a little "Me" time

I live alone, in a new city, so getting "me" time really shouldn't be that much of a challenge, but with a promotion at work and a nasty bout with mono, it's a lot harder for me to find relaxation time than when I had a roommate.

I'm a bath girl, so any chance I get, I'll run some hot water and dive in (but only if the tub is deep enough - and since I've never seen a tub deep enough to dive into, I'm usually going feet first).  Since I use my Pinterest creeping abilities  on a daily basis, I've managed to stumble upon quite a few posts related to detox baths.  And being the bath freak that I am, I decided to give detoxing a try... and I am so glad that I did.  Detoxing not only helps me sleep better at night and makes me more conscious of how hydrated I am, but it is also healthy for me and requires me to put in a little more effort to take care of myself (which is a good thing, since I put in practically zero effort right now).

The first thing to note is that detoxing is for getting yucky things out of your body.  The point of the bath is for you to actually sweat out whatever is inside that shouldn't be there.  It sounds gross, but it's actually quite refreshing once you become accustomed to the high temperatures and beads of water rolling down your body.  I am always more relaxed once I'm settled into my bath and occupying my mind. 

The first step is to make sure you are drinking water throughout the day and that you are hydrated at the time you wish to take your bath.  I always have a water bottle beside the tub so that I can continue drinking as I'm sweating.  After your bath, don't forgot to keep drinking water, as it is likely that you will continue sweating for the rest of the night (it won't be so much that you'll soak your clothes or anything - just enough to where you will need some hydration).

Step two requires you to gather your materials for the bath.  You'll need Epsom salt, apple cider vinegar, essential oils, and coconut oil.  Only the Epsom salt and apple cider vinegar are required for a good detox, but the essential and coconut oils will make the bath more pleasurable. 

(My measurements aren't exact because I just eyeball everything when I'm dumping it in the tub, so you can definitely play around with the amount of ingredients you use.).

You'll need one cup of Epsom salt and between one-half to one cup of vinegar (you can use regular vinegar if you have no acv on hand, but the acv is much more moisturizing).  The Epsom salt has extraction properties that will draw the toxins out of your body, and the vinegar is really great for balancing the body's pH (really good for those prone to yeast infections - something every woman wishes to avoid).  As for the essential oil, you can choose any scent, or combination of scents, to add to your water to create a wonderful smell (and cover up the vinegar stink).  I usually like now's lemon eucalyptus or just plain lavender, depending on my mood. 

The last ingredient I use is coconut oil.  As I've said before, I am in love with this product and cannot get enough of it!  I add somewhere around two tablespoons to my water, and my skin becomes instantly moisturized. I can even shave without shaving cream for the first time in my whole life!  You don't need coconut oil for a detox bath, but you need it for a good detox bath.  It's antibacterial properties are great as you soak, and overall it makes the skin so much more healthy.  I refuse to ever again take baths without coconut oil for fear of displeasure and a longing for soft skin. 

After this step, I usually take a quick shower to rinse off my grime so I don't sit in it for thirty minutes, but that's just my preference.  You can choose to go straight for the bath, but just remember, baths have been linked to UTI's and E. coli, among many other things!

In a clean bathtub (I know sometimes it's hard for us working girls to remember to clean the tub when we are supposed to!), run your bath water as hot as you can stand it. Remember: the hotter, the better.  This will help you sweat more.  Add all of your ingredients and let them settle into the water. 

Bathe!  Sit in your detox bath for at least thirty minutes, or as long as you can stand it.  I recommend burning some candles and using this time to meditate or reflect, but most of the time I'm on my phone playing Temple Run (because I'm still convinced it's 2011).  This is your time to unwind and let your body chill!

Once you are finished with your bath, you may want to rinse the tub out, as the ingredients (especially the coconut oil) can make the tub slippery.  You won't want to apply any lotions with chemicals, as your pores will be open and more susceptible to re-absorbing toxins.  After you dry off and slip into comfortable clothes (read: sweatpants and a hole-y tank), snuggle up, drink plenty of water, and relax for the rest of the night!

