Would you happen to have a blue shirt, black beard and mustache and a really annoying loud voice? You could make millions on TV
Would you happen to have a blue shirt, black beard and mustache and a really annoying loud voice? You could make millions on TV
Those that danced were thought mad by those who could not hear the music. George Carlin
One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post is shampoo/conditioner. I carry a 1oz bottle of my favorite 2in1.
No matter what the label says, Dr Bronners is NOT shampoo. I would rather use it as toothpaste than as shampoo! (though it is good for armpits and passable for laundry) No folding brush will save you from wirey, greasy hair.
If you plan to wash your hair in the woods, experiment with some of the natural biodegradable shampoos available at grocery and health stores. Use them at home first so you know how your hair will react.
If you plan to hit town for a real shower 1-2 times a week, carry your normal products or as abbreviated a kit as you can get away with. My local health store has 1oz empty shampoo bottles for about 25 cents each.
I have really curly hair too. when I hike I just keep it braided. Dry shampoo.
I am somewhat of a clean freak, so bathing of some sort will be part of my daily routine on the trail. When my hubby was in the hospital they gave him bottles of stuff to bathe with and another to wash his hair with. Neither required water and they did pretty well. The bottles are rather small, about 4 oz each and a little goes a long way. I'm going to take those. I've also seen these products at our local Good Neighbor Pharmacy. As for a comb, my hair is very short so combing with my fingers works well enough, but I'll probably still carry a small comb.
Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.
A few of my friends are planning on buzzing my head as a going away present the night before I leave. No hair = no problems.
I have curly hair that is mid-back length, I always wear it in a braid while hiking. At night I take it out, comb it and rebraid it. It's never been a problem. The feeling you get at a hostel or motel when you can finally wash it and feel it cascading over your shoulder and back, all clean and free - ahhhhhhhhhhh. I can't imagine cutting it off just for a hike!
Dunno if you are female or not, but "just cut it off" isn't a great answer for the ladies only forum. It would take at least 18 months for me to grow my hair back to a "reasonable" length, so buzzing it off for a section hike or even a through doesn't make sense. And those with longer hair could take 5+ years to get their hair back. I think it's worth the extra 2oz and a little work to keep your hair they way you like it.
Not a female, but I did have long hair, growing it out again. You actually do not need shampoo, as your scalp and hair are self cleaning. I just run moderately hot water through my hair for a minute or so while showering. Your hair will be greasy and nasty for about a week while it adjusts, but I have not used shampoo in years with no ill effects. Shampoo is actually really harsh, and the main ingredients are used as an industrial concrete and engine degreaser.
Hair short enough to have a ponytail a few inches long is easy to take care of. I had my head shaved in the Army, and short hair most of my life, but honestly, long hair isn't that much harder to take care of. I did my thru with shoulder length dreadlocks, and never had hygiene issues.
It's sodium laryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, those are the harsh degreasers in shampoo. If yours has it(most do), then it is probably pretty bad for your hair or scalp.
I hesitated a few days ago to post this, but now that someone else has I'll confess. I haven't used shampoo in more than 2 years. My daughters have SUPER curly hair and shampoo was drying it out and they had frizz like crazy. Found a website called Naturally Curly .com and found the NoPoo method. No Shampoo! We only use Suave Naturals Conditioner now and it is AMAZING how much better our hair looks and feels. Some days I don't even use the conditioner, just water.
Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.
My hair is also wavy. As I've aged though, it has become straight from the part to almost the top of my ears and it has become more coarse textured. Braiding has always worked best for me and a braid on each side or a single one down the back work equally well. I did hike with short hair once and just found it a pretty scary sight when first waking up in the morning. I'll stick with the braids the next time too. A very small vented brush worked best at getting the tangles out of my hair and the brush was easy to clean.
It'll grow back, shave it. =)
Hey, if you have gotten your body to adjust to not using the chemicals we have become reliant on, more power to you. I've had people call me "gross" for not showering daily, but as long as you don't smell funky whatever maintenance plan works for you is not anyone else's problem.
I usually use my hands to comb my hair. I have very frizzy hair and this method (while time consuming) seems to work well. If it's being dificult I find a dab of leave in conditioner works well before combing it. (I use lush products, but any will do.)
As for washing my hair. I don't really like to wash my hair because of it's natural dryness. I plan on using bar soap while on the trail and treating it afterwards with my conditioner. I only plan on really washing my hair before heading into a town to resupply.
I was also curious about this. I have shoulder length curly hair which I already only wash every 3-4 days and finger comb with water on the other days. I use Tate's Miracle Conditioner as a leave-in. I also use the Tate's for a facial moisturizer and shaving cream and after shave soothing cream (but I won't be shaving on my hike). I plan to bring a little bottle of the Tate's (maybe an ounce). So I can put my hair in a ponytail, and I think that's my best bet, but I was considering going shorter. I think I'd end up with crazy frizzy standing on end hair if I went much shorter.
Very interesting about the no shampoo thing. I'm gonna check that out. I was thinking I'd use Dr Bronners, but now not so sure. I could try rubbing my scalp with baby powder (a hairdresser told me to do that when my hair was styled straight and it got greasy because I didn't want to wash away the style yet). It worked okay. Made me look a little gray, but wasn't greasy anymore.
Just wait until you get to town and wash it. Towns are every 4 days roughly.
My hair is straight and fine and to my waist. I am a member of http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/. A wonderful hair site with info on growing your hair very long. Some these use the NoPoo method and some use water only (WO). Many, like me, use Suave Naturals shampoo and conditioner which has safer ingredients than some of the more expensive brands. I will probably take small bottles of that with me because my hair loves it. I also use a very wide tooth comb and will take one as well. I plan on wearing two braids on the trail and will comb it out at the end of the day and put it in one braid to sleep in.
Formerly known as Texas Phlox.