Would You Wash Your Hair With Detergent?

“Honey, are you done washing the dishes? I need the dishwashing liquid to wash my hair!”

20090925 Morning Fresh

I never thought that the words “shampoo” and “dishwashing liquid” would be one and the same. When I saw this link about saving money on shampoo by using detergent from Lifehacker Australia, I was utterly flabberghasted. Has the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) become that bad that we’re now recommended to use dishwashing liquid to wash our hair?!

With the GFC comes the streams of books selling like hotcakes at bookstores teaching you how to be frugal. I guess being an Asian, it’s in my blood to already be cheap, so most of the tips are common sense to me. But it infuriates me at times to discover little “tips” such as this in order to save a few bucks, because really, it doesn’t make sense.

We spend a lot money on taking care of our skin, hair and body. Even when we are careful with our money, lower-priced skincare items do add up in the long run. What is the point of throwing all that money and hard work away if we are to, for example, use such harsh chemicals on our hair? There IS a difference in the chemicals used in washing-up liquid and shampoo. Washing-up liquid is formulated to remove tough grease and oil from dirty dishes. Unless the scalp is secreting that much grease to be able to fry an egg and then some, even when diluted, it’s not good. It’s far too harsh and stripping on the hair.

I’m all for homemade hair masks, facial masks and whatnots, when it contains natural ingredients. Go ahead and use olive oil on your hair; it keeps the hair incredibly soft. Mayo on the face? Not really my thing, but it’s a popular recipe and many swear by it.

For me, GFC or not, there really must be a line to be drawn when it comes to the skin and hair. I’ll stop *God help me* buying magazines. I’ll keep using my own bags and not get yet another. No more takeaway coffees for me. So we’ll eat out less. I’ll stop getting the high-end brands and find cheaper, drugstore alternatives. But washing my hair with detergent? God no.

I don’t have to share my shampoo with my dishes.

PS: You only need a little shampoo to wash your hair each time. Lather up, apply, massage and rinse. Just forget repeat.

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9 comments… add one
  1. LyNn

    my owh my
    but i will never use detergent on my hair.
    despite hair being a dead thingy, no way man.

  2. GlossQueen

    GFC or not, I will never use dishwashing detergent to wash my hair!

  3. Shay

    Yup. Never! In addition, drugstore shampoo is not very much more expensive than dishwashing liquid!

  4. Jyoan

    LOL. Warped theory from those people. I hope the other readers of that article are discerning enough to know how illogical the journalist is.

    True enough, there is no difference between the SLS in detergent and SLS is many shampoos. But that’s equivalent to saying there is no difference between chicken rice from store A and chicken rice from store B, supposing both stores A and B get the chicken from the same supplier.

    It’s a matter how the chicken is cooked, how much oil, how much time, strength of the fire, what spices used etc, etc. Just like what other ingredients are added in the shampoo together with SLS or Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, and in what percentage, what combination etc.

    Unless Polly Toynbee can show me a detergent with exactly the same ingredients as my Asience, with Ginseng extract added and stuff, and in the same order and percentage, whatever she says is crap.

  5. Sarah

    I’ll never use detergent to wash my hair! It’s way too harsh..anyway, drugstore shampoo is not thattt expensive!

  6. Doriosity

    -.- that’s a little far fetched. Kind of like saying let’s use ammonia and some food dyes to dye our hair because ammonia is ammonia and dyes are dyes.

    And honestly, she’s right, you don’t need THAT much shampoo to wash your hair, and drugstore shampoos are pretty good too, and they’re about the same price, sometimes even cheaper when they’re on sale.ore shampoos are pretty good too, and they’re about the same price, sometimes even cheaper when they’re on sale.

  7. zwala

    haha..my eyes nearly popped out after reading the title..
    no way..i think no body on this earth could do that as well..except if there are any cave men out there…

    n well Tine..leme introduce abt myself..im Zwala.. i love reading ur blog.. 🙂 especially ur reviews.. :p

  8. Syen

    Good. Grieves.

    Nope. Count me out. I’ll NEVER wash my hair with a dishwashing liquid. Eeeeww… =P

  9. toothfairynotes

    no way! but this reminds me that I’ve actually seen someone do it… ITS TRUE! really…

    *loves*

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