 Happy detoxing!

my decision to give up shampooing

Yes, you read the title right. I have decided to give up shampoo and conditioner. Now, before you judge me, I have a perfectly good explanation as to why I have decided this (and you can read about that here).  You might say I'm crazy, and I agree with you, but I am really anticipating what my hair could look like if this all plays out right.

I have done my research, and according to my sources, the process of transforming my hair from a mop head to a crown of beauty is simply to give up my beloved shampoo and conditioner and go for something a little less glamorous - baking soda and apple cider vinegar!
 

These ladies didn't use shampoo, and check out how fabulous their hair is.

Think about it, is shampoo really that necessary?  What did women do before modern shampoo was invented in the 1930's?   They washed their hair once a week, or even once a month, with soap, that's what!  Shampoo as we know it is actually designed to make us wash more often by stripping our hair of all oils so that our scalp has to overcompensate and produce more oil, resulting in greasy hair.  So we shampoo again to get rid of the grease, and the cycle continues - pretty sneaky of shampoo companies, right?  If Victorians can have thick, shiny locks with no shampoo, what's the point in me using it?

Before the crazy history teacher in me comes out full-force, I'm going to change the topic and focus on the supplies needed for ditching the 'poo.  On a side note, I really hate calling it "'poo", but I've jumped on the bandwagon and followed what the rest of the internet is calling it.  Ugh.

Supplies Needed:

• Baking Soda
• Apple Cider Vinegar ("ACV")
• Spray Bottle
• Squeeze Bottle
• Essential Oil (Optional)
• Wet Hairbrush (Optional)
 

Put one tablespoon of baking soda in your squeeze bottle and mix it with one cup of warm water.  Shake it until the baking soda has dissolved.  

Add two tablespoons of ACV into the spray bottle and mix it with one cup of water, then shake.

Once you are in the shower, rinse your hair completely with just water.  Add the baking soda mixture to your scalp only.  It's really important to not put this on your ends, as it will dry them out.  You'll want to massage the baking soda mixture into your scalp, helping it to break up all the "gunk" that's been left on from products, pollution, etc.  The mixture should feel a little slimy and gritty, and it won't lather, which it weird because I love a good lather, but you will get used to it.

After you completely rinse the baking soda out of your hair, it's time to add the ACV.  I recommend only putting it on your ends, because it could end up making your scalp really greasy if not.  The ACV will moisturize your hair and restore your scalp's pH, which is very important if you want a healthy scalp.  I like to comb the ACV through my hair with a wet hairbrush (you can find one on Amazon).  These things are man's most amazing invention, and I highly suggest investing in one.  I leave my ACV on while I do my other shower things and then rinse it out.

I take my showers at night and let my hair air-dry.  I put lavender on my pillow every night, so I wake up with my hair smelling like lavender, plus a get a nice, peaceful sleep.  If you'd rather, you can put a few drops of essential oil in your hands and run it through your hair to add smell and shine.

I've read that using heat and a few products with this method are not going to mess it up, though I probably won't use any - mostly because I never used any to begin with.  I've only been no 'pooing for a eight days now, but I've been experiencing dry and brittle hair with greasy roots.  I'm not worried though, because this is to be expected.  For the first few weeks, it takes the hair some time to adjust and stop producing so much oil/get used to not having waxy conditioners.  After the first week, I am starting to develop habits and adjust my method so that it works best for my hair.  My friends and family all think I'm completely insane, but I am so excited to see how this is going to work out for me.

Supposedly once your hair has adjusted to no 'poo, you can go a week, maybe even two, in between washes.  Right now I'm going three days, which is one day more than I usually go with shampoo, but I'm hoping to increase that to four or five starting this week.  The great thing about going no 'poo is that there really isn't any right or wrong way to do it.  It's all based on your hair and what you feel comfortable doing.  So now that I've started, I'm definitely going to keep going and see how long this works - hopefully I'll be able to go months, even years, without ever missing my shampoo.  We'll see!

 Good luck ditching the suds!