A woman’s hair is her crowning glory, but did you know that many hair products on the market contain a lot of nasty stuff that all runs down the drain and into the environment when you wash your hair? A lot of shampoos and conditioners are also tested on animals, so if you have a favourite, check whether it bears the Beauty without Cruelty badge or actually says “Not tested on animals” on the bottle. If it doesn’t bear either of these marks, it probably has been animal tested.
There are a host of good quality shampoos and conditioners out there that will leave your hair lovely and healthy, but which contain organically grown and all-natural ingredients and which are not tested on animals.
The Enchantrix range of organic products, which is widely available on most South African organic sites, has a range of hair products containing shampoos and conditioners that are free of sodium lauryl and laureth sulphate. Both the shampoo and conditioner are suitable for all hair types and they each retail at around R50.
The Hemprium Cosmetology range, which makes use of natural hemp in all of its products also has a hair care range. The ionic shampoo and conditioner mositurises and protect your scalp and will give it shine and stimulate growth. The range contains no animal products, petrochemicals or lauryl sulphates. These products retail at between R40 and R50 each.
One of my favourite ranges, as regular readers will know, is the Victorian Garden range which is made here in South Africa. The range has some of the most amazing smelling products I have ever come across and it is really affordable. They have a whole heap of hair products for various hair types so you may have to do a little research to find the one best suited to you. But I can recommend Queen Anne’s rosehip and honeysuckle hair masque, which is the ideal treatment for over processed, dry hair. It smells absolutely glorious and leaves your hair soft and shiny. It retails at around R60 and R70.
If you’re anything like me and you like all your products to “match” then try the Wild Rosemary and Vanilla shampoo from their African Indigenous range. It’s mild enough to use every day and will give you hair that everyone wants to smell.
Just a note about organic shampoos. When you first start using them, you may experience some dryness and tangling. This is absolutely normal for the first few washes, as your hair “detoxes” from all the silicone in the products you used before and becomes accustomed to the new products. If you follow up your wash with one of the recommended conditioners, this shouldn’t be a problem.
There are also a lot of products which you will find in your home that will do wonders for your hair. I got this recipe for a conditioner for normal hair from Naturalistic, but their site has loads more “recipes” for different hair types.
| Egg Yolk | - 1 |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | - 1 Tablespoon |
| Olive Oil | - 1 Tablespoon |
| Lemon Juice | - 1 Tablespoon |
| Rosemary essential oil | - 3 Drops |
Blend egg yolk and apple cider vinegar. Slowly add 1 tablespoon olive oil while blending. Stir in lemon juice and rosemary essential oil and then slowly stir in remaining olive oil. Massage well into hair, comb through and leave for 5 minutes then shampoo and condition as normal.
