No Poo / Lo Poo Honey Rinse: Feeling Rebellious

The driving force behind my reasons for simplifying is easy: I want to free up valuable time to focus on what matters most in my life, like:

• Extra snuggles with my daughter
• Relaxing and enjoying quality time with my husband
• Creating memories in a peaceful home
• Learn new things: Yoga & experimenting with sugar-free meals
• Time to read more books & drink coffee on the front porch swing

I don’t want material things, actually. Since my late teens I have strived for things. But, behind it all was just me – searching for peace and happiness.

Life is finally calming down some as I get back control of my time and have been following my heart.

One of the reasons I am switching to a lo poo / no poo hair routine is to save time primping and to also learn to love my God-Given body and features.

That sounds like an easy task and we all know we should love ourselves no matter what, but it’s not that simple.

My goal is to put my focus on things that truly matter to me, and less focus on trying to enhance my looks for other people to judge me.

Once we love ourselves and get out of our own head and break the cycle of negative thoughts, we can and will find more happiness. I know this because I am focusing on it and starting to finally experience it!

When you want to change something about your life it’s time to take action.

It’s scary to get out of our comfort zones and change up routines. But, when it gets to the point that what you keep doing just doesn’t work — try something else.

This is why I have chosen to experiment with natural hair care. As of 2 weeks ago I would have never ever ever ever ever considered this.

I was a twice a day shampoo washer, a twice a day blow-dryer, and an every day flat iron user. Thousands of dollars have been wasted on hair potions, creams, conditioners, extentions, and frizzers. And to top it all off, I had to tease my hair at the roots and sometimes down the shafts to get any body at all.

Then, it all changed when my hair started breaking off at the roots a few weeks ago.

It only seemed like the next step to change everything about my hair care. Since I am stopping fighting my life and going with the flow {and enjoying it} why not use that mantra with my hair?

I’m in love with the results so far. My natural hair is not perfect, but neither am I nor anyone else. I feel rebellious just being me letting it all hang out & my hair and body do what it wants when it wants to.

I’m tired of fighting. Truly, I feel free.

Pic on left is before I started no/lo poo. It was flat ironed and dried out – also teased like no body’s business just to have that little bit of volume as well as ‘back comb product’ and hair spray to keep give it the tiniest lift at the roots.

On the right is freshly lo poo’d with Burt’s Bees shampoo + raw honey rinse the night before, slept on {up in a bun & soft elastic hair tie}, un-brushed proudly, barely hand scrunched, & air dried.

I’ve been tweaking my routine and experimenting with my natural hair, so I have done several different options. It’s been kind of like this the last week and a half:

1. I stopped using reg shampoo/conditioner and washed with Burt’s Bees shampoo & conditioner. Left my hair heavy and oily and gross the next day as my hair wigged out and started transitioning. No hair dryer or flat iron/curling iron: only air dried.

2. Washed my hair another day or two with Burt’s Bees and it still felt too weighed down. Then tried washing with water only {no poo!} and loved the result. My hair was curly, less frizz, and had natural body that I didn’t even know existed with my hair. No hair dryer or flat iron/curling iron: only air dried.

3. Continued washing with water only. This worked well for about 3 days. My hair had lot’s of hold and body and held natural curl pretty well. On the second day, I added the tiniest drop of grapeseed oil {all I had on hand} to the bottom of my hair only, because my ends were crispy-dry. It helped moisturize and curls bounced back up.

4. Hair started smelling like stroooong hair smell. I couldn’t handle it! Added essential oil {lemon & lavender}, but still – yuck.

5. Purchased a cheap boar bristle brush to help distribute oils.

6. Brushed hair for the first time in about 4 days with boar bristle brush before washing it. I used my Burt’s Bees Shampoo and also did a raw honey wash/rinse afterward. It cleaned my hair really well, made it soft and curly and smelled fresh while still having body. It’s a little frizzier than it was yesterday, but I am only going to be doing a no poo {water only} wash for the next few days so I expect the frizz to be more controlled by tomorrow.

Considered doing the Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse that’s so popular but kind of hesitant now because I could get a whiff of the raw honey rinse as my hair was drying. It was pleasant and sweet. People say you can’t smell the vinegar, but I’m not too sure – although, haven’t tried it yet.

My hair is different each day. It has a different personality and shows when it wants too. I am loving the body and curls so far. As of now, I do not plan on going to back to reg shampoo any time soon since I’ve made it through a good bit of transition and the oils are getting better.

I’m a believer for now! I plan on experimenting and playing and learning to love my natural locks.

I’ve yet to use any curling iron or flat iron, but I may try to add a little curl before I clean my hair again just to see how it does!

Have you ever considered doing this? If what you are doing now isn’t working for you – it may be time to experiment and try something else.