Baking soda is not only your average kitchen stuff. Many studies, beauty tips and experiments have shown the benefits of this sodium bicarbonate. But as a medicine cannot heal every disease, baking soda is not a magical formula that appropriate to all of your beauty problem, it is not the right solution for every beauty treatment, especially your hair.
Many people use baking soda as the main ingredient of “no-poo” hair treatment. “No-poo” is taken from “no shampoo”, which means you wash your hair without shampoo, and replace the shampoo with another ingredient. Some people are going well with this “no-poo” treatment using baking soda, but the others notice that this sodium bicarbonate damage their hair. And the ones with colored hair complain that it change their hair color. Is that true?
Let’s find the answer one by one.
Does Baking Soda Damage Hair?
There are some reasons why baking soda may bring more harms than good on your hair :
- Basically, our hair and scalp have a pH balance, it is between 4.5 to 5.5. On the other hand, when baking soda is only combined with water (like what is done in “no-poo” treatment), the pH will be 9. For your information, anything between 7.1 and 14 is alkaline, and it means that the combination of baking soda and water is alkaline.
What is the effect of using any alkaline product on your hair?
A healthy, long, strong and well-moisturized hair only can be had if your hair cuticle (the outermost layer of hair) is closed. Alkaline will open these hair cuticles and damage it. It is true that to close the cuticles, people who do “no-pooing” are suggested to use ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) after apply the baking soda, and it works. ACV also neutralizes the pH back to its normal level. But using both of them regularly make the pH level of your hair always be like a roller coaster. It causes your hair cuticles are “opened and closed” all of the time, and it will damage your hair over time.
Those are facts, but many people who feel that the “no-poo” treatment using baking soda works well on their hair may disagree. It is important to be noted, that others who feel like the no-poo using baking soda is a failure need some years to notice the hair damage it brings. At first, baking soda has amazing effects on your hair, but it is turning bad over time. That’s why one of the reason baking soda damages your hair also caused by using it too often and for long term.
- The other reason why baking soda is bad for hair is : it strips your hair natural oil. That’s why people are recommended to use conditioner in order to moisturized their hair after wash it with baking soda. But again, this “damage and repair” treatment may damage your hair over time.
Does Baking Soda Change Hair Color?
This question is also interesting, and the answer is : Yes, baking soda does change hair color. In case negative or positive depends on the reason you use it.
Baking soda is a natural cleaning product, that’s why it is often used as a natural hair color remover. So if you are using baking soda in order to remove the unwanted hair color (or you want to change the color again), it may be a good solution for you. Your hair color does not change immediately once you use it , but after several times, often time you will see the result after do it for a few days regularly. If you are going to use this method, make sure that you apply VCR and hair conditioner after using baking soda to your hair. It is to make your hair back to its pH balance and to be moisturized again.
The problem is when you are using baking soda not for that purpose. You may like your colored hair and want to keep it lasts longer, and you only use baking soda for other purpose like “no-pooing” your hair. If that is the case, using baking soda will be bad for your colored hair, since it will strip your hair color over time.
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