Full personal care with totally safe ingredents - hair

I have sensitive and problematic skin so I had tried a lot of things.  My recent experience of cleaning triggered me to research on cleaning myself, with safe and effective ingredients that I already have.

I use the most thick moisturizing body wash and that is not enough.  To sustain problem skin I need to cover myself with a good body moisturizer. 

After shampooing, I must use good conditioner or my hair will go crazy.

All these doesn't make any sense to me.  After I stripped my hair and skin of body oil, I reapply something else to re-moisturize my body.

So I found some common natural personal care routines that I can use.  I will concentrate on the simplicity of the process, the chemistry, and the safety.

For hair "shampoo" I use 2 cup of reverse osmosis water and saturate it with baking soda in a measuring cup.  That means roughly two teaspoons of baking soda dissolving in very soft water.  Then I pour the solution into an empty shampoo container and use it to apply to my dry hair thoroughly in the bathroom.  Then rinse THOROUGHLY before next step.

Over saturating the solution with baking soda probably won't do much.  If the solution don't have enough cleaning power you are the first one to know.  You aim to rinse off thoroughly so the concentration of the solution isn't critical.  You can use tap water.  But soft water itself cleans by dissolving hard deposits, and it dissolves more baking soda.  Baking soda also may have softening effects as in commercial softeners, where calcium (in water) is replaced by sodium (in Baking soda) and then extracted somewhat.  That's why people should not drink softened water, especially those who need to watch sodium intake. 

For the "conditioner" I use apple cider vinegar.  I dilute an oz or two of vinegar with reverse osmosis water in a measuring cup, giving the water pale colour but not too smelly in the bathroom.  Then I pour the solution into another bottle for use in the bathroom.  Apply to wet hair thoroughly and then rinse THOROUGHLY.

You can use white vinegar but the smell is stronger.  The two solution aren't really shampoo and conditioner as such, but the concept is never to mix them together.  They will start off a famous chemical reaction forming carbon dioxide bubbles and a temporary acid.  It may be good for carpet stains but not a good idea on your head.

Baking soda is a deodorizer and eatable, so it's fail safe.  You don't need to smell your own hair to be sure that it doesn't stink.   BS can remove grease and water scale effectively.  I would think the vinegar is optional.  But a lot of people tested it and it shouldn't cause any harm.  BS is slightly alkaline and vinegar is acidic.  So it may be cleaning in different ways.  Keep them on the dead hair and you won't go wrong.

As for the problem of dandruff, I suggest you do more research before trying.  I have no worries as my best shampoo and best conditioner still leave me with dandruff.  Every week or two I need to use medicated tar shampoo to treat my hair.  It isn't really treat but just a quick wash.  But I bet in my case it's drying of the skin under the hair so my alternative hair cleaning shouldn't get any worse.  I hope it gets better without stripping the oils everyday.  I tried other dandruff shampoo but they don't clean that good or the hair don't feel that good.

I'm happy with the effect so far, but not a long term test.  Your hair don't feel so clean during the washing, because you aren't removing all the oil.  After natural drying, my hair feels like I shampooed and conditioned as before.  So what a waste of time before.  It feels a little sticky at the end of day, but I have to wash my hair everyday because of the weather.

I have tried on kids very long hair.  It doesn't tangle that much without stripping the oil.  But it's not a long term test either.

For me the preparation is easy.  I just go to the kitchen and use the same measuring cup I use for cooking.  It's easier then making coffee.  And you can make more to use for a few more days.  For the whole family you may want to use two large milk bottles, put them high up in the shower, and fit taps on them.