Beautiful, thick and shiny hair is the dream of every woman. To achieve the ideal, ladies spare no effort or money. Any available means are used - special shampoos, balms, masks and serums. All these products are presented in stores in a wide range, and on the shelves you can find a product for any type of hair.
It is especially important to get the right shampoo. This is the fastest-consuming product that many girls use daily. So, it must be absolutely safe. Unfortunately, most mass-market products cannot be classified in this category. Almost all shampoos contain sulfates, preservatives, dyes and fragrances, which are not the best way to reflect on the condition of the hair.
All of this leads many women to look for a safer alternative to shampoo. And some of them practice washing their hair with soda. According to reviews, this cleaning method is much more effective and does no harm. But is it really so? Let's try to figure it out.
Using soda
An example of a non-standard use of sodium bicarbonate is washing hair with soda. According to reviews (photos of well-groomed curls are often accompanied by positive comments), this method of hair cleansing is practiced by a huge number of people, both in our country and abroad.
But this is not the only non-standard use of sodium bicarbonate. It is also used as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent to reduce acidity in the stomach, get rid of sweating, remove phlegm, eliminate inflammation and manifestations of psoriasis on the skin, destroy bacteria and fungi.
Soda is also widely used in folk cosmetology. Soft peels for the face and body, baths to soften hardened heels and lotions to eliminate acne are made from this substance.
But how effective will washing your hair with baking soda? According to reviews in various sources, this method of purification gives a good result. But it is not suitable for all women.
Properties
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate). The chemical formula of the substance is NaHCO3. It is used as an acidity regulator and baking powder in food products. It looks like a fine white powder. NaHCO3 is an acidic sodium s alt. In aqueous solution it gives a slightly alkalinereaction. The biggest misconception about this substance is the imposition of the properties of individual chemical elements on it.
Sodium bicarbonate does not enrich the hair with oxygen, despite the fact that it contains molecules of this element. And it does not have the properties of coal dust.
The cosmetic effect of baking soda is mostly in the effect of degreasing. In this regard, sodium bicarbonate resembles ordinary soap or shampoo, which also have slightly alkaline properties, which makes it so good to wash off grease and dirt from the skin and hair. It also softens water.
Benefit
Washing your hair with baking soda can have a beneficial effect on the condition of your skin and hair. With regular use, you can expect the following results:
- Reducing the production of lipid fat on the scalp. The greasy shine will disappear, the curls will be less oily.
- Deep cleansing of the root zone. Sodium bicarbonate will wash away all plaque and pollution.
- Inflammation and irritation of the scalp will decrease.
- Dandruff and seborrhea will disappear.
- The strands will lighten slightly.
- Dyed hair will gradually begin to take on a natural color.
Harm
How harmful can washing your hair with baking soda be? Reviews of doctors are ambiguous. In fact, no studies of this substance in this vein have been conducted. When ingesting sodium bicarbonate, there is a whole list of contraindications - this is individual intolerance, and hypocalcemia, and hypochloremia. Drinking soda can lead to edema, high blood pressure, vomiting, severe alkalosis, and other side effects.
But when washing hair, the substance is applied externally. However, there are risks here too. NaHCO3 degreases any surface well, including the scalp. The substance washes away the entire lipid protective layer without residue, due to which the root bulbs are left without natural protection. They quickly dry out, begin to weaken, and then the hair falls out. Of course, this effect will not be immediately - it appears on strands prone to dryness, and after some time or when the concentration of the washing solution is exceeded.
All this makes us to be more careful with this method of shampooing and carefully weigh all the possible risks.
Contraindications
What harm can washing your hair with baking soda do? According to experts, this procedure has a number of contraindications. Sodium bicarbonate cannot be used as a detergent if:
- There are wounds, damage, microcracks on the scalp. This will cause pain and itching.
- Hair is dry, prone to breakage and falling out.
- A perm was done, which weakened the hair follicles and worsened the condition of the hair.
- There is biolamination, as the protective layer may be damaged.
- Identified intolerance to baking soda.
- There are skin diseases.
- Hair is dyed as the pigment will gradually wash out.
If availableat least one of the above, it is worth finding another alternative to shampoo.
General recommendations
To properly wash your hair with soda, you must follow a few general rules:
- Sodium bicarbonate is best for oily hair. If you use this product, you can wash your hair less often, as it will become less oily.
- Normal type hair generally responds well to soda cleaners. However, they should not be abused.
- Dry hair should not be treated with sodium bicarbonate solution. If necessary, before washing, apply a mask that moisturizes the hair.
- If the strands are greasy in the root zone, and dry at the ends, then only the scalp should be washed with baking soda.
- Sodium bicarbonate dissolves perfectly in water of any temperature - cold, warm or boiling. This will not affect the properties of the solution.
- If the detergent composition is multicomponent, then first you need to mix all the ingredients, and only then add water.
- Best of all, if the soda is as crumbly as possible, not caked and not knocked into lumps.
- When washing your hair for the first time with soda, the concentration of the solution should be minimal. Usually start with 100 grams per 2 liters of water. With a favorable result, the amount of the active component can be increased.
