Yes, it’s quite exciting. Today I got my very own domain name — chelseagofor30.com. So now you don’t have to type in the chelseagofor30.wordpress.com! It’s like I have my very own website. How very 2002 of me. On another note, Happy Saint Patty’s Day lads and lasses! Yes, it’s true, not only do I look like a riverdancer, but I do actually have some Irish roots. I will be celebrating tonight with some corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread. Delicious! Also, the weather today is GORGEOUS so I hope you all had some time to go out and enjoy the sunshine on this holiest of holidays.
Alrighty roo, down to business. I washed my hair on Monday night, but due to a full day of babysitting + KC’s dad’s birthday dinner last night, I had pretty much zero time to post yesterday. So here I am posting about it now, just back from working (and working out) at Bar Method. Here are some pictures I took of my hair this morning…
That last shot is one I took at Bar Method later in the day while I was working. My hair held up fine, even after the BART ride into the city.
Ok, on to a few questions. I’ve been asked about tangles — since I’m not using conditioner, does my hair get more tangled, is it harder to get the tangles out of your hair, etc. Truthfully, I guess probably because I straighten my hair, my hair doesn’t tend to get too tangled throughout the day. The tangle issue was a concern for me when starting this challenge, but I haven’t really noticed a difference in the severity or amount of tangles I have. I do brush my hair before getting into the shower, and then comb the baking soda and vinegar rinses through my hair once in there. I have noticed that even when my hair has to withstand a windy day that my tangles aren’t too bad and tend to be confined to my ends (because they’re so fried….ahhh need a haircut!) The funny thing is, on windy days my hair tends to perform better and stay less tangled than it did when I was using shampoo and conditioner. I’m not really sure why that is (since I, too, thought that no conditioner would equal more tangles). It’s a mystery, but I’ll take it!
On to the vinegar rinse. If you’re thinking about going no ‘poo, here are a few tips regarding how often to wash your hair and how to use the vinegar rinse. If you’re going to go natural, I would not recommend washing more than twice a week with this mix, only because it tends to be drying. For those of you who wash everyday or every other day, this means that you may want to start by weaning your hair off the ‘poo more slowly (cut down your shampooing little by little until you’re only washing twice a week before making the switch). Also, especially if you’re a frequent washer, know that when you switch to no ‘poo your hair may go through a transition period where it’s really greasy for a week or two. I read about this when doing my research before beginning the challenge, and basically it’s where your natural oils over-produce while your scalp adjusts to the natural diet (because shampoo strips your hair of those natural oils). During this time, resist the urge to over-wash your hair and stick to the 2 washes a week. The grease will pass; just throw your hair up and revel in the “Wow, your hair looks so SHINY!” compliments.
As for the vinegar rinse, this is the main part of the routine which will need tweaking based on your hair’s individual needs. Some people leave the vinegar rinse on their hair, opting not to rinse it out, because the natural diet can be very drying for those with already dry hair (also, this can help prevent tangles for those of you with long and/or curly hair, according to my research). Others claim that the vinegar rinse makes their hair oily and opt to either use it on the ends of their hair only, or simply cut it out altogether. If you’re dealing with greasy hair during the transition period, this may be the time to cut down or cut out the vinegar rinse, until your hair regulates itself. Also, don’t forget that there are things you can add to your vinegar rinse based on your hair’s needs (see this website).
Any other questions, feel free to post a comment, email, or just ask.
Fun fact for today: I have been getting lots of compliments on my hair lately from people who were unaware that I have been doing the no ‘poo thing. I will take this as a sign that the benefits of my new natural diet are not all in my head (but, rather, on it. Hilarious. I know.)
Hope you all enjoy your Guinness, Killians, and Ginger and Jameson’s tonight! (And don’t drink and drive. Drink and BART!)