Shampoo
I've sworn off shop-purchased shampoo for a while now, and have been trialing a home-made alternative - simple baking soda. Some people call it Bicarb Soda or Carb Soda - but whatever you want to call it, it works.
I use one tablespoon of baking soda mixed well with one cup of warm water for washing my hair. It's clean afterwards, and no residual smell.
One bonus of this is that I'm not getting any eczema on my scalp any more. I used to get small rashes from time to time (I'm one of those people with sensitive skin), and had to really be careful about which shampoo I used.
As for using my mother's 'Pantene' - forget it!
Pantene brought me out in boils! Ugh! And of course, many of the shampoos touted as being 'more natural' are either a LOT more expensive (bad for my wallet), are imported (bad for the planet), or highly fragranced with 'essential oils a.k.a. perfumes (bad for my skin). Baking Soda has no effect on my skin at all - great! And I buy it in large boxes from the supermarket.
I will admit to missing that nice, fake, fruity smell from the Colgate Palmolive shampoo I was using, but I'm sure it wasn't doing me - or the planet - a whole lot of good.
Conditioner
I'm now using apple cider vinegar, also diluted one tablespoon to a cup of water. I just made this up in advance, and put it in an old, washed-out shampoo bottle.
And this is where I scored. Not only am I someone with sensitive skin, I also have dry hair. And NONE of those expensive, luxury conditioners or detanglers has worked one half as well as apple cider vinegar! I'm really impressed. And pissed off that I've been wasting all these years looking for a great conditioner, when all I had to do was go to my pantry!
I suppose you could use any sort of mild vinegar watered down - I got the tip on apple cider vinegar from the Riot For Austerity 90% reduction egroup (post no. 11230, dated March 24 2007). It made sense to me to use apple cider vinegar, as I'm living in an apple growing area, and that type of vinegar was easy to source locally. If you want to use a different type of vinegar, give it a go - but make it very dilute as a trial run first.
Toothpaste
I've been using Red Seal natural herbal and mineral toothpaste for years now - none of that nasty Colgate or Macleans for my mouth, thankyou very much! And I've been pretty happy with it. However, I decided to give making my own toothpaste a go, and followed the recipe posted at Crazy-Mumma's blog.
I found the recipe needed a bit less salt, and a bit less sweetener - in fact, I'd be happy to forego the stevia altogether, especially as it is far and away the most expensive part of the recipe (Crazy-Mumma does state that it is optional, and I'd agree with that). The most expensive part of the recipe was the glycerine which cost me $10 (ouch!) for a big jar at the chemist. I'll have to source a cheaper salesplace. I did use stevia, which is tremendously expensive, but I think it is unnecessary, unless you really can't stand anything that isn't sweetened to the gills.
My version of the recipe therefore runs thus:
Daharja's homemade toothpaste
- 3 tbs baking soda (bi-carb soda)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbs glycerine
- 20 drops peppermint extract or peppermint essence.
Method: Mix the baking soda and salt together, then add the glycerine and form a stiff paste. Finally, when all ingredients are well-mixed, add the peppermint essence and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.
I'll also make a note that you should be careful to buy bicarbonate of soda and not products sold as "baking powder" for the above recipes. Baking powder contains other ingredients (I'd call them 'fillers') and it is not the same ingredient as Baking Soda/Bicarbonate of Soda. If you're not certain, read the ingredients list - the pack should only contain bicarbonate of soda.
And now - the rant...
(Well - you didn't expect to get away with all this info and no waffle, did you?)
That wonderful ingredient - baking soda!
Have you noticed how many expensive new cleaning products now advertise the fact that they contain baking soda? Colgate toothpaste has a species that advertises (with a silver streamed flourish) "Now With Baking Soda!" and household cleaners for everything from cleaning your toilet to your windows advertise that they contain this miracle new ingredient.
I paid about a dollar for my half kilo box of baking soda. It was way cheaper than any of those expensive toothpastes, cleaners or gooks for my loo. I can't help but wonder who is buying these expensive products, and when they're going to cotton on that they're paying mega-bucks for some fancy packaging and stupid, sexist television advertising?
