Olly Olly Toxin Free Part II: Shampoo Shake-Down

Jun 26

When I started this toxin and chemical free journey, I had grandiose ideas about being almost completely off the grid and spending my days making everything. It was a pie-eyed fantasy and completely impractical for me. I quickly realized I needed to take small actionable steps if I really wanted to change my lifestyle.

The most important goal for me was to reduce the amount of artificial, chemical, and toxin laden products in my life to a bare minimum. That meant research, awareness and conscious choice making. If I had to buy something rather than make it, I wanted to KNOW what I was actually getting and not blindly hoping the “all-natural” label was authentic.

I began my “clean-up” journey in the shower, thinking it would be the easiest place to start. Not too many products and plenty of available options and homemade recipes.

Shampoo and conditioner became my first battleground because they are some of the biggest carriers of toxins, many of which can be hidden because they are byproducts of the chemical processing.

According to the article, What’s Really in Your Shampoo, and Why You Should Find Out,

“Some of the fifty or so ingredients in [one] shampoo have been linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity in women, allergies, and disruptions of the immune and endocrine system – to name just a short part of a long list.”

The more research I did the more horrified I was about any store-bought shampoo. So I tried a couple of recipes; one turned my hair into a grease slick and the other into cotton candy. This was turning into more of a misadventure than a success but I was determined not to give up.

Then one day I discovered Tree To Tub Shampoo and Conditioner. It’s organic, non-toxic, vegan, Fair-Trade, Cruelty Free and fragranced with essential oils.

Pros: it does a great job cleaning, has lovely natural scents and no crap.

Cons: very little lather, plastic bottle packaging.

I also found an EWG.org approved company called Attitude that offers a wide variety of products for all different types of hair.

Pros: lots of choices, lathers like traditional shampoo, EWG Verified

Cons: contains less harmful chemicals, plastic packaging, the frangrances are very strong

Both are great alternatives that won’t change your routine and will eliminate a big chunk of harmful chemicals. I used both of these products for a couple of years as was quite happy with the results.

If you are considering making the switch to natural shampoos it’s good to know what challenges lie ahead.

If you are making your own:

Most ingredients have to be bought in large quantities so the initial investment can be cost prohibitive, especially in the experimental phase.
The main ingredients in the recipes I found do not work for all hair types. For example, if you have dyed or naturally curly hair the natural shampoo could make it feel oily or like cotton candy.
Taking the natural route can be daunting at first; research, finding recipes and ingredients, and a lot of trial and error.

If you are transitioning to an alternative product:

Most alternative shampoos do not lather or leave a slick feeling the way traditional store-bought shampoos do. We are conditioned to believe foaming lather and slick hair is good but it’s the chemical additives that create both of these effects. So not really good after all and not necessary to achieve clean hair.
Most alternative options have to be sourced online which means you can’t smell the product before buying. My advice is to get to know your favorite essential oil fragrances and look for those scents.
It takes time for your hair and scalp to rid itself of all the chemical abuse it has undergone. You may experience oily, dry or unmanageable hair for a short time and that requires patience and perseverance. Keep going!

Fast forward a couple of years into my shampoo journey and I was ready for the next big leap….no plastic packaging!

What does that look like? Shampoo and conditioner bars.

I will admit I was a little more leery of this adventure as my hair is long, curly and graying, the trifecta of challenging hair. Determined to give up the plastic, I once again dove into research. I reviewed several companies and their ingredients and found The Yellow Bird Company, a local family owned business with a mission I could get behind. Simply lather the bar in your hands, rub on your head, massage into scalp and rinse clean.

Pros: organic, vegan ingredients, leaves no residue, recyclable paper packaging, no waste and no crap.

Cons: slightly awkward to use at first