The secret lies in good ol’ baking soda and vinegar. Wash with baking soda, and follow with a cider-vinegar rinse. This article at www.instructables.com tells you how. The transition from commercial shampoo to "no-‘poo" comes with an adjustment period, during which your hair may produce more oil than usual. But once you ride this phase out, your hair will produce just the amount of oil it needs to be healthy.

For a couple of weeks this past summer, my only "shampoo" was dips in the delicious North Atlantic. My hair looked fine, no different than usual.

Another cleaning substance I’ve used on my hair since quitting shampoo is herbal soap, which is locally produced by any one of Austin’s many talented soapmakers, and which comes wrapped in plain paper that I can toss in the compost. I’ve found it beneficial to follow the soap wash with a rinse of diluted cider vinegar.

More often, though, these days I use just plain water. Really! For months on end! After that initial oil-adjustment period, it truly is possible to keep your hair clean with just plain water. Rainwater is extra healthy. A friend told me there’s an entire online group dedicated to the "water-only" regimen, too!

Yes, folks, now it can be told: You don’t need a shower after swimming in Barton Springs. And for all those folks who protest, "But the chemicals in the Springs …", well, what about the chemicals in city water?

If I should suddenly disappear without a trace, it may be because the shampoo companies have come after me for blowing the lid off that pricey plastic bottle. Do not let this deter you in your ‘poo-free path!