The art of the professional
I think a large part of the reason why we buy this expensive rubbish is that we don't trust ourselves any more.
Something nasty might happen to our teeth if we use our own homemade toothpaste instead of the latest paste (and don't forget to floss and gargle with appropriate products as well!).
Something horrid might grow in our kitchen sinks if we don't buy the most expensive kitchen cleaner (okay - something DID grow in mine last year but that had a whole lot more to do with me not cleaning it at all than what product I did or did not use).
Some woman with a large nose might inspect our toilet and find us lacking if we don't use Harpic flushmatic. Some bum inspector might find us bearing dags on our butts if we don't use moist towelettes on our overly-cossetted arses.
You get the picture? In every part of our lives we're instructed to buy this, wear that, use this, consume that. No wonder we're lacking in the self-confidence to just use a bit of fricking baking soda and give our teeth a darn good scrub! No wonder suckers like me spend hundreds of dollars (possibly thousands) over the course of their lives hunting for a conditioner to detangle their hair, when all they needed was a bit of vinegar.
I guess this part of my post is part rant, part call-to-arms, part begging to my readers to just give it a go, for goodness sakes! I'm so sick of seeing myself and my fellow human beings cowed down by the weight of megacorporations and greedy advertisers, making us worried to even give self-sufficiency on the most base level a go.
I'm learning a lot these days - but the biggest thing I'm learning is that we don't stand a hope in hell of saving our planet if we don't first save our own minds from this slavery of fear.
We need to learn to take control of what we do, what we buy, what we make and use and choose not to use and buy. If we don't, we may as well slap a big sign on our foreheads that says "I'm Colgate-Palmolive's Sucker" and have done with it.
40 comments:
Nicely said! I agree completely that we have been made to mistrust our own judgment and led into fear by the multinational corporations who must sell to us or collapse.
Baking soda is amazing, and like you say, can be used just 'as-is' without any fillers or fancy packaging. I have been most amazed at its deodorant capabilities - it works better than the aluminum-based, plastic-encased deodorant sticks I thought I had to have.
I use just plain baking soda to brush my teeth, but will try your recipe as well, since I'm sure I'd like the taste of the peppermint better. And that vinegar rinse sounds like exactly what I need - thanks daharja!
Hi Theresa - I prefer my own homemade toothpaste now. The bought stuff - even my 'natural' toothpaste from Red Seal - tastes very fake and chemically now. I don't think I'll be buying it again, except maybe MAYBE for travelling on planes, as my paste might look too suspicious to customs officials, whereas I think they'll let a bought toothpaste tube past.
I reckon cinnamon might taste nice too, if you didn't have peppermint essence in stock. Hmmm - I might try a whole stack of different flavours now! Yum!
It doesn't froth like bought toothpaste though, but I think it cleans better. My mouth feels better afterwards, but I don't stay as pepperminty for long, despite the masses of peppermint I added to my recipe. Interesting. Makes you wonder what they put in the bought stuff - there's no ingredients list on any of the bought toothpastes, but I do remember hearing that cement was an ingredient in Colgate toothpaste and most commercial brands - it is used as an abrasive. Ugh!
Does the glycerine in the toothpaste just make it smoother like a paste? I sometimes alternate using my natural toothpaste (still purchased) with a simple salt/baking soda powder. I mixed a drop of peppermint essential oil into it for flavor. To use, I simply dip the dampened toothbrush bristles into the powder and then brush.
Another nice variation on the vinegar rinse is to simmer the vinegar with rosemary. Strain and rebottle to use as needed in the rinse.
Hi Chile - The glycerine does turn the carb soda from a powder to a paste, but I reckon you could probably just mix bi carb (baking soda to you in the US) with with water and get a paste that worked just as effectively. It's the bi carb that is the cleaning agent. However, you would need to make it up each time (I'm guessing) whereas the glycerinekeeps it in a lovely paste consistency.
So for niceness, I'd stick with the glycerine, but in hard times/tight wallets I think the bi carb would be just fine on its own, mixed with a bit of salt (also an abrasive).
