In my post about using apple cider vinegar as conditioner, I had mentioned the no 'poo challenge as the ultimate natural way of hair cleansing without using shampoo. I aspired to make this switch. I diluted 1 tbs of baking soda in 1 cup of water and added a few drops of tea tree oil, which I have heard combats dandruff, and kept this solution in an empty shampoo bottle. In place of shampoo, I generously poured some of this hair wash over the top of my head and massaged my scalp as one would with a good lathering formula, followed by using the diluted ACV as a conditioner rinse. For over a month, I stuck to this routine hoping that my hair would eventually make it out of the notorious purging phase during which the hair around my face and close to the scalp would look greasy. This stage is allegedly when the scalp readjusts from the stripping routine of conventional shampoo and eventually produces less oil. Unfortunately, I did not have the patience for this process and I could not stand looking like my hair was never dry (or clean).
My return to the world of shampoo was bittersweet. Instead of repurchasing anything I've used before, however, I made a new discovery - shampoo bars! And of all places one would find these things, I never imagined that the furniture store West Elm would carry personal care items. Their selection of hand creams, lip balms, soaps, candles (and more) reflects a health/social conscious vision. At the time the entire store was having an extra 20% off their sale items, so the bar of J.R. Liggett's Old-Fashioned Original Formula shampoo (retail price $6.99) checked out at $3 and change.
Read on for my review of this shampoo bar...
When it comes to personal care products such as shampoos and conditioners, I rarely stick to one particular brand. I have tried a few products from lines carried in salons such as Pureology, Bumble and Bumble, but most of my commonly used shampoos and conditioners hail from drugstore brands including Tresemme, Herbal Essences, Dove, Organix, L'Oreal, Aussie, etc. This is why my hair dressers (yes, I switch hair dressers as often as shampoos and conditioners) probably hate me. They have all recommended ditching my drugstore shampoos to expensive, non-sulfate salon brands, but even these products do not necessarily lack other chemicals that could be harmful to not just your hair but your health. So the search continues!
While grocery shopping at Whole Foods a few months ago, I picked up two packs of the Whole Foods 365 brand lavender blend shampoo and conditioner for normal + dry hair. Whole Foods also carries the lavender scent in formulations for normal + oily hair, as well as sets in an herbal mint scent. Each set (both shampoo & conditioner included) normally sells for $7.98, but I believe on sale, it was $4 - a ridiculous steal! I snagged two sets for stocking up my bathroom cabinet so I'll be using this for awhile.
