October 2016
(Simplified update to come, using aloe vera)
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When I meet new people, and I'm wearing my hair out, it never fails that I get questions about my long mane, and no one can believe how I maintain these locks.
I'll keep this simple:
2tbsp baking soda
half fresh lemon
1 tspn honey
2-3 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
Enough water to form a paste
(Leave in) Conditioner
1/4 tsp coconut oil
I apply the mixture directly onto my (yet) dry scalp, then head to the shower, allow it to soak for a couple of minutes and rinse it out.
I towel dry my hair for at least 10 minutes, before combing it out and applying coconut oil as a conditioner.
I'm able to go about four to five days before I need to wash again, and granted it doesn't smell fancy shmancy, (no smell), it works like a charm.
On a side note, I have been shampoo free for over a year now, (aside from a time I stayed at a friends, and decided to see what "normal" shampoo would do to my hair- nothing after one wash, and really, I had no interest to go back), and my locks are thriving. I also haven't cut my hair for perhaps a year and a half, and it's grown so much in that time.
Admittedly, it took a while to come to this combination of ingredients that works for me perfectly. My scalp did dry out some months ago, perhaps due to the summer heat - I really don't know - though at the time I wasn't using lemon.
I tried different methods for helping my scalp, though neither the apple cider vinegar nor coconut oil applied directly to scalp and left on overnight worked. The coconut oil was sooooo hard to get out, and I think it took the better part of three weeks for my hair not to be a greasy mess. You live and you learn, right? ;)
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By all means give this recipe a go, though I encourage you to trial and error too. My hair is very thick as a whole as well as the individual strands, so if you've got thin wispy hair, well...play :)
Play around until you get the perfect shampoo for you, and do drop me a line as to how it goes for you.
PS: Baking soda, is also an awesome exfoliator. A dab on your palm, with just enough water to make a paste, apply to your face gently in small circular motions then wash off- and use your normal moisturizer. Mine's coconut oil- go figure. ;)