This is, of course, all guesswork on my part. But the paste as made in the recipe posted is lovely - I already prefer it to commercial paste, and it feels great to use. I think it is doing a better job. My mouth just feels cleaner. And my teeth look whiter.
I like your idea for the hair rinse, and will give it a try. I am REALLY impressed with the results of the vinegar rinse on my hair - and it is lightening my hair a tiny bit too I think, which is good, as my grey isn't so obvious :-)
I love baking soda for MANY things, washing my hair, however, is not one of them. I tried it, hoping for great results. I was very disappointed as it left my hair dry, brittle, and completely unmanagable. The vinegar rinse did very well at detangling, but I do not know whether or not it contributed to the dryness/brittleness of my hair. One plus: I found out that the breakouts on my face were caused by commercial shampoos. I have switched to burt's bees natural shampoo with fabulous results!
Hi Brickhouse,
I've been using both for ages now, but find that an occasional wash with soap or shampoo (about once a month) helps keep my hair in better condition than bicarb and vinegar alone.
Saying that, I've had fewer problems with dryness than I did with commercial products, and I'm one of those people with really dry, flyaway hair. And the vinegar is brilliant - I've never found a conditioner half as good.
I'm the same as you too - I realised that it was the commercial products that were giving me pimples and contributing to the eczema on my shoulders and arms, probably from the rinse water flowing down with washed-off shampoo and conditioner. My skin overall has improved since ditching the shampoo and conditioner and switching to bicarb and vinegar.
So the bicarb and vinegar thing has definitely worked for me! :-)
As an aside, to further reduce plastics and packaging (and costs) we've switched from showers gels back to bar soaps. Another good move!
Hi Daharja
I stumbled across this thread and thought I would add my 2cents.
I have been using baking soda to brush my teeth with for more years than I can remember. I just keep a nice little bowl {w/lid} next to the sink, moisten the brush and dip. I don't add salt as I feel the bs is plenty abrasive enough. Nothing makes my mouth feel more clean and fresh!
As for skin, hair and scalp, I switched over to good old Dr. Bronner's Castile soaps and have never looked back.
I had started to develop some scaly itchy rash on my face and did some research on the 'net> found out what you have been saying right here- that mass marketed big corporation "soap" is nothing but cheap, harsh detergent full of nasty petro-chemicals and fillers.
I have since branched out and found a few soap makers on ebay that make wonderful old fashioned cold process soaps that I also enjoy {I love patchouli and Dr. B doesn't have that one}. After shower I just massage a little Jojoba oil into my hair and scalp. Funny, back when I used the commercial crap I used to think I had dry hard to manage hair that needed umpteen products to manage. But now, my hair and skin have never felt or looked better. I don't even use conditioner. I think that is part of the scam- they sell you a product that strips the natural oils from your hair and skin and then sell you products to moisturize, stop the itch, flaking, dullness etc. etc...
Once your body adjusts to the natural order you realise how ridicules it all is.
Anyway, I really enjoyed reading your post and I share your condemnation of the multinational corporations dictating everything from what to think, what to listen to, and how we live our lives- all the way up to gov't policy. I mean, face it- if certain corporation sectors weren't so greedy and prevalent, would we still be, only now, starting to think about alternatives to oil?
OK, off the "soapbox".
Hi Greg,
I find that I prefer my homemade toothpaste to factory toothpaste these days - factory stuff just tastes...ugh! I'll use it when I have to i.e. at someone else's home, but much prefer homemade. So I can completely understand why you prefer baking soda.
Saying that, I've recently become a floss addict. I guess I just like a very clean mouth!
In the end, I think the key to keeping good oral hygiene is to avoid the sugary stuff in the first place. It is no coincidence that dentistry first evolved as a profession when widespread consumption of sugar became popular in Europe!
For soap, I find that the simpler the better works with my skin, as you say. When I avoid anything with fragrance and fillers, I don't get eczema. But if I use something with all the nasty additives, bang! back come my skin rashes.
