A Condition For Your Withdrawals

The first few weeks of commercial chemical withdrawals is the pits. Let's face it, you have not been properly nurturing your scalp in years. Dollop upon douse of parabens, SLS and FDA "should not be concerned" ingredients. Your pour sebaceous glands stunted to produce it's natural oils, too doped up from last nights lather to find its way to a gland; cuticles split at the ends in a wasteland of locs. There is hope young grasshopper. There is a light at the end of this dark green tunnel. Prepare yourself as I brief you on the stages which you are about to embark upon.

After leaving behind those devil bottles of name brand junk, convert to using Baking soda mix (Recipe can be found on previous post). Now that you have left the dark side of chemicals, you will notice your glands are in over drive, producing enough oils to compensate your negligence of care to the tresses. Your scalp is scoping for PH levels and needs time to balance out. This will be your most difficult challenge.

As you remain hopelessly optimistic in your scheme to come clean, let's talk about conditioning. Because no one can comb through that hot mess of junkie tress with out some mixture to eliminate tangles.  When in Rome (or in your shower) do as the Romans do. A natural vinaigrette rinse, which can be traced back to the Roman era, aids in removing scaly buildup and residue along the hair shaft and closes the cuticles. When the cuticles are closed and hair is rid of chemical buildup, the hair is smooth and luminous in shine!

Simple Vinaigrette Rinse:
1/2 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to every 1/2 Cup of Water.

Rinse after using Baking Soda mix. Rinse well, or leave in to help with tangles. 

Vinegar helps in restoring the hairs natural PH levels. I recommend using this rinse every other day while the hair is adjusting to the new shampoo.

Herbs and essential oils may be added to the rinse. I like to add a few drops of lavender. Lavender is the one of the few oils that can be directly applied to the skin with no cause of irritation (and it calms the wafting scent of vinegar) Try experimenting with different concoctions to see what's best suitable for your needs. Herbs like rosemary are a great addition for greying hair and lemon will control dandruff.

Herb & Vinegar Rinse:

2 Tablespoons of Vinegar                                 

Herb of Choice

2 Cups Boiling Water

Boil water in small saucepan. Add vinegar and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow your infusion to cool. Strain infusion over herbs with cheesecloth or coffee filter into a fresh clean bottle. Refrigerate over night. When ready to use, dilute 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon of herbal vinegar in 1 Cup of water.

Rinse through hair after shampooing.