The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now? - PaleoHacks.com

The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-28T21:55:40Z

I know we have had several questions / topics about no shampoo/ no soap / no deodorant but i wanted to broach it agin to see how folks were progressing.

Anyone given up and gone back to conventional chemicals? For you die hards, Any tips or ticks for no 'poo, deodorant, soap?

Personally, I have settled on minimal soap (only on pits/groin), NO shampoo, NO deodorant.

BUT ... I'm having some probs. Perhaps the Paleo community can help me?!

The minimal soap thing is a breeze. I use plain ivory on my pits and groin. No prob. (I bathe every 3-4 days).

I WAS having a prob w/ my hair then I discoverd 'washing' with egg and rinsing w' vinegar. My hair is soft and glossy! Yow!

The no deodorant thing is a distinct prob - I WAS shaving and got this irritartion in my pits. i tried not shaving (which i LOVE) but the irritartion isn't going away! It;s only in myleft pit ... it looks like YEAST?! Why would I have candida?! My hubs is a type 1 diabetic so he harbours yeast but STILL!

PaleoCommunityHALP!

Answer by Stephen-Aegis for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-28T22:11:56Z

Coconut oil is wonderful as an anti bacterial anti fungal

Answer by Laura for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-28T22:38:54Z

I use coconut oil, mixed with baking soda and a dab of tea tree oil, for the pits. No odor problems and previous itching has gone away.

Answer by 42 for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-29T01:01:41Z

Just started the no-poo thing a few days ago. No noticeable difference other than I need less pomade to get the style I like. My hair tends to be very oily but to my surprise it's not any worse than normal. Maybe it'll get better.

Also trying the no-deodorant thing again. Last time I was fine for a few days then BLAM it was like I'd rubbed half an onion under my arms like the Grinch. Phewgh. So far so good, though.

I use Trader Joe's tea tree soap.

Answer by Kimmie for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-29T01:47:34Z

I replaced body soap/deodorant/lotion with coconut oil about 6 months ago, and find it very effective for staying clean and odor-free - even during hot San Antonio summers. It's supposed to have great anti-fungal/anti-bacterial/anti-viral properties (which I suppose is why it works so well as deodorant), so I would definitely give it a try on your rash.

I'm new to going poo-free, though. I'm on day seven without shampoo, and up until yesterday, things had been tolerable. A bit greasy with daily baking soda/vinegar "washes," but tolerable. Last night though, my hair felt like I had poured candle wax in it - I literally could not drag my fingers through it. :p Every time a gust of wind blew it, it stuck in that position. Ew!! I really didn't want to throw in the towel after I've come this far, but there was NO WAY I was going to work looking like that. :(

I did more research about what others - women, specifically - are doing, since I doubt this icky, waxy stage would be much of a problem if my hair was less than an inch long like my husband's (who successfully went poo-free over three months ago). Definitely a mixed bag of experiences, and it seems like it may have something to do with how often you used to wash. In the last few years, I'd cut back from washing every single day to every other day; but by the morning of day three, I'd have to wash, thanks to excessive oil. So I guess my scalp's oil glands were used to being stripped fairly often.

Quite a few people suggested doing the "conditioner only" (CO) method while you're adjusting. Apparently, they contain very small amounts of surfactants, so they will get rid of some of the oil without stripping your hair and scalp. I've heard of girls with super coarse, curly hair doing this, but it never occurred to me that it could work for fine, straight hair like mine. It seemed to me that conditioner would be counter-productive, since it's just more oil... but I was kind of desperate and I tried it this morning. SO much better!! The trick is to wet your hair and distribute the conditioner as soon as you get in the shower. Massage it into the scalp really, really well, using your fingertips. Go about your other cleaning rituals, and don't wash off the conditioner until you're ready to get out, so it has a bit of time to sit on your scalp. Rinse really, really well, with more scalp massaging. You also have to make sure the conditioner is silicone-free, so there's no possibility of build-up.

So today, my hair is by no means free of oil - it's still heavier than I'm used to dealing with, but I don't think anyone but myself could tell that I haven't shampooed since last Tuesday. I'm starting to think that the squeaky clean, light-as-air hair I'm used to is not natural at all, since that implies that it's also completely devoid of all natural oils. I hope I can eventually get off commercial conditioner too, but for now, this should make the transition bearable. I'm going to give the egg "wash" you mentioned a try sometime soon - that would definitely be preferable to commercial conditioner, if it works for me.

