So I'm joining the no-poo revolution. No shampoo, that is.

Apparently I'm rather susceptible to any suggestion on Facebook involving vinegar. It started with the 'make your own natural cleaner!' post. You know, the one where you soak your choice of citrus rind(grapefruit, orange, or lemon) in white vinegar in a Mason jar on a sunny windowsill for two weeks. After 2 weeks, you cut it in half or so with water and there you have it- a great, all natural cleaner. Tried it. I'm not yet convinced that it's better than plain vinegar, but it sure does smell a hell of a lot better.

Then someone posted some blurb about uses for apple cider vinegar, which I couldn't have cared less about. At least until my eyes got hung up on the 'make your hair shiny' bit. What's this, eh?

So to Google I flew to get the gist of it. 1 part apple cider vinegar with 3 parts water, dump it in your hair, let it sit a minute or two, rinse with cool water. Allegedly it makes your hair super shiny and soft. I couldn't wait to give it a try.

In my search about apple cider vinegar, I discovered that many folks are washing their hair with baking soda. Yup, baking soda. Mix into a paste with warm water, apply, let it sit a few minutes, rinse with water, follow up with apple cider vinegar rinse. A far kinder, natural alternative to the shampoos and conditioners I had been using that were chock full of nasty, harmful chemicals.

Now I hate to admit this anywhere, ever, but I have a serious scalp issue. It's seasonal, but that's plenty, thanks. Every fall through spring, I get nasty dandruff. Some hairdresser once informed me 'You don't have dandruff, you have dry scalp'. I don't give a damn what it's called, it's nasty white flakes that nothing will get rid of. NOTHING. Not dandruff products, oils, special brushes. And my scalp itches. Constantly. I've even considered seeing my doctor about it, but frankly, I think I would die of shame. So I cope with it as best I can, and it sucks. But according to what I read, this baking soda/apple cider vinegar routine could solve this.

Karma must have been smiling on me, because I had both baking soda and apple cider vinegar in the house. So I tried it. Round 1 of baking soda wash and apple cider vinegar rinse? My hair was gorgeously shiny and silky, yet oddly dry at the same time, too. I think perhaps I stripped out all the crap my usual products had been depositing so I could get a 'real' feel of where my hair was at, moisture wise. I still had some minor flake-age (it's September, and just beginning to make its usual appearance), but I was optimistic. It was only the first round.

Okay, I was on to something here. I have the kind of hair other women -think- they would kill for. Super thick and super coarse. I have enough hair for three people on top of my head (seriously), the kind that hurts because it pulls on my scalp if it's in a tight ponytail for too long. It looks like something straight out of a shampoo commercial when I take the time to give it some good attention, and it looks like a nightmare if I don't but leave it down (trust me on this one). Good attention takes so much time, I rarely bother. I don't have an hour a day to fight with it, so it usually gets thrown up in a clip or slopped into something held in place with an elastic. I have so much damn hair that I can't afford to get it professionally colored, because it costs me 2-3xs the 'normal' amount because one vat of mix does not begin to cover it, no.

I remember, when I was 18 or so and could spend my money on whatever, sitting in the chair at the hair salon, just about to get it colored. The package delivery guy was on his way out, and when he caught sight of me, he stopped behind me and told me, "Don't. Cut. That. Ever." Either he wanted to bang the hell out of me so he could be buried in my cascade of hair, or he wanted to kill me, shave my head, and glue my hair onto his Betsy Blowup Doll. Either way, he was clearly a fan.

So, back to the au natural hair routine. It was fabulous, fantastic. So I decided to keep it up. I also decided to try not to wash it more than twice a week. Hey, I'm a stay at home mom, I can do that.

Round 2 I did the same, then brushed a smidge of tea tree oil through my locks. Bingo. Super shine, soft, hair-commercial-here-I-come. Then I had to ruin it with a boxed hair color. The greys were getting bad, really bad, so this part was non-negotiable. My hair got great color from it, but it also got pissed off and didn't feel great anymore.

Round 3. Back to loveliness. No flakes, and my scalp isn't bothering me. My hair is back to its pre-coloring fabulosity, and the greys are gone besides. I'm a total convert. No more over-washing, no more expensive products that really do more harm than good. My hair and scalp are already thanking me, and my wallet will, too.

So if you're not happy with your hair's current state, consider giving it a try. It sounds kind of crazy, but it works. And no, I swear you don't stink to high heaven of apple cider vinegar. That's what the rinsing is for.