Monday, November 23, 2009

Yummy shampoo bars!

This is what I've been cleaning my hair with.  I may play around with French Green Clay or Rhassoul clay in the future, but for now, I've got a bunch of little samples and I've been enjoying playing with them.  I still have some leftover Aveda conditioner I'm using up (it was $$$!) but when that is gone I'll switch back to jojoba and apple cider vinegar.  My man likes the soap bars too!

The descriptions on this website are great, and the way they help you figure out which soap would work best.  My hair is very soft and shiny, and never feels stripped or heavy.  I still only wash it every 4 days or so (5 when it's dry out) and I've been very pleased.

I make home made shaving cream for my guy, and when I order cocoa butter next I'll order some French Green and some Rhassoul and see if I like that as well.  A friend from Boston has been using the French Green to great success!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

9 months out!


Wow! Well it's been 9 months since I stopped using commercial shampoos. I have to admit I've changed things a little bit, because I hated how baking soda was making my hair feel. I've been unable to get any French Green clay, but I did find some "shampoo" bars made locally that work amazing!
The website, chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com, explains what they have better than I could. Basically they use old, old recipes for stuff to clean hair that in no way uses anything like silicones, parabens, and other yucky things. My hair feels amazing, very soft and I only wash once or twice a week, usually. I can feel the difference in the hair that's grown in over the last few months since I've been using it. They are made with all kinds of stuff that these folks grow (with a few things they ship in) and smell delicious! I bought a bunch of samples so I can figure out which one is my favorite. I have a tiny bit of Aveda conditioner left from my original purchase way back last summer, and I'm using it up a tiny bit at a time- it was expensive so I don't dare throw it out.

The other change is that I also hennaed my hair. I used a mix of cassia and henna since I didn't want to go too red, and some amla to tone it down. 200 g cassia with 25 g henna and 14 g amla in all. It was goopy, messy and so worth it- my hair is super glossy, very silky and it has helped the damage on the super blonde part at the bottom (which I think the baking soda did some damage to!) I like the way it looks, a lot. My natural color that grows in (before the sun bleaches it) is very dark blonde, dishwater/ mouse really, and this helped to even it out and darken everything. I don't particularly like to be bleach blonde!

It's grown, too. Despite some trims, it's definitely getting there.