3 Reasons Why Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar Destroy Your Hair – And What to Use Instead
From the FutureDerm.com Facebook page:
What can you tell us about the no ‘poo trend (washing with baking soda in place of shampoo, and apple cider vinegar in place of conditioner)? Is it actually better for our hair? I works well for me- but I would like to learn if it has actual benefits before I make it my regular regime.
-Kendra
Dear Kendra,
Hair can be thought of like a fine leather: With the improper treatment, it can become stripped of its natural oils, resulting in a dried, limp, colorless remnant of what used to be.
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Hair is like leather: Deplete it of its natural oils, and you're left with a dried, crackly mess.
Thankfully, like fine leather, hair can be maintained and restored. One common belief is that natural ingredients like baking soda and apple cider vinegar leaves hair softer, cleaner, and more healthy than traditional shampoo. However, keep the following in mind:
Problems with Using Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar to Wash Your Hair
Most shampoos are formulated with a neutral or slightly acidic pH. Baking soda in water alone is basic, despite what you may have heard to the contrary.
1. Baking soda is a known irritant that will cause your hair to dry out and break over time.
With a pH of 9 – one hundred times more basic than water – baking soda is a known alkaline irritant (Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, 1989). According to renowned dermatologist Dr. Audrey Kunin, M.D., “The first principle of shampooing: make sure your shampoo says it is pH-balanced and avoid those that are alkaline. Alkaline shampoos strip the hair’s natural oils and disrupt the acid mantle, causing dehydration and leading to porous, fragile hair.” (The DermaDoctor SkinStruction Manual, 2005)
Yes, it is true that baking soda helps regulate pH— keeping a substance neither too acidic nor too alkaline. When baking soda comes in contact with either an acidic or an alkaline substance, its effect is to neutralize that pH. However, as any cosmetic chemist can tell you, this effect occurs when baking soda is in solution with other chemicals. When baking soda is in water alone, guess what the pH of the solution is? You guessed it: A very basic 9, much more alkaline than plain ol’ water.
2.) Apple Cider Vinegar Has Some Benefit – But Can Still Make Hair Brassy.
Apple cider vinegar is an antifungal that can make hair shinier, but its acidity can also make hair color change before going out in the sun (think lemon juice!) (Photo credit: AndyRobertsPhotos)
Apple cider vinegar arguably has more going for it as a hair rinse than baking soda. While I can’t find conclusive evidence to prove that apple cider vinegar is great at fighting dandruff, it can fight certain fungal infections. Studies have shown that apple cider vinegar is effective in fighting Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. (Thi-Qar Medical Journal, 2011)
Due to the slightly acidic pH of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2-3 parts water, some experts believe it can also extend the life of hair color when applied immediately after hair dye is rinsed off. Most hair dyes are alkaline, which opens up the hair cuticle. When hair color is applied, it can then penetrate to the hair’s inner cortex, where it can react with the hair’s pigment molecules to produce a color change. Acidic solutions applied after, like apple cider vinegar, may reseal the cuticle. This flattening may not only help hair color last longer, but also flatten the cuticle, making your hair easier to comb and a bit shinier.
Still, overdoing it with apple cider vinegar can cause more damage than it is worth. Anyone who has applied lemon juice to their hair can tell you that acidic solutions will cause your hair to become lighter, drier, and more brittle over time. Those “blessed” with black hair, like myself, can tell you that the acidity will also bring out the brassy tones in your color, leaving you with lovely orange hair Zoe the muppet would envy. If you still don’t believe me, keep in mind that many perming solutions have an acidic pH, breaking disulfide bonds within straight hair.
3. You’re depleting your hair of natural oils.
Putting a few drops of oil on your hair after shampooing helps, but you're still not moisturizing your scalp. Better: use a shampoo with natural replenishing oils that is suitable for your hair type.
One terrible thing about using baking soda and apple cider vinegar alone on your hair is that these do not contain any oils that can be beneficial for your hair. The best shampoos replenish natural sheen to the hair which they have just stripped as a part of the cleaning process.
There are a number of moisturizing ingredients in shampoos that can replenish your hair’s natural oils; these include (but are not limited to):
- Jojoba oil
- Sweet almond oil
- Squalene
- Emu
- Phospholipids
- Argan oil
But by taking the “do-it-yourself” approach, you are taking away the ability for shampoos to gently replenish oils from root to tip. Instead, you’re drying out your scalp, and likely replenishing oils only on the ends of your hair. Not cool.
The Real Source of the Misunderstanding
Not all chemicals are bad. Really. I promise.
If I hear one more “expert” say that “chemicals” are ruining your skin, hair, or the environment, I’ll scream. Chemicals have prolonged many more lives than they have cut short, in the form of potent antibacterials, antifungals, antibiotics – you name it. Just one hundred years ago, the average life expectancy was 51 for men and 56 for women (Berkeley.edu). The reason we’re living 25-30 years longer isn’t improved nutrition or more “natural” products – it’s medicine, pharmaceuticals, chemicals.
That said, I’m not going to defend the deplorable actions of some companies for the last few decades, either. By including known irritants like sulfates and phthalates into some of their products, the beauty and cosmetics industry has lost the trust of many of their more health-conscious consumers.
Which would you choose? Turns out white willow bark (left) and aspirin (right) work the same way in the body. Aspirin is just more concentrated.
But instead of turning to the solid research that lead to life-extending drugs and medicines for possible replacements, we instead believe somehow big pharma and major cosmetics companies are “bad.” For instance, we’ve turned to plant extracts. Ask any natural product advocate on the street about white willow bark and aspirin, and she’ll tell you white willow bark is “good” and aspirin is “bad.” Yet the active compound in white willow bark is exactly the same as in aspirin. Scientists can extract the active parts of many plants of white willow bark, isolate it, and shazam! – you have the same active ingredient as in aspirin.
My point in addressing this is one of caution: Do not trust products just because they are “natural.” It may fit in more with a natural, holistic lifestyle, but you can actually be putting yourself in more danger. Some people I know dreamed of becoming a cosmetic chemist from the time they were a child. They studied hard, went through years of schooling, some got PhDs, then got tons of formulation experience, and made fantastic shampoos - and you’re mixing baking soda and putting it on your scalp like your great-grandmother?! It does not make sense. New technologies and their chemicals are not all bad. Some, in fact, are fantastic for your hair. [Read more: 3 Hair Thickening Ingredients That Really Work]
What to Use Instead
If you want all-natural, Wen by Chaz Dean does a great job of balancing all-natural cleansing with moisture-replenishing oils.
