Saturday, September 20, 2008

Washing My Hair with Kefir and Kombucha

Since I had started washing my hair with Kefir Whey and Kombucha my hair has become noticeably thicker and shinier. I am almost 50 years old now, and prior to using the kefir and kombucha my hair had been starting to turn grey. My hair is now coming in healthy, shiny and back to it's original blonde color for the most part.

When I noticed that my hair was going back to my original color I was a bit embarrassed to tell anyone what I had noticed; because I was sure that people would think I was imagining things, so I said nothing. Ironically, within a day or so of my noticing this, someone in my kombucha group had noticed the same thing. Their experience was more evident than mine, because that person and their spouse's hair had changed from grey back to brown. I replied and shared my experience and so did others. So, I am not the only 'crazy' that says my hair has gone back to it's original color. Since that time, which has been at least a year ago now. Several people have commented on my hair. The ones who knew that my hair had been thin my whole life ... and that my hair had become dry, brittle and dull as I had become older have been even more shocked.

So, now are you wondering what I do to wash my hair? First of all, I haven't been able to go totally soapless on the hair yet. Though, I use so very little shampoo, that one large bottle of shampoo with essential oils lasts me forever ... I mean, FOREVER! I tried the "no poo" method with Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar. It was too drying for my hair. Though, I must mention that it does work very well for others.

Here is what I do: I soak my hair in the kombucha at least once a week. I also soak my hair in kefir at least once a week. When my hair needs washing between those times I use a pinch a good quality herbal shampoo with essential oils ONLY on my roots. As I rinse the shampoo out (rinsing it out very well!) the shampoo water runs down the remainder of my hair, though I don't intentionally 'wash' the rest of my hair or ends.

I used to pretty much just take a handful of shampoo and slap it on my wet hair/head and sort of scrub my hair around until it looked like a nest (which is the common practice of most), then rinse it out; followed by conditioner. My poor hair certainly needed the conditioner after that horrible abuse!

I no longer use conditioners or hair sprays. Thankfully, I don't need them anymore. Being that my hair used to be so thin, it used to quickly become oily. This is no longer the case. Now, I use a little bit of pure coconut oil in my hair after washing. It works great! Every once in a while I mix up some coconut oil and lanolin and use it on the tips of my hair.

Let me warn you! If you wash your hair too often in kombucha, your head will smell like vinegar when you sweat. That happened to me once. Not good! Which also reminds me, if you are a person who likes your hair to smell good you can do what I do. When you add the coconut oil to your hair add a drop of geranium oil, or any other essential oil that is safe for your skin. Your hair will smell great and look shiny. It also holds up well to humidity. I live in New Orleans, the capital of humidity, and my hair holds up great.

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Barbara,
I'm making and drinking kombucha too! And I'm 50, and have been putting it on my scalp and hair for the last 2 months. My daughter, just today, mentioned how incredibly blonde my hair is again. It was grey in January - I have the pictures.
I hope it's not just summer sun. We
ll see!
Do you mind if I put your article on my blog - taichibozeman/rawfoodblog?
Thanks,
Dorothy

Elena said...

I have been eating/drinking kefir for about 4 years and just recently learned that you can use whey for washing hair, although I personally haven't tried it. I am a teacher who has one student, a 7th grader who has muscular dystrophy. She has dandruff and no type of shampoo helps. I would like to give her my extra whey but, logistically, how would I instruct her mom to wash her hair with it? The child is completely disabled. Please advise.
Thanks.
Elena

Anonymous said...

I found your blog when I was searching for how to use kombucha to combat gray hair. I'm very interested in how much kombucha you use on your hair and how long you let it stay on it as well as the calculations of how much you use for Kefir.

Unknown said...

Hi Barbara, I'm using a 1/2 c. kombucha in my henna every 8 weeks or so. And I use it as a rinse, just pour some over my hair after I shampoo.
I don't use kombucha in kefir. I actually only make seed/nut yogurt, and I use one Tablespoon of Rejuvelac to make that!
Have fun!
Dorothy

JHart said...

Hi! I'm just wondering how things are going with your grey hair? I am interested in using kombucha to reverse my recent greying. Thanks!

barbara lovas said...