Interestingly, since switching to bicarb soda and vinegar, my hair has become curly for the first time ever! It has also lightened a shade or two from mid brown to reddish brown. Go figure :-)
I have tried baking soda + water for washing my hair for a couple of weeks and it worked ok. Then i went to baking soda + water and following your advice: homemade apple vinegar. It worked great.
My husband is now using only baking soda+water for some time and intends to continue with that. I, on the other hand, went a bit further, after reading a comment on one of the blogs (i think it was yours) - washing with water only. As I read in difrent blogs and articles my hair will need from 2 to 8 weeks to adapt and regain its natural oils. Its been a week and although my hair is overly greasy, it is not as bad as I expected. Can't wait for the results after 8 weeks ...
I also wanted to try your recipe for tooth paste, but unfortunately I would not get vegetable glycerin in Slovenia. :(
I am still looking for best solution for deodorant. Baking soda alone or in combination with water doesn't work as good as I would hope. And it makes me itch ... But I will find something sooner or later. Thanks to the internet and people like you. Thx.
Hi there Daharja.
Greetings from South Africa. You're what I've been looking for. Commercial shampoo ugh! The conditioner's no better. I grew up just after WW2 and my mum used to wash our hair in toilet soap and rinse with vinegar and water and we had beautiful shiny hair (obviously no head lice). I'll definitely try the bicarb as a shampoo. I'll try the toothpaste recipe but I'm not sure about the deodorant as it gets stinking hot and humid here in summer but you never know, it might be something else I'm looking for.
I also use bicarb as a scourer instead of commercial products and vinegar is the best thing for descaling. You're on my favourites now and I'll email your blogger on to everyone in my address book.
Many thanks and kind regards
Hi SusieBlue,
I've been using bicarb and apple cider vinegar for about 5 months now, and it is still working for me, and working better than any commercial shampoo and conditioner ever did.
So it seems to be really good for the long haul too.
Thanks for commenting, and good luck. I hope it works for you as well as it does for me!
Oh, and SusieBlue - I also use baking soda to clean the shower. It works better than any of the commercial cleaners. I just use a nylong cleaning brush and bicarb mixed to a paste. It works brilliantly, and gets that pinky scummy stuff off better than anything I've ever tried!
So yeah, multiple uses! :-)
Thank you for your wonderful tips!
A few months ago I tried natural shampoo, bought from the health food store, and it left my hair all dry.
People told me that my hair would 'get used' to it, however since I dye my hair, this isn't going to happen.
Does the bi-carb soda and apple cider dry out your hair at all?
Hi Karelle,
No it doesn't dry my hair at all. In fact, after five months of use, I've noticed an improvement in my hair, and it is in better condition (I was using Palmolive Naturals shampoo and conditioner before).
My hair tends towards dry naturally, and I do get a bit frizzy at various times of the month (go blame my hormones), but it has settled and been better than ever before since switching to bcarb and vinegar. I wouldn't have believed it until I gave it a go.
Thanks!
I just tried it and my hair sure doesn't feel as soft so I'm hoping it's not dryness.. Nevermind, I'm going to experiment with the apple cider vinegar a bit to see what works for my hair. The bi-carb worked great for cleaning though!
Hi Karelle,
My hair is naturally quite dry, and I've found using bicarb and vinegar has reduced the dryness, compared to conventional shampoo. Of course, I would imagine the results depend on your hair type and what you were using before as well.
Check you are rinsing the bicarb out thoroughly, and I leave the vinegar in a fair while - at least a minute - before rinsing it out.
Good luck.
Hey there~ Stumbled on your blog while searching for homemade hair shampoo recipes. I tried the bicarb and vinegar rinse, it worked well for me, but after a while my hair seemed a little dry. I bet I could try an egg or oil conditioner. You've inspired me to try again...lol! I just wanted to add a couple of tips:
Reuse a sour cream or yogurt container for a bicarb shaker. From the bottom of the lid poke a whole bunch of holes through with a screw driver. Then you can shake it to clean the toilet, shower, or whatever.
Also, bicarb is a great face cleanser. It removes make-up and exfoliates your skin. If you follow up with a spritzer of vinegar you have a very effective pimple and acne fighting regime.
