Upon Request: Shampoo

I've been asked to share some of my beauty / body tips, which are not so much tips as they are ways of life. About three years ago, I gave up shampoo, conditioner, lotion, any washes/scrubs, makeup, tampons, perfumes, and a few other lady-type corporate scam chemical products. I was done leeching pharmaceuticals into my body via my scalp and skin, and decided to take full control of myself by simply stepping out of the cycle of beauty product consumerism. Unlike slow-food cooking or many other health-improvement activities (unfortunately), this way of life actually takes up less of my time and money, and is remarkably easy to adopt if you're ok with ordering a few ingredients online. It doesn't involve being greasy or smelly and, if you're ready to accept full-scale rejection of an entire industry, will make you feel pretty good psychologically, too.

Here's my solution for the shampoo / conditioner scam:

Shampoo
Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Liquid Castile Soap
Herbal blend: peppermint, rosemary, nettle, lemongrass, chamomile

Make a strong tea with the herbs and regular tap water; let steep for 20 minutes, then strain. Add a few ounces of Castile soap to a jar or bottle, then top off with tea when cool. Soap will settle to the bottom, so give a quick shake before using the shower. A couple dashes will do -- amount of lather depends on water type (hard, soft, etc.).

Conditioner not necessary - as this blend does not strip your scalp of its natural oils, your body will take care of the rest. If you feel a little greasy still, use a dash of watered-down vinegar or lemon juice (or something else rather acidic) to get some of the excess grease out after you shampoo. (I still use vinegar depending on the weather - it's not as stinky as you think.) Castile soap is ideal because its biodegradable, and doesn't contain detergents (meaning it doesn't strip your hair of oils, only actual dirt). In a pinch I sometimes use the bar soap, which seems to work ok, too.

........

Commercial shampoos will strip the oils out of your hair using harsh detergents, which then dry out your scalp and hair and make you feel convinced you need a conditioner to return to your "normal" moisture levels. Conditioners really just coat your hair in plastics and make your hair feel unnaturally "soft," which creates an unrealistic cycle of competition among women about who can have the "softest" hair. I found that once my scalp became naturally balanced, I produced enough oils to condition my hair just fine. Your body wouldn't produce its own oils if you didn't need them!

Please try this and give your scalp a few weeks to adjust -- it may at first react by producing either more or less oil than usual, or feel itchy, or weird. This detox period will pass, and you will discover -- probably for the first time -- what your hair actually feels like.