Is Natural Shampoo Better For Your Hair?

We are more conscious of what we put inside our bodies than ever before. GMOs, toxins, synthetics, and other harmful substances have snuck their way into our food. Have we ever taken a look at what we put ON our bodies?

Today, we are going to cover natural shampoo and why it is, yes, better for your hair. It’s also better for your overall health.

What’s Harmful About Non-Natural Shampoo?

There are several ingredients that could be harmful to you and any other user in your household.

Parabens

Originally put into cosmetic products in the 1950s, parabens are there to prolong the shelf life of your shampoo, conditioner, and other cosmetics you find on the pharmacy shelf. When inspecting the ingredients you might see them listed under the names butylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben.

While preservatives are wonderful at keeping bacteria out of our cosmetics but what do they do when they invade our bodies through our pores? For vanity’s sake alone, they can leave your hair looking frizzy. But when it comes to your overall health, parabens can be more harmful than you think.

Research shows that there were traces of parabens in human breast tumors, which is alarming.

Formaldehyde

If you look at the label and see ingredients like quaternium-15, diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, bronopol, or imidazolidinyl urea, beware. These are chemicals that release formaldehyde, which can cause cancer and a myriad of other health issues.

Sulphates

These synthetic sulfate-based chemicals, like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), are added to create lather in your shampoo. The thicker the lather to give, the impression of a deeper clean. When tested, sulphates have been found to irritate the eyes, the skin, and the lungs, particularly after long-term use.

Fragrance

When we think of “fragrance” we think of something that smells good. But the reality is that fragrances can be full of all kinds of toxic ingredients and there is no one checking them. The FDA regulations have a loophole called the Fair Package and Labeling Act of 1966, which gives companies the leeway not to list ingredients so no one will steal their formulas.

What Can Natural Ingredients Offer You?

Now that we covered the types of ingredients you don’t want in your shampoo, let’s go over natural ingredients that can help you obtain the shiny, frizz-free hair you’ve always wanted.

Coconut Oil

One of the best natural ingredients you can use for your hair is coconut oil. It brings health to your scalp and fights lice and dandruff. It will moisturize hair that is brittle and cracked while bringing a luxurious shine to your locks.

This oil is great when it comes to protection for the follicles and can prevent further damage that styling and other protects can bring to your hair. One of the best advantages of using coconut hair in your natural shampoo is that it promotes hair growth, which is something we can all use a little more of.

Cocoa Butter

This natural butter is wonderful for moisturizing and making your hair easier to manage. It protects against breakage, which prevents hair loss, and it can make fine hair look far more voluminous than you ever expected.

It adds oils to your hair that could be missing from daily processing. Derived from cocoa beans, cocoa butter has been used to help with beauty and health for thousands of years reaching back to the Mayans and the Aztecs.

Essential Oils

These natural extracts from nature botanicals offer a wealth of hair benefits, depending on the oil you choose. Some of the scents that are free of the toxins that synthetic fragrances come with. Some of the best essential oils to use for your hair include the following:

• Cedarwood
• Clary Sage
• Lavender
• Lemongrass
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Tea Tree
• Thyme

From shine to fighting dandruff, and for thinning hair, these natural extracts are a great way to add a bit of your favorite aroma into your natural shampoo without having to be wary of what might be lingering in that fragrance.

Avocado Oil

Here we have another oil that works great in natural shampoos when you are trying to revitalize your follicles. When adding avocado oil you are putting some positive things into your shampoo. Like biotin, which promotes strong healthy hair.

Avocado oil is also full of vitamins A, B-5, and E as well as essential minerals and antioxidants. This oil also works great when it comes to moisturizing.

Castile Soap

Finally, we have a naturally derived soap from olive oil, water, and lye. When you use this as a base for your natural shampoo. It has specific instructions and is not right for all types of hair, so be sure to do your research before using this liberally.

Conclusion

Natural shampoos are better for your hair than the over the counter brands that use the toxic ingredients and fragrances that can be full of anything. There are plenty of natural shampoos on the market or, if you are a fan of DIY projects, you can attempt to make your own. The latter will allow you to be more creative.

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