Attempted Alternatives to Shampoo and Conditioner

So, I am trying to do some stuff to take better care of myself. I have known for years that something in my conditioners irritates the skin on my back, but have honestly been to lazy to do anything drastic about it. I mean, I did small things like change conditioners, some were less and some were worse.

However, when I was out in Washington State at the end of May/beginning of July, I used my sister's shampoo and conditioner and my back started healing. It was super weird, because nothing had ever just stopped irritating it and I had my light bulb moment in that I could actually have a back that wasn't constantly irritated. It's amazing some of the stuff we put up with because we get so use to it that it seems "normal" to us, isn't it?

I'm cheap and my sister's shampoo and conditioner isn't that bad, but there's no way I am going to pay what it costs. But I realized I should try alternatives to shampoo, especially since I am not working right now and who cares if my hair is a little oily one day or completely unruly. Who was going to care, Wookie? Please!

So I tried some of the options on this post and here's how it worked with my hair:

1. Baking Soda - No matter how oily my hair was, this completely dried it out and made it feel like I had just fried the crap out of it.

2. Tea - haven't tried yet and not sure if I will, a little discouraged by the others.

3. Water Only - this doesn't work consistently for me, but I can and do go for a couple days in between with only water.

4. Dry Shampoo - Did not try this, honestly, I am a shower a day kind of gal to wake up, so my hair is going to get wet each day.

5. Egg with honey - I tried this and I tried just honey water, but honey and my hair do not get along at all. It makes my hair feel way dirtier than when I got into the shower and ratios didn't make much of a difference, my hair doesn't like honey.

6. Apple Cider Vinegar - I tried this after the baking soda and it only helped marginally as my hair really hated the use of the baking soda. Although I am considering trying this alone every once in a while.


So, what is the moral of this story? My hair is finicky, just like the rest of me and so far the only thing I have found that works and doesn't irritate my back is to shampoo lightly every few days and the other days I just use water. My hair doesn't get really oily or look dirty. I am thinking Monday, when I wash my hair again I will try an ACV spritz and we shall see how well that works.