Homesteading Hair Care - Baking Soda & Vinegar Hair Rinses

baking soda and vinegar rinse bottlesOver the last couple years, we've slowly simplified our bath and body routines and made the switch from "all-natural" manufactured toiletries to homemade concoctions from food ingredients. I discovered that making our own is cheaper, requires very little effort, and works better than what I can buy. Plus there's no wasted packaging or unnecessary chemicals! The first beauty product I made was hair "conditioner" pictured on the right. This started when Lillian insisted on keeping her hair very long but hated brushing out the tangles. We tried commercial spray detanglers, conditioning shampoo, extra rinses of conditioner and nothing lessened the time we spent fighting with a hair brush. Finally, based on a tip by Chef's Widow, I tried spraying some vinegar on her long locks at the end of a shower.

Instant success. Not perfection without a single tangle, but brushing is MUCH easier. And the ingredients give me no pause - vinegar and water is truly edible. I began using the vinegar hair rinse myself and ditched the bottled conditioner too.

Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe

12 ounces water 3 ounces apple cider or white vinegar 2-4 drops essential oil (optional) 16 ounce spray bottle

1. Mix three ingredients in spray bottle. Screw on sprayer and shake to combine. 2. Cover hair with vinegar spray at the end of a shower or bath, paying special attention to ends. Allow to sit for one minute and rinse, or leave on without rinsing.

Using Baking Soda "Shampoo"

Next I moved on to baking soda shampoo, the basis of the "no-poo" routine. Commercial shampoos include strong detergents that strip hair of natural oils. The no-poo idea is to allow your hair to carry oils for better hair health and body.  To clean hair, no-poo calls for applying a dilute baking soda solution.

I experimented with different ratios and timing and settled on a very dilute solution poured over my hair like a rinse in my every-other-day showers. There's no lather, so I just smooth it around to make sure most of my hair is covered. Some people advocate scrubbing the scalp, but that seemed to make my hair more oily.

Many people experience a transition period where their hair is extra oily and itchy. I anticipated this and started shampooing less frequently and then using baking soda solution last winter when I more often wear hats. I experienced a week or so of funky hair before mine settled into a comfortable, predictable condition.

Whereas I used to have overly dry hair for 12-24 hrs and then overly oily hair after that, my hair can now go several days without washing with decent body and no itchiness. If I really want to push my time between showers, I use Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo when my hair is oily. It brushes through cleanly and corrects oily scalp. You could make something similiar at home, but I haven't tried because I've barely made a dent in the bottle I bought two years ago.

Baking Soda Shampoo Recipe

1 teaspoon baking soda 6 ounces warm water 2-4 drops essential oil (optional)

1. Shake baking soda and warm water together in a squeeze bottle. Add essential oils as you wish. 2. Pour 2-4 squirts over hair in the shower, shaking to combine before using. Smooth over hair and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes. 3. Rinse with warm water. Follow with vinegar rinse.

 Tips on Using Baking Soda and Vinegar Rinses

  • Essential oils can address tricky hair issues. The Chagrin Valley Soap Company has a great list of essential oils used in hair care.
  • Spray bottles vary in their quality. If I want something cute, I go for the ones in the Target travel toiletries section. For better quality, I buy from the hardware store.
  • The vinegar smell dissipates very quickly, as soon as hair is dry. If it bothers you, use essential oil.
  • A spray bottle of vinegar conditioner lasts us over a month and costs about $0.50. I mix up a new batch of baking soda rinse every week for mere pennies.
  • The 'mother' of active bacterial cultures in raw apple cider vinegar may plug the sprayer mechanism. If you shake well before each spray, this shouldn't happen, but soaking the end of the sprayer in hot water and then spraying that through will usually clear the mechanism.
  • Chlorine from swimming pools disrupts natural hair oil production. I try to avoid chlorine pools but when I can't, I rinse with clean water as soon as possible after swimming and expect a few days of overly dry and then overly oily hair.
  • When we travel, I pack a smaller container with some dry baking soda but ditch the vinegar spray bottle. We add water to a drinking cup to the baking soda and pour over our hair. For conditioner, we either bring or buy a small bottle of vinegar, add water in a cup, and pour over. I've used individual packs of lemon juice or malt vinegar snitched from cafeterias in place of my preferred apple cider vinegar in a pinch.

Will you try making hair care products at home? Or are you already no-pooing? Share your story in the comments.

