Quitting shampoo and commercial hair products 2 years ago was the best decision I ever made for my hair. At the time I didn't really know what I should use in place of hair products, I just knew that in order to have good health inside & out I simply had to stop putting all these harmful chemicals onto my body.
As I explained in my homemade moisturiser post yesterday:
"When buying and applying beauty products, many people tend to forget that our skin is permeable and absorbs whatever we put on it... The chemicals contained in these popular brands we're so fond of are extremely toxic, are absorbed right into our bloodstreams, and can result in serious health conditions that most people would never dream could be linked to a topical product. But the truth is not only can chemicals affect the surface of our skin, they can also affect our hormones, immune systems, nervous systems, reproductive systems, liver, brain, heart... everything!!!"
I used to LOVE trying out new products, and probably spent a lot of money on them every year. The products I used were shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, straightening spray, wax, serum, and my most favourite product ever - Lee Stafford Dehumidifier Spray. I have naturally wavy hair but didn't like it, so I used to spend literally a whole hour every single morning straightening it as well. I was known for having 'perfect' hair, but man it was such a burden having to spend all that time on it! If ever I stayed overnight with a friend they would watch me do my hair and think I was crazy! This is what it used to look like after all that effort:
This is what my hair looks like now:
To tell you the truth I get a lot more compliments on my hair now than I ever did before, and often get asked what products I use... When I reply "none" they are shocked! My hair is strong and healthy, and it's that way because I don't use products, not because I do.
Just to note - my point in including photos of my hair isn't because I'm vain and want you all to gush about it... It's to show you that quitting shampoo and other products doesn't mean you'll have to endure a greasy mop! It's a common misconception that when you stop using shampoo you suddenly have greasy and scraggly hair. Our hair is able to condition itself with natural oils secreted from follicles, yet when we use shampoo these oils are stripped away and not only dries our hair out, but harms our scalps as well.
Many people opt for the 'no poo' method, and simply use water to wash their hair. Doing this will give you slightly oiler hair to begin with, but after about 5-6 weeks the oils balance themselves out, leaving you with hair that looks clean and conditioned. Other people, like me, use homemade hair rinses with natural ingredients specifically tailored to our particular hair types, and depending on what we are trying to achieve. I tend to get psoriasis from time to time, and so choose medicinal ingredients that soothe and nourish, and that won't irritate my scalp. I am also now starting to get visible grey hairs (31 years old and it was a very traumatic pregnancy/birth of my baby boy!) so choose ingredients that naturally lighten hair as I don't intend to dye it (at least not with toxic chemicals anyway). As you can see it's shiny but not greasy, healthy-looking, and has natural highlights due to the hair rinse and sunlight. Oh, and the reason it's wavy like that is I had been wearing it in a plait!
This hair rinse will be suitable for all hair types, so you can try it out and then adjust the ingredients or quantities if you want to. It's worth spending a bit of time researching, as there are so many possible ingredients to use, which will enhance your natural colour as well as taking care of your scalp.
What you will need:
2 tblsp dried chamomile flowers
2 tblsp dried calendula petals
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tblsp apple cider vinegar
2 tblsp witch hazel
1 tblsp aloe vera
Method:
Measure out the chamomile, calendula, thyme, rosemary and sage, and put them all together into a jar
Pour over boiling water and allow to 'brew' with the lid on for at least half an hour
Using cheese-cloth (or stockings) drain the liquid into a spray bottle and discard the herbs
Add the apple cider vinegar, witch hazel and aloe vera, pop the top on and shake to mix. Spray on liberally when in the shower, massage in gently, and leave on for at least 5 minutes before rinsing off. I wash my hair this way once a week and find that suits me perfectly, leaving my hair feeling soft, detangled and healthy :-) I don't use any additional hair products. I'm very happy knowing I'm not poisoning my body with toxic chemicals!
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Many thanks.
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