By Halcyon
halcyon returns this issue with suggestions for how to take your natural beauty journey from skin to hair! Please remember that it’s always advised to discuss changes in your regimen with your doctor or other health care provider, as he or she will be in the best position to address your personal needs and special concerns – however, if you’re interested in holistic care, we hope this article will provide you with some opening discussion points!
Whole Beauty
Mind.Body.Soul
The Pursuit of Beautiful Hair!
I think that for women, hair can be an important aspect of femininity. Long hair seems particularly important as both a goal for young girls as well as how young girls define themselves. Without wandering too off course from the scope of what I’d like to discuss, I wanted to give a bit of background of where this ideal of long, luxurious hair comes from.
Historically, we have seen this ideal of short hair = masculine, long hair = feminine emerge on multiple occasions. Here are some examples:
• The Romans insisted that soldiers have short hair because flowing locks and a centurion helmet were not the best fit.
• Alexander the Great was also very keen on making sure soldiers kept hair short and faces clean.
• From WWI onwards, we can see that this concept of short hair in the military grew and was an important means of establishing control and maintaining obedience.
(MentalFloss.com)
Evolutionarily speaking, consider this:
• Long, healthy hair is a potent sign both of youth and reproductive fitness. This signal is broadcast to potential mates and increases the likelihood of reproducing.
So now that we know a little about why long hair is such an important part of the feminine identity, let’s take a look at ways we can take care of our hair that will be healthier and may even save you a few bucks.
No-Poo!
This is the slang terminology for no shampoo in the holistic community. You might recoil from the idea at first, but let’s take a closer look.
Conventional products are laden with chemicals and the misguided advise that these products are good and provide a lifetime benefit of healthy hair. This could not be more wrong. The no-poo method allows your hair to self regulate, which in the end, will make your hair shinier, healthier, and more manageable.
Method: A Beginner’s Guide
To begin, a word of advice: Don’t dive straight into no-poo, because you won’t get the expected results. I’ve knowledge of this first hand and from other sources who advise the same thing. What I would suggest is to begin with an organic, sulfate-free shampoo and give your hair time to adjust. This will help greatly, because as you read on, you will understand that your hair will continue to detox even after switching to sulfate-free cleansers and transitioning into no-poo.
The traditional method of no-poo dictates using a baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinse to cleanse and soften hair. The point of this system is to leave the hair alone as much as possible, which means cleansing hair only once per week – or even less, if you are feeling brave! This has been the most difficult part for me because of this link between suds and clean. You’ve reached the Holy Grail of no-poo when you can stop using baking soda and apple cider vinegar and clean your hair with only water. It seems impossible, but some have been able to achieve it. The best the rest of us can hope for, however, is diluting the solution used in the hair a bit at a time. Keep in mind you can still wet your hair between washes. Massaging the scalp as the water runs through it is excellent and relaxing. Another little tidbit of advice is to use a boar bristle brush every few days to distribute the oils in your hair for natural protection. This will also give it shine, and as your hair transforms, it will gain a natural bounce.
Why go No-Poo?
I could go on and on, but in the interest of keeping it simple, let me sum it up as best as I can! Here’s a brief list of chemicals that have been suggested as link to all kinds of health related conditions:
• Sodium Laurel Sulfate and Sodium Laureth
1) Irritation of the skin and eyes
2) Organ toxicity
3) Developmental/reproductive toxicity
4) Neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption and biochemical and or cellular changes
5) Possible mutations and cancer
These are both classified as detergents and should not be used on the scalp or body. These products also contain by-products of petroleum that takes the form of “mineral oil” in order to give your hair shine, sort of like getting that carnuba wax shine on your car – thanks, but no thanks!
If the chemicals alone are not enough reason to give No-Poo a try, let’s talk money.
A 1lb box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda runs $1.19 at Walgreens. 16 fl. oz. of Eden Organic Vinegar (Apple Cider) costs $4.00 at Vita cost.com. Both these ingredients together plus tax (which in my state is 8.25%) equal a grand total of $5.62. Now it’s your turn. How much do you pay on products for your hair that are supposed to make your hair look good? Maybe saving a few dollars will inspire a giving this a try for at least a month.
Battling the Concept of Clean
This is the most difficult part about No-Poo – what you perceive as clean is an idea ingrained in all of us through culture and society. I have tried to go No-Poo before and I met with only a measure of success. The change? Re-evaluating what exactly I was putting in my hair and playing with the measurements in the baking soda mixture. One of the number one reasons people back out of this is the Baking Soda Hurdle. Stay the course! The key is trial and error.
Water can rinse away sweat and debris from your hair but it cannot remove build up and oil. This is why you need baking soda.
Here’s a bit of the Science Behind Why:
Baking soda is alkaline, a natural deodorizer which removes excessive oil and other build up. Because of this you really only want to use it once a week. Overuse can actually result in overly delicate hair. This is why some people go running for the hills and question using baking soda – too much, too many days of the week, and you will fry your hair. And here’s another tidbit: If you need to wash your hair more than once a week, use a raw honey mixture between washes.
Raw Honey Mixture: 2TBSP Raw Honey in 16oz of chamomile tea or plain water. Apply to roots of hair and massage, then rinse with cool water.
So make a thoughtful, conscious choice as to whether or not to go No-Poo. It takes a measure of patience and willingness to go on this journey and you should endeavor to at least give it a month to really make an educated decision!
Editor’s Note: Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth are cleansing and foaming agents that are found in many home and beauty products, not just shampoos! The toxicity of these agents is debated, but they’re currently considered safe for general consumer use in the United States – however, even with that approval, they are known to cause dryness, sensitivity, and other reactions in some people. If you’re concerned about the chemicals used in your household or suspect you may be sensitive to SLS, ReVolutionary Theory encourages you to do your own research – switching to a more natural product, or one that uses alternative agents, may well be the solution for you! As always, however, you should consult with a knowledgeable health care provider if you’ve developed a serious reaction or have more in-depth questions about what’s allowed by the FDA and why – we’re not qualified to advise or diagnose you from here!