I am considering myself halfway through an experiment in not washing my hair. I am so committed to this experiment that at the weekend I even attended a wedding with my 7 week non-washed mane. If the experiment goes well then it will become life but at the moment it isn’t looking likely.
Let me review the benefits I have experienced of not washing my hair:
1- it is really thick and volumous, the kind of hair I usually would get after blowdrying, hairspraying, dry shampooing and backcombing. It is nice having voluptuous locks after a lifetime of skinny ones.
2- I feel quite pleased with myself, all eco and green and smug.
Ummm.
That’s it. Yeah.
It isn’t going superbly.
You see if I could just do the bicarbonate of soda and cider vinegar wash then I would be SOLD. After washing with those my hair is brilliant; thick, glossy, clean.
But the thing is it also strips out my hair colour and I’m not having that. Last year I discovered I was a redhead in a mousy blonde body and have henna’d my hair every 2 months in order to embrace my ginger soul. If I do a bicarbonate of soda wash I will then have to henna as much as every couple of weeks too and, honestly? Who could be bothered with that?
The experiment has made me think differently about “clean hair”, after a water wash I know my hair isn’t dirty but just filled with natural oils. To me now normal hair does look a bit dry and dusty. A bit of slick seems pretty standard. One day last week I was basking in my natural oils and eco smugness when my mum turned to me and said “It looks like you’ve dipped your hair in a chip pan”. Turns out natural oils look a lot like grease, eh?
So. I have had lots of scarf days while I trial different methods; hot water, brushing like mad, a henna rinse. I haven’t nailed it yet but have a couple more ideas under my belt.
I have never thought so much about my hair and it is DOING MY HEAD IN. Part of my motivation in weaning off shampoo was to simplify my life and the things I am dependent on. Ridiculously, this experiment is consuming me!
However, I still have this motivation and hope that over the next few weeks I will somehow nail it. Watch this space!
Update: HOLD THE PHONE! Don’t worry everyone, WET LOOK IS IN!!!!!!!