That said, I can’t fight millions of dollars in marketing for all-natural products. So, if all-natural is what you seek, I have found the following all-natural products, formulated by cosmetic chemists, with replenishing oils and non-harsh non-detergent cleansers:
- Chaz Dean’s Wen line
- Sea Chi Organics Leave-on Moisturizing Treatment and Hair Growth Formula
- Avalon Organic Botanicals Clarifying Shampoo (good for once/month or so)
If you are not necessarily looking for all-natural products, please refer to How Do I Make My Hair More Youthful, Shiny, Full, and Thick? on FutureDerm.
Bottom Line
Three take-home points:
- 1.) Please never use baking soda on your hair. It is associated with breakage and damage.
- 2.) You can use apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp/1 cup of water) occasionally, meaning twice/month or less. I do not recommend using it before going out in the sun or for those with dyed dark hair – the acidity can bring out brassiness.
- 3.) Please try to consider the fact that “chemicals” are not always “bad” and “natural” is not always “good.” If you don’t believe me, consider the fact that we’re living 25-30 years longer now than 100 years ago due to medicine, drugs, and chemicals. Please stop trying to make your own products, unless you have a degree in the sciences and a job at a lab!
Hope this helps!
Love,
About Author
Founder and CEO Nicki Zevola started FutureDerm as a medical (M.D.) student studying to be a dermatologist. She is an award-winning scientific researcher and writer. She currently is concentrating on FutureDerm and developing FutureDerm's one-of-a-kind products. She can be found on Google+ and Twitter.
View all Nicki Zevola posts.(123) Readers Comments
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Moxie
This was an incredibly helpful post for me, Nicki! Thank you! x
Kendra
Thanks so much for answering my question, this was so helpful! I have one follow-up: I’ve heard that Hair One is the same thing as Wen- is this true? I have also heard that both of these products cleanse with an antibacterial agent, which makes me nervous- any thoughts on that?
Charissa
This is really interesting…I was just about to start the No Poo method and I’m really surprised at this article…I’ve only heard good about using ACV and baking soda on the hair.
I’m a huge fan of using coconut oil on my hair, so I don’t think my hair would be dry. Really curious now…
MaryAnnC
I used to be a hairdresser and health nuts always came into the shop to read the ingredients in the shampoos/conditioners/styling products. They would be so smug! Then they’d brag about the natural products that they used and nearly all of them had very dry, brittle hair.
One ingredient that always got people was alcohol. People associated that with rubbing alcohol. When I’d explain that there are different forms of alcohol and that the function of that kind was to make the product dry faster (if hairsprays didn’t have it, for example, it would take a long time for it to dry when you sprayed it on your hair), they’d tell me that I was just saying that because I wanted to sell a product. So that’s an example of chemicals being a good thing.
Claudia L
You wrote: “If I hear one more “expert” say that “chemicals” are ruining your skin, hair, or the environment, I’ll scream. Chemicals have prolonged many more lives than they have cut short, in the form of potent antibacterials, antifungals, antibiotics – you name it.” Your comparison is flawed. Comparing chemicals found in medicines with unnecessary chemicals found in shampoo or soaps is comparing apples and oranges. I rather use a shampoo/soap that cleans without extra chemicals that aren’t needed to clean. When I have a headache, I will take an aspirin.
Nicki
@Moxie – You’re welcome!
Nicki
@Kendra – I am not sure if Hair One is the same as Wen for sure. I will look into this more; if I find out, I’ll let you know. Also, the ingredients list for Wen products does not suggest any antibacterial agents like Triclosan or anything like that. Check out their conditioner ingredients list: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Wheat, Protein, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Polysorbate 60, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Amodimethicone, Citric Acid, Menthol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum, Limonene.
Nicki
@Charissa – I think a lot of people like baking soda and ACV for the hair, for three reasons. One, many who start to use it have build-up on their hair, and they find the products make their hair seem cleaner or more refreshed initially. However, it is over time that these products, particularly the baking soda, will dry out your hair.
Two, some of the people who recommend them may have very oily hair to begin with, which is not as susceptible to being stripped of oils from sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
Third, and perhaps most importantly, these products are both natural and cheap, which is all the rage right now. Give it five years, and I guarantee you, *most* people who have tried this as a part of the passing trend won’t be using them regularly anymore!
Nicki
@Mary Ann C- I couldn’t agree more about the alcohols. First of all, you’re right – there are seven alcohols that are classified as hydrating and non-drying:
Cetyl alcohol
Cetearyl alcohol
Cetostearyl alcohol
Cetyl alcohol 40
C12-15 alcohols
Stearyl alcohol
Lanolin alcohol
Second, many times drying alcohols are added to products that are otherwise heavy and oil-based to thin them out, to make them penetrate the skin/hair better, or to simply make them more cosmetically appealing. Or all three. So I couldn’t agree with you more!
Nicki
@Claudia L – You have an interesting point – perhaps my comparison was too broad to be of much value there. My apologies. Thanks for pointing that out.
But my point is that there are compounds classified as drugs that are beneficial for the skin, such as prescription tretinoin or, better yet, sunscreen. If we adopt the all-natural approach and ignore such compounds, we’re not getting the maximal benefits from our time and money invested in skin care, and we’re also putting ourselves at greater risk for skin cancer.
Yes, there are natural sources of vitamin A and natural sunscreens. So perhaps that is not the greatest set of examples either. But I just am concerned that we’re not advancing as much as we could in the realm of cosmetics and skin science because we are too concerned about everything having to come from plants.
Lynn
ahh… i’m so glad i haven’t started doing the vinegar and baking soda thing yet. every time i look up how to deal with dry scalp issues i get apple cider vinegar. thank you for this article.