- Soda solution is a detergent, not a rinse aid. And it must be used appropriately. That is, apply to hair and skin, massage, and then rinse thoroughly.
- Before the bathprocedure, curls, especially long ones, need to be combed well.
- A few drops of essential oil will help protect your hair from drying out.
- If grains float in the solution, it means that it is too saturated.
- Wet hair is not rubbed with a towel. They are lightly blotted and then dried naturally.
Soda solution
Soda solution is very easy to prepare. To do this, 250 ml of water (a large glass) must be mixed with two tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate. The specified volume is enough for a one-time wash of long hair. For short strands, half is enough.
Before use, the hair is combed, then moistened with soda solution and massaged for a couple of minutes. Thanks to this, grease and dirt are split off and washed out. At the same time, dead scales are exfoliated and dandruff disappears.
Soda Shampoo
It is not necessary to clean your hair only with a pure soda solution. Various multi-component detergents are very popular, for example:
- Honey shampoo. To prepare it, you need to take 20 g of liquid or melted honey and mix with 30 g of sodium bicarbonate. Then add water to make a more convenient mixture for application. Wash your hair with this product, then rinse your hair thoroughly.
- Soda for washing hair with shampoo. To the usual daily shampoo, you need to add a little baking soda (half a teaspoon) - approximately in equal volumes. The recipe is forvery greasy hair.
- With oatmeal. Grind a couple of spoons of hercules with a blender, mix with two teaspoons of soda. Dilute with water until gruel.
- Complex shampoo. It is prepared from a small amount of clear shampoo or soap solution based on baby soap, 10 g of sodium bicarbonate, two tablespoons of lemon juice and a small amount of berry pulp from any seasonal fruit. All components are interrupted in a blender, then they are applied to the head and left for 20 minutes. It is both a shampoo and a nourishing mask.
Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is also made from sodium bicarbonate. They are sprinkled with strands when there is no time for full-fledged bath procedures. The dry powder absorbs oil from the hair, which restores its attractive appearance and volume.
- Recipe for blondes - mix one tablespoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of starch.
- Recipe for brunettes - mix one tablespoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of cocoa.
Paint wash
What else does washing your hair with baking soda do? According to reviews in various sources, this is a good way to get rid of an unsuccessful color after staining. To do this, prepare a highly concentrated solution of s alt and soda. It is necessary to take a glass of hot water, pour 10 large tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate and one tablespoon of s alt into it. Next, you need to moisten the strands along the entire length, cover them with plastic wrap and wrap them in a thick towel. After 40 minutes, wash your hair with the usualshampoo.
The product is very aggressive, so it should not be used frequently.
Rinsing
Sodium bicarbonate combined with water gives a slightly alkaline solution. It washes away oil and dirt from hair and skin well, but should not be allowed to linger on them longer than necessary.
Therefore, all soda detergents need to be neutralized. To do this, the rinse water must be acidified. For this, wine or apple cider vinegar is often used. It must be taken in the following proportions:
- For oily curls, the ratio is 1:4 (vinegar and water, respectively);
- For normal - 1:5;
- For dry and damaged - 1:6.
Use an acidic rinse after all the soda shampoo is washed off the head. Instead of vinegar, you can use lemon juice or citric acid.
How effective will washing your hair with baking soda and vinegar be? According to the reviews of people who have tried this method of cleansing, this way you can achieve a more magnificent volume. But this is a myth. Very greasy, slick hair, after treatment with a solution of baking soda, becomes normal. What gives the effect of adding volume. In fact, this tool does not contain any components that would lift the hair at the roots.
Reviews
Washing your hair with baking soda and shampoo, judging by the reviews of people, gives a much better effect than using a regular detergent. The strands become lighter, airier, less greasy and fit well into the hair. Particularly pleased are those whoneglected acid rinses.
But there is a downside to baking soda. For some people, they cause itching, irritation, and excessive hair loss. As a rule, such cases are associated with the fact that people used the folk recipe, not paying attention to contraindications.
A softer, but also effective procedure is considered to soften water with soda for washing hair. According to reviews, it also gives a good result. To soften water, ¼ teaspoon of soda is added to each liter of liquid. Alkaline components normalize pH and remove acidic s alts in the sediment. Thanks to this, the acidity level of the water becomes as close as possible to the pH of the skin.
Opinion of cosmetologists
So what effect can you expect from washing your hair with baking soda? Reviews of doctors and cosmetologists are mixed. Most experts are sure that only products intended for this purpose, that is, soap and shampoos, should be used to wash your hair. They are tested, approved by dermatologists and, despite some harmful substances, are relatively safe. It is difficult to predict how sodium bicarbonate will behave. In addition, many people do not know how to use traditional recipes and neglect contraindications, which can also lead to damage to hair and skin.
Other cosmetologists see nothing wrong with using baking soda as a cleanser. Such recipes have been very popular for at least three generations. And most people note that after switching from shampoo tosoda solution hair became better. However, they do not recommend abusing this remedy. Some cosmetologists emphasize that baking soda-based cleansers work well on oily hair. However, it is better to use them no more than once a week.