Cleansing

I washed my hair once a week (sometimes more, sometimes less) and rinsed it every few days in the shower. I did this whether my hair was in a loose or in a protective style (i.e., braids, twists, etc.). Contrary to what you were taught as a chemically relaxed chica, water is now your best friend! I stay away from shampoos with sulfates in them as they tend to strip the hair of oil. So, I won't be recommending many regular shampoos with sulfates in them on this here blog.

One tried and true staple for many Napturals is Dr. Bronner's castille soap. I use the peppermint version. It makes my scalp feel all tingly and leaves my tresses pretty clean. Some folks dilute it while others, like me, just super saturate the hair with water in the shower and apply a small amount to the scalp. If you're a lather freak then this might work for you.

I've also used Dr. Woods castille soap with similar results (and a lower price tag).

Another commercial shampoo that I keep on hand is Hugo Naturals' Red Tea & Ylang Ylang (this is the version for dry hair). You can pick this up at any Whole Foods store. It's kinda pricey at $11.99 a bottle, but a little goes a looong way. I like its soft, earthy smell and love that it doesn't strip my hair while cleaning.

If you're plagued by buildup, then you're probably using too much product. To get that gunk out of your hair, I suggest you take it back to your grade school science project (remember that volcano you made?) for answers. Natural clarifying agents such as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) are inexpensive and widely available. Non-frill, off-brand, or generic versions of these have worked just fine for me.

Baking soda is great for cleansing the scalp, but use too much and your head will surely be feeling like steel wool. A good rule of thumb is to dissolve 1 tablespoon of baking soda in every 1 cup of warm water. You can pour the mixture over your head or apply it with a spray bottle. There won't be much of a lather, but trust that it's definitely putting in work. I used to do this monthly, but I haven't used it in a while because I have since switched to ACV rinses.

ACV is my new love. I use it to keep the itchies at bay as it's acidity will usually get rid of whatever bacteria is causing my head to itch. I stop up my kitchen sink and add 1 part ACV to 10 parts water (sometimes 5 parts water if my scalp is really itchy). I dunk my head in the sink, use a cup to pour the mixture over my head repeatedly, and massage it into my scalp. Talk about relief? An alternate method is to put your ACV mixture in a spray bottle and apply it directly to your scalp. I also infuse my ACV with good scalp healing herbs such as plantain, nettle, horsetail, and hibiscus. You can do a rinse before (like me) or after a shampoo. Just remember that it's vinegar, so it smells. Once your hair is dry the scent should go away.

I recently purchased some raw black soap, so I'll try to incorporate that and let you know how it goes. What do you use to cleanse your hair and/or scalp?

Conditioning should be next, but I've already done that (click here). Yea. I'm out of order. So, next will be... Moisturizing