detergent, toothpaste, cleaning agents, and to deodorize carpets and refrigerators. The use of baking soda doesn’t stop here though because it can be combined with water to create a natural and safe shampoo for both children and adults. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 cups of water
- 0.5 cup of baking soda
- Combine the two ingredients in an empty shampoo bottle and shake the mixture up well. Also, note that the ratio of water-to-baking soda can be changed to suit your needs. For instance, your hair may only need 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 cup of water. So if you have to wash your hair more often due to oil secretion, just use different amounts of ingredients until you are satisfied.
- Your mixture shouldn’t feel gritty, but more like a paste instead. And it won’t build into lather on your dry head, so just pour the shampoo on your head and massage onto your scalp, then rinse.
- To condition your hair, use a squirt bottle with apple cider vinegar to apply to your locks; then use your fingers or wide-tooth comb to detangle hair as you move the vinegar throughout your strands.
Based on all of the problems and hassles that regular shampoos can cause, you might want to seriously consider making natural shampoo. You’ll thank yourself when you’re saving money, while also having a cleaner head of hair!