More on Shampoo, and yes, I have shampoo

If you've stuck with me for a while, then you may remember my whole shampoo issue from last year. The latest installment being here. The TL;DR version is that waaay back in April, I noticed I was running low on shampoo, and decided to share my semi-neurotic decision making process with all of you. Just deal, and spend our meager funds on other necessities? Go ahead and try the product I had wanted to for a while, knowing that it would last me for good amount of time? Break open all those hotel shampoos I had hoarded up?

As you know from the above linked post, moving, a broken water heater, and shake-up of my routine all contributed to a reduction in my normal shampooing, drastically reducing my need for shampoo. Or at least the amount of shampoo which I need. At this point, I'm shampooing about 2, up to 3, times a week. The third time is usually if I manage to get off my behind and actually go to the gym or do my TV yoga (that could be a fun post, huh?).

Currently, I'm using an Aubrey Organics shampoo, no conditioner. The ingredient list is a little long, but certainly not the worst I've seen, and I like what ingredients are listed. It is on the upper threshold of pricey for me, but considering I don't even remember when I bought this bottle... August or July, maybe... and I'm still using it, I think it is ok.

In general and in theory, I did like the JR Liggett's bar shampoo. However, I don't know if I did not give myself enough of a transition time, or if my hair simply didn't care for it. The reality of my hair with the shampoo bar was less nice than it has been with my current, liquid shampoo. Not terrible, just lackluster. I still hold out hope of finding a shampoo bar that my hair and scalp like.

Aren't you thrilled to be kept apprised of my shampoo adventures? What methods of cleaning your scalp do you use?

Shampoo Crisis Voided

That little bit of shampoo stretched out for quite a while. My husband got his own, and I was able to search through my collection of previous shampoos to keep from running out completely.

Then we moved. Then the water heater stopped working. (Right about the time I finally used the last of my shampoo.) Through a series of frustrating events, we weren't able to have the repair guy come out for about a week and a half to two weeks. (Yes, we had tried to re-light the pilot, but it wouldn't take because of a burnt out part!) With my hair washing schedule thrown into the mix, there was a good long stretch (at least a week), where I didn't wash my hair.

Things I did try while waiting for the water heater to come back to life: a cold shower (I chickened out), bar soap (gift) while washing my hair under a faucet, and scarves wrapped around my head.

In the middle of the Great Water Heater Disaster of 2010, I had a wedding to go to. Luckily for us, my uncle lives close, and we used his shower the night before the wedding. Also lucky for us, there was a block of hotel rooms rented for the wedding, with one standing open, so we could use that and its hot water.

With no hot water, I wasn't really washing my hair, and when I did, I was using the above mentioned bar soap (which had been a gift, and I'm reasonably sure didn't have too many bad things in it). When the water heater was fixed, I needed shampoo. So back to the drawing/research board. I settled on the J.R. Liggett shampoo bar, mainly because I knew I could find it in at least one area store, and had read good reviews about it. Oh, and the lack of sulfates was a big plus. I've been using this bar for a week or two now, and so far, so good.

There you have it. Because I know you were on pins and needles, waiting to find out about my shampoo and hot water situations.

Shampoo Crisis Denouement

Back in April, I declared that I was running out of shampoo. And I was. I started writing a follow up post a few times, to chronicle what was going on, each time a little surprised at how long the shampoo that was so near to running out was lasting.

About a week after the above mentioned post, I started a follow up post (that never was posted). In it I mentioned that my shower schedule had been up-ended, but in a desire to avoid using up the precious commodity and not to wash my hair more than once in a 24 hour period, I did things like water-only and conditioner-only. Water-only being a method where you scrub your scalp as you normally would, simply sans soap. Conditioner-only is where you scrub your scalp as you normally would, using conditioner only.

Things that helped me get by with this (as there is an adjustment period, where your scalp is used to a certain schedule and amount of oil-strippage due to washing and has to...adjust to the new regime) were: (1) the weekend and not worrying about it, (2) buns gather hair together, and tuck the drier ends next to the oiler scalp, helping the oils distribute naturally, (3) these methods do scrub the scalp of sebum build up.

That was about one week, stretching my shampoo supply well into May.

The first shampoo crisis of 2010.

I'm running out of shampoo. (This is, of course, the crisis to which my post's title refers.)

Oddly enough, I still have plenty of conditioner (I generally use more conditioner than shampoo).

My husband ran out of shampoo a few days ago.

I try to buy natural shampoo, avoiding some ingredients. My husband doesn't have the same level of craziness about it all as I do, so he tends to get whatever is on sale and try it out. He wasn't very happy with his last purchase.

Even though shampoo is something I buy on a fairly regular basis, each time, I find myself confronting the same dilemma: How do I balance my desire/need to avoid certain things, while getting a shampoo that is natural and my scalp and hair will actually like, and the necessity of staying on budget.

I could take this opportunity to try out various no-poo alternatives (conditioner-only, or a baking soda wash).

I could ransack the horde of hotel toiletries I've stockpiled. (Ok, it isn't that bad. All the mini shampoos, conditioners and shower gels fit into one zip-top bag. They are very handy when you oops-run-out of soap or shampoo, or when you are traveling.)

I could price shop the various natural options I have here in town (somewhat unlikely due to being a one-car family).

Not sure what I'll do yet. I do have a few more shampoos left in the bottle. After that, we'll see!

If you were in my shoes, what would you do?