Need shampoo/conditioner tips . . .

**ri*smom** · 07-28-2008, 01:08 PM

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this thread . . .

I use liquid castile soap for the kids (hair & body wash) so I decided I would try using it for me. Yeah. Now my hair lays in greasy chunks and is hard to get a comb through. I don't use any styling products or blow-dry/curl, yet my dd's hair feels soft and bouncy. Should I be doing a specific rinse/conditioner for my hair? IDK. I was hoping someone else uses castile for shampoo. It would simplify all of the bath bottles in the house down to one, KWIM?

TIA.

**amanjud** · 07-28-2008, 04:15 PM

I've never heard of this shampoo before. Is it a baby shampoo? If that is the case, I have used baby shampoo with the same results. You could try doing a rinse with a little bit of cider vinegar.

**cheles2kids** · 07-28-2008, 07:36 PM

It sounds to me like the castile doesn't have enough cleaners, surfectants, whatever you want to call it, for your hair type.
I would have first off suggested your water hardness, but if it's working for your kids, then it has to be your hair type.

A diluted vinegar rinse *might* help, but I'm afraid that when you use the castile the next time, you might have to follow with another vinegar rinse.
Occasionally, vinegar rinses aren't bad for your hair, but it's not something you'd want to have to do on a regular basis.
It "resets" the Ph level of your hair and scalp.

You may have to splurge and get you a bottle of VO5 or something and use instead.
Big Lots normally has all types for around $1.00 a bottle.

Amanjud, Dr. Bronner's castile soap, is the kind I've always seen and have bought and used before, not as shampoo, but as body wash, and I haven't had good luck with it.
For me, it was waaaay too drying.
Here's a link:
http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm

**ri*smom** · 07-28-2008, 08:13 PM

That's what we use . . . Dr. Bronner's. I believe it's not right for my hair type either. I had purchased some WAHM-made shampoo before and I worked great for dh, but I had the same problem. It's like I need something heavy-duty to strip some of the oil out of my hair. Phooey.

And Mandy, we use the lavender castile, but they also make a gentle baby castile. I'll probably get that from now on since I will be unable to use it. They just put out a rose castile and I was really hoping to get it. *sigh* Dh bought me some of the "pantene" look alike from Aldi's. No luck there either.

**cheriede** · 07-28-2008, 08:15 PM

I sure am glad that I found this thread. I purchased a couple of bottle of Dr. Bronner's castile soap that I use for various things around the house. I haven't yet tried it as body wash or shampoo and I guess I probably won't use it for shampoo.

I don't have any suggestions for you on what to do, but I sure would be interested in find out. I do hope that you finally get the castile soap out of you hair.

**cab54** · 07-28-2008, 08:52 PM

Stacey, I tried that once. DH had some peppermint Dr. B's in the shower and it made my hair gummy--weird feeling. I got online and read some things because this made me mad, I wanted to simplify too. It said 'not advisable for hair shampoo, unless hair is very short and curly.' Hmmm.

So, I read some more about it on blogs and forums, and they said it works OK if you rinse it out well with a vinegar rinse (if your hair is a dark color) or a lemon juice rinse (real lemons, not concentate) if your hair is on the lighter side.

Sounds less than simple to me. Bummer.

**ri*smom** · 07-28-2008, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by cab54

Stacey, I tried that once. DH had some peppermint Dr. B's in the shower and it made my hair gummy--weird feeling. I got online and read some things because this made me mad, I wanted to simplify too. It said 'not advisable for hair shampoo, unless hair is very short and curly.' Hmmm.

So, I read some more about it on blogs and forums, and they said it works OK if you rinse it out well with a vinegar rinse (if your hair is a dark color) or a lemon juice rinse (real lemons, not concentate) if your hair is on the lighter side.

Sounds less than simple to me. Bummer.

That's it. And it was even that way when I tried to run a brush or my hand through it when it was dry. Wet is one thing . . . but I couldn't even get it up in a pony when it was dry. Sounds like too much work to be worth it for me.

