Baking soda + Shampoo = Ammonia Smell?

[MsLizziA]

So i decided to clarify my hair today with shampoo and baking soda. I don't think i will be doing this again because as i was doing my hair, it started to smell like ammonia..

I am very paranoid when i comes to my hair. Has anyone ever experienced this? Please let me know cuz im not doing this again. It really smelled like chemicals in my hair.

 

[butter_pecan]

I thought you were supposed to apply baking soda to the roots only separately -- without shampoo, condish or product -- and then rinse out? At least that's what I think.

 

[melissa-bee]

Baking soda alone can clarify your hair. You don't need to mix it with anything.

 

[Tickin4Gold]

I've experienced this but only when I use the Vo5 Extra body volumizing shampoo. Which is why I almost never buy it. I find that the baking soda works better and smells better with the vo5 moisturizing shampoos. I get no wierd smells if I stay away from that disgusting volumizing shampoo.

 

[CORBINS]

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS!!!!!!???

I washed my daughter's hair the other day and all of a sudden, WHAM! A funky ammonia smell hit me in my face! I thought our cat peed somewhere! I'm so glad you posted this because I thought I was losing my mind!

 

[DivineNapps1728]

I experienced this once & I immediately tossed the entire bottle of shampoo; I'd put the mixture on my hair before I noticed the smell & I freaked out because it started to burn. It's obvious that some type of chemical reaction started...I will NEVER do that again!!!

 

[MsLizziA]

so im just gonna assume mixing these 2 are not a good idea

 

[iprocrz108]

The same thing happened to me when I mixed Miss Jessie's Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo with baking soda. I guess the mixture of baking soda and one or more ingredients in the shampoos causes the smell or the creation of straight up ammonia!

Needless to say, I never mixed the two again but I also did not repurchase the shampoo because it didn't do much for me alone. Thank you OP for bringing up your experience with the combination because I thought it was isolated.

 

[ThickHair]

Yes, use them seperately.

 

[tnorenberg]

I only mix baking soda with conditioner or use it alone to clarify. HTH

 

[Sasha299]

I would only use baking soda by itself. There is a chemical reaction that can take place with other ingredients that I don't want to investigate.