A few years back I read every component of shampoo and conditioner are made up petroleum products. The ingredients, the bottles, the ink on the bottles all come from liquidized dinosaurs. I was aghast at the thought of putting gasoline on my head. Then I read about makeup and how it’s made from chemicals that have not been tested on humans (but on animals *sad face*) and how painting your face and coloring your hair is a recipe for cancer. Since I have a (n un) healthy fear of getting cancer I stopped using makeup and cut down on the amount of shampoo and conditioner I used. But still I worried about putting petroleum onto my head. After all, the skin is the largest organ on the body. It’s primary responsibility is to keep things out (bugs, germs, petroleum products) while keeping things in (organs, veins, bones). It contacts and expands with the ambient temperature so when you take a hot shower the scalp absorbs those petroleum products much easier than if you were to pour it onto your head in the dead of winter without water.
I made the decision to stop using shampoo and conditioner but I didn’t know what my next step would be. At first I just didn’t wash my long hair but then my scalp got really itchy and dandruff-y and Wolf started complaining about how bad my hair smelled so after three weeks I started washing my hair again only this time I did so once a week instead of every day.
Over time however, I still wasn’t happy about using poos on my head. I started looking into alternatives. That’s when I came across this post by Melissa over at One Green Generation. I decided I would try the baking soda and vinegar recipe though I have to admit I was really nervous. After all I am of northern European descent (read: white) so my hair is straight as a bone and relatively “silky” so it tangles really easily into big huge knots. But I tried it and it worked fine. And it’s been working fine since 2008.
Next on my list was the elimination of deodorant. This one hasn’t been going as well as the shampoo and conditioner piece. While I was unemployed I just didn’t use any deo because no one but Wolf smelled me. I realized it would be a problem when I did go back to work or anytime I left the house so I was using Jason products. Their stuff worked ok but I was never over the moon about the deo so I kept looking around for something else. Then I found this post so I put together some baking soda in a old tea tin, got a blush brush, and put some tea tree oil into the baking soda. I have no odor but I still have wetness so I’m going to put some corn starch in and see if that helps at all. I did notice I broke out in a rash under my arms so I may not be able to continue with this. I’m going to give my body some time to adjust though.
These changes keep alive my (un) healthy fear of cancer, reduce the amount of chemicals I’m exposing my beloved body too, and cut down on expenses. Also, there is less plastic in my house because I don’t have shampoo and conditioner bottles and the containers the deo comes in. Makes me feel good knowing I’m caring for my body and caring for Mother Earth at the same time!
You can follow my shampoo and conditioner journey starting here, here, here, here, here, here and here
baking soda alone works just fine; pat it on gently onto dry pits…rubbing it in will definitely make owies….you’re changing the pH of your pits, which keeps the stinky bacteria from growing. Once you’ve changed their environment, you don’t have to use it every day. (old hippie back to the land tree hugging chemist chick)
Diana: thanks for the info! It really helps to know!
I know this is being pedantic, but petroleum is not made of dinosaurs.
I wish my hair could handle being washed with soap. I make my own soap (the good old fashioned stuff out of lye and oils), and while it’s great for my skin, it turns my hair to straw.
I might just try out this baking soda and vinegar thing.