The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances (43 page)

The average human head has about 100,000 hair follicles, and blonds definitely have more fun, at least when it comes to hair. Scientists meticulously calculated that people with blond hair have almost 50 percent more hairs than those with red or dark hair. But, no matter what the color is, our hair, this incredible living fabric, requires much gentler handling than most couture textiles. That’s why the words “natural” and “organic” that so commonly adorn bottles and tubes of various hair treatments often mean very little. Follow this guide to truly natural hair products.

Green Cleansing for Hair

Well-groomed, shiny, and resilient hair is a surefire way to boost attractiveness and self-confidence. We eagerly wash, moisturize, condition, straighten, and add volume and shine to our locks. Since the scalp is the most absorbent part of our body, choosing genuinely green hair care should certainly become a shopping priority.

Shampoo is the most frequently used hair product. Water and detergent make up almost all of a conventional shampoo’s formulation, featured at the beginning of ingredients labels, with moisturizing emollients and plant extracts often adding up to no more than 1 percent. But let’s not be deceived by the word “organic” on the label. The amount of organic aloe vera extract in a shampoo may be very minuscule—sometimes less than 1 percent!What truly matters for the health of our hair is the bulk of the shampoo, namely, the quality of the detergent and the amount of emollients. Both have to be of plant origin, derived without the use of toxic chemical processes.

We love the idea of herbs and botanical ingredients nurturing our hair back to health, but while many mainstream herbal shampoos brazenly claim to be natural and organic, most contain tiny amounts of beneficial botanical ingredients, with the bulk of the product consisting of harsh detergents, preservatives, and petroleum-derived silicones.

The quality of a detergent—that foam-producing ingredient that dissolves oil and grime—is the most important thing to consider when choosing a shampoo. The very nature of the detergent action of shampoo interferes with the scalp’s natural barrier function and makes it even easier for chemicals to penetrate. Most often you will find sodium lauryl sulfate and its milder brother, sodium laureth sulfate, on the label. Both have been questioned as cancer-causing ingredients, although a research panel organized and sponsored by the cosmetic industry declared them safe for use. Also, steer clear of cocoamide diethanolamine (DEA) and ammonium laureth sulfate, which often make up to one-third of an average shampoo bottle. Any ethoxylated compounds are a major no-no in a truly organic beauty product.

The quality of a detergent—that foam-producing ingredient that dissolves oil and grime—is the most important thing to consider when choosing a shampoo.

Even shampoos that claim to be organic can contain harsh cleansing agents. This is one of those rare cases when buying products in a health food store doesn’t always help, because most otherwise green and ethical brands still use detergents from the sulfate family as well as ammonium laureth sulfate or cocoamide DEA/MEA. Sometimes keen marketers add a clause “derived from coconut” following the dubious ingredient, but the fact that sodium laureth sulfate has coconut as its distant relative doesn’t make this detergent any safer. For dangers of ethoxylated ingredients and particularly detergents, refer to Chapter 2, particularly the section on 1,4-Dioxane.

Close label reading reveals that, instead of sodium laureth sulfate, some natural brands use other sulfate family members, such as sodium myreth sulfate. Needless to say, such ingredients do not contribute to the health of your hair and scalp, and they cannot be recommended for use in truly green products.

There aren’t many green cleansing agents available. Many natural brands favor cocamidopropyl betaine, derived from coconut using petrochemicals, and petroleum-derived olefin sulfonate. One of the greenest, lauryl glucoside, is a soapy blend of coconut oil, corn starch, and sugar, but it isn’t used frequently because of its higher price. It’s necessary to remember that most organic beauty manufacturers are in the business to make money, and they are often prone to cut corners and replace quality ingredients with cheaper alternatives after the product has been launched successfully.

Humectants and emollients in shampoos are nice additions, but they make little difference because they are washed off so quickly. Still, vegetable glycerin, aloe extract, jojoba oil, honey, and lecithin make shampoo more nourishing as they fill in the pores of a hair shaft and keep the hair surface smooth. They also soothe and moisturize the scalp. Since human hair is made of dead protein, it’s impossible to infuse it with proteins—butmilk, wheat, soy, rice, and oat extracts do make hair softer and more resilient. Some plants, such as calendula, yarrow, and burdock, work as mild astringents and can soothe scalp irritation, while citrus oils, apple cider vinegar, and rosemary seal the hair cuticle and help create a brilliant shine. Many organic brands offer concentrated shampoos with little added water. This is economical, since you only need a drop of shampoo to make a nice lather, and this also eliminates the need for strong preservatives. Grapefruit seed oil, vitamins A, C, and E, benzoin extract, and wheat germ act as natural preservatives in these shampoos.

