November 5, 2010

I'm not satisfied this laundry detergent is strong enough.
I'm going to make it with more soap next time.
Just keeping it real....

In September I was washing my hair with coconut oil and baking soda, which worked.  But was expensive.  And, it turns out, unnecessary.  About a month ago I quit putting anything on my hair.  I took the shampoo out of the children's bathroom as well.   We wash with warm water.

Yeah, warm water.  Hard to get more sustainable than that.  All the hair in this house is simply gorgeous.  But consider something way more beautiful.  I had a vision last week.  What if every isle of shampoo and conditioner disappeared?  Along with every factory making shampoo and conditioner.  Along with every building dedicated to shampoo and conditioner.  

How much less plastic is that in the world?  How much more acreage?  How much more clean water.  And that's not just water used to manufacture shampoo and conditioner, its also water polluted by their use.

Wow.  Shampoo is responsible for an enormous burden on the earth.  And IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER.

9 comments:

val said...

Ivory is mild, and it works great in soft water, kind of doesn't work at all in hard water. How hard is your water, K? love, v

Heather said...

I was reading about this no shampoo or conditioner at all stuff, and it all made complete sense to me. Your skin balances oils, once it is given the chance, why not your hair? But I imagine there is a transition phase, when your scalp is getting used to NOT overproducing oil to compensate for removing it with shampoo?

K said...

There is a transitional phase. And I think its mostly about getting used to the difference. My hair looks and feels the same when its dry. But when I'm in the shower is seems like: gosh, my hair still feels oily, its going to be okay if I leave it like this? And as it dries you have your doubts. Then it looks great and you're all, like, dude!

K said...

And yeah, hard water, Val. I hear I can add vinegar. But who has the time for that? Right? Earth friendly can still be easy and affective. I'm determined.

Cecelia (CC) said...

T tried this a few months back and I kept saying, your hair looks fuzzy! He went back to 'poo. Once again, you and he are more on the same page than he and I. Funny.

K said...

What do you mean by fuzzy, CC? Like dirty hair that's attracting fuzz? Or like really dry hair that's floating around in a fuzzy way? Did he just quit using shampoo or did he use something else?

val said...

You can add vinegar to the rinse, like what you say--if you remember to during that window... I suppose you could put vinegar in a fabric softener ball and that would work.

Honestly, I was never satisfied with the performance of Ivory in anything except silky soft water.

Soft water is the key with it.

This brings back memories of armloads of fluffy hot diapers coming out of the dryer.

love, Val

Cecelia (CC) said...

he just quit. and, the second one - super dry and floating around - exactly! Miss 'way with words'.
Ahh, I can go to sleep now. I just saw Joe play. Is that a song of his? from 2009?

K said...

I need to get some "washing soda" for the laundry recipe. That should make all the difference.