I like the idea of putting glycerin in the toothpaste as I LOVE using bicarb on my teeth, but started suffering from gum sensitivity. My dentist said that happens with bicarb, so now i alternate between storebought and bicarb. Storebought just doesn't seem to clean as well, I bet glycerin would help!
Bicarb is also a very effective laundry detergent in a pinch. If you put it in and allow the machine to agitate, then soak for several hours before rinsing. Vinegar is an effective grease stain remover from clothing, as well as water friendly fabric softener if you put it in the rinse. You can make your clothes smell nice by adding 15-20 drops lavender or peppermint essential oil to 32 oz of vinegar.
My latest fave is 1:1 vinegar and water as all purpose kitchen, bathroom and floor cleaner. It is so much better than chemical based products, and allows reuse of containers! Save you a ton of money and no worries about keeping it under the sink with kiddies in the house!
Forgive me going on and on...super cool blog...glad I found you!
Hi Barbara - I've found that bicarb-based toothpaste *does* cause sensitivity after a while too, so I just give my teeth a break for a week, and brush with water, then rinse with a little water and peppermint oil, and that works fine.
But other people I know do as you say, and alternate commercial tooth pastes and polishes with homemade. Whatever works and gets the budget and waste down is good for you, I reckon.
I've had no problems with dryness with the bicarb and vinegar shampoo and rinse though, but then I do use a coconut oil based de-frizzer, as my hair is prone to frizziness. This particular product I use is made by the BodyShop and comes in a tin, so the packaging is completely recyclable and reusable - and no plastic! It works for me. But whatever works for you is good.
I'm finding that more and more I use bicarb for everything. It just works so well. I hadn't tried it for a face cleanser, as I'm a bar soap girl, but will do so as you said it works.
Thanks for the suggestions and the comments.
Cheers,
Daharja XXX
I cant' wait to try the vinegar rinse! I've been using vinegar in the laundry for some time now. I use it in place of fabric softener. My towels are actually soft and they still absorb water! I never thought to use it on my hair.
Hi Catspaw - I never thought to either, until it was recommended to me, and I took the plunge.
It's been half a year now or more, and I've not looked back. Brilliant.
I just bought myself a refill of apple cider vinegar, having finally used up my first container - 2 litres (about half a gallon) set me back $2.99 (about $2 US) for the home brand locally produced stuff.
That should last me a year or more. I don't know of any budget conditioner that would be anywhere near as affordable, as good on my hair, or as environmentally-friendly.
I too, have been making and using my own tooth "powder" for decades. Here is my recipe and what each ingredient does:
1/2 cup baking soda,for whiten teeth
1/4 cup fine sea salt;polishes & tightens gums (I use a coffee grinder that's only used for herbs to finely grind regular course sea salt).
1tsp. myrrh powder;fights germs that cause periodontal disease(found in natural & whole food stores).
10 drops peppermint essential oil, for freshening.
Store mixture in a tightly sealed container. After 1 month you'll need to replenish peppermint oil, which dissipates.
You can use oregano oil or any essential oil you find refreshing.
To use; shake out a small amount on to the palm of your hand and after rinsing your toothbrush; dip in to powder.
When I was a kid and things were tight, we used baking soda to brush our teeth. It worked beautifully, but I was never a fan of the taste. I would definately prefer a bit of sweetener. Where I live I am fortunate to be able to source an inexpensive natural toothpaste that has a truly amazing 100% natural, vegan sweetener that reduces plaque! And it's a renewable resource. Our family has been using it for a year and we are plaque-free. The sweetener is xylitol extracted from beech and birch trees. I think if you added this to your homemade toothpaste, it would not only improve the taste but also benefit your teeth. I found a New Zealand company that sells it http://www.xylihealth.co.nz/index.html. The down-side is that it's imported from Europe, but with some more searching you may be able to find a local source.
on deodorants: Here we use the
mineral stone and if that doesn't work it means you need to take a zinc suppliment. Body odor is a message you are zinc deficient usually.