Cara
I agree with you about the baking soda for hair, and I rarely use ACV on my hair. Baking soda, even mixed in with shampoo or conditioner, is a total disaster for my hair. I made the mistake of using this when I wanted a cheap way of clarifying – OMG – dry straw-like hair that took awhile of really deep conditioning to fix(I do have color-treated hair). Although I love many good natural ingredients, I do use whatever product is most efficient for my needs, both for skin and hair. I’ve found that natural shampoos and conditioners really fall down on the job myself, and on the other hand, save for occasional use, the common shampoos and conditioners with a lot of harsh sulfates and silicones aren’t good either for my mixed-texture wavy and curly hair, somewhere in the middle is better for me personally. So I use a modified “no poo” routine washing with a cheap conditioner(Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut)that does have enough surfactants in it to be a gentle cleanser, and rotate out 4 different conditioners according to my needs. I do a regular shampoo every 2-3 washings – that seems to work for me. I couldn’t IMAGINE using only baking soda and vinegar on my hair LOL! I’m over on the Naturally Curly website discussion board a lot and there are all variants of the “no poo” movement including what you are talking about. But most of the folks don’t use baking soda and vinegar exclusively. Some find them useful for occasional use, while for others they don’t work at all.
I know, I’ve had people look at me like I’m using poison on myself for daring to use anything other than “all-natural”. There were times in the past when I tried to go “all-natural” with both skin and hair care, and while some elements of that worked, certainly not all of them did and I reincorporated regular products into my routine. Interestingly enough, at the natural foods stores, many of the so-called “green” skin and hair care products are 3x more expensive and 3x less effective than what one could get at the drugstore! But people get caught up in thinking they’re doing the right thing by buying these expensive natural products, even if they’re less effective. In some circles, it seems that if something is effective on one’s skin or hair, that already means one is damaging or poisoning oneself LOL!
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Rachel
Great-Grandma is wise.
I have been no-pooing for about a month now.
Every 3 days I will use a baking soda/ACV combo to regulate the oils, and I apply coconut oil to the ends whenever I feel the need to get some extra sheen.
My hair has never been so manageable and full of body. It does not feel or look dry or brittle, and my stylist just commented yesterday on how healthy and soft my hair was.
To each their own. If it doesn’t work for you, then stop. I just wanted you to know that the old school method is working great for me.
Go Grandma!
P.S Just because someone you know wanted to be a cosmetic chemist from the time they were a child and got all of this schooling to do such doesn’t mean that if I don’t take advantage of that I am doing something wrong. If someone wanted to be a cosmetic surgeon since the time they were small got a PhD and starting practicing — that doesn’t mean I need to go get a boob job, now does it? =0)
Keisha
So Now I have a question. I’ve started using baking soda and ACV to wash my hair followed by deep conditioning. The reason I’m doing it is because I have extreme dandruff due to my eczema and other shampoos jus were not getting me through the week before the dandruff had coated my scalp and had me itching like a nutcase again. I’m talking the third day after I washed my hair. I do not have the time to wash my hair and restyle it every 3 days. I go through steps to make sure my hair is rehydrated and the moisture sealled in. And I’ve been doing this for almost two months now and I’ve seen a huge reduction in the dandruff. So what would you reccomend counter to this method that also won’t cost an arm and a leg that will keep my hair healthy?
Nicki
@Keisha – I once had an interview with a hair chemist and a dermatologist for Head & Shoulders, and they went into the most delightful, enlightening information on how most dandruff is actually caused by a fungus, Malassezia furfur (M. furfur), that their products are reformulated to target. Here it is: http://www.futurederm.com/2009/10/20/1588/
So, for that reason, off the top of my head (no pun intended), I think that extra-strength Head and Shoulders is by and large the best solution. But, to be honest, I have not researched this topic much. I will write something about dandruff soon, because now I’m curious! Thanks for the great question. In the meantime, though, please, try the Head & Shoulders extra strength.
P.S. – It’s even cheaper if you buy it online.
Keisha
@Niki
ironically you recommended what I was using before i started using the ACV and Baking Soda. I was using the clinical strength Head & Shoulders. Thank you for responding.
danielle
I havent used harmful chemicals on my hair in a year and thanks to it I have a much higher immunity and hate to boast here but really nice hair. while I was growing up using generic herbal essences my hair was dry, thin and FALLING OUT. after I switched to a more natural lifestyle eating better an eliminating chemicals. I have LOST WEIGHT, I am RARELY SICK, I have NO MORE PIMPLES, and MUCH MUCH MUCH Higher energy levels. I say you spend more time arguing why chemicals are good and prove your point with detailed research. There IS a limit to how much chemicals the body can take and many of the chemicals result in techno civilization diseases like CANCER. Though technology can keep us alive does that mean we are healthy and happy? Id say no. and the leading chemical Sodium Laureth sulfate is a form of dioxane now that is SCARY and a major cause of cancer in mammals! and it is used in HIGH amounts as it is usually the first ingredient on the list!
Sabrina
How would I correctly apply the ACV to my hair? You said it wouldn’t do damage as long as you don’t over do it. Do i just pour it over my head in the shower and run my hair under the water for a couple seconds to dilute the vinegar then rub it in? I have dandruff which is why I want to try this. But, I want to know the correct way to do it. So do I pour it over my head and let the shower dilute it or get a measuring cup and do it that way?
Kristy
I tried to the Baking Soda/ACV thing for a couple of months. I stopped using it two days ago b/c I was losing a LOT of hair. When I showered, combed, and blow dried, handfuls would come out. I can see my scalp now in the front. That’s how bad it is. And it didn’t *really* dry my hair out that terribly. It’s just some sort of reaction I had to the BS/ACV. It’s been two days of using just Desert Essence Face Wash (it’s castile soap with a bunch of oils) & no more hair falling out. :O
Sherry
I have been a hairstylist for over 23 years and many people don’t know this simple fact: A couple or 3 (depending on the size of the shampoo size) can take care of dandruff. It can also help with acne, as it is salacitic acid in it’s purest form. Just take an aspring and crush it into a powder. The put enough water to make a paste and apply directly onto the skin. Do this a couple of times a week to start, then cut back to once a week. If you are not using shampoo but using conditioner to cleanse hair, just crush a couple of asprins into the conditioner and shake. Use like you usually would before the asprin. I also get T Tree oil and put a few drops into the shampoo/conditioner for itchy scalp. These are things i have been doing for years and it works! I only use baking soda evey once in a while, like if i went out to a club or dinner and used a lot of spray and or styling product. I wet hair and apply the shampoo ir conditioner massage for a bit and then add dry baking soda to the hair. If it seems too dry, add a little water. I bought the wen product for 4 months and loved it but it’s just too expensive for how much you have to use and my hair is almost to my waist. Like 60 pumps everytime i wash! I bought some rosemary oil, t tree and castor oil and put them into my conditioner of choice. That is what i was my hair with. Just like the wen! I use the same oils on my face to cleanse and it is better than ever. Just a couple of drops of each, but about 3 to 1 of castor oil. This cleanses without stripping my skin and i don’t have an oil slick on my skin at mid day anymore! I was oily skined when i was younger but now am more of a combo. I don’t break out anymore and my skin is glowing! Just do some reasearch on using oils to cleanse skin and hair. That’s what i did. At first, the oils were an investment, but compared to the wen and proactive, not as much money at all and it goes much farther, Just play around with how much of what and write it down so when you find the exact formula for you, bingo!
