Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

BBC writer Chris Jeavens has been blogging about her adventures in giving up plastic for the past month, and only a few days ago she mentioned my no 'poo regimen on her blog.

Normally, this would be extremely exciting, but instead it's a bit embarassing because I'm no longer a no 'poo person.

I know. It's hard to believe, but I think I have a good reason for giving it up. I had the most horrible case of dandruff! A case so bad that I was forced to buy a bottle of Head and Shoulders.

Please don't scoff. If you could have seen the blizzard of snowy white flakes coming off my head you would have understood.

Anyways, since I started using my new bottle of shampoo my hair has been dandruff-free and wonderfully clean. It's been a real relief, so I guess I'm planning to use the whole bottle of Head and Shoulders and then move back to Lush shampoo. But just in case I get dandruff again, does anyone have any tips?

p.s. I checked out Lush's dandruff bar and it's not an option. I can't stand the smell.

p.p.s Since it's been a while since I've written, I feel I should admit that I've had one or two additional lapses this month in my plastic-free-ness. But otherwise I'm still doing well.

Comments

Lynae said…
Instead of LUSH's dandruff bar you should try their Seanick bar, or the one called NEW! Seanick has no real strong scent but smells kind of oceany. NEW! smells really cinnamony. I have seborrheic dermatitis (basically a permanant predisposition to "cradle cap") and these shampoos are the only thing I can use.

LUSH does offer plastic bags for stuff in their store, but you don't have to use them.
Sara said…
I just try not to scratch my head, and then the dead skin at least stays attached to me and doesn't fall off. I know...gross.
Anonymous said…
You can massage your scalp with either Listerine or apple cider vinegar with "mother" (vinegar starter) then shampoo as normal. That has worked for me in the past.
Anonymous said…
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Earthtonegirl said…
I don't know if it helps, because it still involves plastic, but I gave up 'poo over a year ago in favor of scrubbing my little scalp with conditioner. (I use BWC, which is paraben and fragrance free). I used to have occasional dandruff and I could never figure out if I was over or under-washing. Since i ditched the poo, though, I never ever had any more - I think it's because of the essential oils. There's some in the conditioner and I add extra. Rosemary, a bit of tea tree, and mint (i think the mint's just there b/c it makes the tea tree smell ok). A lot of dandruff is caused by yeast, believe it or not, so the rosemary and tea tree being antifungal probably is what's keeping me flakeless. Maybe if you ever go pooless again you could try a little rosemary oil (it's supposed to be good for hair..somehow.. I'm not an expert on this stuff but it seems to be working...). Also (teehee) thanks for ditching the no poo... I stumbled across your blog the other day and was starting to feel guilty that i didn't think i could hack the baking soda thing. Well, maybe i'll try it part-time... I was too busy patting myself on the back for using "all-natural" products to realize that those products still came in plastic bottles. Food for thought... Anyway, thanks for sharing both your efforts and your struggles. Keep it up!
Anonymous said…
The baking soda gave me a horrible rash after 3 months!I must poo now to.
Anonymous said…
Don't be hard on yourself. Going plastic-free is no walk in the park. You're trying more than most people, and that's great.

Besides, IMHO clean hair and scalp are essentials. :)
kelly said…
I saw a tv show about hairdressers' tips. They said to grind up aspirin into normal shampoo to make it into dandruff shampoo.
So, aspirin in your no 'poo?
Anonymous said…
So far, my no 'poo experiment has been going well, but you started way before I did, so we'll see.

I've also heard folks say they got a rash or itching after using baking soda as deodorant for a while, but I haven't had that problem either, so maybe the baking soda will continue to work for me.

How is the BS deodorant working for you these days?
Jeanne said…
FPF, Glad to hear the No 'Poo is going well for you.

