The Science of Black Hair by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy argues that baking soda is generally too abrasive to be used as a regular shampoo for natural black hair.
If you have thin hair fibres, I wouldn't go near it. However, if you have thick hair and lots of build up a baking soda shampoo rinse may be just the perfect solution for you instead of buying a clarifying shampoo. The recipe is in: how to make a baking soda shampoo rinse. pH and baking soda Baking soda has a pH of 9. It's weakly alkaline. Hair has a pH of 4.0 - 5.5 so if you use this formula you have to follow it with a deep condition or at a minimum an ACV rinse or a lemon rinse. Conditioners, ACV and lemon are all acidic and will help to rebalance the pH of your hair as well as close up your hair cuticle which open up under alkaline conditions. If you just do a baking soda shampoo rinse without following it with something acidic your hair cuticle won't close, the pH will remain out of balance and this could lead to scalp conditions including dandruff and itchiness plus your hair will look dull, instead of shiny. Have I ever tried baking soda? No, whilst I don't want to say I never will, I am not interested in trying it mostly because of the pH. I also have a lot of homemade hair recipes which I prefer to use instead. 
​Get your FREE ebook on How To Grow Long, Healthy Natural Kinky or Curly Hair. You might also like: Baking Soda Shampoo To Clarify Natural Hair
MIchelle Williams
27/12/2014 11:16:21 pm
I just washed my hair and used baking soda as a conditioner. It worked wonders. I also followed with an ACV rinse. My hair is now soft and not nearly as tangled as before. I will put the baking soda and bentonite clay into my regular rotation.
Heather
24/8/2015 10:15:36 am
Sounds amazing! Do you still do this? Do you follow the baking soda with the betonite clay or do you do the two in different weeks? :)
candy tavares
26/8/2015 04:38:54 am
yes l have used baking soda mix with avocado and olive oil the out come was soft hair amazing yes l would used it again.
Vivien Attipoe
26/8/2015 04:52:37 am
Hi Heather I have tried it once as it's also good for low porosity hair ,but I don't do it often
DeBora
26/8/2015 07:14:41 am
I have NEVER used the baking soda method however I'm will to try it. 26/8/2015 07:21:48 am
I recently did use the baking soda conditioner mixture. I followed up with Aloe Vera Leaf juice and cold water. My hair feels so much better! I have low porosity hair, which is dense and thick.
Charvian
26/8/2015 07:26:11 am
I used it more when I had my twa. That and acv rinse. Now, maybe once a month I will add it to my conditioner. Then still do an acv rinse. Leaves my hair shiny.
gayle
26/8/2015 10:13:24 am
I have locs and I use it along with ACV for clarifying and it does leave my hair clean and soft.
Erika
26/8/2015 11:37:11 am
I have used a baking soda shampoo and I definitely like it as a clarifying agent; however, it's not good on my hair to use it as part of my normal wash routine on a weekly basis but when I need to clarify like once a month I guess.
Kayla
26/8/2015 01:08:58 pm
Hi heather.. I haven't tried baking soda in my hair , but on my face with coconut oil and it's awesome!
farisa
2/9/2015 08:15:55 am
I have used it primarily on my scalp and it works wonders. My scalp feels so fresh and so clean...clean afterwards ;) Comments are closed.
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I was a natural hair blogger and mixtress living between London & Chicago from 2012 to 2017. I always thought I was 4C but some say 4B; images below - you decide! Heather xx
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