# Coconut oil is still a cleanser without lye, right?



## xoticsoaps (May 31, 2014)

If I wanted to make a soap-free shampoo, then I should just be sure to include coconut oil in the recipe, right? Maybe with a drop or two of tea tree oil?


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## Seawolfe (May 31, 2014)

Uhm, ew. Really? I have no idea how you would rinse the greasy mess out without soap or detergent, not to mention the poor drains. 
I could see CO as a conditioner before shampooing maybe - but it would need to be scrubbed out with something to my tiny mind. 
The properties of fats before and after saponification are very different. If Im wrong I will be very intrigued, but I don't see how this could work...


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## Em522 (May 31, 2014)

I think you are correct Seawolfe. Coconut oil is commonly used as a deep conditioning treatment, and then washed out with a shampoo


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## Susie (May 31, 2014)

There is a new fad using coconut oil as a facial cleanser.  It supposedly removes makeup and helps with acne.  I am not saying whether it works or not because I have never tried it(and won't).  However, it does not seem to be dangerous in any way, unlike many fads in the past.  It will be interesting to see how long this fad lasts(sort of).

However, the difference in using something to cleanse your face and cleanse your hair is this:  You shed skin cells on a constant basis.  Your hair sticks around for about 7 years.  So, while hyper-oiled skin cells will be gone quickly, that oil soaked hair will be around a LONG time unless removed by some sort of soap or detergent.

Coconut oil is just oil.  Not a magical cleaning product.


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## lsg (May 31, 2014)

Most any oil will help remove makeup, the trouble is getting that oil to rinse cleaning off the skin.  I don't think much of the "no-poo" shampoos.


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## cmzaha (May 31, 2014)

I remember many years ago when using mayo and /or olive oil was popular for a hair conditioner, what a mess that makes. I had many come into my shop complaining they could not wash it out and expect me to, well I had to get out the strongest detergent based shampoo I had. If the hair was to bad I would have to use Tincture of Green Soap.


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## Seawolfe (May 31, 2014)

I can see using oils as skin cleansers - olive oil was commonly used by the ancient Romans, and then scrapped off with a strigil. If an oil works on your skin and doesn't cause breakouts, thats fine. But I've never heard of oil being used to clean hair.


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## Lindy (May 31, 2014)

Susie said:


> There is a new fad using coconut oil as a facial cleanser. It supposedly removes makeup and helps with acne. I am not saying whether it works or not because I have never tried it(and won't). However, it does not seem to be dangerous in any way, unlike many fads in the past. It will be interesting to see how long this fad lasts(sort of).
> 
> However, the difference in using something to cleanse your face and cleanse your hair is this: You shed skin cells on a constant basis. Your hair sticks around for about 7 years. So, while hyper-oiled skin cells will be gone quickly, that oil soaked hair will be around a LONG time unless removed by some sort of soap or detergent.
> 
> Coconut oil is just oil. Not a magical cleaning product.


 
 The coconut oil cleansing for the face is based on the oil cleansing method which has been around forever.  The basis of the theory is that oil cleans oil and it is a gentle way of cleaning your face.  You apply is warm, or at least that was how I used the other oil cleansing method, and then wipe it off taking the dirt and stuff off your face gently.

 As a shampoo there is no way on earth it would work....


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## seven (May 31, 2014)

coconut oil has been used for many generations in my country as a hair treatment. you put it on yer scalp and leave it overnight. you still gotta rinse it off tho... with a shampoo that is.

an old friend of my mom has been using this kind of treatment for years. out of all her friends, she has the most healthiest hair and so lil grey hair. i tried it once, but sleeping with a shower cap didn't suit me at all.


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## xoticsoaps (May 31, 2014)

Thanks for all of your responses. This was an inkling of an idea that struck me late last night after an exhaustive search on the net looking for shampoo that had what I wanted, but none of the things that I see as undesirables. I don't really like the idea of using soap/shampoo on my hair, due to the aftermath, and what my search turned up on using shampoo soap bars, does not make want to change my mind. But, maybe I just haven't found the right combo, yet. :???: (I have quite a few sensitivities and allergies + preferences.) Coconut oil, is pretty thick though. So maybe I'll just keep trying with other things and see where it gets me.


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## Susie (Jun 1, 2014)

My apologies guys.  I should know better than to assume that concepts new to me are really new.


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## DawninWA (Jun 2, 2014)

You don't have to use soap or shampoo on your hair.  You can use diluted baking soda, conditioner only, or just plain water.  Try googling no-poo, tons of stuff out there.  I've got a bad combination of sensitive scalp and easily-damaged hair, so I have tried them all (except plain water, I can't go that far). Baking soda and vinegar didn't work for me, neither did conditioner only.  I can't use anything coconut based.  I finally just made my own shampoo bars from lard and castor oil, I've just started using it, but so far it seems to be working well.  I want to try my olive oil soap too, but it's only been curing for a week.


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## Susie (Jun 2, 2014)

*"I have quite a few sensitivities and allergies + preferences."*

If you would share what those sensitivities, allergies, and preferences are, there are brilliant people here(not me) who could probably help steer you in the right direction.


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## jade-15 (Jun 2, 2014)

Also, have you looked at http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com.au/ ??
Heaps of information there on shampoos, conditioners and solid shampoo bars that may be of help.


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## xoticsoaps (Jun 3, 2014)

Susie said:


> *"I have quite a few sensitivities and allergies + preferences."*
> 
> If you would share what those sensitivities, allergies, and preferences are, there are brilliant people here(not me) who could probably help steer you in the right direction.




Well, I am allergic to: lilies (Aloe is in the lily family), grapes, and wheat.

I've had pretty bad reactions to citric acid in high concentrations too so I avoid citrus essential oils, but I am not allergic to citrus fruit.

I try my best to avoid: sulfates, as much mineral oil as I can, castor oil, parabens, lavender (I just don't like the smell), silicone, and hair products with more than 2-3 types of alcohol.

At the moment that is all I can think of right off the top of my head, but I think I may have found a pretty good solution, liquid castile shampoo! I know I have to do a vinegar rinse after using it, but I won't mind that at all if it works for my hair and scalp.


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## Dorymae (Jun 17, 2014)

My question is why would you want a soap free shampoo?  I understand not wanting a detergent shampoo but one with no cleansing qualities at all??? Why?  If you really want a soap free shampoo you could try the arrowroot powder for light hair or the cocoa powder for dark hair.  Sprinkle in and brush out well.....then brush again.


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## FGOriold (Jun 17, 2014)

There are a lot of people who use "cleansing conditioners" instead of traditional shampoo or liquid soap/shampoo.  These are supposed to be good for dry hair especially.  I actually have a few customers who use my conditioner bars (and one of the ingredients also acts as a mild surfactant) to cleanse their hair.  (Think Wen system)

Straight oil is usually used as a treatment for hair and scalp, not so much a cleanser especially if it does not include an emulsifier to make it easy to rinse out with water.


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## lady-of-4 (Jun 21, 2014)

High alkaline no poo methods are bad for the hair.  And using a vinegar rinse as a follow up makes its worse. A vinegar rinse alone is fine on your hair,  since the pH is closer to that of your skin and hair.  It's the alkaline aspect that makes this worse. 

http://blog.kanelstrand.com/2014/01/baking-soda-destroyed-my-hair.html?m=1


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