Making the transition to natural hair care … by Teresa Carey
No more chemicals. No more plastic. No more expensive hair care products.
These are three reasons people are moving away from cleansing with regular shampoo in favour of a 100% natural alternative, hand crafted shampoo bars.
Regular shampoo is nothing more than a chemical soup comprised of 95 per cent water with synthetic fragrances, preservatives, surfacants, stabilizers, colorants, and other harsh and potentially harmful ingredients. In fact, a nearly universal shampoo ingredient, sodium laurel sulfate was originally designed to clean floors!
Regardless of whether conditioning oils are added, the harsh chemical components in regular shampoo inevitably do cause damage. Hair and scalp become stripped of their natural protection, causing fragile hair, potential hair loss, skin irritation and in some cases, even open sores on the scalp. To remedy the negative effects, people then reach for hair conditioners. This only gives the illusion of healthy hair.
Pure and natural shampoo bars, on the other hand, are rich in emollient oils and ‘moisture grabbers’, called humectants. Your hair is no longer being stripped of its natural oils, so there is no need to follow up with a hair conditioner. All that is needed is a little vinegar in your rinse water to restore the right PH balance for hair.
Initially, when moving from the use regular shampoo to that of natural shampoo bars, hair may feel on the greasy side. This is because it takes time for your scalp to adjust the change, anywhere from two weeks to two months. During this period the scalp’s natural oil production will start to slow, because it no longer needs to work so hard to replenish oils that were stripped away by the old cleansing product. It is important to not give up during this stage, as tempting as it may be. Allow your hair and scalp the time it needs to adapt.
During this adjustment period you may want to focus on all the spin off benefits of using a natural hair cleansing alternative: Shampoo bars are eco-friendly and biodegradable. They contain no harsh chemicals to contaminate our water supply and require little or no packaging. Shampoo bars are easy to use: Just run it under some water and lather it up. Shampoo bars are less expensive and easy to transport. Imagine, no hassles at the airport as they can be neatly tucked into your suitcase or gym bag!
Interlake’s, Aradia Naturals , based in Arborg, offers a full line of natural products, including a great shampoo bar called, Avocado & Yolks Tea Tree Shampoo Bar. It is a rich, emollient, conditioning, bubbly shampoo bar with made with antiseptic Tea Tree oil.
While you’re at it, try the Chamomile or Lavender & Roses Ultimate Sugar Scrubs. These are the best sugar scrubs you will find–anywhere!
Aradia Naturals also offers bath and massage oils, herbs, specialty teas, natural perfumes and incense, and excellent all natural skin care products. Visit http://aradianaturals.ca/1, or call (204) 376-5978 to place an order.
Aradia Naturals Avocado & Yolks with Tea Tree Shampoo Bar has a rich and creamy lather.
