Going Natural With Hair

I'm not a nut about natural beauty by any means. Beauty products from organic brands often irritate my skin due to the presence of essential oils and whatnot, so I happily embrace more chemical formulations. When it comes to hair care though, I've learned that the natural oils in my hair really help to keep it healthy, shiny, and frizz-free. Most shampoos on the market are laden with sulfates, usually one of sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. These sulfates cause shampoo to foam and are responsible for that squeaky clean feeling, but also strip the hair of natural oils. Over time, the scalp starts producing more oils to compensate, and we're often left with an oily scalp and are forced to wash more often, which makes the problem even worse. To fix the problem and make my hair healthy again, I decided to make two changes to my hair care routine that have made a world of difference.

1. Wash less often

It seems like a bit of a no-brainer really - less washing will retain more natural oils in the hair - but it is much more easily said than done. Years of using stripping shampoos had caused oil production to go into overdrive, and I could hardly go a day without washing because my hair just felt so greasy and gross. Dry shampoo and hair buns will be your best friend. Using dry shampoos to soak up some of the oils will help your hair retain volume on days of unwash and make it both look and smell more clean. I've found a natural hair powder that works brilliantly, and that is the Lulu Hair Powder. It contains only 6 simple ingredients, so you know you're not using anything that will further damage your scalp. Unlike the more aerosol packaged dry shampoo options, you have to tap this powder into the palm of your hand, rub your palms together, and then massage your palms into the roots of your hair. This hair powder also smells amazingly of lavender, and smelling nice is always an added bonus.

Updo hairstyles such as ponytails and buns can really help to keep you going for those last few days before washing your hair. I personally prefer buns because they're cute, easy to do, and the oils and hair powder left in your hair after a few days of unwash really help to keep the style in place and help make a nice messy, voluminous bun.

2. Use a non-stripping shampoo

It doesn't really make sense to go through all those efforts of not washing if you're just going to strip your hair again every time you wash. I've opted for the Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap because I already had a bottle of it that I use to wash my makeup brushes. It's a soap made from plant oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, and jojoba oil, but has a very liquid consistency. It does foam up a little bit when massaged into the hair, but does not strip the hair of natural oils. That's also why it's a popular option for washing makeup brushes, because it doesn't dry out the bristles. Initially when I started using this soap, my hair didn't feel as clean after washing compared to a traditional shampoo and it was a little bit uncomfortable, but once my hair adjusted, I had no problems with it. At night, I try spend a few minutes combing through my hair in order to distribute the oils from the scalp throughout all my hair. My scalp has definitely become less oily, and I'm able to go longer without washing. I used to have to wash my hair every day, but now I can go 3-7 days of unwash depending on how warm it is outside.

On the whole, my hair is feeling more soft and bouncy, and is definitely less dry and frizzy. Because my hair is quite long, I like to still apply a conditioner to the ends of my hair, and I've been loving the Organic Surge 2 Minute Moisture Mask. This is a hair mask made of coconut oil, but I use it as I would a traditional conditioner. I take a generous scoop and smooth it through the mid-lengths to the ends of my hair, wash my face and body in the mean time and do whatever else I have to do in the shower, and then wash off. It's moisturizing while being incredibly lightweight, so it doesn't weigh down the hair at all.

Natural hair care definitely takes a bit of adjusting to, but my hair is healthier and looking better than ever before. What are your natural hair recommendations?