Your Questions Answered: My Baking Soda Shampoo


Q: I have been wanting try your baking soda shampoo! Are you still using it? What are the results? I have thin/fine slightly oily hair and I cannot imagine washing it every other day!

I first posted about using my baking-soda shampoo back in June, when I’d been using it consistently for about two months. It’s now December, and I’m still using it as my sole shampoo. I went to the salon a few weeks ago, and the stylist raved over how healthy my hair looked—the first time in my life I’ve ever received that compliment! I give all the credit to the baking-soda shampoo!

When I first started, I was almost immediately able to drop down to washing my hair every other day. (I documented my experience over the first couple of weeks here.) Like you, I tend to have thin, fine and oily hair, and had never imagined I could go more than a day without washing my hair! (I shared a little bit about that in my intro to the shampoo.) Since the shampoo is so simple to make and hardly takes any resources at all (just a tablespoon of baking soda!!), I’d really recommend you at least give it a shot and see if it works for you. I was able to see results even by day 2.

I was curious how this would affect other hair types. The other day, I received a glowing comment from someone with thick, curly hair who has also had great luck switching to a baking-soda shampoo. She said, “I have difficult curly/wavy hair and since washing my hair this way I finally like my hair. Wish I had tried this in high school. I never have a bad hair day now, and my hair is less frizzy, less greasy! It's been a year and a half and I don't think I'll ever shampoo my hair again.”

(I have read that those with thicker hair are recommended to use an apple-cider rinse as a conditioner. But I haven’t had a need to use it myself. Some have asked about using this—does anyone have any insights on how and how much to use? If so, please leave your insights in the comments! A few people have also asked about whether the baking soda shampoo is suitable for color-treated hair. Anyone know? I haven't dyed my hair in almost a decade, so I have no clue!)

A couple people have said that they've tried baking soda shampoo in the past without not-so-great results, but it seems that the overall consensus (from what I've read in the original post comments) is that people are finding that the baking soda shampoo works well for them. So, I figure, what's to lose?! If you want to give it a try, here’s the link to my experience using the baking soda shampoo and directions for making it yourself.


Q:I had a random question about how you "apply" your baking soda shampoo to your hair. I think my method ends up wasting a lot of it and I'm not even sure I'm getting the right amount on, so I was curious how you did it. I've just mixed it up in a cup and then poured some into my cupped hand and tossed it onto my head, flinging a lot of it over my head at the same time. Then I tried cleaning out an old hair spray bottle so that I could spray it onto my hair, but after my first attempt with that I realized that I didn't get the bottle completely free of hair spray. So...before I make my next attempt, I thought I would ask you!

I do find that I go through the baking-soda liquid pretty quickly (maybe every two weeks?), because I would much rather make sure that I'm getting enough on my hair rather than too little! But I use a little squirt bottle (a repurposed bottle with a pump head that used to hold face wash, see photo below). I just made sure I rinsed it well, and then ran it through the dishwasher (top shelf) for extra measure.

I’ve found that using the squirt bottle has been really helpful, because it controls how much of the liquid comes out and does keep a lot from going to waste. When it comes time to apply it, I just pump the baking soda solution on various parts of my hair; I’m guessing about 10 squirts per application.

That might be a lot, but since it is runny, I like to make sure I’m getting a good covering all over! I also like to keep an extra batch made up and ready in the shower so that when my first bottle runs out, I’ve already got a back-up waiting. Do a little digging around and I’ll bet you can find containers or bottles perfect to repurpose for your shampoo!

What Other Questions Do You Have For Me?
Recently, I invited you to ask me any questions you might have that I could answer in upcoming posts, whether it's follow-up regarding anything I've written about in the past, curiosities regarding any of my personal experiences, or your general blogging questions.

In the following weeks I will continue to respond to your questions, so please feel free to ask any that come to mind in the comments below or send me an email. I have some questions in the queue regarding my thoughts on tattoos and some kitchen insights, so those and more to come!

3 comments:

  1. I have been using the baking soda shampoo for about a month (after I read your original post about it) and I LOVE IT! I also have fine, thin, oily hair (with some wave to it) and I haven't had a bit of problem with oil since I started washing my hair like this! I do use the apple cider vinegar rinse once a week, just to give my hair an extra little shine/volume boost. I measured it the same way I did the baking soda, 1 tablespoon per 1 cup of water, and I just put it in an old shampoo bottle that I had washed in the dishwasher, but I'm sure you could also use a spray bottle. Oh, and everything I've read says not to use the rinse too terribly often, probably not more than twice a week or so, since it is acidic. You can also use lemon juice instead of the apple cider vinegar, but I read that that can lighten your hair a bit. I use organic apple cider vinegar, not sure if regular would have the same results or not! Hope that helps anyone that was looking for info about that!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I keep telling myself to make some of this and give it a go.

    One question though out of my curiousity...Does your husband wash his hair with this solution too?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also have a question... You mentioned in your first post that you use herbs. Do you use fresh or dried and how much? Also what type of herbs do you use since I have a similar hair type...

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Next Post Previous Post
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...