UPDATE: hygiene experiment

ok guys, i know its been over a month since i set in motion my hygiene experiment and i apologize it has taken me this long to get this update posted! here are the results of my experiment:

the facts

• i began july 11 and ended it july 25
• i ran the experiment for 2 weeks
• i did not use any soap on my body and did not use any shampoo or conditioner on my hair (washing hands was the only exception) for the entire two weeks
• i did end up using chapstick as that was a tough thing for me to kick :)
• i did not use any moisturizer on my face and body except for one time when my face felt particularly dry for which i used a small amount of coconut oil
• throughout this time, i continued to do things like go to the gym, do yoga, swim at the beach, soak in the hot tub

my experience / interpretation

even though i did not use any soap or shampoo, i did rinse off daily in the shower and felt just as refreshed as when i do not use soap. i never felt dirty or even smelly! (according to me and my husband haha) :) my hair's oiliness was something i wasnt used to at first, but i think because i expected it, it wasnt too bad and of course because i dont have to go in public all the time :) 

even so, when i did get faced with going out with oily hair, i was able to find a solution - thank goodness for pony tails! i kinda liked rockin the pony tail look :) i didnt feel like i looked weird with my hair that "oily" in fact, it made my hair nice and smooth, the way you WANT your hair to be smooth without using pomade - the waves in my hair looked awesome!

the oiliness of my hair wasnt icky, it was sort of waxy. to me, it didnt feel dirty especially after living with it for a while. the extra waxy-oily coating around my hair made it seem very thick too! in fact, my hair looked really healthy :) 

when i ended the experiment and washed my hair - i had to wash it several times!! LOL then my hair seemed so thin. when my hair dried, it seemed so dry in comparison! very interesting contrast. 

overall, i am happy i did the experiment. i know what happens when i dont use soap and shampoo everyday and realize now that its possible for me to go without it for several days. admittedly, i was excited to wash with soap and shampoo for the first time in 2 weeks :) i certainly like the feeling of being fresh and clean! and now, i realize i do not need to use soap and shampoo everyday to achieve that :) 

currently, i use soap almost everyday, but sometimes i go every other day and same with washing my hair. i only moisturize my face every few days or when i feel i need it. 

i am committed to using products that are good for my skin and safe for the environment - right now, we are using soap, shampoo and toothpaste from a company called Zion Health. their products all are based on using this mineral clay called kanwa clay. supposedly, the clay has great benefits for the body and balances your ph. so far, we like this product :)

as for moisturizer, i use coconut oil for my skin (face and body) every few days or when my skin needs it.

love and hugs!