YOU SHOULD FEEL MY HAIR!!!! ah ha ha ha ha

I have forgotten how good it feels to have clean hair.

I have made it a goal in the last couple of years to do things more naturally.  It all started when I discovered some food sensitivities and explored recipes that were more friendly to my GI system.  I discovered that a lot of the people sharing these recipes were also advocating all natural and chemical free products for the home and body.  Naturally, (ha ha, no pun intended) I began to think "well if it's not a good idea to put it IN my body why would I put it ON my body."  I realized that I could make a lot of things and feel better about what I was using.  And in in a lot of cases I was saving money by not purchasing all of the products I had to before.  My husband feared that I had become "one of those people."  Do you know "those people?"  You know, the ones who boycott GMO's and advocate for singing to your grass fed chickens while you snack on kale chips and sun butter stuffed dates that taste "just like a Snickers bar?" 

My first big change was making my own body butter.  It was a great feeling to create something so useful and feel like I was doing something better for my body.  I learned how to make cough syrup, elderberry syrup and remedies for headaches and tummy aches using my essential oils.  Then I delved into a spider spray, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, deodorant, and lastly shampoo.

And that brings me to my hair...  I really wanted the shampoo to work.  It HAS to work (think Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail, "She HHHHAAASSSS to BE!"  If I'm this "1 in 500 people gets this disorder" kind of person then I HAVE to do all things natural.  What if I can prevent something terrible by making my own toothpaste?!!  (Toothpaste was the next item on the list).

The truth is, I started to stink.....  Literally smelling like I hadn't washed my clothes or worst had washed them and let them sit all wet for days and then dried them and wore them.  I don't want to stink.  About 4 or 5 months ago I thought I discovered the culprit.  I eliminated cocoa butter from my body butter recipe and it seemed to help.  No more stinky clothes for the most part thanks to the homemade laundry detergent I started using.

It helped and I thought I was home free.  But yesterday I smelled it again and decided enough was enough.  I was 30 days into my shampoo au natural and beginning to be more uncomfortable with my oily, gross to the touch hair.  On top of that I decided I had spent enough time trying to trouble shoot this lotion issue.  No mo homemade body butter or shampoo.  I was going shopping!

It feels ridiculous to admit that even 7 1/2 hours after showering and washing my hair I am still noticing how clean it feels and enjoying the way it feels and smells again.  No more vinegar smell.  No more "oh right, I feel better if I just don't touch my hair and pretend it awesome because I used honey and water or clay or castile soap....it'll adjust soon and feel awesome.  I'll show those sulfate, paraben filled shampoos!" :) 

So why am I writing this?  When I started this blog it was pretty clear that I was just sharing the sweet things I noticed God doing in my life.  I hadn't planned to go on and on about why I think it's better to make your own toiletries.  I am (I think) a fairly normal 30 something "young" woman who has struggled with the balance between being healthy and natural and sane.  But here's the thing....God made each one of us and a whole lot of things that are wonderful remedies and "products" for our health and well being.  And if it's dangerous to be legalistic about some issues it's certainly dangerous to be legalistic and overbearing in this area.  You SHOULD care about your health and what you put on and in your body.  Be a good steward of the body God gave you cuz it's all you get till heaven, if that's where you are headed.  But don't stress about it.  When you realize you are feeling angst because you just can't figure out how to lower the grease factor while upping the moisturizing effect and really hoping you are not stinking when you give someone a hug because you are doing all this because you don't want to give yourself cancer......you know something needs to be re-evaluated.  But I won't judge you if choose to eat wheat and buy that shampoo you love because it makes your hair smell like the sweetest joy a person could smell.  I WILL continue to enjoy many other homemade ventures that are successful for me and not begrudge myself for giving up on the failures.  It is fun for me to try.  Sort of a hobby that can turn tortuous to my spirit if I don't include the Lord in it all and ask for His help to be level headed.

Ironically, this all comes about when I've had more tummy troubles and you know what helps me feel the best?  Healthy eating habits, exercising and surrendering the care of my body to the Lord who made me and helps me to relinquish control.  He reminds me that it is most important that I am walking with Him and including Him in this journey.  He is first and best and in my opinion we won't be obsessing about what we eat and put on our bodies in heaven so we probably shouldn't be doing that down here while we get ready to go there ;)  Sometimes illnesses can make that hard because we have to deal with them but THANK THE LORD there is grace and help for those times.

And seriously, does anyone believe that a date stuffed with nut butter tastes just like a Snickers?  I might actually try this but I don't have my hopes up too high.  :)

I'm going to go read my Bible....phew!

P.S. My husband just texted me in response to me spaz texting him pictures of my hair and going on and on about how clean it was and his reply was, "Yaaaay for FDA approved products!!!!"  He helps to keep me sane.  Thank you honey.