Shampoo, conditioner, and deodourant

[ailbhe]

A while ago, in order to stop using products made by evil multicorps etc, I bought some solid shampoo from an acquaintance of an acquaintance. It made my hair sticky. I emailed the maker and was told it was probably the residue from my old shampoo, and that vinegar in the rinse might help. well, now I've had dull, sticky hair for over a month, so I give up.

I'm going to buy a Lush shampoo bar, as they come recommended, and while I'm at it I'm going to try a Lush deodourant, because I would like to have the choice to use deodourant occasionally and I'm told it might not make me come up all red and lumpy.

Do you have any other Lush recommendations? Any specific kinds of shampoo or deodourant I should try? I don't like strong smells and I have fine, thick, straight hair that generally behaves very well when I don't use evil shampoo on it for a month. It looks terrible now.

Should I get a conditioner to go with the shampoo?

Comments

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

Not much help, but I do love the lush shampoo bars & the one I use I've had so long, that I can't recall which one it is. I've not actually found a lush conditioner that I like (apart from arabian bright which is not an every day one) Other people rave about american cream, but I don't personally like it. It makes Kate's hair go lovely though :)

I may possibly start using avon hair stuff when my existing stuff runs out.

I tried a lush solid deoderant & loved the minty smell, but it hated my eczema, so I've carried on using dove sticks which is the only one I can use without ending up with red, raw skin. I'd rather use something from lush.

I'm still waiting for my eco-friendly household cleaning stuff I ordered off the net last week. It'd better be good as I'm getting impatient now ...

[junipertree.livejournal.com]

I used to use all Avon stuff. (I used to work there, not as a representative, in the U.S.). I liked the products, for the most part.

But then again, it is a multinational corporation ;)

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

I know Avon is a multi-national, it's just that I've started selling it so I can save for a family holiday, so I will probably use more of their products than I have been as I'll be able to buy them cheaper.

[junipertree.livejournal.com]

Oh, I was just mentioning that because A had mentioned avoiding multinationals. :)

And with few exceptions, I bought all of my beauty products there for the five years I was there. It's great to get the discount too.

It's a great way to earn money. As part of my job I spoke with a lot of top representatives and their stories were really inspiring. Good luck!

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

Ultimate Shine for the bar.

I think it's Okra conditioner that I've used in the past. Dunno what the equivalent is now.

I use Aveda, and it's damn well worth the hideous amount of cash it costs me.

[junipertree.livejournal.com]

I love Aveda.

[livi-short.livejournal.com]

For a deodorant with no fragrance i recommend Pit Rock sold in Boots and other shops.

It is a natural bacteriostatic deodorant. It comes in a solid crystal like roll in a push up container and you rub it on when you are wet. it has no scent and works by killing the bacteria.

I have horrible smelling sweat when menstruating but this is fantastic. It works all day. I have very angry excema and this does not effect it at all so hopefully it shouldn't effect you. It is a lot more expensive than an ordinary deoderant, but i've had mine for ages and it hardly looks worn.

[jenett]

Haven't used the deodorants, but I can give you shampoo ideas.

The two I use regularly are Godiva (which is more conditioning and bright yellow, has a jasmine scent) and Karma Komba (green, good for detangling, and their karma scent, which is orange and patchouli) I don't find either of them incredibly strongly scented. I've tried Hybrid (in the new puck shape) and found it made my hair grungy. And Seanick is a little too drying for my hair.

My hair is straight to mildly wavy, waist length, quite fine, very prone to static in the winter. I supplement the Godiva (which I'm mostly using over the winter) with a conditioner a couple of times a week - currently alternating between a Nature's Organic herbal one, and a Jason Aloe-Vera one.

I also do a cider vinegar bath (and therefore hair rinse) somewhere between 2-4 times a month, which my hair really likes.

Like you, I don't do very well with the shampoo bars from many home-soapmakers. I think my hair doesn't like the main oils used in them (mostly olive, in the ones from my local farmer's market. My brushes picked up all sorts of somewhat disturbing lint when I used it.)