This experiment has also inspired me to weed through my facial cleansers - turns out there were a lot of sodium sulfate ingredients in there - a harsh detergent also used in dish soap. :( I tend to wash my face 2-3 times a day because (wait for it...) I get too oily! Hmmmm... I'm tempted to try washing with an oil/grain combo (like coconut oil and corn meal or something) and see what happens.

This stuff really opens your mind to a whole new way of thinking and questioning modern "innovations." I'm starting to think that word is just defined as "ways to make money."

Answer by W8liftinmom for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-29T06:47:18Z

coconut oil and baking soda here as well. I love Bath and Bodyworks scents and use the body spray in the pits as well.

Answer by NWHamilton for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-29T10:52:47Z

From experience this sounds just like a fungus (yeast is a fungus). Coconut oil should help with this. I moisten my pits with coconut oil every morning and then liberally apply baking soda. Some people make a mix, but I find that to be to much work.

Answer by Biodoc for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2010-06-30T11:29:56Z

I've switched to a "crystal" deodorant, and love it. No smell, and my skin is very happy with me. I still sweat, but there's no odor. I only use soap on my hands on a regular basis, and my feet if they get dirty. Since switching deodorants, I haven't needed more than water for the pits. I'm still struggling with my hair a bit, but it is improving.

Answer by Kristen for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-13T14:43:07Z

Have you tried using real handmade soap?

All the crap you find at conventional stores is, well, just that - chemical-laden crap.

Rea soap is made via a chemical reaction between water, lye, and fats and oils through saponification. There is a big difference between the "beauty bars" and real soap. One big difference being they don't dry your skin out. Others have said skin conditions have cleared up, acne has gone away, etc.

Obviously, I'm a big lover of real soap! I order real handmade soap through a few places online, but mostly through sellers I've bought from before on etsy.

Answer by FuelRestMotion for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-13T15:33:24Z

. it looks like YEAST?! Why would I have candida?!

is it mainly on the hair shafts? it could be Trichomycosis.

Trichomycosis axillaris is a superficial bacterial colonization of the hair shafts in sweat gland–bearing areas, such as the armpits and the pubic area.

shaving cures this condition.

Answer by Fonda for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-13T16:06:27Z

My bathroom arsenal has gotten so small, I love it.

I do not wash my hair at all anymore. I first did the baking soda and vinegar thing, but then wanted to be more minimal. so i bought a bore bristle brush and stopped washing with anything but water. I just give it a good scrub. Now that it is warmer, I do get abit more oil build up.. so occasionally i just rub my bar of soap around on my head and it takes care of it. I have very long dark hair.

I only wash the pits/privates with tea tree oil castile soap - if I use any other the pits smell.

And I make a little mix for my deo, it is in a old roll on deo bottle. It has 1 spoon baking soda, then i fill it half with coconut oil and the other half with witch hazel + a few drops tea tree oil. I live in Norway, so my coconut oil is always hard. So i just have a small mug in the bathroom that i fill with hot water, then drop the deo bottle in for a few to melt it down. Come back in 5 and it works wonders!

I love not having to rely on lots of products, especially as a girl. Castile Soap, Coconut oil, baking soda, witch hazel and some essential oils!

[also want to add, I only use non-glycerin soap as toothpaste! It works so great! i wrote a post about it here if anyone is interested in how it works.. ]

Answer by Bryan for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-13T18:53:04Z

I have done no-poo for the last 3.5-4 weeks and still have horrible dandruff. I was doing water only until this week, now I've decided to try some vinegar. Still very dandruffy, might have to go back to chemicals but I'll give it a little more time.

Answer by Laura for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-14T11:55:54Z

I've been without soap or shampoos for three weeks and am astounded at the results. I do not stink, husband/teen children verified.

For hair I rinse in the bath and blow dry without any products and get great results, shiny hair. I am bathing instead of showering, and to the bath I add essential oils of lavendar and sage - both antibacterial and calming, sometimes some epsom and sea salt. Cool water and brush with a loofa. For deoderant did a mixture of coconut oil, sage and lavendar, aloe, and tiny bit of baking soda (like other baking soda was too rough on the pits),

After bath once a week slathering of coconut oil over whole body. Twice a week egg yolk and vinegar to the hair.

I am a heavy sweater, so truly this is amazing to me.

Answer by jess6 for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-15T03:15:20Z

I've done no-poo in some form or another for 6+ years. What exactly I use depends on the weather, my hormonal status, the water chemistry where I am at the time, and so on - it isn't a static thing. At the moment I use conditioner-only about once a week and just water the rest of the time. If I feel the need for a deeper cleaning I use baking soda and vinegar, but the BS is too harsh on my hair for regular use. I use coconut-oil based deodorant most of the time (and have for a few years now), but store-bought antiperspirant if I feel it is necessary - store-bought natural deodorant unfortunately tends to make me break out in horrible rashes. I use soap - sometimes handmade (by someone else - I haven't tried that yet), sometimes not.

