Shampoo-free in the New York Times.
I am so fashionable.
This in the Fashion & Style section of the Times today: Of Course I Washed My Hair Last Year (I’m Almost Certain). It’s an odd little piece, mixing reporting on trendy beauty-parlor washing in New York with bits on the “shampoo free” movement in Australia. And the author is more than a little skeptical.
But it’s proof that questioning detergent-on-your-head has gone mainstream.
The article quoted an Australian radio host who hasn’t shampooed in a decade or so:
Mr. Glover had another reason why some Australians just say no: “We’re tired of feeling like cogs in the machinery of consumption. There’s this feeling of liberation to be able to say no to an entire aisle of the supermarket.”
Certainly a pleasant side effect of a healthy scalp!
(If you’re interested in how to stop using shampoo, check out this post from the other week: Shampoo? What shampoo? Simple herbal hair care.)
Orla Hegarty said,
February 22, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
In my fledgling blog I have received 57/496 direct hits in the last month to my own shampoo recipe…nearly half of those hits were from your post alone….
this follow up from the New York Times is might interesting…me, fashionable? who knew….lol
thx
crabappleherbs said,
February 22, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
Isn’t it fun being fashionable?
lexi said,
February 26, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
just wanted to say that i love your blog. i first found it when i was looking for more information on pokeweed. it’s great.
Katrina said,
February 27, 2008 @ 1:47 am
I’m in my second or third week of no shampoo as I ran out and read your blog at the same time. Tonight I had an appt. to get my hair cut and thought the new stylist would laugh me out of the salon when I would ask her not to use shampoo. Instead she gave me tips on additional natural conditioners to keep my hair soft along with a recommendation of more brushing. I have to admit I was skeptical at first but my hair has more curl than ever and feels great. Thank you.
crabappleherbs said,
February 27, 2008 @ 7:51 pm
Lexi — Thanks!
Katrina — I’m glad it’s working for you! It does seem that stylists are getting more knowledgeable about these things lately.
Dee said,
February 28, 2008 @ 3:54 pm
Rather than spend money on the dry shampoos, I did a little research and found that cornstarch does the same thing and it is cheap. I put some in an empty clean Parmesan cheese container. I shake some into my hand, rub together and run it thru my hair, wherever it is greasy. This will extend the days between shampoos for me by a day or two.
Grace said,
April 11, 2008 @ 12:48 am
Maybe it’s a cultural thing I wasn’t aware of but being an Aussie I was raised to wash my hair only when necessary and, with that, to use natural ingredients when shampooing. Mum made ours out of olive oil, lemon juice and cider vinegar – a mix that has stood the test of time.
On average I wash my hair about once every fortnight. I maintain it during that time with water spritzing and powdering At 39, my hair falls just below my shoulders, is wavy and retains its natural brown colour without a hint of grey when nearly all of my friends are colouring theirs. I often read of “greasy and dirty” as being the natural progression of unwashed hair but that’s simply not true if you look after yourself.
Dee mentions cornstarch and she’s spot on. It’s what those fancy powders that cost $$$ are made of. I use rice powder too. If you do what Dee does and actually research and put some thought into your personal appearance as opposed to reaching blindly for the first thing a hairdresser recommends, you’ll not only find yourself saving lots of money but actually avoiding chemicals that cause pain to a lot of animals and have an adverse effect on your health.
crabappleherbs said,
April 11, 2008 @ 2:25 pm
Hi Grace.
It does seem like you Australians have a better handle on this than most of us in the US.
Rice powder sounds like a great idea — I’d love to scent it with rose petals. Maybe I could grind them together?
Off to experiment…
kfitzpatirck said,
May 6, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
Hi Grace!
What an incredible blog you have! I’m so happy you posted about no shampoo! I have been using a mixture of borax and water [1 inch of borax in a squirt bottle topped up with water] and do a rinse with citric acid [1/4 teas] in a pint of water. It makes the little bit of red in my hair redder and helps make my curls even curlier.
Every once in a while i’ll use baking soda and rinse with kombucha. It’s lovely. Thanks for all the wonderful information! k
crabappleherbs said,
May 6, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
Thanks, but I’m Rebecca, not Grace.
How does the borax compare to baking soda?