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There are a lot of people who do the cut down method! I'm one of those. I wswitched to CO in the winter to keep my hair hydrated, and i was washig it every other day, then i switched back to shampoo in the summer to get out sweat, but i use a thicker conditioner and a sun screen leave-in, but i cut the washing down to every 3 days instead.

You can dilute shampoo, but don't leave it too long otherwise it will go stagnant and be more stinky than if you were dirty!!

I agree with the feet! I think the only times my feet have ever seen anything like soap is when they've been dipped in a bubbly bath. They don't smell that bad either. However, when i was a teenager and i wore canvas shoes with no socks, the shoes really really reeked after a while. But i think that was hormones more than anything else.

Poor horse! you're not supposed to wash human bits with soap - what on earth made her think it was ok to wash horsey bits?!

My dog gets a bath occasionally - he has a habit of standing next to the bath when you're in it and either licking your arm, or trying to get in, so occasionally, as i get out, he gets thrown in! Then i dry him in a towel and rub him with coconut oil - it stops his skin getting dry and keeps his fur shiny. Yes...he is a spoilt little dog!

Peggy Sue wrote:Regarding washing dogs- why? Mine doesn't seem to need it. I throw her in the lake if she rolls in something horrid, but otherwise she never sees soap and has a beautiful glossy coat with no smell.

Max (the dog) only gets a wash when he
a) Swims in stagnant water (which is a lot)
b) Rolls in fox/cow poo

In the summer, he'd just get hosed off in the garden, but during the winter, he gets to stand in the bath and be hosed off there.

A couple of times we used dog-shampoo, but I wasn't keen on the smell of it, or the way it made his coat feel.

He then had a bout of dandruff (caused by teenage hormones and summer coat shed) and a lady at training class suggested neem oil.

It has got rid of his dandruff, and it still gets the poo/stagnant smell out when he decides to swim or roll!

I have smelly feet whether I wash them or not!

With regard to smelly feet:
I live with a compulsive feet-cleaner who suffers from awful athlete's foot and really pongy feet.
Mine are great.
I put the difference down to me not washing them and also peeing in the shower before I turn the water on.
I know this will make some people but I've got some of the healthiest feet I know.
Sarah

mmm diluting the shampoo, thats an idea. My hubby uses gallons of the stuff then compalins about dry skin- might work!

Quite like the coconut oil idea, our dog is a Staffie and they are prone to skin complaints. I asked a vet when we first had her who 'diagnosed' it as allergic diease which apparently needs special shampoo, antibiotics and steroids for life. We don't go to the vet anymore I just put some cream on when she gets itchy. Saves her kidneys, liver and about £35 a time.

I wash my hair once a week in the cooler months unless I have been in the garden and throwing the manure around but in the warmer months every second day. But I have so much of the darn stuff I dread the amount of water I use if it is really dirty.

Jerseymum wrote:With regard to smelly feet:
I
I put the difference down to me not washing them and also peeing in the shower before I turn the water on.
I know this will make some people but I've got some of the healthiest feet I know.
Sarah

One of those adverts for cracked heel balm advertised the fact that it had 'synthesised urea' in it. You're just using the real stuff instead!!

Sarah my dear Grandad was an avide believer in this for all sorts of reasons. Tinea, Shared shower cubicles, smelly feet ect. So there has to be something to it.

I reckon it's sterile when it comes out so it's got to be doing some good!
Sarah

Well, I have dumped the shampoo and conditioner (i am in the process of removing as many chemicals from my house as possible). I now use a natural soap bar to wash my hair - i get mine from Beauty and the Bee, who will ship worldwide - and I rinse with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar in a couple of litres of water - thus far it has been fantastic and my hair now feels like it did when I was a child. The hair soap bar lasts about 2 months washing about 3 times weekly.

I am so happy to be able to give a couple more of the supermarket products the shove.

Sounds good.

I got a soapmaking book today (the Melinda Coss one) and it has some recipes for shampoo soap. I've ordered myself some Lye, so i'm going to give making a shampoo bar a go.

Not sure i can give up the conditioner though

Me mom used to tell me how in the war they would treat their hair with vinigar or beer to get rid of grease because of rationing and also gravy browning on the legs and a black eye liner pencil up the back of the leg made great silk stockings.

Something about egg for a conditioner aswell.

You have no idea how addicted I was to conditioner! But my hair is fine without it, and I have very dry hair. I am so glad now to have kicked the conditioner habit.

It is only the commercial shampoos which make you need conditioner - if you don't use a product which strips everything out of your hair, then you don't need a conditioner.

the.fee.fairy wrote:Sounds good.

Not sure i can give up the conditioner though

Hey Fee,

If you leave about 4% free oil in the saop you don't need conditioner!

Cornelian,

I could send you a bar or two of my shampoo soap

Nev

I could send you a bar or two of my shampoo soap

Cor, Nev, I don't need that kind of excitement on a Saturday arvo!