Homesteading Bath & Body - Handmade, Low Impact Routines

vinegar hair conditionerOne area of homesteading I rarely write about is personal care. It's a bit of a taboo subject and I'm a little shy about body talk. But what you put on your body has such a huge impact on personal and environmental health, not to mention a homestead budget, that it's time to address the ring around the tub, so to speak.

Once, we were traditional Americans who showered once a day with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner, and followed up bathing with lotions, deodorants, and the like. We needed the conditioner to soothe the dry hair, lotion to cure dry skin, and lots of time to clean the bathroom. Now our routines are much more minimal, our skin is happier, and we spend a lot less time dirtying and cleaning the shower.

I didn't realize until taking pictures for this and upcoming posts that removing manufactured bath products has another advantage: there's no marketing. My daughter isn't reading the back of a shampoo that promises 'perfect' locks or 'happiness' or any other values that realistically don't come from a bottle. I inadvertently removed messaging that is often anything but supportive.

Simple Bathing Routines

  • Shower every other day....ish... A few days ago I asked Alex "When did I last take a shower? Was it Tuesday or Monday?" It's a good sign if I have to ask that the answer is go bathe. But in all seriousness, unless it's the height of summer and we're muddy up to our knees, there's not much reason to shower daily. Showering less frequently saves water, lowers our gas water heater bill, and prevents over-dry skin.
  • Ditch the bathing soap Soap for hand washing before meals and after chicken chores? Yes. Soap from head to toe every shower? Nope. I only lather up when there's visible dirt on my Chaco-clad feet in the summer or if I'm feeling particularly sweaty. Otherwise, I let the warm water wash away debris and let my microbiota keep me clean.
  • Go No-poo I'll detail this in another post soon but basically, we don't use shampoo anymore. Lil and I use a baking soda solution and vinegar rinse instead which have resulted in less hair loss, better hair body, and no more expensive bottles. Alex soaps his scalp because he has no hair.
  • Make your own I now make our soap from animal fats and craft my own deodorant. Both are fairly easily made from ingredients I usually have on hand and I can customize them to our family's preference for low to no scent. Again, I'll share recipes soon.
  • Use edible oil moisturizers Take a look at the ingredients in your favorite lotion. Likely it contains alcohol (which helps the moisturizer feel less greasy but dries at the same time) and/or petroleum. Thanks to not showering and using so much soap, I don't need as much moisturization as I used to, but when I do want lotion, I use straight food-quality oils. I like sesame seed and almond oil for all-over body lotion (not make your own - I'm working through a bottle of Weleda Baby Lotion I bought over a year ago) and coconut oil for problem spots like hands in winter. I like the simplicity and toxin-free nature of single ingredient lotions.

I can picture some people reading this and wrinkling their nose. Skipping shampoo and showers sounds like we must smell and look quite dirty. But I don't think that's the case, or at least no one has said anything to that effect in person.

There might be some scientific basis to the idea that our bodies regulate germs and sweat better without the 'help' of soaps. Much like we're understanding more every day about the importance of gut bacteria, researchers are also beginning to study the microbiome of human skin. They're finding that the bacteria on our skin surface may be critical to preventing infections and healing wounds.

I wouldn't recommend transitioning from standard bath and body products to minimal all at once. We worked in changes over the past few years, allowing our bodies to adjust slowly. Over the next few posts, I'll detail our DIY recipes and tips for use. In the meantime, anyone want to confess: what's your bathing routine?

5 Places To Find Last Minute Gifts AT HOME

homemade twig christmas tree We're giving entirely handmade gifts this year, with the exception of a couple things on Lil's list that can't be made from scratch. (Pokemon cards don't trade well if mom makes them.) Some of our gifts have been in the making for several months and they'll be accessorized with items we will make from things we already have. Here are some of the places we've shopped in our own home for gifts and gift making supplies this year:

1) The Pantry - This is an obvious one. If you put up jam, sauce, or stock, chances are there are people on your list who would love them. I decorate my jars with paper or cloth tops and package up sets of jams or sauces. I like to group jars with a baked accessory like a loaf of crusty bread with marinara or homemade tortillas with homemade salsa.

2) The Garage - We're savaging the garage for wood scraps to make a few gifts this year. We've made gift crates from fence boards and Alex pieced together a wooden step stool for Lil from scrap lumber when she was younger. I can't share what we're making from scrap lumber this year but I will soon!

