Let me introduce you to my new shampoo.
Yup, it's an aloe vera plant!
I read about using aloe vera as shampoo on the internet (I think in this excellent blog post about natural no 'poo alternatives) and decided to give it a try.
It's the easiest thing in the world, just snap off a leaf, wet your hair in the shower, squeeze the gel out of the leaf, and massage it into your scalp. I try to leave it for a few moments before rinsing it out.
Using the aloe vera leaves my hair soft and shiny and it seems to help hold the curl in my hair too (I've read about using aloe vera as a natural hair gel, so that makes sense!).
You can read more about my adventures in low 'poo and no 'poo here.
(FYI - low 'poo means using less shampoo, and it's less extreme version of going no 'poo, which means using no shampoo. I've worked my way up to no 'poo over the last year or so, I haven't used my sls free shampoo bar for a couple of months, and mostly I wash with water only, sometimes with aloe vera, or apple cider vinegar)
Would you ever stop using shampoo and start washing your hair with leaves?
Sounds a bit extreme.:) My hair gets quite greesy if i dont wash it every two days and its very thick.I think i would need a lot of leaves.Your hair looks good though.x
ReplyDeleteI get that leaf washing isn't for everyone! :) My hair has got used to me not washing it with shampoo, but it definitely had a greasy sulk when I started!
DeleteI have started reducing my shampoo use pretty drastically! My hair is much happier/healthier than it has been in the past. I've not heard of using aloe for hair - but it does seem to be good for pretty much everything doesn't it? Ha! Might try this out!
ReplyDeleteAloe is magic! I hope it works for you if you decide to give it a try :)
DeleteI have a Aloe Vera plant and use it for cuts and grazes, and sunburn. I am curious at using it as a shampoo. I have wavy curly hair, a bit like yours and have really struggled to find natural shampoos that suit - often stick to Coconut ones or those bars from Lush (which are expensive, so wait until I am given them as pressies), Anyway, will have to give this a go for sure. I will try and give it a go tomorrow morning, if I remember. Even if it works, I couldn't imagine giving up shampoo for good, my hair is quite bushy and it needs taming, a little almond oil helps too as my conditioner
ReplyDeleteMy hair is also bushy, and I thought it would be a total disaster giving up shampoo, but it's mostly un-bush-like, and if it has a crazy day I just pretend I'm Hermione Granger! I also use almond oil as a leave in conditioner :)
DeleteI was just reading about no 'poo the other day. Interesting to use aloe, we have a large plant convenientally in the bathroom already, maybe I'll give this a go, I only wash my hair alternate days anyway with a small bit of organic shampoo and conditioner. I use natural soap instead of shower gel too.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell I'm working my way back through your posts?! Most of our furniture is second hand and I make things too if the skills allow (I made a timber side panel for the bath out of an old set of shelves and am in the middle of making two long shelves for the kitchen out of pallets) and try and purchase ethically, fill in lots of online petitions etc, so it's great to read your blog. Nice to see shaheen is a regular reader too :D
I use baking soda and vinigar....love it! I make a paste with the B. Soda and scrub the scalp. Then rinse with a cup of water with a dash of Apple cidar vinigar. Works great! no more dry frizzy hair and itchy scalp. preserves the naturaly oils...
ReplyDeleteSounds good, that's a bit too harsh for my hair to use regularly, I do use B. soda and vinegar once in a while though. Glad it's working for you :D
DeleteHi, hope you'll still read this. I have been no poo for euhm 3 weeks now only using water. I have dandruff but I'll prob just have to go through the stage. I did just try to use aloe vera but I don't think I used the correct way. I cut a part of the big chunk I had and took of the green 'shell'. I put it in some hot water and let it sit in that for a few minutes. It remained on chunk of aloe so I started squeezing it in smaller bits which made the water more gel like. But when I pored it over my head, I didn't feel like it stayed n my hair. Like it just rinsed off my head. I did leave it on for a little while. How do you exactly use it?
ReplyDeleteHello! Hmm, I cut off an aloe leaf and then squeeze it and some clear gel comes out, I rub that gel onto my scalp and hair (once it's wet) and it seems to stay on fine until I rinse it off. Hope that helps xx
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