Friend Friday - Beauty the Natural Way

It's time for another Friend Friday post. And this week us ladies have been discussing a trend to do with going O'Natural. The media have recently discussed the idea that shampoo's, deodorants and soaps are bad for our skin and hair when used daily (I can hear my mother now tutting at the screen, saying what a lot of nonsense!) But there is a growing trend of people (and I'm not just talking hippies! but young professionals) who are abandoning the daily shower and hair washing rituals many of us have become accustomed too and showering a maximum of 3 times a week, some are even foregoing deodorants all together as the natural oils our body produces are good for the skin, plus there are a few scientific beliefs that the germs in the skin are helping the body to produce new antibodies.

The idea of daily shower became norm around the 70’s although washing more frequently had started to rise in the 40’s. It was originally for a time when people’s jobs were more labour intensive and our bodies naturally became dirtier. But we are in a time when our bodies are naturally at their cleanest yet we are washing the most. These articles from the New York Times and NPR will help explain a little more.

So onto our questions. As always Katy Rose set our questions and all the other ladies answers can be found here.

1. The move to do away with soap, shampoo and deodorant has been growing in popularity in the last year. What are your thoughts on this trend?
I was brought up as a shower daily person, and in my mothers case twice daily is even better if you plan to go out in the evening. I can understand why people are moving away from it though. If it is clearly unnecessary for some people then why do it, it is a waste of so many resources. I had a friend in school who only washed her hair once a week because it was so dry that shampooing more just caused it to break. I think if they are actively doing it then they shouldn’t be ashamed of it, if your doing it because your lazy, pull yourself together!!

2. Be honest how often do you wash your own hair?
Usually I will wash it daily but I will occasionally skip a day if I am doing nothing or going no where. My hair is dead straight naturally so once I have washed and straightened it, it will stay pretty tidy for the next day aswell. I think how much I wash it depends on how my hair is when I get up in the morning or what I have been doing. Occasionally when I sleep my fringe will do all manner of weird things and I will have to shower to get it back straight the next morning. But if my hair is tidy and not greasy then I will forego the wash. I do believe that washing it too much will just make it dry and brittle, but my hair gets greasy quite quickly.

3. Have you tried to go the more natural route by forgoing shampoo? What happened? Or would you be tempted to try it?
I haven’t tried going natural but I would definitely be willing to give it a go. I just worry that because my hair does get greasy after 2 or 3 days that I wouldn’t be happy to go any longer without washing it if I knew I was going out. Some people are using natural alternative a few times a week instead, like baking soda and vinegar, so I wouldn’t mind trying that either.

4. What products do you use and have you ever gone with more organic alternatives?
I use Head and Shoulder, TRESemme, Brilliant Brunettes and occasionally henna shampoos. Mainly because they are the brands that seem to keep my hair clean for the longest. The henna ones usually make my hair nice and glossy but they get very knotty, so I will only use them once every 2 weeks. And I only condition once every 2 weeks as I think it makes my hair greasier.
On the deodorant front I can only use one brand due to allergies to everything else. I use Palmolive’s Aromatherapy range as it’s the only brand that doesn’t make me sneeze. I have never tried any more natural alternatives but would be happy to give them a go.

5. What about that daily shower? Would you forgo that opting to shower three times a week instead?
I think I would happily forego the daily shower and often do! (My mother just keeled over in shame and despair, sorry mum!) I really don’t think it is necessary to shower everyday unless you are in a labour intensive job or in a job that requires high hygiene levels, like a hospital. Granted a pub requires me to be hygienic and it can be labour intensive but I will always shower the morning after I have worked (I work until 1am I am not likely to shower when I get in), but if I am off that day I probably won’t shower the next morning as I won’t have done anything to make me need to shower. Sometimes my body does get sweaty though even when I have done nothing, in which case I will jump in the shower but I probably won’t wash my hair just my body. It totally depends on what you are doing each day and what your body is like.

So ladies what are your thought? Are you a wash daily person? Why do you think this new trend is growing? Are you one of the people following this trend? Do you have any natural alternatives you could share?

Daisymay X