Andrew
Well, this was an informative post. Thank you for that! But Nicki, I must absolutely disagree with you on pharma drugs and chemicals leading to longer life expectancies. We live longer despite these things, not because of them. Look at our obesity epidemic, and the fact that 600,000 Americans a year die from heart disease, and another 600,000 die from cancer. Pharma drugs and chemicals are popular because “professionals” and companies can make significantly more off a patented synthetic product than a can’t-be-patented natural one. So I wouldn’t give modern medicine an A+ just yet. I def appreciate our advances in crisis care. Giving pharma drugs for lifestyle-related diseases= stupid (& greedy) medicine. But I digress. Re: Baking soda & acv. I had terrible dandruff & scalp psoriasis 4-5 yrs ago. The causes were both internal and external, and had much to do with fungus and yeast. The Baking Soda paste (sodium bicarb and water mixture as a scalp scrub) was the ONLY thing that brought any kind of lasting relief. Selsun Blue, Head & Shoulders, Neutrogena T Gel, Denorex, Pert Plus, yadayadayada… all of these were of little to no value. But you’re right. Overuse of the baking soda can cause my hair to dry out, especially if I’m not diligent to moisture after using the baking soda/water mixture. I don’t use acv (I hate the smell), I seem to get similar results with lemon juice. I’m a blonde, so a little lightening doesn’t hurt me too much. But I’ve noticed I can overdo it w/ lemon juice if I apply too frequently. For those struggling with an itchy scalp, there’s nothing better than a baking soda paste to my knowledge. And what’s wrong with moisturizing/conditioning after using it? Even if my hair was a little on the dry side, I’d prefer that to itching my melon all day long
Lindsey
Thank you! This was a super informative post! I have Majorly damaged hair that’s weak and frizzy from first a bad box of dye (first time I’ve had that problem since I started dying my hair 20 years ago).Then I did the right thing and went to a salon for some help where they promptly did my hair in the last few steps the box didn’t take it. Because of this I have been on an obsessive mission to figure this hair thing out. Boy have a learned a lot!! I keep running across this BS and ACV thing and was really weary of the idea because of what you just expanded on. I totally agree, I’m no chemist and I prefer to use products with some kind of reparative benefits. Granted I know I can’t save damaged hair, but if I cut any more off I’ll have short frizzy poodle hair, at least I can tie it back and hide the damage. Sooo anyway, vinegar. I’ll have to advocate FOR this, but in no way as a replacement for conditioner. I’ve been using gentle shampoos and a shower filter for my hard water, but those gentle shampoos are almost too gentle at times and done get my hair clean even though I’m only using oils as leave ins now. It seems like it takes about 10 washes to get build up using oils along with a gentle cleanser that doesn’t suds in hard water. So, acv to the rescue. Wash just a tiny bit of acv, condition and build up is gone. It does dry your hair out! I don’t know how people use only that unless their water source is super pure, hence the conditioner afterward. But I’ve found doing it this way, the frizz is slowly going down, my hair is gaining some elasticity finally. I think it should be treated as a treatment, not an alternative. Baking soda though, yeah, I’m proof that chemical modification to your hair is bad. Raising the ph of hair is bad. If you wanna use it great, but no way would I try it.
as for the natural vs chemicals debate: what I’ve found is both can be equally good and bad. Damaged hair needs protein to stay hair, and natural unchanged proteins wont help hair, I need science to keep my hair from breaking and I need natural to keep my scalp healthy, so a WELL INFORMED selection of both and how they interact with eachother is the key to proper personal care. Some synthetics are great! Some natural stuff could kill you. Take for example the use of coltsfoot and comfrey in SO many natural products. That stuff can do major live damaged even topically if over used by an unsuspecting consumer, yet parabens are some of the only preservatives that can keep your natural products from going rancid and even more dangerous than that they’re chemical laden counter parts. Nature preservatives don’t stop bacteria effectively. Which is the less dangerous? As for chemicals- selsen blue is a life saver. Not as a shampoo, but as a body wash! I use it every 10 days or so in the summer if I’m working outside. Here in Florida, skin funguses are ramped in the humidity and the heat. Most people have it and done even realize why they are itchy and their skin is a bit discolored. Selsen blue is the most cost effective and quickest treatment I’ve ever found. Way cheaper than washes meant for that. As for Wen, 
I have a hard time trusting something that’s plugged that much on infomercials and sold by a guy that looks like he needs to get his hands dirty for once 
just saying.
Belinda
I have super sensitive skin, chemicals ( sulfates, …cones, etc) cause my scalp to welt & itch. So i avoid OTC hair/skin products. Cant aford stuff like wen! Am trying co- washing with aubrey GBC organic conditioner. Thin finr shoulder length hair, grows VERY, VERY SLOW. any advise is appreciated. b
Kat
Sunscreen is in no way good for you.
The SUN is good for you. You will prevent cancer by being out in the sun, not slathering yourself in sunscreen and baking the toxins straight into your bloodstream. You will also prevent it by not living out your life inside of a salon.
Shampoo is not needed, neither is conditioner or any other “beauty” product to maintain good looks and more importantly, good health.
