Finn, Paul Mitchell and a Borax Question

I know, another random post. :) That's kinda what it's like in the summer though. Just a mishmash of things going on. 

First up, would you look at this boy...

I mean, could he get more relaxed? Of course this was right after he chased Holly through the kitchen and knocked over all three barstools in the process. Oh Finn. His cuteness saves him every.single.time. 

Just look at these furry toes...

Cute!

Do y'all remember me telling you about my new favorite hair straightening serum? It's Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum seen here...

I started using it in early March and I talked about how it was more expensive than my usual straightening cream seen here...

Here's the thing. The Paul Mitchell stuff was about $17 for 5.1 ounces. I was paying $2.89 for 3.5 ounces of the Suave. 

But...the Suave only lasted me about a month because I had to use a lot more. And I've been using the Paul Mitchell for two months and look at how much is still left...

I haven't even used half of it yet because you only have to use one little pump. I have shoulder length hair and one pump is plenty. So...I've concluded that even though the initial cost is more, it ends up costing the same (or even a tad cheaper) in the long run because you use a lot less. 

It took me about two months to use about 1/3 of the PM, so it'll probably last me another 4 months, so that's 6 months total it will last. In six months, I would have bought 6 tubes of Suave for a total of $17.34 versus the $17 for PM. So about the same, but I still think the PM works a little better. 

Did you follow all that math?! Ha ha! Bottom line is that PM seems expensive, but it lasts a lot longer than the cheaper ones, so it's about the same in the long run and it works better. Just something to think about. :) 

Okay, now for a laundry question. Do any of you add 20 Mule Team Borax to your regular detergent when doing laundry? Here's a pic if you don't know what I'm talking about...

It's basically a detergent booster and it's supposed to keep your whites white and help to soften hard water, therefore doing a better job of cleaning your clothes and removing stains. It says to add 1/2 cup to your regular detergent.

 Here's the thing though, I use dye free/perfume free detergent because I don't like extra chemicals sitting on my clothes. I don't use fabric softener, scent boosters or dryer sheets either for the same reason. I mean, some of those scent boosters say the scent will remain on your clothes for three months! I really don't want something that strong on my clothes because just think...your clothes are in direct contact with your skin. Anyway, that's probably just my paranoia settling in. Lol! 

But what I'm saying is since I don't use any of that stuff, should I even consider adding Borax? It's an all natural mineral (sodium tetraborate) so I wouldn't think it would be that bad. I'm mostly interested in whitening my whites. 

So if you use Borax, my questions are:

1. Does it noticeably whiten your whites?

2. Does it dissolve in cold water? (I wash everything except sheets and towels in the gentle cycle with cold water) 

3. Do you use it with colors? 

Thanks so much in advance! Y'all are so smart and I always appreciate your input. Also, be sure to share any other laundry tips with me. I'm always looking for new things to try. 

~Lisa