Freedom from Coconut

     Have you heard of using Shikakai powder for shampoo? If you're from India, you may be familiar and have used it. It's the dried fruit pods of the native plant Acacia concinna. It does work well for a shampoo. However, it is definitely NOT a tearless shampoo.     To make the shampoo, take a scoop (about a tablespoon) of the shikakai powder and brew a good cup of hair tea. You can add in other good for the hair herbs such as; cinnamon, clove, rosemary, hibiscus and marshmallow into your tea brew.     To use, dump all over your scalp, massage and rinse. Or my preferred method, place the hair tea in a pan or plugged up sink with some warm water. Lean forward, dipping your head over the pan or sink. With a cup, ladle it over your hair, massage, and repeat as much as you wish. Then rinse when done. The second method helps me keep this hair tea out of my eyes, which is why I prefer it.     I've used the shikakai hair tea quite a ...

     The Zevi products, found at ecozevi.com, are great! I have primarily used the marshmallow shampoo and conditioner, and have also tried the marshmallow hair pudding. I have had the privilege to try out a number of her other shampoos and conditioners.       She carries other products besides hair care; such as butters and face cleansers. She is also very transparent about where the derivatives are sourced from. Thus, one can have more confidence that the products really are safe for us to use.     Customer service is also very good here. On my last purchase, I'd qualified for the free item. I wrote in the order's comments that I'm allergic to coconut and if the item isn't safe for me, please switch it out for some safe shampoo or conditioner. Surprise me. And that's exactly what she did!     I have only needed to use an apple cider vinegar rinse once in a while when using her products. I personally don't like doing this...

       Let's chat! So, we are allergic to coconut. End of the story. Umm, not quite true for a lot of people that deal with allergies.      Cross reactivity is when you are allergic to one thing and then your body mistakes something else, as if it's the allergen, and reacts to it. Over time, the body may make that mistaken item into a "true" IgE allergy, may keep it as a cross or sensitivity allergy, or even figure out that it ain't the allergen and stop reacting to it (and then may randomly react because it forgot, LOL).      Cross reactions for coconut are: Latex, Avocado, Palm, Bananas, Shea, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Babassu, Buckwheat Hulls (not the eating buckwheat), Soapnuts        Latex, avocado, and palm are all very common crosses for a coconut allergy. Shea and banana seem to be not as common, and the rest fall somewhere down the line. That is based on the research I was seeing on it. This lit...

    Today, we'll get the second shampoo. This one I'd heard someone else suggesting and thought, no way and you've got to be kidding me. I react to pretty much all the S derivative category and this has more than one in it.     Eve St. Claire ~ Jasmine Dragon Fruit scented shampoo, which is sold at Dollar Tree. One can't contact the company to see if it's safe. I decided to take a chance and try the shampoo, along with the conditioner. No adverse reactions! A bit drying or stripping for my hair. I'm not sure which it might be called. After using it quite a number of times, still no reaction, just flared up my one dander spot. It's terrific in a pinch or for someone that needs that kind of shampoo!     Hmm... Ok, let's brake this shampoo down. The product is made in Canada. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate can come from coconut, palm, etcetera oil or petroleum. Petroleum derived is normally the cheapest form and more stable. At least, that's what I under...