Ezel
Lindsey: “Baking soda though, yeah, I’m proof that chemical modification to your hair is bad. Raising the ph of hair is bad. If you wanna use it great, but no way would I try it. as for the natural vs chemicals debate: what I’ve found is both can be equally good and bad. Damaged hair needs protein to stay hair, and natural unchanged proteins wont help hair, I need science to keep my hair from breaking and I need natural to keep my scalp healthy, so a WELL INFORMED selection of both and how they interact with eachother is the key to proper personal care. Some synthetics are great! Some natural stuff could kill you…..Nature preservatives don’t stop bacteria *effectively*. Which is the less dangerous? As for chemicals- selsen blue is a life saver”
But one of their contentions would be the shampoo you need to keep your hair from breaking is the shampoo that is causing this in the first place. Nonetheless, I agree with what you have said.
Some people are talking like shampoo’s have no natural ingredients in them, lol. There are shampoo’s low in sulphate that have aloe vera and other natural ingredients. It’s a matter of using what’s good, beneficial, effective without the harsh ingredients in my opinion.
Lena
I don’t like this article. It sounds like one of those annoying salesmen who come up to your door and try to promote a false product. I doubt that shampoos with whatever “healthy” chemicals they may have are any better than the usual baking soda and apple cidar vinegar rinse. Anyways, it is all about proportions and forsaking daily baths which discloses any of your subtle doubts on the subject.
Nicki Zevola
@Danielle – Sodium lauryl sulfate is listed high on many ingredients lists, you are correct about that. And it is a known irritant.
As for 1,4-dioxane, when it is found in sodium lauryl sulfate, its concentration is extremely low. Still, I agree that it should be regulated and the FDA has made the recommendation that 1,4-dioxane be monitored and manufacturers stop using it.
Please note that I have NEVER argued for sodium lauryl sulfate, if for no other reason than it is known to be irritating! Just because I do not recommend ACV and baking soda does not mean that I naturally think all chemicals are great. But I definitely don’t think all natural remedies are great either.
Keep in mind that natural products are made of chemicals. Everything is. Your body’s receptors are chemical receptors – they don’t know whether a chemical source is natural or synthetic.
Hope this helps, sorry it took me a while to respond.
Nicki Zevola
@Sabrina – Sorry, I misworded there. By, “It shouldn’t be a problem if you don’t overdo it,” I should have said, “Use a pre-measured shine rinse for your hair instead.” Acetic acid, the main ingredient in vinegar, is well-known in the scientific community to be corrosive to the skin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetic_acid). I normally don’t cite Wikipedia, but I do here just to show the ubiquitous nature of this amongst chemists!
Acetic acid should only be used in special formulations by licensed dermatologists and aestheticians as a part of a peel. Hope this helps.
Nicki Zevola
@Kristy – I’m glad that you found an alternative! I haven’t tried Desert Essence – maybe I’ll check it out!
Nicki Zevola
@Andrew – Thanks for your kind and interesting rebuttal, I wouldn’t personally use baking soda for an itchy scalp, its high pH is drying to the hair (Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, 1989), and even if you condition afterwards, why do that in the first place? There are a lot of formulations designed for an itchy scalp that won’t dry it out. I don’t mean to sound aggravated, but I don’t understand why people think chemicals from a box labeled “baking soda” are healthier than non-sulfate chemicals put together in a container labeled “shampoo.”
Nicki Zevola
@Lindsey – I agree with a lot of what you said, except the stuff on parabens. I have never met a dermatologist or cosmetic chemist who didn’t approve of parabens in the concentrations they are used in skin care and cosmetics. They are safe and some of the most efficacious preservative systems out there. My only qualm is when people are allergic, but this is a very small part of the population!
Nicki Zevola
@Belinda – Hi! Try these tips, let me know if they work for you!: http://www.futurederm.com/2011/08/02/do-hair-growth-supplements-really-work-viviscal-biotin-l-arginine-tried-and-compared/
Nicki Zevola
@Kat – That’s an interesting theory, and thank you for sharing it. But truth be told, the sun is a known carcinogen: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20854/
No scientist or dermatologist will ever disagree with the fact that too much sun exposure does nothing but harm your DNA, your cells, and your body. It’s terrible.
I agree a small amount is needed to synthesize vitamin D – about 15 minutes of sunscreen-free exposure per week on the back, neck, face, arms, and shoulders. So for most of us, that’s about an hour fully clothed and outside. But that’s it.
I apologize for disagreeing, but I’m a big fan of science and medicine and what it can do. Can it do bad things, too? Sure. But I believe it’s done mostly good – and sunscreen is one of those instances where I believe it’s doing something fantastic!
Nicki Zevola
@Lena – Thank you also for sharing your alternative opinion. Please keep in mind, however, that many diseases are caused by a lack of bathing; this comprises The Germ Theory of Disease, also known as The Pathological Theory of Disease:
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=The+Germ+Theory+of+Disease&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C39&as_sdtp=
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germ_theory_of_disease
Anonymous
I don’t understand why baking soda is considered “natural” at all. It doesn’t come from plants in the least or anything like that. It’s a chemical called sodium bicarbonate, and according to Wikipedia, it’s “mainly prepared by the Solvay process, which is the reaction of sodium chloride, ammonia, and carbon dioxide in water”. Salt, carbon dioxide, and water sound harmless, but ammonia can be scary stuff. In ancient Egypt, sodium bicarbonate apparently had to be mined and then processed to get baking soda. Uranium is mined and processed too…
As for SLS, the American Cancer Society says, “Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and its chemical cousin sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are known irritants, not known carcinogens”: http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/HowWeHelpYou/shampoo
Also, Tom’s derives SLS “coconut and/or palm kernel oil”, which seems more natural to me than the derivation of baking soda: http://www.tomsofmaine.com/research/ingredients/ingredient-detail/sodium-lauryl-sulfate
Torø
I had always had very straight hair that was dry and just didn’t agree with the conventional shampoos and conditioners I grew up on, but now I wash it once a week with baking soda and it’s wavy and thick. Maybe people who have problems with the no poo method need to wash their hair less? It was oily and disgusting for the first month but then it suddenly got so much better than it’s ever been, so I’d say it was worth waiting that bit out, certainly. I don’t use a conditioner because the baking soda doesn’t strip all of the natural oils, and because I leave it at least a week between washes, they do their job. Also, does anyone know why being rained on makes hair really soft? It does here, anyway. I live by the sea, maybe it’s the minerals? (Sorry if this comment doesn’t make much sense, bear with me)
Sally
Well I applaud you Nicki for promoting women to pump themselves full of unnatural chemicals. I truly hope you don’t get cancer from playing with them. Antibiotics are not chemicals they, are products that were made from LIVING BACTERIA. Remember penicillin? It is a from of mold. Hhhmmm, maybe nature isn’t so bad anymore. I wonder if I dump petroleum oil all over myself if I will have glowing hair and nails? I’m sure you consider that a godsend chemical since its used in everything. Raving on the hilltop that man made chemicals are better than nature is like saying a computer is smarter than man. I have used BS/AC for almost two years and my hair has NEVER been better. I used everything on the market and my hair was unruly and frizzy. The no poo approach as brought out my natural waves, not frizz and my hair is cleaner than it ever has been. I get it hon, you’re trying to hawk a product, but its rude to be so hostile to women who choose not to use chemicals and fake crap.
