No Poo & OCM Experiment Update

At what point does an experiment become a way of life?  Maybe when you stop fiddling with amounts?  I may be very close to that point now.  It has been since August that I started washing my hair with the No-Poo method and Diva decided to join in almost as long ago.

I have yet to find the perfect balance for both of us and have basically decided that the two of us need different mixtures.  After a couple of weeks using the ratio of 1Tbs. Baking Soda to 1c. Water, my hair started to look kind of greasy at the roots so I upped the amount to more like 1/4c. soda to 1c. water but it made both mine and Diva's hair feel too dry.  I have settled on about an 1/8c. soda per 1c. water for me but Diva's hair is still a little too dry so we may have to go back to the 1Tbs. ratio for her.  We are still fiddling, thus keeping it an experiment for now.

I have only had commercial shampoo and conditioner on my hair twice since I started down this road.  Once was when I got my hair cut and the other was when Diva used the last of the No Poo and I was already in the shower.  While I was there (at the hairdresser's, not the shower), I asked the lady who has cut my hair since I was Diva's age what the condition of my hair was like. 

I explained the whole experiment and was fully expecting her to say anything other than what she told me.  She said that when she went to beauty school in the 70s, they used baking soda sprinkled on hair to remove the build up from all of the styling products that people used.  She then grabbed a box that was near her sink and said that she still used it on people who use a lot of products. 

Cool!  So I'm not crazy with the soda but what about the vinegar?  She also said that in beauty school, they used vinegar in place of a cream rinse; they had the same results.  Then she proceed to pull out a bottle of vinegar from around her sink. 

Awesome!  So what is your professional opinion on the condition of my hair?  She told me that my hair looked healthy and that if I didn't mind the smell (or lack thereof) then I should just keep doing what I'm doing.  Fabulous!

I will say that I have never suffered from a flaky scalp before I employed this method.  I am still trying to work out the best way to tackle that issue.  Diva does not seem to have the same problem.  Also, my hair seems to have way more static than it did before this method.  I am now thinking of washing with No Poo twice a week and lye soap or castille soap once a week.  Again, with the experimentation.

And as far as the Oil Cleansing Method goes, I went to the dermatologist and asked what he thought about my skin and he said it looked healthy and great.  Again, he said if it is working for me then just keep on keeping on.

So there you have it from professionals that the No Poo and Oil Cleansing methods are valid.  They are frugal and healthy alternatives to commercial cleansers and I will be keeping them as a way of life...as soon as I stop experimenting with them. 

Have you tried the No-Poo or OCM experiments yet?