Organic Hair Care
Organic hair care offers an earth-friendly alternative to many commercially available products. Natural oils, plant extracts, and fruit byproducts promote hair and scalp health without the side effects sometimes associated with synthetic products – scalp irritation, split ends, frizzy hair, and other common problems. Organic products, both homemade and commercial, are also easy on the environment. Natural hair care is inexpensive and easy to make – just purchase organic products to create these recipes.
read more closeNatural Hair Care Recipes
Clarifying Rinse:
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Mix ingredients, then massage gently into your hair and scalp. Let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse out, apply conditioner and style.
Hair Strengthener:
2 oz. vitamin E oil
15 drops peppermint oil
15 drops rosemary oil
2 oz. jojoba or coconut oil
Mix ingredients and apply to hair. Wash thoroughly, then style as usual. Note that coconut oil will produce a more solid mixture.
Chlorine Rinse:
1/4 cucumber, peeled
1 egg
1/8 cup olive oil
Gets the chlorine out of your hair during pool season. Blend ingredients thoroughly, then massage into hair. Leave on for 10 minutes, rinse out and style.
Daily Conditioner:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tsp. honey
Heat the honey until very liquid, then blend with olive oil. Apply to hair in small amounts, then cover for at least 30 minutes. Rinse well to remove oil residues. You may use this conditioner as often as you wash your hair.
Deep Conditioning Treatment:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. almond oil
Mix ingredients and apply to hair. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.
Leave-in Conditioner:
2 oz. jojoba oil
4 oz. water
5-10 drops of essential oil
Add ingredients to a spray bottle and mix well. Store in the refrigerator, and shake before each use. This mixture also works as a detangler.
Shampoo Alternatives
Traditional shampoos -- especially that containing lauryl sulfate -- may strip your hair of its natural oils. Depending on your oil levels, you can avoid shampoo altogether and go the natural route: use hot water; a baking soda rinse (one teaspoon to one cup water); or apple cider vinegar to cleanse hair. Those who go without store-bought shampoo report greasy hair for up to six weeks, while their natural oil production finds equilibrium, followed by healthy, clean locks.
Organic Products
When shopping for organic hair care, read the label: truly natural and/or organic products do not contain ammonium lauryl sulfate, diethanolamine (DEA) and triethalnolamine (TEA), derivatives of lauryl alcohol, ethoxylated ingredients, urea, mureth sulfate, olefin sulfonate, parabens, petroleum, propylene glycol, silicone, or sodium lauryl sulfates.
Lots of products are advertised as natural or organic, but not all are completely free of synthetic ingredients. Some go-to brands for truly natural hair care include 100% Pure (these products are also vegan), Suncoat, and Talulah. If you can get your hands on it, Costa Rica's Bioland products are all natural and vegan, to boot.