Nicki Zevola
@Sally – You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. But long before I ever created a product, I stood by the fact that there are both good and bad natural and synthetic products.
“Chemicals” are simply molecules. Chemical compounds like acetylsalicyclic acid (aspirin) – your body’s receptors don’t know if they come from a natural or synthetic source. And just like we know gasoline (as you mentioned) is a carcinogenic synthetic chemical, keep in mind that poison ivy, poison oak, strychnine, tubocurarine, allyl isothiocyanate (found in garlic, mustard, and horseradish) are all natural and can be deadly as well.
My point is NOT “synthetic chemicals are good” and “natural chemicals are bad.” Rather, the scientific community is on the cusp of understanding how holistic, herbal, and natural medicine fits in with traditional western medicine. And I am frightened for the health of people who believe that natural can do them no harm, or provide only benefit.
I am also taken aback by the misunderstanding that I am only trying to push products. Natural and organic companies play off inaccurate terms like “non-toxic” and “non-hazardous,” when time and time again, careful review of the synthetic ingredients in skin care and cosmetics by large panels of scientists (including the U.S. FDA and E.U. panels) proves the vast majority of these ingredients are perfectly safe. I don’t really understand why natural/organic approaches are considered to be more “careful,” when in reality, we have less understanding scientifically of long-term exposures to many potent plant and herbal extracts than synthetic compounds.
That said, there are great natural products and great synthetic ones. As far as the BS/AC debate goes, you’re dealing with two chemical compounds with strong pH values in either direction. Natural or not, they’ve been shown in independent scientific studies to damage hair long-term. If they are working for you as an individual, I am pleased to hear that, but I refuse to recommend these methods for the rest of my readers.
Nicki Zevola
@Torø – I’m glad to hear that the BS method is working for you. Again, based on the above research, I won’t publicly recommend it for everyone else.
I’m not sure why rainwater makes your hair so soft! Maybe someone else knows and can chime in.
Abby
Hello Nicki. Thank you for your article. I admit that I am surprised by the information. I did intially think you must be advertising a product, which I thought was your motivation for the article, and I believe that is the case.
I too have an interest in science and take time to research ingredients in order to be better informed of the products I am using. I did so with sodium bicarbonate and apple cider vinegar which is why your article unsettled me somewhat. I use these products for my hair and have found no adverse effect that I am aware of. I have curly hair which of course is naturally more dry and weaker than other types. I use coconut oil on my hair which I have read is very beneficial (I eat a lot of coconut products, all of which are organic). I can’t write that I am convinced that baking soda be avoided for hair washing as surely combining the two would neutralise them and mixed with water they would be fine to use? I have not tried this and I will be honest I do not know if it would work well or at all. It seems the more I think about it the less sure I am.
I don’t use shampoo because I did not find it effective in any way; it did not rid me of flakes, make my hair stronger, repair my split ends, reduce frizz or any other purported claim – my hairdresser agreed and I tried different shampoos. The only thing it did, (apart from strip my hair of natural oils, introduce irritants to my scalp, increase my risk of cancer, clog my pores thus giving me more spots) was make my hair smell nice with it’s lovely fragrance/parfum (which apparently is full of over 3000 chemicals companies aren’t legally obliged to list). I could have just put coconut oil in my hair, saved time and avoided a considerable amount of unnessary, harmful chemicals.
I also had heard and read previously that the scalp does clean itself. No one ‘needs’ to use shampoo and conditioner anymore than they ‘need’ to use fluoride toothpaste – which they don’t. I am quite frankly tired of having to research ingredients to check their safety/necessity and being distrustful of companies boasting the use of Aloe Vera or Coconut Oil as if that compensates for all the harmful chemicals they use also. However it seems that is life in this ‘modern’ world.
I do thank you again for your article and will of course research what you have written.
I must write that I believe people live longer generally due to better diet not chemicals keeping them alive… I may well decide to stop using baking soda and apple cider vinegar if I find sufficient evidence to support your findings. I would never go back to using shampoo and conditioner. Water (perhaps coconut water with honey unless you have research showing they too are harmful?) and coconut oil will suffice. You wrote: “Please stop trying to make your own products, unless you have a degree in the sciences and a job at a lab!” Is this limited to hair care? Am I not qualifed to use baking soda and white distilled vinegar to clean the kitchen and must rely on harsh chemicals (which may or may not be toxic for all I know) unless I attain my qualification? Unless you can stop companies using harmful, unnessery, added ingredients, people, like myself, won’t stop seeking alternatives.
You made your point. Baking soda and apple cider vinegar may not be the best alternative to shampoo and conditioner however that doesn’t there isn’t one. I tried using Jason shampoo and conditioner which is more expensive than regular brands as it’s a more ‘natural’ option. However upon further research I found it not to be as ‘natural’ as I had thought so I stopped using shampoo and conditioner and stopped wasting money. I don’t mind paying more for a product if it will actually do me good, without harming me, and is better quality.
Have you heard of the website Skin Deep? This is their website: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ perhaps you would be willing to ask that your company be included on their website so that people could check the safety of the ingredients in your products? I do not believe that there are many who believe natural = 100% good and chemical = 100% bad. I certainly do not. However I do believe that we are exposed to far too many chemicals that are more bad than good, unfortunately.
