constant state of flux

All this no ‘poo hair research is getting exciting. I have decided to continue with part two; go a little deeper into what I found out in part one. I have come across some luscious sites selling some lovely products and delved a little more into the chemicals in shampoo and conditioner and the alternatives.

So firstly, to get this into perspective, let’s look a little more at just how much of what we put on our skin is absorbed into the blood stream:

“Up to 60% of the products used on our skin & hair are absorbed and deposited into the circulatory system (Fairley, 2001).”
source: Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me, Beginnings Press, Seattle. Fairley, Josephine, (2001).

That is something that astounds me – we really absorb that much? I am so glad I gave up using off-the-shelf hair dye when I did.
Here are some ingredients from Pantene Pro V: Shampoo Plus Pro Vitamin Conditioner (Normal) made by Procter & Gamble Co:

• Second on list after fragrance is: Sodium citrate (Trisodium citrate) is also found in: grout and tile cleaner, spick and span heavy duty degreaser, finish stripper, Tarn-X Silver Glaze and Prestone Cooling System ten minute flush (for cars).
• Ninth on the list: Methylisothiazolinone is also used in: Behr Premium Plus No. 75 Enamel Undercoater Primer/Sealer Interior and Behr Ceiling Paint Flat Acrylic Latex, No. 558 Ultra Pure White.
• Twelfth on the list: Dimethicone 350 is also used in: GE Silicone II Bathroom Tub/Tile Seal and Cover Girl AquaSmooth Make-Up, Creamy Beige.

So you want to put bath sealant on your hair and then wash it off with Grout and Tile Cleaner? I thought not. Smells nice though doesn’t it?
source: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin

Pantene got away with having no parabens in it. Here is some more info on the toxicity of parabens: http://www.townsendletter.com (not good).

Now onto silicones, or ‘cones’ as the no ‘poo brigade likes to call them. Here is an in-depth article about silicones and what they do to the hair and scalp every time you use them: forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread. Think of that plastic silicone bath sealer again and you get the picture, fine for immediate gloss, sheen and manageability, but notoriously difficult to get out of the hair once it is on – is it actually waterproof? Here though, the haircare industry wins hands down; selling shampoo that manages to strip the cones away each time you wash, only to sell you more conditioner that applies them again afterwards. A never ending circle of seal and strip, seal and strip, that builds up and up, where the only winners are Proctel and Gamble and other haircare manufacturers.

So we have the low-down on off-the-shelf shampoo and conditioners and we know we want to quit them and we know from no ‘poo part 1, that there are several options to choose from. Well, I recently discovered another one: Rhassoul Clay.

Rhassoul is an ancient clay which is found deep under the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Its literal translation from Arabic means “the matter which washes”. The clay is invaluable for spa treatments, as its extraordinary power of absorption makes it more effective than other clays for cleansing, detoxifying, and general skin treatment. Rhassoul is also extremely rich in trace minerals: Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Silica, Magnesium & Sodium. This mineral rich ingredient detoxifies your scalp leaving hair light, soft and fluffy. Rhassoul clay has a long history of use in beauty care. It has been used for over 1400 years as a soap, shampoo and skin conditioner. It was used in ancient Rome and Egypt by the nobility. Today, it is a favourite with the finest spas and resorts worldwide. When first mined, rhassoul clay is a brown, chunky soap-like clay. Fine rhassoul clay is well suited for more delicate applications like facial masks. The resulting powder is smooth and almost silky when rubbed between the fingers. This creates a fine, smooth paste that looks like chocolate pudding and feels wonderful going on as a mask.
From: http://www.maroque.co.uk/rhassoul.aspx

Hey, if the body absorbs 60% of products we use, then this is good news for Rhassoul. I have discovered a beautiful site www.anitagrant.com that has the most incredible range of really natural products and they ship worldwide. Here is Anita’s Rhassoul Condish:

Beautiful isn’t it? Find it here, with loads more info and lovely products: https://anitagrant.com/index.php

Or you can go for the really unrefined – just like me. A bag of powdered Rhassoul Clay from www.renaissancehenna.com.

Another discovery now, and one that may replace that silicone bath sealant: pure unrefined shea butter. Here is an account from a girl with beautiful hair and a beautiful haircare regime to match:

“This comes from the nuts of shea trees which are found in the Sahel region of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. The nuts are 50% fat. It can be used in soap, healing balms, and cosmetics to soothe irritated skin, soften rough skin, prevent dryness of skin and hair, and protect against sunburn and chapping. It’s effects are soothing, moisturizing, and protecting. (It’s also used for candles, dietary fat, etc. The root and bark of the tree is used medicinally in Africa.)
why: Africans have been using shea butter as a hair treatment for centuries. It’s highly recommended for thick, curly, dry hair – which mine is. I’m not African, but I’ve found that many of their practices work well for my hair. My hair is very prone to breakage and split ends. The shea butter helps with that alot. I put it while my hair is still wet after a washing to seal in the moisture. It’s a bit sticky at first, but when it soaks in and dries, my hair is very soft and shiny. I like it better than any oil. This is also a multi-use product. I use it as a lotion, especially on my legs and feet.”

from: http://hairbraider.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart

Again, I found unrefined shea butter at Anita Grant - this site has it all. Read the info carefully, as some sensitive skins are not able to handle this butter: it contains a natural form of latex.

Did I say shiny hair? Is it possible that by using these two products, I may be able to have really shiny hair; light and fluffy? I’m fed up of treating my hair like a bathroom sink, its about time I chucked out all that lurid shampoo and conditioner and go no ‘poo. Its time to get n a t u r a l.

further reading:
first up, the ‘mother’ of all no ‘poo threads, read it and weep (four hours later):
http://mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=108474
http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html
http://community.livejournal.com/no_poo/209390.html
http://starlight2.wordpress.com/2007/08/23/rhassoul-clay-2/
https://anitagrant.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3&Itemid=39
http://www.expatsinitaly.com/annika/index.php?s=curls
http://www.susunweed.com/weedforum