Dreadlocks have a long standing stigma for being dirty as many people are under the impression that you cannot wash your hair in order for it to lock up. Let me begin by saying that not only is this false, but in most cases the oils that your hair produces will actually prevent your hair from locking up.
I do not wash my dreads every time I shower for a multitude of reasons. Mainly the reason is that my hair is long enough and thick enough that if I do not wash my dreads before Noon, they will not be dry until the following day. Going to sleep with wet dreads, or putting dreadlocks up while still wet, runs the risk of causing light molds to develop on the inside of your dreadlocks. This mold will create a musty smell similar to that of an old shower towel needing to be washed.
I've also found that the natural oils that your hair produces, once you've stopped using detergent shampoos for a short period, are incredibly good at keeping your hair at an equilibrium as long as you rinse your hair with water from time to time. When you use harsh shampoos, you are stripping your hair of the natural oils that are produced which in turn causes the system to go into overdrive to continue trying to protect itself. This is what causes so many people to end up with such greasy hair after not washing their hair for short periods.
As I said earlier, I wash my hair semi-frequently at a rate of about once a week. The first week I rinse with water, and the following week I wash thoroughly with Dr. Bronners Castile Soap. This soap is fantastic, strong, and completely natural.
"What's wrong with regular shampoos?" I hear you asking
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is often confused for Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), and while both of these chemicals are harmful only SLES has been linked to cancer. Both of these chemicals are surfacants found widely spread through commercial products from shampoo, toothpaste, and soap to dish and clothes detergents.
- Polysorbates
Polysorbates are emulsifiers used to dissolve fragrances, oils, and other ingredients evenly. The most common of these is Polysorbate-80. There have been studies on mice which show carcinogenic effects, as well as causing infertility. This Study has shown the link between polysorbates and the development of bowel disorders in mice. Myself predisposed to bowel problems due to Fibromyalgia, it is best to avoid these.
There are many more to be found in your average commercial products, but these two are plenty enough for me to have made my switch. I ask that you do your own research beyond these words and make your own educated decision on how to move forward. My purpose today is not to persuade you on how you should wash your hair, rather to show you ways to wash your hair. As well as dispelling the myth that dreadlocks are always dirty because the hair cannot be washed in order to remain locked up.
Besides using the Dr. Bronners every other week or so, I have only washed my hair with one other product. One time, after reading on some forums, I soaked my hair in an apple cider vinegar (ACV) and water mixture with several essential oils to help with anti-microbial qualities and to leave nice smelling oils in my hair.
I had read about using ACV and baking soda to do a very deep clean on your hair, but I had never tried it. My dread locks are a few months beyond two years old. I have spent many days out in the woods and in the desert roaming around, adventuring, and casting spells. So having read that dreadlocks can retain more dirt than what is visible and that which cannot be removed with a regular wash, and reading other people's experiences, I decided to give it a go.
Ingredients
Baking Soda, 1/4 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar, 3/4 cup
Bucket or large sink that you can plug up
Optional
20 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
40 drops Lavender essential oil
40 drops Rosemary essential oil
(Most any essential oil is good to work with. Just know the potency and what it does if you're going to use them. :))
A little bit of science before we begin.
The pH scale shows how acidic or alkaline a material is. The scale runs from 0 through 14. Anything between 0 and 6.9 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and anything between 7.1 and 14 is alkaline.
The natural pH level of hair is between 4.5 and 5.5, making hair naturally acidic. Baking soda has a pH value of 9, making it alkaline. The pH value of ACV is about 2.8-3, making it acidic.
Many recipes for this wash call for a separate wash with ACV first and then rinsing with baking soda in order to "balance out the pH."
This is not how pH balancing works, and you will do more damage to your hair than good. Shocking your hair with such extremes in the pH values, in such a short amount of time, may cause your hair to become very brittle and dry out. You may also cause irritation to your scalp.
When you mix the ACV with the baking soda you are effectively bringing the pH down to a level that is closer to that of the natural pH value of hair. So take this advice or not, but I suggest mixing all of the ingredients first. And remember - Acid into Base, not Base into Acid. :)
Begin by filling your bucket three quarters full of hot water.
Measure out 1/4 cup of baking soda and mix it into the hot water.
If you have essential oils, now is the time to add them in.
Measure out 3/4 cup of ACV and pour it into the hot water mixture. You will see an instant chemical reaction bubbling in the bucket. I tried to snap a photo, but it was very quick.
Thoroughly mix everything together. I just use my hand, I figure the oils and the clean is good for my skin anyway.
Next, submerge your dreadlocks completely for 15 minutes. I put on some music and allowed for four songs to be played. As each song changed I swapped positions. I started with the top of my head submerged, then moved to the left side as the next song came on, and continued until I soaked all sides of my head completely.
Since I did this in the kitchen of my apartment, I wrung out my dreads into the bucket before I moved to the bathroom and rang out just the last bit of what was left to be able to share with you the depth of cleansing this wash gives.
The much I rang out into the bucket was much worse, but as you can see it looks almost as though the Swamp Thing had escaped through my tub drain!
After I finished soaking and ringing everything out, I went ahead and jumped in the shower to give a thorough rinse with fresh hot water. At this point I also grabbed a handful of coconut oil and massaged it into my scalp and hair. This type of cleansing strips not only the dirt and grime, but also the natural oils so I wanted to refresh my locks.
Afterwards my dreads felt lighter and more clean than they have ever in the past!
LOVELAUGHTER&&XHAOS
PALPABLE POPE Ypyskypo Skwyrl, the Y'sas
High Priest, Temple of Appled Thought
Alchemist for Trades
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