The No Poo Challenge - A Wrap Up

So who tried the No Poo Challenge? Was it hard? Did you find your hair looked better than ever? Was it too greasy? Did you push past it?

I was washing my hair yesterday (with baking soda) and thinking about how it didn't feel heavy anymore. When I used to shower, after shampooing, it would feel heavy and coated. And when I started the No Poo challenge, it felt worse. As though it was covered in rubber.

And now that's gone away. I don't remember how long it has been. Since July, I guess. My hair feels soft, not dry, not heavy, just real. Sometimes it gets greasy. I've tried to use less baking soda because I've been getting dandruff, and if I don't use enough, my hair gets a little greasy. But you know what? It gets greasy with regular shampoo, too.

Green Living: The No Poo Challenge - Tips and Tricks

So we're not the only crazy ones. Other people have done the No Poo thing too. And they are addicted. It certainly has made my hair more manageable and has brought out my natural wave. It definitely took some time to get used to. In fact, I went off the wagon a couple of times in the past few months because I felt like my hair was greasy, and you know what? When I washed it with regular shampoo, it was greasier.

This is what my hair looks like since I've done the No Poo challenge (and this was on a day when it felt kind of greasy):

The No (Sham) Poo Challenge

Don't worry--we will not be washing our hair with ketchup and mustard;
this is what I use to make my "shampoo" and "conditioner."

We've been talking about being "greener" lately, and in this post about natural personal care items, we talked about using a combination of baking soda and vinegar to wash your hair instead of shampoo. Liz and I have both tried it, and we've hit some bumps in the road, but we're cheerleaders for the whole thing. We've even convinced some of our friends to jump on the bandwagon.

So we're challenging you for the rest of September: 
Put away your shampoo and go green. You'll do your hair, your scalp, your wallet, and the environment a favor.

Here's the deal:

1. Wash your hair with baking soda and vinegar (the exact recipe is on this page).
2. On October 1, we'll put up a post asking for your comments. Tell us what you thought, and you'll be entered to win a prize in a random drawing.

What's the prize?
You'll win two bottles to fill with your baking soda/water and vinegar/water solutions, plus a small bottle of essential oil to dress up your vinegar rinse and make it smell delicious.

How do I enter?
Just leave a comment after the post we'll put on on October 1. You'll have one week to leave your comment, and we'll randomly select a winner on October 8. One entry per person (regardless of the number of comments you leave).

What else can I do?
If you write a blog entry about your experience with the No Poo challenge, let us know by leaving a comment on our No Poo Challenge page. We'll link up to your blog on that page. It will be a great way to share tips, comments, and advice about putting away the shampoo.

Green Living: Natural Personal Care Products and Toiletries

Green Baby Diaper Service supports green, natural living. In an effort to eliminate unnecessary chemicals from our everyday lives, we’ll be posting some blog entries with recipes for natural personal care products, cleaners, and lawn care. This is the first in the series, and we’re talking about natural toiletries: deodorant, face wash, shampoo, and baby wipes.

I recently read an article somewhere online—I can’t remember where—that said cancer used to be a disease of the elderly and the feeble. Now it often occurs at any age and in otherwise healthy people. So many things are different nowadays, but one is the pervasive use of chemicals in toiletries. For all the studies that show that these chemicals are safe, there are just as many studies suggesting they are harmful.

Call me paranoid, but if scientists have a reason to study the link between a certain chemical and cancer, wouldn’t you want to limit your use of that product and perhaps not spread it all over your body? Researchers began to study the antioxidant properties in berries because they had reason to believe berries were good for your health. Perhaps they have begun to study the damaging effects of chemicals in personal care products because they have reason to believe they are bad for you.

Also, only a few of the thousands of chemicals registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have undergone comprehensive testing to determine their effects on human health. It usually takes dramatic injury or poisoning combined with extensive public outcry before the government will regulate a certain chemical. The government assumes chemicals are innocent until proven guilty. But just because a chemical has not been proven to be harmful doesn’t mean it’s not.

I would rather stick to the opposite idea and restrict my use of unnecessary chemicals until they have been proven safe. Just like I’d rather eat products with fewer ingredients, I’d rather use products with fewer ingredients on my body, hair, and skin. It just feels right.