If your scalp has started to feel rough, oily or layered with build-up, it’s time to take a look at your hair products. Just like the rest of your skin, your scalp has oil glands and a unique microbiome that needs tending. Luckily, instead of buying a clarifying shampoo, you can opt for a homemade concoction created with ingredients from your pantry!
Mindbodygreen details a deep-cleaning DIY mix that can zap the impurities on your scalp in no time, leaving you with glossy, healthy strands. By combining baking soda and water to create a clarifying mix, you’ll have a powerful mask to use for deep-cleaning occasions. The outlet notes its exfoliating properties that renew the scalp and deeply clean your pores to reveal a clarified scalp — although most evidence is anecdotal.
But, these baking soda shampoos should only touch your head when you need a specific, intense treatment. The powder is extremely alkaline and can leave your hair feeling dry or brittle after use — especially when used too frequently. Since this mixture can be rather intense, you should only apply the treatment if you’re suffering from excess oil or build-up underneath your strands.
Don't use baking soda too frequently
Even though many people swear by baking soda treatments to keep their mane shiny and strong, it’s important to remember the powder’s drying effects. According to Healthline, baking soda’s abrasive effects can cause dryness and, when used repeatedly, dandruff.
When using your baking soda shampoo, start by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons of the powder with 6 to 9 tablespoons of lukewarm water, Mindbodygreen recommends. This will create enough to cover shoulder-length hair. After you wet your hair in the shower, apply to your strands and massage it into your scalp. Let the mixture sit for up to three minutes and rinse thoroughly. Since the substance is incredibly basic, it’s important to balance out the treatment by finishing with apple cider vinegar to close the cuticle.
“Apple cider vinegar will help seal the hair cuticle to defrizz hair and give it shine,” Kate Denniston, ND reveals to the outlet. “[It] will also rebalance the scalp’s pH after using baking soda, helping the scalp stay moisturized and protected.”
By using these pantry staples sparingly, you can help clear your scalp, balance your skin’s pH and leave your strands silky smooth. Just make sure to spot test your mixture and use your baking soda shampoo only on occasion for best results.
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