To "No-Poo" or Not

From last summer, the day I cute my hair for Locks of Love

I know, what the heck am I talking about? We are suppose to poop every day, several times in fact, so why would I not want to? That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about your hair and shampooing it.
Maybe you have heard about going "no-poo", not shampooing and conditioning your hair any longer. It comes from the fact that there are some nasty chemicals in shampoos and conditioners, as well as all personal care products. In fact, your skin will absorb more toxins than you will from the food you eat. To help avoid these chemicals, some no longer shampoo and condition their hair, do not wear makeup, lotions and other beauty products. This might seem extreme to some, but if you do not want to expose yourself and family to the chemicals, you might feel differently. If you would like to see what is in your products and the adverse effects of these chemicals, check out EWG's Skin Deep page. You can either browse through the content or search for your favorite products and see what is in them.
After reading about these, I decided to give this no-poo thing a try. The no-poo thing works great for some, but it did not work for me. I tried it for months, but to no avail. Lucky for me, I came across a recipe to make your own shampoo, I have not looked back since.
 You can purchase coconut milk, but for my hair type, I make my own coconut milk, super easy to do. I make it in bulk, freeze the extra in ice cube trays and when I need more shampoo, I take a few cubes out of the freezer, thaw and I am good to go. I only have to make coconut milk once every several months. For conditioner, I fill a squeeze bottle with a third raw apple cider vinegar, spring water and aloe vera juice. I use it just like any other conditioner, but my hair is healthier than ever. I also use this on my face and arm pits before getting into the shower. Along with the shampoo, I use baking soda as well, my hair does not end up all greasy then. My hair is clean, healthy, shinny and most importantly, I am not putting all the toxic chemicals on my skin and hair. On a side note, my hands do not dry out as badly from not using the shampoo and condition either.
Have you thought about going no-poo or reducing the number of chemicals you put on your skin through your beauty routine? Or, is this the first time this is being brought to your attention and is something you are going to mull over? If not, then maybe this will help: your skin is the largest organ. Everything you put on your skin, you absorb. If you would not ingest these chemicals, why put them on your skin?
I know making a switch to making all or most of your beauty products can be daunting and overwhelming. Start slow, like I did. I started by making my own toothpaste, mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide together into a paste and brush and using coconut oil on my skin instead of lotion. As I was ready, I added more in or took it out depending on how you look at it, like making my conditioner, then shampoo and so forth. Remember this is a journey, not a sprint. Even by replacing one chemical laden product, you are better off than you were before.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn