I promised my next post would be about pincushions, but my camera is still being obstinate.  I would accuse it of going through the “Terrible Twos” if it weren’t over 8 years old.  So, instead, you get some hair care info.

If you’re like me, you probably have a bathroom cabinet overflowing with hair care products boasting claims like “Fight Frizz!” “More Volume!” “Super Sxxy Hair Guaranteed!”.  Now, i’m not refuting the claims any of these make…I depend on several to make my mop somewhat manageable.  No, the problem comes in when it’s time to get these products out of your hair.

Most shampoos simply do not remove all the gunk from your hair…in fact, they often leave some of their own.  You may have noticed if you use the same type of shampoo for any length of time, your hair becomes more and more lifeless.  It may perk up a little bit when you switch to a new shampoo, but it won’t last for long.

What you need is a guaranteed product build up remover.  Now, don’t go wasting your money on shampoos that claim to remove the gunk.  They’re usually expensive, and don’t do that great a job.  Instead, grab your box of Baking Soda from the kitchen cabinet (not the one in the fridge!).

You basically just need a mix of baking soda and water.  I use a ratio of about 2:1; 2 parts baking soda, 1 part water.  The actual amounts will depend on the length and thickness of your hair.  My hair is pretty long and ridiculously thick, so my mix is usually 1 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup water.

Mix these into a paste (I do it in a ziplock bag, less messy). Wet your hair and apply the paste, working it all the way to the scalp.  Let it sit for a minute or two, then rinse well.  That’s it!  This is the cleanest  your hair will ever be, I promise.

Now, if you have particularly course/thick hair, you may want to use a light conditioner…but remember the point of this is to get rid of build up, not add to it.

If you’re worried about the smell (which should be non-existant unless you’re using the box from your fridge),  simply add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to a liter of plain soda water, or just regular water.  Once you’ve rinsed the majority of the paste out of your hair, use the essential oil mix for a final rinse.

If you don’t have a favorite essential oil, try one of the following:

Rosemary: Brings out natural shine, and deepens the color for brunettes.
Basil: Good for oily hair.
Chamomile: Light scent, good for all hair types.
Lavender: Good for dry hair and scalp.
Rose: Light scent, soothing.
Tea Tree: Dry scalp and dandruff. (Tea tree oil is an aquired taste, I don’t recommend using it unless you’ve used it before and like the scent.)
Lemon: Brings out natural highlights.

That’s it!  I generally do this once every 2 weeks or so…doing it more often can strip your hair of the natural oils that it needs.  If you have particularly dry hair, once a month would be best.