[ailbhe]

My comb is lintridden, since I started using the weird shampoo. Urgh. I am tempted to wash my hair in dishwashing soap while I wait for my lush order to arrive.

[marnameow.livejournal.com]

Do! Detergent is very similar in nature to shampoo, and I've used it countless times when I've run out of shampoo or developed a sudden allergy to whatever brand I've been using. It's got no conditioning powers, so you might need to follow it up with an egg yolk.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Ultimate Shine is a good shampoo that will leave no residue. Ignore the note about it containing glitter - if it does, it's so microscopic I've never actually seen any in my hair. Seanick is nice, too; perhaps a bit more drying. Both smell a little odd to me when I sniff the bar, but it's a mild fragrance and doesn't carry over to one's hair.

I haven't tried any of their conditioners, as I use one my hairdresser mixes up for me with stuff in it to keep my dye-job looking fresh. If you have fly-away or easily tangled hair, you'll want to use some kind of conditioner, as the Lush shampoos get your hair really *clean.*

The round shampoo bars look very small, but they last surprisingly long - I get at least 60 shampoos out of one.

For deodorant, I like Aromarant - it's got a subtle sandalwood scent.
If you have skin sensitivities, you might ask Lush for a small sample of the deodorant and do a patch test. They're very good about giving out free samples.

[random-c.livejournal.com]

I *love* Lush's solid deodorant. It's based on baking soda or something. Unlike everything else I've tried, it works *and* feels nice on. The solid shampoo I tried from them was quite nice too. I also have some of their 'seaweed sushi' exfoliating gubbins which I use just about every time I have a bath but have had forever. The soap I got (can't remember what it is but it's green) dried my skin horribly, but I don't usually use soap, I use those liquid things, so it's hardly unexpected.

[(Anonymous)]

Lush's solid deodorant made my armpits go red and lumpy. I've had bad reactions to Lush products a couple of times, actually, which makes me leery of them -- a shame, because they always look so nice in the shop, and I feel as if I should support any firm whose employees are so cheerful and enthusiastic. Still, they won't go bust for lack of my measly spendings.

[ailbhe]

Right, in that case I'll stick with Livi's advice for now and get the pit rock one. I can't be having with anything anyone has ever reacted to at this stage. It's not worth it.

(May be passing through Dublin probably chez Radz in the next couple of months by the way.)

[ailbhe]

My last trip was a see-no-one-speak-to-no-one kind of trip, really.

[k425.livejournal.com]

Ah, not just me then. I was looking forward to using the solid deo and my armpits came up in a rash.

[songster.livejournal.com]

Do you have any other Lush recommendations? [...]I don't like strong smells

Don't get within 100 metres of any Lush shop, then. It's a mystery to me how people manage to get in there and buy something without passing out.

[barakta]

I can't go within about 200m of the local Lush shop, my girlfriend an asthmatic starts wheezing at that point too. I also got an itchy face from sitting in a cinema next to someone who had a lush bag full of stuff...

[ailbhe]

I can walk past the shop, but not if I need to breathe while I'm doing it. I avoid the shopping centre entrance with the Lush shop, here. But I'm told they're not too bad one product at a time.

[mollydot.livejournal.com]

I'm the same. But sometimes I risk going in and buy something. I prefer to do it in winter, when my hayfever isn't going to be acting up already. I hate walking past it in summer.

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

I too have fine, thick, and straight hair. I haven't had any experience with Lush products for hair, but I do have some suggestions.

First off, avoid _any_ shampoos or conditioners that offer "body" to your hair. "body" is a code word for "sticky stuff that will cause all the lint around to stick to your hair and your brush and your comb".

Depending on how much time you can devote to it, washing your hair with a mild castile soap can get rid of grunge and build-up. I use Dr. Bronner's Soap (http://www.drbronner.com/), but I dunno if it is available to you. This, however, is _very_ drying. So, I'll do it following an application of warm olive oil for about 20 minutes or so (warm because that is much more comfortable than room temperature).

As for deodorant, the recommendations of the one that is just a solid aluminum salt (Pit Rock) - that too might cause you skin problems. Around here a cheap way of testing this is to go to a pharmacist and buy something called "styptic pencil".

