Have the Hippies Been Right all this Time?

~ Words by Vickie Sam Paget, Sky Blue Content ~

Is washing your hair in bicarbonate of soda and apple cider vinegar really any good? Or will it make you look like a scarecrow?

I love Old Wives Tales, and this one has been around for a long, long time. My dear old mum first mentioned it to me when I was a snotty teenager and I simply tutted and ignored her. But this week, due to a financially frightening face-off at the hair salon, I thought I would give it a whirl at last.

There I was, all comfy in the hair stylist’s chair, flipping through glossy magazines and sipping on my coffee. All was good with the world. And then she hit me with it: “Your hair is sticky because of the drug store shampoo you’ve been using. It’s full of chemicals and parabens (what the hell is a paraben anyway? It sounds like some sort of nasty parasite) and you’re ruining your hair.”

Righty-oh. Thanks for that.

“You should use some of THIS!”

I swear I could hear a drum roll as she pointed to said shampoo bottle. And a little ‘ping’ noise as a twinkle emitted from her front tooth.

And the price tag for said bottle? $75.

Yes, $75.

Hell no… My budget just wouldn’t allow it.

It was time to look for a serious alternative, and that’s when I remembered my dear old mum’s wise words.

I googled it – and yes – washing your hair in bicarb or soda and conditioning it in apple cider vinegar IS an actual THING.

But I needed further confirmation, so I contacted my hippie-niece, who seems to spend most of her time meditating or the meaning of existence, eating tofu and gazing at trees on the new age enclave that is Salt Spring Island, which lies just off Vancouver Island.

She’s a somewhat spectacular being who’s full of deliciously innocent, heartfelt wisdom – and she has some of the most amazing, glowing, waist-length pre-Raphaelite goddess curls I have ever had the pleasure of setting my eyes upon. So when I asked her about her hair regime, I was overjoyed to learn that, no, her majestic crowning princess locks were not thanks to L’Oreal or Head & Shoulders: they were thanks to bicarb of soda and apple cider vinegar.

It was time to give it a test run. Here’s my step-by-step guide to how it went: warts and all.

Step One: I head into the kitchen and grab two mugs. In one I place one-third bicarb of soda and two-thirds of cold water. I give it a stir. I then place one-quarter apple cider vinegar in the other mug and fill it up with three-quarters of cold water. The smell can only be described as ‘salad-like’, so I pop a few drops of my favourite essential oil into the icky vinegar mixture.

Step Two: I carefully place my concoctions onto the side of the bathtub and hop into the shower to get my hair wet. I gaze longingly at my fragrant, enticing bottles of Herbal Essences, but I steadfastly fight all temptation.

Step Three: Now that I’ve resisted the seduction of the drug store bottles and my hair is nice and wet, I give the bicarb shampoo concoction an extra stir as it has started to separate. Then I pour a good dollop of it onto my head. Man, it’s cold. And it doesn’t lather at all, which seems a little odd, when you’re used to the fragrant bubbles of drug store formulas cascading over your naked shoulders. I wonder if it’s working into my scalp at all, but I stick with it, because I don’t want to fork-out $75 for a bottle of fancy paraben-free shampoo. I’m stubborn like that.

Step Four: I have two minutes to play with, so I tackle the rainforest that is my hairy legs with a razor. Un-hippie-ish behaviour, I know, but Rome wasn’t built in a day my friends.

Step Five: I rinse of the bicarb, which is actually a glorious experience. My hair feels instantly silky – almost as if it’s already been conditioned. I perform quick little victory dance beneath the shower head.

Step Six: I pick up my apple cider vinegar conditioner and pour it over my head. It’s cold and I feel like a salad dressing-doused iceberg lettuce. And my eyes sting. Do not – I repeat: DO NOT – get this heady brew into your eyes. It hurts. And if a little bit gets into your mouth, it’ll instantly take you back to that bottle of booze you stole from your parents’ drinks’ cabinet back in 1988. You know, the bottle you thought no-one would notice was missing because it had been sitting there since 1975 because it tasted so bloody awful nobody would touch it with a barge poll.

Step Seven: After a minute of salad-like displeasure, I gratefully dive under the shower head to de-lettuce myself. As I do, my hair squeaks. It SQUEAKS. That’s because it’s squeaky clean folks.

Step Eight: Whereas rinsing my conditioner-soaked locks is usually the final step of my shower routine, I feel the need to reach for the body wash and lather up my limbs a second time – just to make sure that there is no remnant of the fragrance of salad about me. I don’t want rabbits chasing me down the street. Likewise, I add a few more drops of essential oil to my hair as I comb it through. Better safe than sorry.

In Conclusion: I’m pretty happy. My hair is sparkling clean, light and shiny – and all for the price of a few pennies. My scalp feels fantastic. To be honest, my hair is a little drier, but what it lacks in moisture it’s making up for with airiness, shine and a nice cool feeling on my scalp. If I can only detach myself from the frothy bubbles of the drug store brands and learn to use the cider vinegar conditioner without A) blinding myself and B) choking myself, I think I’m onto a winner. I don’t think I’ll use it every time I shampoo and condition, but I’ll definitely incorporate it into my routine as a nice little detox.

So the hippies are right. And so are the Old Wives with their Tales. Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I’m off to eat some tofu and gaze at some trees.

This feature first appeared on our sister Vancouver blog, marvellousmutterings.com.