The Hairsperiment, Following Up...

My non-hair-washing experiment went so well that I forgot I was running it.

I now wash my hair about once per month, and I'm back to a baking-soda-paste scrub, which I prefer on ecological principles. (Shampoo = many ingredients = much energy = I polluted more; Baking soda = one ingredient (which can be used for many purposes) = less energy = less impact.)

I went to get my hair cut about a month after I first began the experiment. We did the whole intro: sit down in the chair, stylist plays with your hair, you tell her what you're thinking about the hair, she tells you what she thinks about what you thought, then you go wash the hair.

Right before we got to the sink, I confided that I hadn't washed in a month. She was totally floored. (In a good way, don't worry, she was cool and wasn't grossed out at all.) She hadn't been able to tell at ALL, not from touching it, or even smelling it. Most people really can't tell. My mom hasn't said anything in these few months, and she's the olfactory queen, so either she's obliging me or she hasn't detected a thing.

Can I tell? ... I can. The only thing that gives it away is that the hair has more body, and generally lies flatter. I've got thick hair, and I usually keep it cut really, really, really short, because I just think it's a hassle. (I got things to do, okay? I made it a policy long ago that I would not be one to waste my life away in the bathroom or in front of a mirror.) But now, I've let it grow long... it's even touching my neck, now, without assistance. And I credit the length with a couple of things... Firstly, I'm a cheapskate thrifty. Secondly - because my hair has more natural oil in it - not to make this sound gross - it stays put when I brush it away. I can wake up in the morning with total bedhead, and it brushes out. And I repeat, it's NOT greasy. It's just got more oomph to it. It's like it's actually got life in it. To summarize: I find my hair is healthier-looking, healthier-feeling, and easier to manage now, as compared to when I washed it daily.

One tip, though - if you're going to do this, get a comb. A fat-toothed comb. Or a brush that cleans easily. I have a brush and it works fine, but there is some grease that accumulates over time, and I generally found it works well if you can clean it easily from your brush or comb a few times a month.

Winninnnnng