Dr. Bronners Castile Shampoo is making my hair dry!!

[lil'paw]

Hi ladies,

I have been using Dr. Bronner's Castile shampoos for about a year now
and find them to be a bit drying to my color treated 4a/4b natural hair.
The ingredients say they are 100% natural, but something is definitely wrong.
Has anyone else had this experience

 

[mkstar826]

"Castile soap has a very high alkalinity level, measured at about 9. pH of skin and hair has a slightly acidic pH level known to be about 5 to 6. Due to the high pH level, liquid castile soap is usually not recommended for washing hair by soapmakers who market it, because it is not pH-balanced and it may cause hair to become dry." - from wikipedia

Dr. Bronners is very concentrated. are you diluting it in water before applying it to your hair? also you have to remember, just because something is natural doesn't mean it's any gentler than something synthetic. It just means it's free of chemicals.

eta: I've used Dr. Bronners on my hair and it wasn't overly drying but it did make my hair feel coated. I use it on my skin (but VERY VERY diluted) without any problems

 

[lil'paw]

Thanks for that info. I have been using it full strength, I didn't know I was supposed to dilute it. I think it would be a good clarifying shampoo though, it definitely removes the build-up. Anyway, I should be receiving my Egyptian Wheatgrass Cleansing Tea from Qhemet Biologics any day now...I hope it works out better.

 

[ayoung]

I used Dr. Bronners when natural and relaxed and I agree w/ melanizm---dilute, dilute, dilute

 

[chayil0427]

I wopuldn't use this poo for a regular shampoo ... only for clarifying. It's much too hard and doens't have the proper pH as was mentioned to be a regular poo.

I'd get a moisturizing poo like Kera Care, Mizani, or Nexxus and follow up with a deep moisturizing conditioner treatment.

Chayil

 

[lil'paw]

Thank's ladies!!

 

[jtsupanova]

If you dilute it do you lower the PH level?

 

[locfreeme]

I use the baby soap on my daughters' hair and it works well. Doesn't seem drying to me. I dilute it at approximately one part soap to four parts water.

 

[meverllyn1]

I tried Dr.Bonner, and it made my hair dry too. I didn't know that you should rinse with apple cider vinegar. Vinegar bring the ph level down, it is very acid.

 

[Africanfruit]

how much vinegar
or an estimated ratio
thanks

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Ooh, I used it full strength the first time I used it too and that stuff can be super harsh. Now that I dilute it, it is perfect.

 

[Sondice]

Yep, I've been using it since March, and I noticed it was a tad drying, even after diluting and even adding oils. I'm gonna swich over to using Ayurvedic herbs to clean my hair every week, and used the castile soap once a month until its done. Lol I hate throwing away products. Or maybe I can use it to clean with...

 

[goodmorningruby]

Yep, I've been using it since March, and I noticed it was a tad drying, even after diluting and even adding oils. I'm gonna swich over to using Ayurvedic herbs to clean my hair every week, and used the castile soap once a month until its done. Lol I hate throwing away products. Or maybe I can use it to clean with...

If you're into make-up, you can use it to clean make-up brushes. This is what I do with cleansing products that my hair hates.

 

[blksndrlla]

I mix mine with EVOO and distilled water....it comes out GREAT! I use Traycee's recipe.

 

[Phoenix14]

I do a pre-poo with oil and then use it heavily diluted and its working well thus far

 

[lucea]

I prepoo with oils, dilute it 50/50 with water and put some conditioner in the with it. It works well this way. The conditioner I use is Jane Carter Solution Nutrient Replenshing Conditioner. HTH.

 

[mscocoface]

Someone on this site or at least use to be had a great recipe for using this.

I forget who it was, she has a video for it to:

Homemade Shampoo with Bonners

2 oz of oil
2 oz of Bonners Soap
7-8 oz of distilled water or bottled water
One plastic container

Mix all of these items into one container and use as your shampoo.

 

[Natural Hair Stylist]

I love dr bronners! It is my fave thing to wash my hair with. Add oil to it and you are good to go. About 50/50.

 

[Roux]

I watched a Kimmaytube video about it when she was using PH strips to test it and even with TWO DROPS of soap in about 8 oz of water it was still very high in PH. I would stop using it if it's still drying out your hair.