You are right, the many companies that over the years used harmful chemicals and were then exposed have lost the trust of many. That is why so many are distrustful of mainstream products, especially as many still contain unnessary harmful ingredients. It is funny as I was researching whether baking soda was harmful to use in cooking or if there were any side effects when I came across this article.
Erica
“3 Reasons Why Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar Destroy Your Hair – And What to Use Instead”
Your title is misleading. You wrote yourself that used IN ISOLATION that they could be harmful to hair. That does not make baking soda and apple cider vinegar useless. If properly mixed together in water the two are neutralised and thus fine to use on hair. They DO NOT destroy hair. That is a lie. You sell cosmetics so your view on alternatives to wasting money on commercial products that DO destroy hair is hardly impartial regardless of your degrees in science. Science can be used and science can be misused. Even ‘natural’ shampoos contain chemicals not best suited for hair.
You presented your points in a misleading, truth distorting way. If you truly wished to present a better alternative you would have suggested water. Yes, water. Hair needs no more than that. (I won’t get into the different types of water and it’s effects on hair). Of course, someone like you wouldn’t recommend the simplest option. Why? Well it’s simple. You’d have to explain that due to the shampoos (and all the harmful sebum stripping chemicals) most people use, their hair would take some time to return to their natural state if they just used water. This you know is because shampoo strips hair of it’s natural oils and conditioner replaces them, apparently. How is that better than baking and soda? Answer: it isn’t.
You argue as if there aren’t valid concerns amongst scientists, doctors and non-proffessionals about the chemical in shampoos and conditioners. You’ve never spoken to a dermatologist that thought the parabens in products was harmful? Were they the ones paid by cosmetic companies to make them look good? I know many who would disagree with you and find your statement about them ridiculous. Parabens ARE NOT needed to clean hair or keep armpits from smelling. It is ethically irresponsible to dismiss their negative impact and encourage others to do the same.
In future don’t misrepresent the truth. It is dangerous. Coming from the medical field (I am a doctor) I am disappointed that so many like yourself try to distort information and cover up their financial motivations in doing so. You won’t be treating the patients, that are younger and younger nowadays, with illnesses linked to the harmful chemicals they use in these noxious concoctions we see on the shelves in the supermarket. If you aren’t careful you may be one of them. It’s a sign of the times that we’d rather sell eachother down the river with promises of ‘healthy shinning hair’ ‘less tangles’ ‘more life’ than work together to improve our lives by eating healthy and using natural approaches which are abundantly found.
Nicki Zevola
@Erica – What type of medicine do you practice? We searched for your credentials based on the name you provided and could not find them.
Regardless, we are telling the truth. We are not distorting information in order to make money. I am offended at this allegation.
If you wash your hair with water alone, there are a number of problems with this. The first of which is bacteria. Some bacteria are good, but a lot is bad. It is unsanitary to wash hair with water alone, as it does not remove S. aureus and gram-negative bacilli. These have been shown to be carried in hair: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bjs.1800610916/abstract
And many more potentially disease-causing bacteria as well.
Furthermore, it is one thing to believe that only water and no chemicals are best for you. It is another entirely to say that “natural” chemicals like apple cider vinegar and baking soda are somehow “good” and “synthetic” chemicals in shampoos and conditioners are bad. Chemicals are chemicals, whether derived from a natural or synthetic source. And as a scientist, NOT a company owner or a salesperson but as a scientist, I would trust cosmetic chemists to formulate products that are gentle for hair long before I would advise consumers with expertise in other areas to mix chemicals over their kitchen sinks for their hair, skin, or nails.
Regardless, people will do what they want to do. But panels of unbiased scientists for groups like the U.S. FDA, the European Union, and the CIR have shown that long-term exposures to the concentrations of the vast majority of ingredients in beauty products are safe. And while proponents of natural beauty continue to suggest that highly reputable non-profit organizations or physicians may be “paid off” to support synthetic chemicals, I’m skeptical of why no one suggests natural beauty companies or campaigns “pay off” non-profit organizations or physicians to support natural or organic products. I doubt any of this is happening at all, for the record. But I am just saying – I am offended at the accusations. We are the first to admit when “natural” products are good and when they are not, just as we are with synthetic. And mixing potent high/low pH chemicals over your kitchen sink is not a good idea.
Nicki Zevola
@Abby – You make some solid points.
I disagree on two points, and please, feel free to comment again. One, people do NOT live longer due to better diet – it really is medicine, or dare I say it, safe exposures to life-saving chemical drugs. In fact, our diets are much worse than even 30 years ago, and the life expectancy decreased for the first time in decades in 2010. This was attributed to higher prevalence of heart disease and respiratory problems, issues that can be indirectly linked to weight gain.
Secondly, toxicity has become a dirty word in our society. It is overused and misunderstood. If you take in too much of anything, even “safe” materials like vitamin C, it becomes “toxic.” While I am not against the Skin Deep database, I feel it is a better resource for those with medical or scientific training, because not all studies are created equal. The FDA and CIR do NOT keep concluding that ingredients are safe when the Skin Deep database says they are toxins because the former are somehow “paid off.” Rather, those at the FDA and CIR evaluate these studies with their scientific background and training; they know, for instance, some of these studies:
a.) do not include enough subjects (more is better);
b.) do not test the ingredients in reasonable concentrations (vitamin C is toxic in 20000 times average dose; many of these studies use average human doses on animals, which is like giving us an aspirin the size of our heads);
c.) test one part of a cell or a cell culture (for instance, incubating cells in water will kill them within seconds, but this doesn’t mean water is bad!);
d.) are not repeatable/other scientists have come up with different results;
e.) the scientists are found to be biased (for instance, work for a natural or organic cosmetics company, have an interest in promoting a new system, etc.) This is rare, but should be mentioned.
Overall, the danger of sites like Skin Deep is that it causes consumers to distrust cosmetic scientists. In turn, beauty companies realize people are afraid of ingredients like parabens, and they remove them from their products. But some of the new preservative systems used in place of parabens have problems of their own – phenoxyethanol, citrus oils, benzoates, benzoic acid. They certainly have a higher potential for irritation than parabens, which are great unless you are one of the very small minority that is allergic. Keep in mind that parabens are also found in natural foods, like blueberries.
