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Gone are the days of Head and Shoulders for me. Back when I had pretty bad dandruff in high school and university, like most other people, I used Head and Shoulders and other dandruff shampoos to get rid of my flaky scalp issue. It didn’t occur to me that the scabby sores (sorry for that visual, but it’s true) appearing on my scalp were caused by my shampoo and conditioner! They were ruining my scalp. I then decided to try a host of other “clean” and greenwashed products over the years. I learned that when coconut oil is often used in a shampoo or conditioner, the oil can coat the hair follicle and stay on, leaving a film. This film weighs down the hair and makes it look dull. I learned this from the holistic hair expert Diana Osborne, who showed the product residue on my hair by scraping it off with a blade—needless to say, my mind was blown! In this post, I’m sharing my top tips to improve your hair care routine for healthier and cleaner hair.
Use EWG’s Skin Deep Database for your Hair Care
One of my favourite resources is the EWG Skin Deep database because it is a search engine that shows you which body care products are the most and least toxic for your health. I suggest you put your favourite brands into the search bar to see which ones are up to snuff. You may be surprised by the results! This database is also great because it will show you which products are ‘cleanest’ to save research time.
Switch to Clean Hair Care Products
You may be wondering what ‘clean’ means regarding products. If a product is low in toxins or has none altogether, this is considered a clean product. Toxins can be anything from fragrances, carcinogens, petroleum, colouring agents, etc. Over a lifetime, these products can wreak serious havoc on your body.
You may or may not know by now, but I am obsessed with Innersense Organic Beauty. I made the switch two years ago and haven’t looked back. My hair has never looked better. It has volume and isn’t limp like it was before. Plus, I feel confident in the formula and know that what I’m putting on my skin won’t make my liver work overtime!
Some of my favourites are:
I look forward to shampooing my hair with the Pure Harmony Hairbath because it is unbelievably concentrated and smells amazing! A little goes a long way. I buy the largest size of the shampoo and conditioner by Innersense because it lasts me about a year and a half (and that’s with Jonathan using it, too!) It adds moisture to the hair and cleans it without any gunky chemicals.
Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner
The perfect partner for the hair bath is the Pure Inspiration Daily Condition. This conditioner smooths frizz, strengthens the hair shaft, adds moisture and doesn’t stay coated on your hair. I’ve found in the past with other conditioners that there is always a residue that sticks to the hair and is difficult to remove. This conditioner doesn’t have that residue at all, and it leaves my hair soft and silky to the point where it looks like it was freshly cut all the time.
Add a Filter to your Showerhead
Do you know all the chlorine, fluoride, and toxins lurking in your tap water are the same chemicals from your shower head? If you struggle with. a dry scalp and dry skin in general, this should be one of the places to investigate and upgrade. What you put on your skin, you absorb. If you’re bathing in chlorinated water, you’re disrupting the microbiome (your beneficial bacteria) on your skin and body. Check out your nearest health store for options. I get mine from The Big Carrot.
Wash Your Hair Less
Believe it or not, reducing your hair washing can improve your scalp health and leave you with healthier hair. This is especially if you like to indulge in hot showers! We need the oil on our scalp to keep our scalps nourished and moisturized; washing the hair too often will strip away this moisture. You can shower your body more often, of course, but withhold washing your hair and stick to washing your hair 2-3 times a week. A good quality dry shampoo can also help keep oily hair at bay if that concerns you.
Use a Detoxifying Mask
If you’ve noticed product buildup on your scalp or hair, why not try a detoxifying hair mask? This would be especially good as you transition from your old hair products to your cleaner hair products. The Detox Hair Mask pulls microparticles from the hair and cleanses the hair without stripping all the good oils from your hair.
Have any questions about switching to cleaner hair products? Ask below in the comments!
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