There were plenty of occasions for adjustment. A 6-day vacation in Florida was a chaotic, greasy, flaky time. But I managed to pull through, figure out what my hair didn't like, and moved on with my life.
I'm still only washing my hair on Mondays and Thursdays. But I'm no longer trying to add oil to my hair; I'll just brush it more to distribute the scalp oils.
I started noticing that flakes were coming back and, after reading a bit of advice in this LJ community (which is very helpful if you're starting out and are looking for solutions for your particular hair type or issue), I decided to try a few things:
- I'm using a more-diluted baking soda mixture, but I can't really say how diluted... I add water to the bottle during my next washing if the previous washing seemed to have left me with baking soda residue/flakes.
- I scrub my scalp with my nails pretty furiously when the residue/flakes first appeared, to see if it was just all sorts of chemical grossness coming loose from years on shampoo, or even just dead skin cells. This has really worked the best of all; granted, I had a nightmare day in Florida after the first scrubbing when I looked like I had decended upon them with snow. But that's what a ponytail is for. After that, though, there has been less and less, and I have to spend less and less effort with the scrubbing to maintain a minimal level of flake.
- I also spend 5-minutes to blow dry (on warm, then cool) my roots; I was thinking that some of the residue/flakes were due to a wet scalp all morning, in combination with too much baking soda. Plus, the blowing might blow some of the flakes out? As I dilute the baking soda more, I'll try drying less. I just hate wasting the energy blow-drying when I have at least another hour before I am in public, and no-fuss no-primping straight hair.
You're right. It's been a bit of a pain in the ass. Everyone's hair is different and your scalp and hair will have to go through their own personal adventure. But, I love a good challenge and this has been a money-, time-, health-, and environment- saving journey so far. And that, in my book, is a WIN. Also, had I not found the little well-sealed bottles that I had found to transport the BS/V in, I could have just rummaged all the ingredients from the houses of those we visited :)
What fun challenges have you encountered lately? Any April Fools' jokes today?
Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl
A side note to the scrubbing the scalp real good - it does get rid of the dead skin, but also helps ... excite/activate/stimulate the cells underneathe and will help with the natural oils coming forth.
ReplyDeleteI have been very happy with my lack of conditioner, but I'm still partial to these shampoo bars I get at the co-op. I'm not sure I want to ever give them up.