Going No Poo: 5 Months (Deep Conditioning Mask & Egg Yolk Wash)

I can't believe it's been 5 months since I took the leap into No Poo, and gave up shampoo! I honestly cannot imagine ever using shampoo again!

I gave WO (water only) washes a try these last few weeks, pretty much out of sheer laziness. In my ideal world, I wouldn't need to do anything to my hair other than wet it. Well, it didn't work out so well. I have hard water, and after a while those minerals left my hair feeling stiff and dry. I could tell that my limp and lifeless hair needed some moisture, so I tried a deep conditioning honey/coconut oil mask. I followed my oil treatment with an egg yolk and honey wash to make sure my hair wasn't left feeling greasy. The results were fabulous!

Definitely one of my Top 3 best hair days
since Going No Poo!

Honey & Coconut Oil Deep Conditioning Mask

• 2 Tablespoon Raw Honey
• 1 Tablespoon  Coconut Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Filtered Water

Mix together all three ingredients in a container with a lid (a mason jar or a condiment dispenser, for example). Apply the lid (plugging the opening, if using a condiment dispenser) and shake, shake, shake! The goal is to combine the ingredients as best you can.

Apply the mixture to moistened hair (not dripping wet), making sure to massage into the scalp and pull it through the length of the hair. You'll definitely need something to contain this sticky, oily mess, like a shower cap. I just use an old long-sleeve shirt to wrap up my hair; the long sleeves wrap around my head nicely, and keep it in place. Leave the deep conditioning mask on for at least 30 minutes, or even longer if you like. I usually leave mine in for a few hours.

When you're ready to remove the deep conditioning mask, you'll need something more than water or diluted ACV (apple cider vinegar) to get the coconut oil out. If you use regular shampoo, you can remove the oil with that. However, if you've given up commercial shampoo already, an egg wash works wonders at removing oil! Read on for the egg yolk/honey wash recipe.

Egg Yolk & Honey "Shampoo"

• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Honey

Mix the egg yolks and honey together thoroughly (use an immersion blender to quicken the job).

Rinse the honey/coconut oil mask from your hair as best you can. Apply the egg yolk/honey mixture to your hair, massaging into the scalp and pulling it through the length of the hair. You may need to double the recipe if you have long hair. Leave the wash in while you finish up your shower routine, or for about 5 minutes, and rinse it thoroughly with lukewarm water (you don't want to cook the egg yolks).

You may follow with a diluted ACV rinse if you wish, but it is not necessary.

Beware:

You can do this deep conditioning treatment without a wash, but be prepared to walk around with oily hair for a day or two. I just recently tried skipping the wash, and it was pretty oily the first day, but my hair eventually absorbed it.

Try not to wash with egg yolks more than once a week, and no more than once a month for the whole egg. They contain a lot of protein, and too much protein can lead to dry, brittle hair that breaks easily. If you suspect protein overload in your hair, moisturizing is the only option.

Bye-Bye BBB

In the last month, I've given up the BBB (boar bristle brush), for the most part. I just can stand how often it needs to be cleaned, and how rough it is on my hair. I just purchased a cheap wooden comb off of eBay (seriously, it was only 80 cents), and so far it's working well. It moves sebum a bit better than a regular old plastic comb, without damaging my hair like the BBB did.

To read about the rest of my journey, click here:

Going No Poo

Minimize the Mess: Simplify Easter

During my journey to Minimize the Mess, I've learned that the only way to get rid of clutter, and keep it gone, is to stop bringing things into the house (obviously, you may need to bring some new things in; the point is not to bring useless/unneeded items into the home). Most years we aimed for a full Easter basket, and that meant getting a lot of useless trinkets that get tossed after a while (or just added to the clutter). We're trying to celebrate differently this year, without all of the candy and toys.

What are we doing differently this year?

Ditching the Traditional Easter Basket

I'm the type of person who saves things. I saved gift bags to reuse them. I even saved Trick or Treat buckets and Easter baskets. No wonder my house ended up so cluttered! I ditched all of the baskets along with all of the other "just in case" items, and never looked back. This year we've opted for a beach pail. Since we live in Florida, I'm sure it will get plenty of use all year long!

Other alternatives to Easter baskets, that can be used all year, include bike baskets, tote bags, and decorative baskets (that can be used as small toy boxes).

Avoiding Sweets

• Fruit - I've never been big on candy and sweets, and I prefer for my son not to expect candy at every holidays, so we've always tried to give him fruit instead. Apples, oranges, and bananas fill out a basket nicely, and the best part is that they get eaten and don't add to the clutter! 
• Books - While they do count as "bringing something in," I am a bit more lenient on books. We'll just have to keep practicing our "one in, one out" rule. 
• Something Needed - Something they need doesn't sound like much fun, but I like to "cute it up" by getting something with one of my son's favorite cartoon characters, such as a pair of socks, a washcloth, or a toothbrush. Other items like this include: a flashlight, some flash cards, or pencils and crayons.
• The Fun Item - I like to throw in at least one fun item, so I got some glow sticks this year. I love that they're one use, and then they go in the trash. Sidewalk chalk is another fun items, as well as bubbles. 

Dying & Hunting Easter  Eggs

I know dying and hunting eggs are usually a given, but we really focus on that aspect of Easter, especially since we're downplaying the Easter basket this year. I also think it's important to focus on the good experiences (fun with friends and family) rather than getting gifts. We always do a prize for the child who gets the most Easter eggs, but maybe this year we'll add a contest for the colored eggs: silliest egg, scariest egg, most colorful, etc.

Tell me about some of your holiday traditions!