Tuesday 3 February 2009

Why organic shampoo can sometimes leave you wondering what the fuss is about! Hang in there and you’ll see why!

For many people who have tried organic shampoo for the first time, it can sometimes be a disappointing experience. Your hair may feel knotted and tangled, dull and even lifeless.

My sister in law in fact, eagerly ordered a bottle of the most natural organic shampoo and when I asked her about how she liked it her answer was “nah! well, it’s not for me”! My response to her was the same, does your hair feel yuk? She was so surprised to hear me describe the exact condition of her hair.

What most people don’t know is that this is a natural detox process that your hair has to go through and will only last for a couple of hair washes. The reason It happens is that your previous high street branded shampoos are laden with chemicals and plasticizers which literally coat the hair with gunk and garbage in order to give your hair that shine you want – but it’s artificial. When you strip away this layer of trash to get to your natural locks, your hair will show its natural soft, shine and silkiness.

You may wonder if it’s necessary to use natural organic shampoo, after all we normally think of our crowning glories as just “dead” strands of protein, but shampoos and other hair care products get washed all over our bodies in the bath or shower, and often sit on our scalp until our next hair wash. The scalp has just as many pores as the rest of our skin – a close look (if you can get near enough!) to any man’s bald head is evidence enough of that!

So, it’s just as easy to absorb nasty chemicals through our hair care products as it is other personal care products, but surely, shampoo and conditioner don’t need synthetic substances in them just to clean and smooth our hair?You’d be surprised!! Unfortunately, many regular shampoos for example are petro-chemical based, and petro-chemicals are well-known to be implicated in causing cancer and other illnesses. The chemical 1.4-dioxane, for example, is used in many personal care products including shampoo, and has even been found in household named baby hair care products! 1.4-dioxane is a byproduct of a petrochemical process called ethyoxylation which uses known breast carcinogen ethylene oxide to process other chemicals to make them less harsh – for example, this process turns the harsh substance sodium laurel sulfate – well-known for its skin irritating properties – into the (arguably!) more gentle sodium laureth sulfate.

The other thing that can put people off organic and natural shampoo is the lack of foaming agent in them compared to normal high street shampoos and haircare. We’re all so used to our head being a lathery bubble! It makes us feel clean! The truth is though that all that foam is not necessary. As the organic shampoo washes out through your hair it takes the grime with it anyway, so the foam is not necessary and just drying. The best way to use an organic shampoo is to wet your hair, rub a coin size amount of shampoo over your hands and then through your hair. It won’t lather at all at this stage, don’t worry, add a little water to mix the natural organic shampoo through your hair. Then add more shampoo. It will lather a bit at the second application stage. Rub all through your hair and leave for a minute before washing way. Your hair will be clean! Follow sparingly with natural organic conditioner (organic ones tend to be quite rich!)

Although even natural and organic shampoos can occasionally contain some questionable ingredients, I would recommend going for one that contains as few synthetically manufactured chemicals as possible and preferably organic ingredients for added safety and purity. The initial bad hair days will quickly pass to leave your hair naturally full of shine, bounce and vitality. Your hair will be clean without heavy disgusting residues on it.
Green People’s No Scent or Aloe Vera Organic Shampoos are great every day shampoos – cost-effective for everyday washing, and so gentle even newborn babies will be safe. Not only this but our customers tell us that they leave hair soft and silky, whilst rinsing out perfectly, and without the nasty gunky build-up you often get with regular products which seem to stick to the hair shafts rather than clean the dirt away. Essential Care Tea Tree & Herb shampoo is also one of my firm favorites for itchy, flaky scalps, again a budget buy but wonderfully effective, even on cradle cap and dandruff.

For the last year now, I’ve been using
Green people shampoo at home on myself and the kids. And although it’s still a firm favorite, one day recently my 13 year old daughter told me she was bored and wanted a change for a bit. She wanted some luxury! Luckily for her The John Masters range had just come in and I gave her a few samples to try, to road test the product for me. I have never heard so many ecstatic mmms! from her before, she absolutely loved it (it’s hard sometimes getting her to buy into the organic thing, but not this time!). John Masters range of products are truly – sheer indulgence, even better than a trip to the salon, the whole range is pure heaven, leaving your hair beautifully clean, conditioned and styled totally naturally! I personally love John Masters Zinc & Sage shampoo which leaves your scalp zingily clean!

The scalp really is the key to healthy hair because although hair itself is dead protein, from the hair follicle downwards into the scalp is alive and well and in need of some regular nutrition! This shampoo will satisfy the thirstiest follicles to give extra body and shine. Another of my personal favorites is the
Miessence Desert Flower Shampoo. This shampoo left my hair with masses of volume and natural shine, everyone commented on my hair when I used it, as it smelt gorgeous too.
John Masters Honey & Hibiscus shampoo, is a good reconstructive shampoo for a once-a-week hair Detox – and smells luscious! Either that, or their Clarifying hair rinse will strip all the nasty build up from your hair to leave it really clean and soft. Follow with any one of their conditioners and you really will have hair that looks like you’ve come out of the Salon everyday. It’s not hard to see why so many top celebrities and stylists have turned to John Masters. Their clever Sea Salt Sea Mist Spray is like a daily reminder of the beach with a leave-in deep conditioning protective formula for daily use.

Styling can also leave a lot of gunky chemicals on your head that are no good for your scalp or your hair. We love
Miessence styling gel, it’s our best seller, and flies off the shelves. It will style your hair naturally giving you hold and body. If you need something firmer like a wax, then back to John Masters to their Hair Pomade. Frizzy ends can be tamed with their own organic version of Defrizzer, so Their really is no excuse not to have natural hair anymore.

So take my advice, brave the hair detox, you won’t regret it!

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