A Human 'Crash Test Dummy's' Guide To Natural Shampoo and Conditioner

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## Greetings beautiful Earth Dwellers and Blockchain Buddies. Over the coming weeks, I will be writing a series of posts about the different natural remedies or alternatives to mainstream health care that I have researched over the last ten years. When I used to write about natural cures in the past, I would often run tests on myself to try to better understand what I was actually writing about. The benefits of this led me down a rabbit hole that changed my life. I was able to test out essential oil blends, natural deodorants, hair care, home remedies, supplements and so much more. Some things worked and some failed so epically that I wish I had the photos to make an 'expectations vs reality' meme. I suppose the best part about all these self trials was that I could prove the 'fact checkers' wrong. The amount of times they would shoot natural medicine folk down for spreading false or dangerous claims used to really get under my skin. And quite frankly I feel I proved them wrong because, well, ... I'm still alive and no harm has come to me. I was having a conversation with one of my friends the other day about how I use myself as a 'guinea pig'. However, since transitioning to a vegan lifestyle I felt it totally disrespectful to all living beings to use that term. So, for the sake of being p.c and for my own peace of mind, I feel ***"Crash Test Dummy"*** has a much better ring to it. ### With that being said, here is my first post on... # Shampoo, Conditioners, and Alternatives My hair isn't in amazing condition. 42 years, harsh Spanish sun, seawater, hairband marks from the trademark 'mom bun', and my refusal to allow a hairdresser to cut it haven't exactly qualified me as the next Natural Alternative Cover Girl to L'oreal.

(Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay) No, that's not me above but since we are talking about hair I wanted to drop this image in of this model because she is worth it. Just to set the mood. "Why are you even writing about this then?" I hear you mutter to yourself, questioning why you even thought clicking on my post was a good idea and probably now hovering over the unfollow button. (Just kidding, please don't unfollow. I love you all). ### Ahem right... ## Disclaimer Alert: This probably isn't the best advert for finding products to give you stellar hair but what it will give you is an honest review of the natural alternatives I have used for hair care in case you were looking to try something new.

### The things I look for in products are **- natural ingredients.** **- ability to actually clean and condition.** **- how my hair felt after using them.** **- amount of effort needed to use said product.** **- sustainable and responsibly sourced ingredients and packaging.** **- their impact on the environment.** ## First up, store-bought products.

[Image Credit](https://pixabay.com/vectors/skincare-bottles-icon-dispenser-5786677/) ### Pros: I like the fact that these are easy to come by. They are free from all the nasty chemicals found in conventional shampoos and conditioners too. They provide the same 'clean' feeling and also leave hair feeling soft and nourished. Even better are the cruelty-free ones. Meaning they have not been tested on animals and don't contain any ingredients derived from animals. I like the fact they source natural, organic ingredients, with many containing essential oils. The fact that these ingredients are natural means they are less likely to pollute the water table, however I wouldn't recommend taking them to the river (yes I have washed my hair in a river), as even some natural cleaning agents can be harmful to aquatic life too. The brand I like the most has to be Faith In Nature. They have a whole range tailored for different hair types and my favorite has to be the Jojoba Shampoo and Rosemary Conditioner. Also, the price isn't too bad and works out much cheaper than some of the top-end mainstream brands. ## Cons: One of my aims is to reduce the amount of waste from my household. Although most of the bottles that we use go to recycling, I still feel a little uncomfortable with single-use stuff. My concern is that the bottles could end up in landfills or polluting the oceans. All in all these products are quick, easy, relatively cheap to buy, feel good and do the job. If they could come in sustainable or biodegradable packaging that would be a huge bonus. ### Shampoo and Conditioner Bars

[Image Credit](https://pixabay.com/photos/soap-handmade-bar-washing-aroma-1209344/) ### Pros: Shampoo and conditioner bars are fantastic. They clean and condition well. Some can be a little hard to lather but generally, I like the way they feel. Oh, and did I mention they smell great too? They are kind to your body and the environment, with little to no nasty ingredients. The ones that come in biodegradable packaging get a huge thumbs up from me. They are almost always cruelty-free but you do need to check this when buying. ### Cons: I think the only criticism I have is that the conditioners can feel a little heavy in the hair. This is probably due to the oil content. To minimize this, I don't use them every time I wash my hair and use them sparingly too. Seriously, a little really does go a long way. They can be pricey, but it really depends on where you are buying them. However, making sure they are left to dry after use prolongs their lifespan significantly meaning better value for money. I certainly think that these are the future of hair cleaning and conditioning and for me, they just tick all the boxes. ### Everything else that is either homemade from plants or essential oils.

Image Credit There are many homemade concoctions you can try from ingredients that can be found at home or growing in your garden or if you're really brave you can try going full 'no-poo'. #### Here's what I have tried and my findings with each: **Aloe Vera flesh and Rosemary Rinse.** These two work well together. The jelly-like flesh from inside the aloe soothes the scalp and does an ok job at cleaning. It also softens the hair too. Rosemary rinse. I usually put in about 2 sprigs for one cup of water for 20 minutes or 5 drops of essential oil added to tepid water. When it has cooled, I simply pour it through my hair and give it a quick rinse. Rosemary is good for hair growth, stimulating the follicle, and also adds shine. I really loved trying this out but found it a little time-consuming to prepare. It can't really be made in big batches as the aloe tends to turn a reddish-brown color, which is a little off-putting. **Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar.** This was one of my first tests and I have to say I loved it at first. However, after about 2 months of weekly use, I realized that perhaps I was overdoing it. My hair dried out like straw. My scalp felt as though it had been invaded by an army of fire ants. I later on learned that this should only be done as a detox once a year, however I really don't recommend this at all. It did so much damage to my hair and took a long time to nurture it back to good health. If you have had success with this method, I would love to know in the comments or link me to a post about it. **The NO - POO method.** In case you haven't heard of this it is simply washing your hair in water. Not sure why there is this quirky name for it but we will just roll with it. My experience of erm, water, was actually pretty pleasant. It provided all the benefits you would expect from this natural resource. For the first few weeks your hair feels a little greasy, but what I like about it was that the natural waves in my hair stayed more defined. After the greasy stage, my hair actually started looking pretty healthy. My scalp on the other hand, not so much. I felt like there was too much build-up and if left unwashed it may have stuck to my head permanently. Now, I was living off-grid at the time in a dusty desert which probably didn't help matters but I did end up pulling out the soap bar and hot water after about 4 months as I really didn't like feeling that way any longer. ###### So there we have it, folks. I think, for now, I'll stick to my soap bars as they work well and feel great, with little impact on animals and the environment. I do like to mix it up a little and sometimes I incorporate the no-poo method just to give my hair a chance to breathe. **I definitely feel like I am living more authentically when using natural products and even if my hair isn't picture perfect, my mind and body feel great knowing that my hair care isn't affecting the planet. In the end that's all that really matters.** I hope you enjoyed this review and I'd love to know if you've tried any of these and what the results were? If you have any recommendations for me to try, let me know in the comments and I'll give them a go. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. One love xx

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Originally posted here: https://hive.blog/hive-120078/@holisticmom/a-human-crash-test-dummys-guide-to-natural-shampoo-and-conditioner