Also, when you ask, “Am I not qualified to use baking soda and white distilled vinegar…must [I] rely on harsh chemicals (which may or may not be toxic for all I know) unless I attain my qualification?” Baking soda and white distilled vinegar ARE harsh chemicals, “natural” or not. I wouldn’t try to put up electrical wiring in my house, certainly not at least without the help of an expert. So I certainly would not try to make my own household cleansers, not without the help of a chemist, or with a formulation that was made by a chemist.
People want to disagree with me on this, for whatever reason. It is probably because “natural” is all the rage right now. But I am telling you – going without cleansing and medicine and vaccination ONLY works because the vast majority of our population is cleansing and taking medicine and getting vaccinated. If the vast majority of the population rebelled against all chemicals, we would have bacteria and disease and viruses up the wazoo (see: 1800s). I don’t mean to say that exposures to chemicals from, say, industrial plants is good. It’s not. But moderation is the key here. And the exposures from beauty products are, I believe wholeheartedly, safe and (if anything) mostly beneficial.
You have a right not to believe me. But if you are concerned about safety, be concerned about a world with no chemicals or drugs.
Nikky W
As Erica outlined you have presented the points in a distorted and misleading way, distorting basic science to make some very simple and basic things sound scary. In addition you do not consider the usual, practical and sensible holistic approach of using Baking Soda with Apple Cider Vinegar supplemented with oils.. Instead you focus on what might happen if the products were used alone, individually and what might happen if they are the only things used in a hair care regime – this is not a realistic perspective, but it’s been done in a deliberate and calculated way to distort and twist what people actually do when using Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar for hair maintenance.
Sodium bicarbonate (Baking Soda) mixed with water which has a pH of 8.5 to 9, which may make it about 100 more times alkaline than pure (distilled) water, however, Sodium bicarbonate is commonly recognized as being mildly alkaline.
Across the globe, normal tap/drinking/bath/shower water ranges in pH from 6.5 and 9.5 (it’s usually standardized within that range by the water supply company). In areas which have ‘hard water’ (eg: 85% of homes in the USA and most drinking water in England) the pH of normal tap water is usually on the higher side, so it’s quite probable that the pH of the “plain ol’ water” in question is alkaline (just like Bicarb Soda in distilled water) yet it’s perfectly safe for drinking, washing and other uses.
Most cleaning products, either pure natural soap or manufactured ‘chemical’ based have an alkaline pH – its how they work – in addition many of the common ‘chemicals’ in cleaning products (including shampoo) are there to counteract the water hardness.
Sodium bicarbonate might be an irritant to the skin, and it might not be good to ingest, but those negitive consequences only happen when it’s is in concentrated form (but I do not understand how the reference you link (The case of a single 34-year-old, black woman who acutely developed extensive hyperpigmented oral lesions) supports your claim for this). For hair washing purposes it’s recommended to use 1 tablespoon of Baking Soda per cup of water, at this concentration it’s not concentrated and is not harmful and is not an irritant.
It’s like most anything, too much/too concentrated is bad (including drinking too much “plain ol’ water”) but in the correct concentrations and at the right levels, there is no problem at all. In the correct does, used correctly, Sodium Bicarbonate in aqueous form (mixed with water) has a whole range of safe, sane and practical medical – and other- uses.
As stated in the article, Apple Cider Vinegar is an acid, and Baking Soda is alkaline, you also said how bad that each can be individually, but did not mention what happens when you mix them both together. While hair washed with Baking Soda might be alkaline, as soon as it’s rinsed with acidic Apple Cider Vinegar it’s neutralized and back to a neutral pH. Which is why most Baking Soda hair washes recommend using Apple Cider Vinegar as a rinse – yet you totally failed to mention the combined effect of both products, instead focusing only on how bad they might be if used independently and not together!
Again you say that “overdoing it with apple cider vinegar can cause more damage than it is worth” when most ACV hair rinse recipes suggest using 1 tablespoon of ACV in 1 cup of water – which is hardly “overdoing it”. Then you compare it to lemon juice having a pH of about 2, while undiluted Apple Cider Vinegar has a pH of about 4.25 and 5, so when it’s diluted as suggested, its not even close (just like comparing lemons and apples, they are both fruit but not many people would say they are the same).
In regard to natural hair oils – if they need to be replenished is another argument again – however, again you focused on the unrealistic and obviously untrue assumption that someone using Bicarb Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar would use the products alone, not together and not supplement them with other products. Using the same narrow-focused and short-sighted perspective anyone could easily argue that ANY shampoo and ANY conditioner is bad when used alone and when used as the ONLY product to maintain one’s hair. It is a simple matter to include any number of natural (or unnatural) oils to replenish those stripped from hair when using any hair care products. Oils could be included as a few drops in the bicarb or vinegar wash/rinse or they could be applied after (as other people have already suggested above) or they could be used as an independent conditioning treatment, just because someone uses Bicarb Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar does not mean that is all they use and that they use each of the products alone.
Jenny
I agree with this article i used baking soda on my hair for a couple of weeks for the ‘no poo’ method and now i am trying to repair my damaged hair. However i do believe one good thing about apple cider vinegar is that it cleanses oils out of your hair i.e. olive oil
Laura
THANK YOU. Seriously all the people that say “natural lifestyle is a better lifestyle” are clearly uneducated. They associate “chemicals” with ooze dripping green smoking test tube solutions being poured maliciously into consumer products by a mad scientists. Give me a break. I will take the anti-chemical brigade more seriously when I hear conclusive research as to how natural is better, and when I mean research I mean someone whose background surpasses a year of organic chemistry.
Natural products contain “chemicals” too. Vitamin C from an orange is no better than extracted vitamin c by scientists.
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Appreciating the commitment you put into your blog and detailed information you present.
It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed information.
Wonderful read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your
RSS feeds to my Google account.
Kristyn
Ugh. I just bought some apple cider vinegar tonight to try this! I have heard nothing but good and as soon as I go to find the exact amounts I will need to try this, I find this article.
Oh well. I am going to try it and if it doesn’t help or dries my hair out, then I will switch back to my regular shampoo/conditioner.
slemani's girl
there’s so many for and against arguements on the net about these sort of matters that you just don’t know what to believe.