experiments in hygiene

I'm just going to come out and tell you, disgusting as it may seem: I've stopped shampooing my hair.

Now, I've heard from several people over the years that once you stop with the detergents, your relationship with your hair changes dramatically --for the better. And I almost, but not quite, a believer.

First of all, things with my hair have never been all that great. It's dishwater blonde and wholly unruly. It annoys me by tickling my face, and it resists all attempts at management and defies both gravity and all haircare products, regardless of their proposed strength or the volume in which I apply them. It's so bad, in fact, that I have come to suspect that I have (gasp) my father's hair.

My father has had the same hairstyle for going on 50 years. I know this because I have a photograph of him and my mother on their wedding day in 1952. And there he is, black hair, albeit more of it (sorry, dad, I couldn't resist), and it's combed back straight from his forehead and held in place with a generous dollop of Brill Cream.

Perhaps you've heard the jingle:
Brill Cream, just a dab will do you
Brill Cream, you'll look so debonair
Brill Cream, all the girls will come right to ya
Just put a dab of Brill Cream in your hair

I'm told by my mother that my dad's hair is actually rather curly.

Anyway, it's Day 6 and I'm still on track. Which isn't to say I do nothing with my hair and it's sitting in an oily mass on top of my head. That would be almost, but not quite, the truth. The truth is I still wash it with hot water and conditioner, and scrub the living be-jesus out of my scalp. I also tousle it with a towel when necessary. And this morning I broke down and conducted some strategic passes with a small bottle of baby powder.

Weirdly, it's holding a style for the first time in my life. And I am not that young. I like to think that my locks have just been infused with a sort of Judy lanolin that softens it and keeps in miraculously in place. It's quite remarkable. I can push it away from my face and it stays there. I've also noticed that it's faster to dry, which is a big plus since I swim.

I'll give an update in a few more days. I'm wondering if there's a middle ground. But what I've been told (by a european) is that you have to go whole hog, cold turkey on the detergents until your scalp quits producing so much oil. I was also informed that the first two weeks are the hardest, and then it gets much easier. We'll see about that.