Deodorant alternative...

[cdollmont.livejournal.com]

Equal parts corn starch and baking powder. Pretty much scentless, depending on the cornstarch. :)

Chris

Re: Deodorant alternative...

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Not an antiperspirant, though, and perspiration + cornstarch can be a problem for those prone to yeast infections.

(Not saying you or Ailbhe are, just that this isn't a great idea for such people.)

[jmkg.livejournal.com]

I like Lush shampoo bars, but the one I tried was too strongly flavoured (Jasmine) and brought out my eczema..

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

I have eczema as well as mildly sensitive skin and I've never reacted badly to any Lush product. I have fine, sometimes curly hair which is inclined to be dry and find that the liquid Lush shampoo I use sometimes(Cynthia Sylvia Stout) looks and feels good but is a bit drying after a couple of weeks. You may find your hair reacts differently, as it's a different type. The one solid shampoo I've tried (the one with sparkly bits in - I forget the name) did leave my hair too dry, but then it was for 'normal' rather than dry hair. Conditioners: I've used the solid conditioner called Jungle, which worked reasonably well but took a long time to put on and take off properly and needed pretty hot water, and the liquid 'American Cream' and the one with okra in it. American Cream is my favourite, even if it does smell of vanilla. They're not cheap, so definitely start with small amounts in case you don't like them (or they don't like you).

My main piece of advice is to talk to the shop assistants. As other people have said, Lush staff are very good at giving samples of things that don't come pre-formed (sadly this includes some of the deodorants and solid shampoo), and I've always found them friendly and helpful.

Oh, and get some of the soap while you're there. Bohemian Lemon is gorgeous and so is Figs and Leaves, which is also mildly moisturising, I think.

[ailbhe]

I can't enter the shops without choking, so talking to the shop assistants isn't really an option!

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could go at a quiet time and ask one of them to stand outside with you? Or, if you want, you could give me a list of questions/concerns and I'll go into town at lunchtime and ask the staff what they'd recommend for you - I was going to go and get some more conditioner soon anyway. I could even post you the free samples!

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to find shampoos that go without bottles, too - evil wastage! - and am finding it tricky, as I, too, hate Lush. Came across this recipe online - it looks tricky and not very cheap, mind, but it does cut out the multinationals...

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

Lush has more artificial chemicals in its products than I'm comfortable with. For deodorant, I've recently started using a thingy by Bionsen that contains only alum crystals, to which you add water at home. It can be refilled up to five times before it needs replacing. It seems to be working. For shampoo, conditioner and bath/shower gel, I've now found a local supplier of Duchy's Originals organic rose and mandarin and bought a small supply, but haven't tried it yet, as I feel obliged to finish my old bottles first. I do like the Duchy rose and mandarin handwash, though, so I'm expecting to like the other stuff. It has the added benefit that all the profits go to the Prince's Trust, which is a charity I definitely approve of.

[moustachios.livejournal.com]

Hi; I was afp-journal-hopping and came across yours...

I've been cleaning my hair with baking soda and vinegar every four or five days, following the directions at http://www.livejournal.com/users/babyslime/174054.html, for about two months now. I also use a honey rinse every two or three days. It's working well so far, and it's dead cheap, too.

I've been using Tom's of Maine deodorant, which smells nice but not strong and hasn't made my skin itchy once (woohoo!), but I'm not sure how available it is in England.

-Maaike

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

I've heard good things about the Trichomania shampoo, but not tried it myself. The solid shampoos (the little round ones) are great -- I've used both Ultimate Shine and Karma Komba to good effect. The scents are nice and light and don't leave you smelling like you just walked out of a perfume shop.

(I've also tried a little sample of Big, but not used it enough to really get a feel for how it works with my hair. I liked it that one time, though.)

As for conditioner, the only one of theirs I've used is American Cream, and I adore it. You only need a tiny amount (that's true for most of their products, I've found) and it works wonders.

(The trick with conditioners is to rub it through with your fingertips as much as possible and then comb it through with a wide-toothed comb to finish the distribution. It makes a real difference.)