Natural Hair transition to the No-Poo method
How to switch from chemical hair products to a natural routine
Switching from chemical hair products, the ones that you will often find in grocery stores, to a natural routine can be challenging.
Why? Because when you use chemical products you’re experiencing instant effects, such as superficial shine due to silicones and the feeling of cleanliness due to sulfates. The problem is that silicones are building up on your hair and create a barrier that blocks any other nourishing ingredients from penetrating deep into the hair follicle which makes it difficult to grow healthy hair.
Sulfates are chemicals used as cleansing agents. They’re found in household cleaners, detergents, and even shampoo (healthline.com).
The sulfates found in shampoo, commonly sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are compounds produced from petroleum and plant sources such as palm and coconut oil. Sulfates can be damaging for some types of hair and may cause skin irritation. The problem is that, they leave your scalp without any protection creating an overproduction of sebum (the natural protective oil created by your skin). Over time your hair becomes oily quickly so you wash it more often, but the more you wash it the more quickly your hair becomes oily. It becomes a vicious cycle, or as we would say in French, it’s like the snake that bites its tail. Additionally, it irritates your scalp which can cause dryness, irritation, dandruff, and so on.
Both sulfates and some silicones have a negative impact on the environment.
Natural Routine in 3 steps
Going natural is a process that is going to allow you to rediscover the true nature of your hair, make sure that it is healthy, add volume, structure, texture, make it grow stronger and, most importantly, be able to adapt your routine to keep it healthy and beautiful. Additionally, you’re reducing your impact on the environment.
When you do so you’ll probably face a few challenges. By removing chemical products and silicones you’ll discover the true health of your hair. At first, it might be dry and tangled so you’ll have to take good care of it to end up with strong and healthy hair. This period lasts in between 1 to 3 months depending on your hair type. During this period you’ll have to cut it to start fresh because if you don’t your hair is not going to be able to grow strong and the split ends are going to continue to split.
Here are a few tips to adapt to a natural routine as smoothly as possible.
Use herbal powder shampoos.
They are by far the most natural and environmentally friendly option. It is extremely popular in France and they have a lot of amazing properties. From the start of your journey to the establishment of your new routine, they are going to be your allies. You’ll find here two different powder types, the Ayurvedic powders from India which are plants-based, incredibly rich in vitamins and minerals. Some Ayurvedic powders promote hair growth, bring shininess, volume, structure, texture whilst some others such as Shikakai and Rhetta are amazingly rich in saponins which cleanse the scalp and hair of impurities, prevent sebum production, reduce triggering inflammation and itchiness.
The other type of powder is a clay from Morocco called Rhassoul which is extremely good for detoxifying the scalp smoothly. To know more about how to use natural powders I’ll let you have a look at our blog: “How to use herbal shampoo"
Haircare ritual
Because at first, your hair is going to be completely free of chemicals and silicones, you are going to feel that the texture changes, your hair will not feel as silky and it will need some attention and deep care in order to find the right balance and make it as healthy as possible.
Powders: here again you can use powders as conditioners and masks. Our natural powder conditioner gathers natural plant powders rich in vitamins, minerals and mucilages, such as the Marshmallow powder, ideal for softening, protecting and sheathing the hair. It restores strength and vigour to the hair, intensely nourishes and brings shine. You also can add some aloe vera and/or oils for a deeper effect. Please refer to our blog on “Herbal powder shampoo”.
Oils: you can also use oil masks which can entail mixing different oils to give different nutrients to your hair. For example, the well-known oils include coconut, jojoba, castor, olive but also mustard, hemp, and shea butter are amazing to deeply nourish your hair.
Practical advice: A simple way for removing the oil gently, is to put your on shampoo without water first, massage gently and put on a bit of water, massage again and then you can wash it off. This method allows you to keep more of the oil’s beneficial properties by not having to wash your hair multiple times.
Plus: You can keep the powder and the oil masks on your hair for at least an hour or more.
Some people keep it on overnight but don’t forget to protect your pillow.
Styling your hair
Because at first, your hair is going to feel a bit strange you can use a tiny bit of aloe vera or oils to keep it under control. Oil-based products or masks can make your hair too oily, so be sure to choose one that reacts well with your hair and scalp such as jojoba or shea butter. Aloe vera is a good alternative when you don’t want this oily feeling and it will help you create a nice and natural hairstyle.
Aloe Vera
Try to not use hot sources such as hair dryers or straighteners too often. If you have to use your hairdryer don’t put it on too hot.