I seriously doubt I'll ever go back to regular, every day shampooing at this point.

Answer by John Naruwan for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-15T11:43:50Z

I lasted just 20 days without shampoo. I rinsed thoroughly every day with cool or warm water and towel dried, followed by adequate brushing. I found it didn't get any greasier after 1 week and then it improved over the next week. It never got any better than looking like I hadn't washed it in 2 days though, which was a bit disappointing. Plus, it got a bit unruly around the crown area. Some hair would stick up and refuse to get with the program, no matter how much wetting and combing I subjected it to. I might give it another go sometime, try and go for 6 or 8 weeks maybe.

Answer by Lizzish for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-15T13:00:43Z

I gave up deodorant and just spray on some apple cider vinegar/water in a spray bottle. Works great, I haven't used conventional deodorant since November (and I do Crossfit and run, so I sweat a lot, and I have a toddler, so I can't shower every day). I use tea tree castille soap for washing my body, but have been using an annoying "all-natural" shampoo bar that kind of sucks. You've inspired me, I'm going to try the egg-vinegar!

Answer by Cave Tomboy for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2011-08-16T11:01:17Z

I'm now 3 months into no 'poo, no soap. I haven't used deodorant in years and years and I don't shave. I love that I only have to bring a toothbrush & toothpaste anywhere I wanna go and that only because I love my toothpaste.

My hair goes through phases but I live very close to the Kalahari desert, so it is quite dry. I did the first 30 days with nothing, but since then, I liberally apply coconut oil to my skin (except my face which seems to do just fine on its own -- I do put some oil under my eyes from time to time). Once in awhile, I'll run my oily hands through my hair because it is also quite dry.

I do bathe/shower everyday (or 6x/wk) and I do not smell at all, but if I didn't shower for a couple of days, I think I would want to use some sort of deodorant. But since I run or workout most mornings, I just shower.

I try to remember to wash my hands with soap a couple of times a day, though.

Answer by Gertrude for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2012-01-16T06:21:13Z

I have not used anything but water and jojoba oil for my ends since last April, so that's what, eight months ago? I was using other natural things like egg befoew this, but I finally found my magic recipe! My hair was up and down and I got the waxies here and there, but it never completely felt like it was coming out of transition. So four months ago, I was curious, because i had tried EVERYTHING, and it was never quite right, and so I looked up the hard water levels for where I live. Apparently it was one of the highest in the entire country. No wonder!!!

What I did was I started using my Brita water (filtered water) and my hair is silky smooth and an enormous amount has started to grow back. I only use two juice jugs of water to do this too. For the first jug, I pour then massage it into my scalp. It takes about three times to complete the jug, then during the second jug, I do the same thing once. Finally, when there's still half a jug left, I press jojoba oil into my ends and let the rest just flow and rinse. I usually let me hair air dry when possible, otherwise I use a hair drayer with a big ass filter and only put it on low with the temp at cool/ warm. Because I have some wavy curl, I only massage my head at night before I go to bed. After three or four days, I notice some oil and use a boar bristle brush to give it a good brush. At this point my hair looks really slick, but I wake up with beautiful hair, although most of my curl is gone. I can usually go for a week or more without washing. And that's it

As for my body, i'm struggling. I have gone no soap since April last year just fine, my sin is soft and hydrated, but I've been struggling with no deodorant, which I've been doing for five years only semi-successfully. It's fine when I'm not doing anything that might exert me and make me sweat. In fact, when I do have BO when I'm exercising, after 20 minutes or so it seems to go away, but for those 20 minutes it's very noticable. I haven't eaten beef for about a month, and usually that does it, but I think because I've used cows milk and have been eating pork there are toxins my body is trying to get rid of. When I was doing an elimination diet which consisted of fruits and fruit vegetables, I did not smell at all.

I also wash my face with organic coconut oil. In the summer, it's fine alone - I wash with it then rinse a few times leaving a thin layer. But in the winter, I do need to add more afterwards as a leave on. With the winter air, I also ten to need to moisturize my feet and shins, but that's it.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone!

Have a great day!

Anyway, that's where I am so far.

Answer by coprophagous for The No shampoo/soap/deodorant folks - how about now?

2012-01-16T06:29:14Z

sounds like ring worm, man and animals and the soil are vectors of this disease."there is always a fungus among us". from the eminent mycologist Dr. Howard Larsh educator and mentor