Almost a year ago, I started a new journey due to an allergy to an ingredient found in most shampoos. I set out to find a way to cleanse my head that didn’t result in too much frizz.
I am not always thrilled with the results. My hair is highly sensitive to humidity, especially now that I have so much gray. However, I am learning to live with it; and I am enjoying the process as a therapeutic way of caring for myself. I did not find much positive discussion from people who were in my particular situation when I began this journey; so I want to contribute such a post in case it helps somsone else.
There are limited options for me in the realm of scalp cleansing because I have so many allergies. I settled on the baking soda method. It is extremely drying, and I already have a dry problem. So in order to handle this, I added glycerine to my wash routine:
- 1 cup distilled water and 1 tsp glycerine, warmed for about 40 seconds in the microwave
- 1 tbsp baking soda–this will fizz when added to the water/glycerine
Mix these well, and set aside for a nice bath/shower. For rinse, I use one of two options. If I am in a hurry, I use a leave-in spray that is half rose water and half aloe. If I want to be very kind to myself, I use a very small bit of my home-made hair conditioner. This is applied after I am all done, and it is left in. It takes a while to get the hang of how much to use to achieve the hair texture I want.
Conditioner Recipe
This is modified from the original recipe that I posted last year, thanks to some tweaks I have developed over the year.
This conditioner does not leave the hair feeling smoothe and squeaky-clean. It does make it possible for a brush to move gently through it. When applied correctly, it should leave the hair feeling light and springy.
Depending on several factors, you may need or want to alter this recipe slightly. Those factors include the humidity level in your climate which influences the frizz factor in your hair; your hair type (fine, damaged by heat or coloring, perms, etc.); your skin type (dry, oily, mixed); and your preference for scent. I live in a somewhat humid climate; my hair is fairly fine; and my scalp type is mixed. Many hair care recipes call for sweet almond oil; but the recipe I began with suggested using a different oil if this was too oily. I chose not to use sweet almond oil and hoped for a medium texture outcome.
The recipe uses glycerine as well as emulsifying wax as binders. I have found that glycerine helps to keep away frizz.
The recipe:
- 4 oz rose water
- 4 oz aloe
- 2 tbsp emulsifying wax
- 2 tbsp glycerine
- 2 tbsp jojoba oil
- 6 ml argon oil
- a few drops essential oils of your choice (I used a very small amount of teatree and rose)
Note: Always use distilled water as opposed to tap water when making cosmetics. Tap water will introduce microbes that will contaminate your recipes.
Combine wax, glycerine, and carrier oils in top of double boiler or microwave safe bowl and heat until wax is melted. In a separate bowl, heat the aloe and water until warm (not hot). I heated the bowls together in the microwave for about one minute 20 seconds. Your mileage may vary depending on your microwave.
Add water to oil gradually, and mix with a wire whisk. After the mixing is done, allow the mixture to cool before pouring into bottles. It may be necessary to whick every so often as the mixture cools to prevent separation of the oil and water..
The mixture will continue to form after it is bottled. Shaking periodically will help to prevent separation.
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