So I made the plunge, I decided to go all natural with my hair products. Chemical free, silicone free, no SLS and off course, plastic free. This was the right thing to do.
I was well aware that I was going to pay a price, initially at least; but everyone that went natural said in the end, you are free! Hair that is shiny and healthy, colour that lasts longer, curls that are tighter, hair that grows faster and you will not need conditioner again ... once you are through the detox, expect bliss!
Little did I know what I was in for ...
My first wash with my shampoo bar was brilliant. I flicked my hair the whole day, took photos of my crowning glory and was just impressed beyond words. It was a false lure into a world of what became hair confusion. What followed I read about, but I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster it would be.
I was up against hair only used to conventional shampoo that are in essence a detergent. It was expecting my scalp to be stripped of all oils and my hair shafts coated with silicone and silica - because that is what shampoo's do. The SLS would build up a quick, marvellous foam without any effort. Washing my hair would not take any thought or planning and the end result will always be good. It is dependable and it gives results.
My shampoo bar on the other hand took careful hair wash planning. I needed time, I was completely unsure what the end result would look like and it affected my mood. I was going through the detox stage and it was wearing me down. My hair was not getting what it expected, it was full on rebelling.
My bar did not foam, no foam meant soap build-up and waxy hair. When I did manage to work up some lather after washing it 3 times in a row, it was dry and brittle. Birds could easily nest in it. I admit, some days there were tears... but I was determined. If others could do it, so could I. And I wanted that end result, I wanted to be free!
And then it all started to change. I visited Wales with considerable softer water than Surrey and my bar foamed! My hair was shiny and I looked and felt like me again. Relief!
Back in Surrey my battle was now not against my shampoo bar but beating the water devil down.
I learned that in my area, 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda in my wash water made my bar foam nicely! And after I rinsed my hair with clean water, half a teaspoon of citric acid in half a litre of water made my hair soft. It was true, there was really no need for conditioner.
It was an exhausting journey. I confess, many times I did give up. I did reach for conventional shampoo again, I even bought a well-known brand shampoo bar. It had Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) as a safe synthetic. So, if I was not going 100% natural, at least I ditched the plastic. But it just did not sit right with me. I was compromising, I wanted the real deal.
I am so glad I pushed through! I am so glad that I am free! My hair is not dependant on chemicals to look good any more. It has so many rewards. It looks and feels healthy, it is shiny and soft, but most of all, I know what I am washing down the drain.
So, if you want to make the plunge into the world of natural hair care, first consider why you want to do this. For some, detox can take a week or weeks. Then again, so many of our customers do not detox at all and just enjoy the benefits immediately.
The less chemical treated your hair, the easier it is to do the transition. Kids immediately have shiny hair!
It is so worthwhile teaching our kids how to go about in this world and it is so worthwhile living responsibly!
We made our shampoo bars with Rhassoul Clay and Rosemary Essential Oils.
To Hair Hero we added Cedarwood, Ginger and Thyme essential oils to give you healthy hair and stimulate hair growth.
Fresh Tresses were infused with Sea Kelp and Eucalyptus and Peppermint essential oils makes this a fresh bar with good quality oils.