**Thrifty Mom** · 07-29-2008, 11:43 PM

What is the advantage of using the castile soap? Is it cheaper? You can get shampoo pretty cheap. Like someone else mentioned, VO5 is $1.00 or less. CVS had it last week for 50 cents each for shampoo or conditioner.

**Libby** · 07-30-2008, 12:44 AM

This may sound kind of odd but I just tried using Huggies (?) Vanilla Lavendar baby bodywash/shampoo. Its one bottle in the shower/tub and if the kidlets are ok with you should be to. I'd imagine its pretty gentle...not sure of your hair type but I did try it at a friends and it's not bad. Same with the Loreal kids shampoo's....the only downfall is I can not use it multiple days in a row. But boy oh boy does it ever leave my hair so soft!

**Judi Dial** · 07-30-2008, 07:59 AM

We use Dr. Bonners for all sorts of things, but not shampoo. I will say that when I changed my hair cleaning pattern it took a good long time before I could do something different and it worked. (We had no operating water heater for a year.)

Here's what I found. Try washing your hair less often, like every other day instead of every day. Also, try using creme rinse as a detangler AFTER you get out of the shower instead of in the shower. For me, that was the critical one. Even a "little" creme rinse in the shower made my hair gummy for some reason. I think that since I wasn't washing my hair as often more oils were in it? Dunno. But instead of giving up, I'd try that before buying other stuff.

My dad washed his hair with Dial soap, every day. He had beautiful hair until we lost him at 85.

JD

**Mo-BayMom** · 07-30-2008, 10:44 AM

LOL I use Castile soap in the bar form for getting grease out of Dh's t-shirts..I can't imagine washing my body with it..it just seems too harsh.

**angelbumpkin** · 07-30-2008, 11:06 AM

I have used a little dish soap on my hair to get syrup out. It was the only thing that would take it out.

**ri*smom** · 07-30-2008, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Thrifty Mom

What is the advantage of using the castile soap? Is it cheaper? You can get shampoo pretty cheap. Like someone else mentioned, VO5 is $1.00 or less. CVS had it last week for 50 cents each for shampoo or conditioner.

You know I don't know how much cheaper/more expensive it is . . . it is a 32 oz bottle for $10 . . . . which sounds insane, I know, but you use the tiniest squirt of it (I'd have to measure, but I bet I use about an 1/8 tsp on the kids' hair and another to wash the rest because it really lathers up) so it lasts a very long time. We used to use it to make our own diaper wipes so I just started using the rest for bath time and liked it a lot. But now after what a few of you have said, I'm slightly worried it may be too drying for them. I had planned on buying the Baby Mild Castile next time. I had assumed that it was leaving a gummy/tangly feel because it was leaving "something" . . . not stripping it completely. Hmmm. Maybe I will try a few other things before I give it up completely. Sounds like it is time for a more scientific experiment. I'll need a control group . . . where's my guinea pig . . . ummm . . . I mean dh.

**DonnainME** · 07-30-2008, 12:18 PM

LOL using DH as your guinea pig - I do that too.

I hope you do get something that will work on your hair. I have no problems with shampoos or even conditioners. Heck, I've even used bubble bath as shampoo occasionally.

**truepeacenik** · 08-05-2008, 06:45 PM

I used Dr B's as shampoo when I had dreads, and I do from time to time now. a vinegar rinse (ACV advised, white works just fine) of an ounce of vinegar to 4-6 oz water will help a lot. also, when you go from detergents (Suave, Pantene, any commercial shampoo) to soap based shampoo, you will get gunk.
you also need to be a bit more mechanical in the wash: use those fingers to scrub your scalp.

I am using soap based shampoo bars (and once I figure out soaping as a craft, I'd call it frugal) and I love 'em.
two names are chagrin valley and heart of iowa soapworks/ prairieland herbs.

hth