Natural hair products
Washing, care and styling – a lot has changed: natural products can finally do just as much as conventional hair cosmetics. In the shops there are specialists for volume and greasy hair, color enhancers and relaxers, hair sprays, waxes and gels based on nature. We took a closer look and explain the different seals of approval again.
Natural cocktails
Instead of synthetic surfactants with irritation potential, natural shampoos use sugar surfactants from coconut or palm kernel oil and sugar cane or corn. They clean particularly gently and are easily biodegradable. In shampoos, conditioners and treatments, vegetable oils and extracts take on the role of the usual silicones to smooth hair. Essential oils, alcoholic plant extracts or alcohol replace parabens, which are suspected of being allergenic, as preservatives. And in styling products, natural resins such as shellac or beer extract add fullness and body to the roots.
Natural Cosmetics = Bio Cosmetics?
No. Many natural cosmetics manufacturers try to offer as many raw materials as possible in organic quality, but not all ingredients are organically grown and available in sufficient quantities. Products with the NaTrue or EcoCert seal guarantee a high organic content.
Good even without a seal
However, some natural cosmetics companies also have products without a seal in their range. “For our hair care products, we prioritize effectiveness over certification,” says Sabine Kästner from Lavera. “Many a nourishing ingredient, such as panthenol, comes from the lab, even though it can be made from watermelon. But the method is not yet economical. Despite this, the product was rated ‘very good’ by “Öko-Test”.
Exactly the right one
Natural care series now serve every need and every hair type. For example, mango milk or jojoba oil protect colored hair from color loss. Henna and beer extracts create volume, coconut oil and silk extracts polish the mane to a high shine, and nettle or lemon balm soothe an oily scalp.
The first time
If you switch to nature, you have to have a little patience. The hair needs a few weeks to get used to the new care products. At first, it can be a bit stubborn, difficult to disentangle, or less supple to the touch. But that will happen within two to three months. It is best to first use a natural-based anti-dandruff shampoo once or twice: This dissolves the accumulated care substances from the previous shampoo out of the hair more quickly.
Why the price differences?
Some natural shampoos only cost two euros, others more than ten. One reason is the raw materials: sesame or almond oil is more expensive than olive or soybean oil. The type and quality of the surfactants also influence the price. “Because skin-friendly surfactants foam less, relatively expensive co-surfactants are sometimes also used in shampoos,” explains Jean-Claude Richard, product developer at Farfalla. “It also depends on the proportion of extracts and whether real essential oils or only cheaper isolates obtained from them are used.” Ultimately, however, it is not just the price that counts for the buyer, but also how they get along with the product.
Hair soap and washing earth – two little-known shampoo alternatives
Hair soaps are mostly made from olive or coconut oil, sometimes with a dash of black cumin or laurel oil. Unruly, strong or curly hair like this care. Fine and straight hair quickly becomes overwhelmed. It shows with greasy areas, preferably at the base. With an oily or irritated scalp, washing earth (also called lava earth, ghassoul or rhassoul) can soothe and gently degrease the skin . Be sure to rinse thoroughly, otherwise the hair will look dull. Washing clay is sold in powder form (from Safea) or as solid pieces (from GarSia) for dissolving.
Dye hair – also organic or classic? You can find out here.