How often should you shampoo? It depends on the state of your hair. If your hair is fine and dry, daily shampooing, even with the mildest product, can increase dryness. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, or if you wear lots of styling products, shampooing daily is recommended. Look at the condition of your hair and act accordingly! Yet be aware that frequent washes in hard water can make your hair brittle and prone to split ends. “Women use way too much shampoo,” notes John Masters, the pioneer of professional organic hair care and colors. “Besides, they use too much pressure when they wash their hair. Daily shampooing is not essential. You have to learn to be gentle to your hair.”

Green Product Guide: Shampoos

I would love to say that making your own shampoo is easy, but it isn’t. It certainly can be done, but it’s nearly impossible to create an effective and pleasant-to-use shampoo at home. Instead, look for the following all-natural shampoos that keep their formulations true to their green claims.

Burt’s Bees More Moisture Raspberry & Brazil Nut Shampoo
smells heavenly and cleanses well with a soapy, all-natural surfactant. Rich in natural omega-3 essential fatty acids, honey, soy protein, and a dozen plant oils, this preservative-free hair wash is not too moisturizing, which is great for summertime use or if your hair is on the oily side.

Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo
is a true miracle in a bottle. Gentle enough for daily use on sensitive scalps, this shampoo is bursting with flower waters, wheat protein, and plant extracts and infusions, including rosemary, chamomile, nettle, olive leaf, calendula, sage, green tea, and lavender. Based on mild (albeit petroleum-derived) surfactants, this shampoo has no added fragrance and relies on natural preservatives such as vitamin E, lime oil, citric acid, and potassium sorbate.

John Masters Organics Zinc & Sage Shampoo with Conditioner
is a must for anyone whose scalp has been sensitized by harsh weather conditions or chemicals. Naturally derived, mild synthetic surfactants are thoroughly cleansing to hair and scalp, while nurturing the scalp with hyaluronic, linoleic, and linolenic acids, and reducing irritation with zinc and sulfur. Rosemary, nettle, horsetail, and lavender are very beneficial for hair, while carefully blended essential oils perform an aromatherapy session each time you shampoo.

If you are looking for the ultimate green shampoo that will be faithful when your hair is dry and then suddenly oily, head to your local health food store for a bottle of
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose
Moisturizing Shampoo
. Based on coconut and corn soaps, rich in organic soy protein, aloe vera, and organic rose hip oil, this humbly scented, concentrated shampoo contains virtually every plant extract ever recommended for healthy hair, such as fennel, hops, ginseng, horsetail, coltsfoot, and magnolia, to name just a few. As always with Aubrey Organics, there are no added fragrances or synthetic preservatives.

Making Your Own Hair Conditioners

“Our sense of true beauty begins with self-knowledge and self-acceptance, and it grows as we learn to adopt images of beauty that are real, alive, and strong. We should work with nature, not against her, and enhance our individuality, our own beauty in a way that promotes our health and respects our intelligence. Get to know your beauty and become empowered with information because, as I grew to understand more and more about this industry, my eyes were opened. I feel it’s my duty to educate others and help everyone to become as knowledgeable as I am now. Take matters into your own hands because there really isn’t anyone looking out for you better than you can.”

—Suki Kramer, Creator of Suki Naturals

Remember all those magic shampoos that promised to instantly revitalize your hair? Let me remind you once again: your hair is made of dead keratin molecules and cannot be revived from the outside. You cannot feed it or improve its structure by applying minerals or vitamins or chemicals on its surface. All you can do is to temporarily smooth and stiffen the hair shaft so it looks shiny and more manageable. By coating hair follicles in silicones, plant oils, or waxes, you can make brushing and styling easier, too.

There are several types of conditioners available today. The most popular type is a rinse-off conditioner, which is applied after the shampoo, left on to penetrate a minute or two, and then rinsed off. There are also leave-in conditioners that you apply before brushing your wet hair and you don’t rinse out. Finally, there are deep rinse-off conditioners that you apply once a week or whenever you feel your hair needs a quick fix of nutrients or a boost in shine.

Oily hair benefits most from rinse-off conditioners; dry hair needs a weekly deep hot oil treatment in addition to a moisturizing conditioner used after every wash. Colored, permed, or sun-bleached hair benefits from leave-on conditioners with essential oils, amino acids, and plant proteins. Those lucky few whose hair behaves well but whose scalp sometimes feels itchy can benefit from conditioners and rinses with aloe vera, zinc, and plant-derived silicones. By all means avoid propylene glycol, cetrimonium chloride, mineral oil, petroleum-derived silicones, and hydrolyzed animal protein, found in practically all conventional conditioners.