Hair washing

Indeed, lizzypopbottle. In 2019, shampoo sales in the UK were £5bn, slightly less in 2020 for obvious reasons. Another £3bn on conditioner.

Unilever and Proctor & Gamble make the most money from consumers through their Tresemme and Pantene brands.

I shampoo my hair once or twice a week, but rinse it with hot/warm water on the days in between so that I don’t have a bed head. I don’t think that it smells.

I know the concept of not shampooing is very alien to some, but it's a bit ludicrous to suggest that people just don't know they smell because they don't use shampoo.

AreWeThereYet

I know the concept of not shampooing is very alien to some, but it's a bit ludicrous to suggest that people just don't know they smell because they don't use shampoo.

I think people get used to their own smells and eventually don’t notice them, regardless of whether they use shampoo or not.

I think it's down to balance.
If all is well, then the body is quite capable of staying healthy looking and smelling.

It's when artificial means are introduced and upset that balance that things go awry.

I think people get used to their own smells and eventually don’t notice them, regardless of whether they use shampoo or not.

Very possibly. But we don't all live in a vacuum. I have no doubt at all that Mr A and a few members of my friends and family would make it very clear if they suspected that I wasn't as clean as they expected. As I've found out in the past.

I just use a little soap from a shampoo bar once a week...this is more than enough. I used to wash it every other day but have gradually cut this down. Not tried just using water. I heard years ago that once you break through a barrier with hair washing that you can stop doing it. Hair is very adaptable apparently.

I now use Apple vinegar shampoo with no parabens. Smells nice and doesn’t load hair and scalp with unnecessary gunk.

I used to wash my hair everyday which is not good for the hair anyway.

I have gradually cut it down and now wash it twice a week which is plenty enough.

Obviously I wash it more when I go abroad on holiday or on a hot sticky day here if I’ve been busy and it needs it.

I use my hairdresser shampoo which is far better for your hair. I use Joico. It seems more expensive than the average shampoo/conditioner. It isn't more expensive. You use less of it.

The salon brands are far better for your hair as they don't include all the chemical that shop bought do

The scalp produces oils and sweat which wouldn't be removed by hot water only, and therefore it would smell after a while.
I have stood behind someone in queue and been able to smell that "dirty hair" smell. It's horrible.

Sweat only smells when it mixes with bacteria.

MissAdventure

I think it's down to balance.
If all is well, then the body is quite capable of staying healthy looking and smelling.

It's when artificial means are introduced and upset that balance that things go awry.

Hmm, I still remember some overpowering smells of B.O., in the days before just about everybody used deodorants!

This thread reminded me of when I was a teenager. My friend's mum used to wear her hair up high on her head, and I asked my friend how she kept it like that. She told me that her mum wore a new every night to keep it in place, and had it set each week at the hairdressers. I was disgusted that someone should only wash her hair once a week and had visions of all sorts crawling in it. We live and learn ?

Sparklefizz

The scalp produces oils and sweat which wouldn't be removed by hot water only, and therefore it would smell after a while.
I have stood behind someone in queue and been able to smell that "dirty hair" smell. It's horrible.

You have stood behind many other people in queues that you have not been able to smell.

Me too Witzend. One of the girls at my grammar school was of German parentage, followed the continental way of not removing underarm hair and presumably didn’t use deodorant. I can see and smell her to this day, 50+ years on. (Unsurprisingly she had no friends.)

I like to see a bit of underarm hair.
Not that I'd want to sniff it, but I like the natural look.

It reminds me of a colleague I had who looked marvellous for her age.
Not by wearing a scarf, or any of that old twaddle.

Simply by just keeping herself clean, fresh, and natural looking.

As a teenager I worked Saturdays in a hairdressers. I can assure you that the products used then had some of the harshest chemicals imaginable.

Yep.

Well I have washed it a second time in warm (not hot) water. Spent time massaging my scalp and I have yet again found my hair much easier to handle.

I think I will buy and use the Aveeno Apple Vinegar shampoo and every other wash just use water.

My hair is definitely responding well to no products.

I love the smell and feel of my freshly shampood hair so I’ll give the water only option a miss

Could I ask what products you use Blossoming that don’t contain parabins etc.

I guess like many of us, I wash my hair as much as I think it needs and with what I find works.
From my observations-though it may not be true for all, teenage girls seem to wash their hair more often. Upper primary, once they start washing their own hair, wash their theirs less frequently-I can tell, walking down the corridor or in the computer suite.
Lots of posts in this and other threads show what GNs are doing to save the planet.
Once we’re all saving water by showering less frequently, cutting down on laundry etc. will we use more deodorants, or just get used to the fragrance of bodies?

I only wash my hair once a week with shampoo and I dont put it on twice. One small squirt, enough to lather up, plus plenty of massaging, followed by a rinse and a similar small amount of conditioner. In between just plain water. Also cut back on deoderant. If I am going somewhere likely to be hot and sticky I use it, but for a day at home or outside I dont. I havent had any complaints as yet!

Petera You have stood behind many other people in queues that you have not been able to smell.

True! They must be the ones using shampoo!

Sparklefizz

Petera You have stood behind many other people in queues that you have not been able to smell.

True! They must be the ones using shampoo!

Trust me, you'd smell the shampoo