We use bi carb for toothpaste and I am now off to see if the bicarb/vinegar idea for shampoo works. I have dry gray hair and would love something to soften it.
Hi! I found your blog while searching for home-made shampoo recipes. What market sells baking soda 500gm for a dollar? It's 2-3 dollars here in the Bay of Islands area! I'd love to find it cheaper. I use it for all kinds of cleaning!
By the way - be careful with those Red Seal products. A lot of them LOOK like they are natural, but if you read the label, they are full of stuff you don't want. Like flavorings in their herbal teas....instead of just herbs!
Thanks :)
Hi! What market sells baking soda 500gm for a dollar? The cheapest I've found here in the Bay of Islands is at least $3....I'd love to find it for less, since I use it for cleaning everything!
Oh, and be careful with those Red Seal products. I stopped buying them when I noticed that the ingredients are not as "natural" as the labels would like you to think. As in, "flavorings" in herbal teas, instead of just herbs!
Hope you can recommend a market for the bicarb :)
Thanks
Hi SpriteSuzi - I found baking soda *really* cheap at Pak N Save, but that was about a year ago. These days I can occasionally find it for about $2 for half a kilo, but it has really gone up.
Like everything else - I'm tracking food price increases averaging about 25% overall on my shopping budget! No wonder we're all finding it hard to make ends meet.
I know what you mean about "natural" products not being as natural as they'd like us to think. The BodyShop is a good example - I think they use more chemicals than the average, and there's nothing green or friendly about them - although their marketing would like you to think there is!
Sorry I can't recommend a market for the bicarb, but I *can* say that you'll save a fair bit of money using bicarb for a whole host of things, including homemade toothpaste. The BIG savings include replacing everything from bathroom cleaners to deodorants - yes, it really does work!
Ultimately, though, the biggest savings can be made from looking after your body and your teeth by not getting sick, keeping your teeth clean and avoiding decay, and avoiding big bills by being frugal in the first place. So far I haven't had to have any major dental work (I'm 38 - touch wood!), and don't fancy spending over a thousand bucks on root canals and other nasties :-(
Thanks for commenting :-)
You know what's funny? Our grandparents knew that all these natural ingredients worked fine for cleaning then along came commercialism & consumerism.
I *LOVE* baking soda and vinegar, I use it for all sorts! I use baking soda every now and then to brush my teeth - it helps with removing stains. I'll definitely have to try adding glycerin to it for a paste. My only concern with using homemade toothpaste all the time is that there is no added fluoride, especially for the kiddies.
Hi Kyromaniac - You're so right. But now they're adding baking soda and vinegar to everything, so we needn't worry! *snorfles*
Seriously, I'm wondering how long it will be before conditioners come out "with added apple cider vinegar - for freshness!"
I wouldn't worry about fluoride. It's in tap water, and every food product that contains water, because they all use tap water e.g tinned products etc. Im guessing we're all well and truly overdosed with fluoride. And I actually have some concerns about its safety - but then, I'm a weirdo who uses baking soda and apple cider vinegar on my hair!
Cheers.
I started using baking soda and vinegar for my hair nearly two years ago when I developed a nasty rash under my hair. The stuff the doctor proscribed only made it worse. Out of desperation I turned to the internet. My scalp healed except for one bad spot. I started applying straight vinegar to it an within a week it was gone too. Me hair is the healthiest it has ever been. I used to shed heavily and even that isn't as bad. I'll never go back to commercial hair care products again.
Hi Catspaw - Occasionally when I'm travelling, I'll use those little free samples. Invariably, I get scalp rashes from the shampoos and conditioners.
I have no idea what's in commercial shampoo and conditioner (even the cosmetics database - there's a link at the bottom of the Cluttercut blog) doesn't know, as most companies don't list *all* their ingredients. But I know my skin can't tolerate any brand I've come across yet.
As for my mother's beloved Pantene - shocking! Full blown rashes and huge pimples on my scalp, and non-stop itching.
I don't know what your doctor prescribed you either, but my view is if chemicals made the problem, more chemicals are unlikely to solve it.
Did you know many medicines are fragranced these days?