3) The Kitchen - Another obvious one. Your kitchen likely has the ingredients for flavored sugar and salt, cranberry liqueur, and homemade bitters. With a special trip to the grocery, you can get ingredients to make edible gifts for anyone on your list - there are lots of good recipes in this list of 40 homemade gifts from The Kitchn.

4) The Craft Room - Maybe your craft room is different, but mine is chock-full of fabric, roving, yarn, embroidery floss and more. Craft a simple pair of earrings, scarf, fabric scrap table runner or coasters, or set of magnets for a quick handmade gift.

5) Outside - We use natural materials for all sorts of crafts. Lil and I collected perfectly large and stemmed acorn caps earlier in the fall which we filled with felted faces for ornaments to include in wrapping. Earlier this season we made candle holders from scrap lumber and crafted a cat-and-puppy-proof twig tree to display our collection of miniature ornaments.

Here's to a happy holiday season for you and yours! What are you making by hand this year?

5 Places To Find Last Minute Gifts AT HOME

homemade twig christmas tree We're giving entirely handmade gifts this year, with the exception of a couple things on Lil's list that can't be made from scratch. (Pokemon cards don't trade well if mom makes them.) Some of our gifts have been in the making for several months and they'll be accessorized with items we will make from things we already have. Here are some of the places we've shopped in our own home for gifts and gift making supplies this year:

1) The Pantry - This is an obvious one. If you put up jam, sauce, or stock, chances are there are people on your list who would love them. I decorate my jars with paper or cloth tops and package up sets of jams or sauces. I like to group jars with a baked accessory like a loaf of crusty bread with marinara or homemade tortillas with homemade salsa.

2) The Garage - We're savaging the garage for wood scraps to make a few gifts this year. We've made gift crates from fence boards and Alex pieced together a wooden step stool for Lil from scrap lumber when she was younger. I can't share what we're making from scrap lumber this year but I will soon!

3) The Kitchen - Another obvious one. Your kitchen likely has the ingredients for flavored sugar and salt, cranberry liqueur, and homemade bitters. With a special trip to the grocery, you can get ingredients to make edible gifts for anyone on your list - there are lots of good recipes in this list of 40 homemade gifts from The Kitchn.

4) The Craft Room - Maybe your craft room is different, but mine is chock-full of fabric, roving, yarn, embroidery floss and more. Craft a simple pair of earrings, scarf, fabric scrap table runner or coasters, or set of magnets for a quick handmade gift.

5) Outside - We use natural materials for all sorts of crafts. Lil and I collected perfectly large and stemmed acorn caps earlier in the fall which we filled with felted faces for ornaments to include in wrapping. Earlier this season we made candle holders from scrap lumber and crafted a cat-and-puppy-proof twig tree to display our collection of miniature ornaments.

Here's to a happy holiday season for you and yours! What are you making by hand this year?

Mushroom Gravy {Video Recipe}

mushroom gravy video recipe This one time, on my birthday, at 8 in the morning, I made my mushroom gravy recipe in front of a video camera with Adrienne from XOXO Cooks. Here's the result, featuring a cameo by Nightshade the cat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFPwW4nMcUE&feature=youtu.be&list=PLy1Rk5fg96veupV7Hh_SypQsKxHcgW9w2

Gravy is serious business this time of year, though we make gravy year round. My method is the same for sausage, mushroom, or poultry gravy. Brown aromatics and additions, melt in butter, cook an equal amount of flour with the butter, pour in the liquid, whisk until thickened, and voila - smooth and tasty gravy.

What's your favorite kind of gravy?

Mushroom Gravy {Video Recipe}

mushroom gravy video recipe This one time, on my birthday, at 8 in the morning, I made my mushroom gravy recipe in front of a video camera with Adrienne from XOXO Cooks. Here's the result, featuring a cameo by Nightshade the cat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFPwW4nMcUE&feature=youtu.be&list=PLy1Rk5fg96veupV7Hh_SypQsKxHcgW9w2

Gravy is serious business this time of year, though we make gravy year round. My method is the same for sausage, mushroom, or poultry gravy. Brown aromatics and additions, melt in butter, cook an equal amount of flour with the butter, pour in the liquid, whisk until thickened, and voila - smooth and tasty gravy.

What's your favorite kind of gravy?