Baking Soda Shampoo: Is it for You?
Putting gritty white stuff in your hair may seem like a crazy idea, but the cleansing method has become popular. Find out why (and how) women are using baking soda shampoo, and if it’s right for your hair.
It is an effective toothpaste and teeth whitener. It’s often added to natural deodorant to absorb wetness. And it has long been used as an itch and sting reliever. But baking soda shampoo?
Yep, baking soda is very useful in personal care and many women are jumping on the no ‘poo bandwagon, forgoing traditional shampoo in favor of regular or semi-regular baking soda cleansing. If this notion is new to you, you are likely wondering why on earth anyone would put the gritty baking ingredient in their hair. It surely won’t lather, it doesn’t smell like a dewy meadow, and it can’t be moisturizing. Right on all counts, but baking soda still has other good for hair virtues.
Baking soda is absorbent, thus its regular appearance in natural deodorants. This makes it an effective oil absorber. It is also a decent exfoliant, which covers the cleansing part of the equation. The non-sudsy means of cleansing is said to help balance oil production, leading to healthy hair and scalp.
It is important to note that baking soda is abrasive and can be too much for sensitive scalps. It also has whitening properties, so those with color treated hair are advised to avoid this cleansing method as it can strip color.
Many women and some men begin using baking soda as a way to avoid toxic chemicals in conventional shampoos. Mainstream shampoos contain harsh surfactants and synthetic fragrance ingredients, definitely best avoided. There are many safe shampoos made with nontoxic ingredients, but people with either very oily or very dry hair, or fine hair can experience limp locks and dullness with natural hair products. Fans of the baking soda method claim their hair looks and feels better than ever before.
As you can imagine, reviews are mixed on this subject. One of my followers appears to be a baking soda devotee, relating that she mixes it with apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil to help treat psoriasis or extreme dry scalp. Another reader described her experience as a real bummer, ending up with dried out hair.
So, the process is not for everyone. If your hair is limp, imbalanced, or just not responding well to natural shampoos, baking soda shampoo may be the answer to your hair care woes. Yes, most partakers of the baking soda technique forgo regular shampoo altogether. Many report an adjustment period of a week or three, where hair becomes oilier, but most say this subsides if you can stand to stay the course.
Ok, so let’s get down to the nitty gritty … how to make and use baking soda shampoo. It’s not tough. All you need is baking soda, water, and these three simple steps:
- Mix one part soda to three parts water in a squeeze bottle (to make this whole thing easier and less messy) and shake it up
- Wet hair and apply the mixture to scalp, working through to ends of hair, and rinse with warm water
- Rinsing hair with apple cider vinegar afterward is said to add softness and thoroughly rinse out the soda
Another tip: To help fend off the greasy phase, enlist the help of a dry shampoo between washings.
Do you use baking soda shampoo or plan to give it a try? We would LOVE to hear your thoughts and experiences on the subject!
Related on Organic Authority
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7 Simple Uses for Baking Soda and Vinegar
Chocolate Locks: Cocoa Scented Dry Shampoo for Brunettes
Image of happy woman washing hair via Shutterstock
