5 zero waste and non-toxic shampoo swaps
I remember the days when TRESemme took off. I was in high school, straightening my hair between classes in the girls’ toilets whilst applying lancome lipgloss. I was washing my hair every day because somehow it seemed that overnight it got greasy; I had no idea that was probably because of the particular products I was using, and I gave no thought to how many bottles I was throwing away every few weeks. Switching to a natural shampoo didn’t happen overnight- my hair had to go through a detox (this usually happens) and I tried ALOT of natural non-toxic products to find one that really did work for me and then tried many more to find an alternative that didn’t come in unnecessary packaging. I now wash my hair around 1-2 times a week instead of every day or every other day- so i’m saving alot there too! I have tried all of the below bar 5 (I think I got to about 3 weeks and caved), if you have let me know. My go to’s are 3 and 1.
1. Shampoo bar
I went to a soap making course a few years back and since then have been making our own soap (it’s alot easier than it sounds) Not everyone has the time or the want to make their own and there are a ton of great shampoo bars out there, MANY i’m yet to try tried. A few of my favourites are: Ethique, Eco Warrior and Wild sage and Co . I don’t always need to use conditioner when using a shampoo bar but sometimes I find there is a build up of essential oils near my roots so I occasionally use an apple cider vinegar rinse (don’t worry the smell disappears). Make sure to check the ingredients in soap bars- anything saying ‘fragrance’ I steer clear from, you can read this series I wrote at the start of last year if you want to know more on that!
2. Get it in a can
I was sent some of Ksoni’s products back a while ago as a PR product and fell in love. It was like I was in a spa! Aluminium is infinitely recyclable making it a far better option than plastic bottles- they also come with a biodegradable and reusable cap so they won’t leak in between uses. Their products are made only with natural ingredients and are sulphate, paraben and SLS free. They are definitely higher priced than what my budget allows for shampoo and conditioner so they don’t work as my every day options but are perfect for a bit of luxury, and make a great gift.
3. Fill up at your nearest refill store
We are so thankful to be surrounded by some great re-fill stores and many have an option to refill shampoo and conditioner. Make sure to check the ingredients to see how natural they are but our local store supplies faith in nature which we love and is very cost effective for our budget! I either take in our big glass bottles to re-fill or something easier to carry about like an old plastic bottle and then dispense when I get home!
4. Bicarbonate of soda
In the early days of stopping using anything toxic in our home, Joseph and I (he carried on WAY longer than me) used bicarbonate of soda as shampoo followed by an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda into 250ml of warm water and stir until dissolved- then massage into your hair. It usually needs to be followed by either Apple Cider Vinegar or lemon juice- we diluted some in water and added it to a spray bottle (this won’t work as well if you live in a hard water area). This definitely worked and I loved the concept and how cheap it was, but every few weeks or so I wanted to wash it with actual shampoo as my hair ended up getting very matted.
5. Leave it
I don’t know how successful this one would actually be- even though this person swears by it. I think I’ve reached a maximum of 3 weeks before caving and washing mine! Have you ever tried it?