Hi JHart,

My hair has gone through stages. It has always been very very light blonde and thin. After I aged (40s) it became a dull dirty blonde with a mix of grey chunks starting... then a white streak started to develop towards the front right side of my head. When I started with kombucha and kefir it changed my dull dirty blonde(with grey chunks) to the shiny yellow blonde, then the white streak started to fill in with more yellow blonde and became much thicker ... and then began to grow fast for the first time in my life. Right now my hair is all shiny blonde, with a few white and grey hairs here and there. For the most part it looks like the same color as when I was young (except with a pinch of white and greys if u look very close). People always stop me tell me my hair is beautiful and ask me what I do to keep it so beautiful. They also ask tell me they cannot help but ask if I color it or who does my hair. So, I would say the kefir and kombucha are working very well. Barbara:)

Peace & Love said...

Hi Barbara, thank you for sharing your success story.
Would you mind sharing the steps which you use in soaking your hair in the kombucha. Do you buy it ready made or make it yourself? Also, how long do you soak your hair in it(details would be greatly appreciated).
Thank you.

Natural_Mane_Dame said...

thank you Barbara for posting this information. I also use henna and am a few years shy of 50 but started experiencing gray hairs right in the forehead/temple area. I'm inspired to try this and will post back results.

cdeato said...

Are you drinking kefir and kombucha or just using as a rinse? And do you leave the kombucha in and let it dryor rinse it out?

heidi said...

I'd love to hear the method from Barbara that others are asking too. I'm 35 and about 50% grey, I've made peace w my grey, not dying it, but if I can reverse it naturally I'm good w that too, I've been rinsing w half booch half filtered water for 2 weeks now, don't notice anything yet but my ght b because I have so much. But I'm wondering if I shouldn't b watering down, and also rinsing it out?? Please tell.- Heidi

Unknown said...

Hi Cdeato and Heidi,

I drink the kefir (milk and water) and wash with it full strength. I do rinse it out, but sometimes I leave it in for a long time and let it soak into my scalp. I use coconut oil as to condition it if needed.

Barbara:)

consecrated2god4ever said...

Is it safe to drink keifer if rested in fridge? "It is very bitter but I put it in my smoothies. Does anyone use it on their cats or dogs? How safe is it to eat the grains? How much h does it cost for water keifer grains? Does anyone sell them. Thank you so very much. Liz

Unknown said...

You can generally consider it safe if there's no mold. The fride is a good place to slow down the fermentation.. You can buy the grains at a health food store sometimes?

iownfrodo said...

I'm going to try the kefir whey in my hair.
Regarding kefir in the fridge, this is my preferred method to make it. Less yeast.
Where to get the grains? I bought mine on Amazon. I paid too much for them, but I could not find them anywhere else and got them, a HUGE mistake, from Fusion Teas. Do not get their grains. There is also a lady with an Etsy shop that sells grains and she has excellent reviews her name is MrMrsKefir. I suggest looking there. I paid $20 with Fusion Teas, which was a rip off, and the grains were so yeasty it took me two weeks to get them to back to kefir dominant. $10 is a normal price.
Water grains are nothing but milk grains use with sugar. Once you've used milk grains to make into water grains you cannot change them back to milk grains, so just know that.

Unknown said...

hi I am loving these comments :) my son and I both have psoriasis and I have stomach issues we have been drinking milk kefir for just over 9 weeks now and I have to say the improvement in our skin and my stomach is mind boggling and it can only get better :) xx I love making and drinking kefir so much that I have my whole family (even pets) on it. I have never thought about using kefir on greys, I haven't any experience with kombucha, is it any more complicated than kefir? and will I be getting any hair benefits from just drinking it? xx also I've heard that water kefir can put weight on you does anyone know if this is true? xx

thank you for all your great advice and inspirational stories :) xx

Cosmic truth seeker said...

Hi Barbara how do you obtain the kefir whey for your weekly rinse? Do you make cheese weekly or do you pour out whey from the top of yogurt? I want to make kefir for drinking but my understanding is that whey is not separated; whey only separates for yogurt or cheese. I am new to all of this. Someone asked if you make your own kombucha

Christy said...

I have made Kefir before and drank it, but what is Kefir Whey?

Unknown said...

Kefir whey is the liquid left over after milk cultures.

Christy said...

So, If I just let the raw milk get sour, it then separates. There is the milky substance that goes to the top and the clear substance at the bottom. What is each of these called?

Christy said...

When I make cottage cheese, the milk separates into curds and whey. I have used the whey from that for my hair. I have noticed that my hair doesn't get as greasy as fast. I used to have to wash my hair about every 3 days because of the greasy look. Now, it doesn't get greasy until 2 to 3 weeks after I wash my hair. Since I came across this site, now I wait for the milk to separate, and then I use that for my hair.

Unknown said...

Awesome!