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I've been using the bicarb paste thing for a week or so and I can say that it has calmed my scalp down a lot. I'm a convert although I'm not entirely sure of the consequences of continually applying an alkali to your hair and scalp.

Cassie

After several months of testing, I've found a combination that my hair and I both like. Start by massaging bicarb into your scalp, then rinse it with either diluted lemon juice, or vinegar. (Diluted, the lemon juice doesn't sting when it finds those little scratches on your scalp.) Rinse that out with plain water. It foams up when you add the lemon/vinegar, which is a little unnerving at first, but that foaming lifts both dandruff and dirt out where they can be rinsed off with water. After using that for 3 months, my hair is stronger and shinier, and there's a lot of new growth coming in.

Actually, that last part is almost annoying, the new growth doesn't want to sit still with the rest of the ponytail, I've had to get used to the "stylishly disheveled" look.

Have you tried Conditioner only washing?

I usually conditioner only was during the winter so that my hair gets the extra moisture.

Basically, get a cheap as chips, silicone free conditioner (i like Superdrug's 'just' conditioner) and use that as shampoo. Just use the same amount as you would usually use shampoo, and scrub in like you're shampooing. Leave it to sit for about 5 minutes and then scrub and wash out.

Then condition normally.

It does clean your hair, and it moisturises both hair and scalp. For me, this has stopped a lot of the dryness om ny scalp, and having long hair, the lengths and ends really appreciate having the extra conditioning.

Its a bit heavy to use in the summer - i tend to find that my scalp sweats and get oily heir in the summer, so i go back to using shampoo again. In the winter, however, the extra moisture really does wonders! My scalp and hair don't really cope too well with the change from warm to cold in the winter and tend to dry out really quickly.

I have tried conditioner only, and even water only. I found that the oils in my hair not only stayed, but they mixed with the water or conditioner to form a thick gluey substance that trapped every bit of dirt, and was abundant enough to clog the comb after just one combing.

No, seriously, it looked like I'd dipped the comb in tar and then rolled it in lint. It was discusting.

Maybe its just my hair that's like that, but I'll stick with the bicarb and lemon juice.

I had that problem when tried to go water only, but i found that using the cheapest plainest conditioner i could get worked best for the CO washing. I tried using 'nice' conditioners, but they didn't clean as well.

I always make sure that i scrub the conditioner in until it starts foaming, and then rinse it for a lot longer than i would shampoo. Maybe its more the scrubbing and rinsing actions that clean my hair.

Or...i have long straight hair, so it might be the fact that it is dead straight so there's no curls for the stuff to stick to.

I use Dr Bronners magic soap http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm

It is fantastic and good for the environment

mamos