Sort of unconsciously I've been following a conditioner-only routine. I'd been using Devachan's No-Poo Cleanser until finally it ran out a few weeks ago (or maybe it was a month or two ago...). I'd been also using Tresemme Naturals Conditioner as my co-wash conditioner once a week. Because I'm using mostly silicone-free products, my hair can live a while with just co-washing. But just this past weekend, I reached the point where I asked myself, "Damn, when was the last time I washed my hair...not using conditioner?" Not a self-deploring question but a sincere one. Hey, I was so proud of myself for having come this far, especially since I tried this very routine in the past and failed (I broke down with a bottle shampoo, argh!). I went out and bought a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar because, yes, we are doing this.
Last time I used Apple Cider Vinegar, I used a ratio of 1:3. One cup ACV and three cups water. I put all of this into a big ol' bowl and dunked my head in while kneeling over the bath. It was a tad messy though, and not to mention smelly. So this time I decided to try something different, something...innovative. I opted for a small ass 2.5 oz travel-sized spray bottle, filled up about 1/4 way with ACV and filled the rest off with water. Yes, this had to be brilliant. My thinking was that I would section my hair, spray scalp and section while working in the ACV all while not making a big ol' mess like with the bowl trick.
Yeah, not really. So maybe the 2.5 oz spray bottle wasn't the best idea, as it took forever to even mildly saturate one section, and the stupid pump kept getting stuck. But eventually it did the job. After the ACV was worked in, I then coated each section with deep conditioner (Shea Moisture Anti-Breakage Hair Masque), threw on a plastic cap, and let that sit for a good 45-minutes. Finally I hit the shower, let the shower stream rinse the ACV and deep conditioner out, then gave my hair a quick rinse with Tresemme Naturals.
Results: Super soft hair. One can never use too much conditioner, right?
Out of the shower, all rinsed, I sectioned my hair again. Added about a quarter-sized amount of Weleda Rosemary Oil to each section (I made four), then I put two pumps of DevaCurl Styling Cream. Then twisted everything up (though I'm not sure how many twists I made...I would say no more than 6 per section.) Done.
All this to say that the combination of the ACV with the deep conditioner did wonders for my hair. My hair felt clean and moisturized. Sometimes I need to stop being a slacker and actually do deep conditioning treatments. There's a reason for them.
-Sophia