By moving back to basic cleansers, and letting your body heal itself, you're doing the right thing.
I moved to baking soda and ACV over two years ago, and my hair hasn't fallen out yet! But the eczema that used to plague me (and which I now believe was a straightforward allergic reaction) has gone.
This may sound weird, but anyone experiencing dryness in conjunction with an apple cider vinegar wash may want to try amending it with rosemary oil, hemp oil, tea tree oil or sage oil - and honey. I make up my conditioner by the half gallon - the base is a weak chamomile decoction, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 12 drops rosemary oil, 12 drops tea tree oil, and 2 Tbs honey.
Yes, the honey is the weird sounding part... but this conditioner really helps leave it soft, and I have thick, frizz prone hair. This solution SHOULD be refrigerated, but will keep for a week or so, so it really isn't for someone who doesn't mind refreshing their supply every so often.
My boyfriend prefers this formula to anything we've purchased commercially - he loves the rosemary scent it leaves behind.
If you have dark hair, this wash does have lightening properties just to warn you.
Periodically, I will also deep condition my hair with store bought coconut oil. Work it through the ends, and as far up as you are comfortable doing - avoid using it on the scalp as it may leave a greasy residue. It's a bit pricey for a jar but it will last forever.
Curiosity question....is the glycerin mentioned the liquid or powered kind? I've seen both but no one ever specifies.
Also...any tips for dandruff or is it likely that using more natural shampoo and conditioners will eliminate this issue on their own?
Brilliant post, really good info. So good to see alternatives which are good for us and the planet. :)
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
"Have you noticed how many expensive new cleaning products now advertise the fact that they contain baking soda? Colgate toothpaste has a species that advertises (with a silver streamed flourish) "Now With Baking Soda!" and household cleaners for everything from cleaning your toilet to your windows advertise that they contain this miracle new ingredient."
I'm glad to hear I wan't the only one walking around staring at supermarket shelves and muttering "Huh?" and "What!"
Hi Davina - Yeah, the whole "baking soda wonder ingredient!" thing really makes me laugh too.
Now those little dishwasher tablets that cost huge amounts to use (check out my post on this) often also advertise "with baking soda!").
Of course, the fact is that dishwasher powder is about 80% baking soda. But the companies who charge a huge amount for fancy-packaged stuff don't want you to know that, or you might be tempted to make your own!.
That's cool. I didn't know that you can actually create home-made tooth paste. Thanks for sharing.
implant dentures
*Some bum inspector might find us bearing dags on our butts if we don't use moist towelettes on our overly-cossetted arses.*
Bahahha I loved reading this.
And although already a convert to all natural chemical free products, I've never tried bicarb soda on my hair. I've been using natural castile shampoo soap and ACV rinse, but i'll try the bicarb and see how it goes! :)
P.S I wish I still had a dishwasher, I'd be using your awesome natural detergent recipe for sure! Will keep it for future reference, cheers!
I realize this blog is older now (although still invaluable -- taking notes!), but I wanted to say.... Baking soda can also be purchased wwwwaaaaayyyy cheap at Costco and is alsoa swimming pool (and spa), alkalinity increaser! The ONLY difference is the pool stuff is 3-5 times the price and you can't eat it, lol! on that note, plain ol' vinegar is a great pH decreaser .... Cheaper, and better for the environment! The pool store stuff is corrosive and dangerous.
I realize this blog is older now (although still invaluable -- taking notes!), but I wanted to say.... Baking soda can also be purchased wwwwaaaaayyyy cheap at Costco and is alsoa swimming pool (and spa), alkalinity increaser! The ONLY difference is the pool stuff is 3-5 times the price and you can't eat it, lol! on that note, plain ol' vinegar is a great pH decreaser .... Cheaper, and better for the environment! The pool store stuff is corrosive and dangerous.
I love these ideas, going to try them this weekend. Especially on a college budget it's nice to be able to have even better products for much less!
One question: you mentioned you make the conditioner in advance and put it in an empty bottle. Can I do this with the shampoo as well, or do I need to make a new portion every time I wash my hair?
Post a Comment