Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Hair care update

I use 1 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of reverse osmosis water and put them in a large juice or milk bottle.  Then pour them into an old shampoo to apply to dry hair, until they are thoroughly wet.  You can dissolve a lot more soda but the taste is shockingly salty.  I don't suggest more concentrated solution because it's alkaline (base) after all.

I rinse with water thoroughly before vinegar rinse.  I don't use apple cider vinegar because I use white vinegar for clothes and white stuff is cheaper.  I mix 1/8 cup of vinegar to 1 cup of soft water.  This is mild enough not to stink your eyes.  Again I put the mixture in a large bottle and pour them into smaller shampoo bottles to rinse my hair.  In winter, you can make double concentrated solution and dilute with warm water when use. 

Always rinse thoroughly.  It's not a good idea to leave alkaline or acid in your scalp.

I've been using this for over a week and very happy with it.  I have to wash my hair because of the desert climate and to bring my hair strands down.  During wash, the hair felt a bit oily.  But when my hair is completely dry, it's the same feeling after I shampoo and then apply plenty of conditioner.  What a waste of time before.  The clean feeling last a day or may be too.  Since I have to wash hair everyday it's perfect.

You can't go wrong with baking soda because it's a deodorizing agent.  It can dissolve grease and calcium deposits.  I doubt if the vinegar does anything, but most people suggest that as rinse.  I read an article that the optimum hair condition is acidic.  That looks like a technical article.  It may be bluffing but as long as it has claims, somebody can fact check it sooner or later.  But I won't try to leave any trace on the hair.  Maintaining a certain pH without exact control of the amount of materials is tricky. 

The alternative to vinegar is citric acid.  It's a good chelating agent, meaning it can prevent calcium from depositing on your hair.  It won't have the vinegar smell.  You can get it in powder form or lemon juice.  I don't know how much to dilute them for use.  It could end up quite expensive than vinegar.