It's hard to believe, but I am still using regular deodorant and probably have another month of two left (I had two full sticks when I ditched plastic). I did baking soda deodorant experiment a while back and it went well. We'll see what happens.
sarah said…
Aw! I suffer from dandruff too and need the Head and Shoulders. Need :( Found this whilst searching for homemade conditioner recipes. Whilst I think I need to stick with the H&S, I'm pretty sure I can find a decent conditioner! But anyway, I'm going to at least try the vinegar/baking soda thing. At some point... will have to wear light clothes for a week in transitioni I guess. Ha! How attractive do I sound!
Anonymous said…
or you can now just fill up your used bottle with Dr. Bronners or something like it. Some stores allow you to use your own bottle when buying castile soap.
Anonymous said…
Most emphaphy about the "snow".
I myself stopped wearing dark colour clothing.

Try something that kills bacteria. Like washing with vinegar, washing with diluted Dettol......
Anonymous said…
I started adding a few drops of rosemary essential oil to my vinegar rinse, and it's making my hair and scalp feel even nicer. Maybe give that a try?
mudnessa said…
i dont usually have dandruff problems but my husband does and he used apple cider vinegar very successfully but he has very short hair so its easier for him.
Anonymous said…
Great blog! I am trying to make changes over here at www.mygrandmawasgreen.com I am inching my toward a no poo lifestyle. While in transition I have been using a product called Terressentials. It is a clay based "shampoo" that I could practically make in my own kitchen. Aside from the clay stuff and a few rollers, I am product free. I bet this stuff would be great for the dandruff issue. It is packaged in plastic but one bottle is going to last me awhile (I have short hair). Like I said - maybe you could try it and then make some of your own. Thanks for being such an inspiration!
Tamar Vart said…
After washing hair, a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar mixed in a large bowl of cold water, invert it on your head and dont rinse it out. I've done it off and on since i was a teenager and first started getting dandruff.
Anonymous said…
Hello! I am currently switching my life from standard American to organic/holistic/natural everything. In my quest for better health, I have discovered that one of the biggest secrets of America is that American companies kill you. The poisoned food that corporations control, the additives to beauty products, the fact that health care is remarkably biased and difficult - it's disgusting and overwhelming. Anyways, I have a terrific book for you to check out (I literally have it right in my hands, I am copying homemade recipes for facials, shampoos, lotions, etc.) It is 'Naturally Beautiful' by Dawn Gallagher. I found it at my very out-of-date library, so I imagine you'll be able to find it in of the many bookstores available to you in Chicago. Just this morning I applied a thin layer of olive oil to my face before heading off to work, and my face isn't tight or greasy! There are great recipes in the book, but I would suggest applying olive oil (not a ton or it won't rinse out) and apple cider vinegar afterward, and see if that helps. Cheaper than pricey shampoo, too!
Anonymous said…
The Soap Lady, based in Oregon (she ships quite resonably) makes a solid shampoo for dandruff with tea tree and neem oil:

http://www.soap-lady.com/shampoo.html

I've made an order from her (this is the most inexpensive all-natural shampoo I've found) but I haven't tried it yet. (I got the Coconut bar for my chronically oily hair.) I'll let you know how it goes, if you like.
Anonymous said…
My brother lives 'poo free, and he has tackled the dandruff problem by dissolving aspirin in water and rinsing. Here's a link from the BBC that cites this as an alternative treatment method:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A546130
Unknown said…
Of course you got dandruff, do you know how acidic using vinegar is?! That is a once per week or once every 2 week treatment
Azura Skye said…
Oh I'm so sorry, I just posted a long reply about No 'Poo and you know all about it, well that will teach me to read blogs backwards!
However - and I'll probably find something about this further into your lovely blog - but I used to have dandruff too, and found that cutting out dairy and wheat really helped. In fact it also helped my nose, and cattarh, and phlegm and other nasal things that are tricky to spell.
So, perhaps you could do a no dairy experiment? Er, coz they use plastic to milk the cows don't you know? ;)
Anonymous said…
I've been doing a lot of research about "no poo" and here's what I've found... your bad case of dandruff was probably more like cradle cap. It happens when the rinse you're using isn't getting rid of the dead skin cells enough. It can usually be fixed by using the BS every day, rather than every few days, making sure that you're massaging your scalp thoroughly enough, and brushing, brushing, brushing your hair often!!

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