Who doesn’t want healthy, shiny, great looking hair? One of the easiest places to make the switch to natural products is our hair care. The best part is, switching to natural hair products usually comes with almost immediate and positive results. Many shampoos and conditioners leave our hair dry and frizzy, some leave a build up of nasty residue and most strip our hair of it’s natural oil and moisture. Some shampoos even contain chemicals that should never be absorbed into our bodies with consequences that go way beyond just the damage to our hair.
Some of the chemicals we want to avoid are the ones that give shampoo the rich foaming lather that feels so good when we’re washing our hair. Don’t be fooled though, many shampoo companies are now advertising low lather shampoos in an attempt to trick us into thinking they are not harmful but many of these still contain harsh chemicals. Natural hair care really needs to be just that, there are so many all natural and organic ingredients that can clean your hair perfectly well, so why risk toxins making themselves at home in our bodies. Many scientific studies have proven that chemicals can be absorbed into the body through hair follicles and through the skin and capillaries on our scalp. It has even been shown that it is possible to administer vaccines through the hair and scalp.
You might even be surprised to find the shampoo you have in your bathroom cupboard has some of these chemicals listed on the label. Sodium laurel sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, polyethylene glycol, potassium sorbate, phenoxyethanol, behentrimonium chloride, dimethicone quaternium-15. Do these sound nasty? That’s because they are and this is only a few of the harmful chemicals you’ll find in many shampoos and conditioners. The list is very long. These chemicals can cause skin irritation, serious toxicity problems and some have been linked to cancer. You will even find some of these ingredients in household cleaning products and scarier still, insecticides. Also one of the most common but harmful ingredients in hair care is the added fragrance. If your shampoo smells like flowers or perfume, it’s probably bad for you.
Another thing you can do to make your hair shiny and healthy is to eat the right foods. Yes, here it goes again “you are what you eat” and your hair is no exception. Just like the rest of your body, your hair needs lots of water. Your hair, like your body, is partially made up of water so keep up those 8 glasses of water a day and you’ll already be on your way to healthy, happier hair.
As well as keeping up your water intake, your hair will benefit from a diet high in protein, omega fatty acids, vitamin C, iron and zinc. Eat salmon, chicken, nuts, grains and beans, especially walnuts, lean red meat and eggs. Also citrus fruit, strawberries, leafy greens and broccoli. Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron. An iron deficiency makes your hair dry and brittle.
All these things will not only make a big improvement to the condition of your hair, they will contribute to your overall health and well being. Just like the rest of our body, the cells and the process that supports strong healthy hair depends on a balanced diet. Combine natural hair care products with a nutritious diet and you’ll soon see and feel the difference.
Argan Oil – Mother Earth’s Natural Wonder
It’s funny, argan oil has been around for centuries but we were so captivated by the big cosmetic companies that only in the last decade has it caught our attention. How many typical cosmetic products do you know about that you can happily dip your bread in and eat it. That is a true test of how safe it is. Drizzling it on their salad and dipping bread in it is what they do in Morocco where the majority of argan oil comes from. The people there have known about it’s cosmetic properties for centuries and now the word has spread to western society in a rush.
The oil is extracted from the kernels in the nut at the center of the small fleshy fruit. Despite many attempts to mechanize the process it is still done almost entirely by hand making it an even more special commodity. Argan oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A & E and omega fatty acids. It is very well regarded for bringing life and lustre to hair and for hair loss prevention and today many hair products incorporating argan oil are receiving rave reviews.
Argan oil’s recent surge in popularity is also as a skin moisturizer and anti-ageing treatment. Our skin is one thing that varies a great deal from one individual to another and applying argan oil directly to the skin has mixed reviews. Many people rave about the results they’ve had and others have experienced problems like pimples. However, the first thing to understand is, only a very small amount is required to be effective but the best advice is to start slowly and see how your skin reacts. One drop is enough to do under both eyes to help reduce wrinkles. It also makes an excellent body moisturizer especially for problem areas like cracked heels and elbows.
Originally used by the Moroccan people to treat skin problems like infections, rashes and insect bites it has been used recently to treat acne. Mixing it 50/50 with tea tree oil because of the tea tree’s antibacterial properties has produced good results for many but again proceed with caution.
Too Much Sugar Causes Dandruff – What?
Yes, it’s true. Sugar, the new poison, strikes again. While dandruff can be caused by conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis, a diet high in sugar can also cause dandruff. How, you might ask. A spike in insulin levels can actually result in oily skin and scalp. Contrary to common belief, dandruff often occurs, not from having a dry scalp but an oily one. Fungus can grow on the scalp and feed on the oil causing an increase in flaky skin cells. Here’s just another common ailment that can often be improved by changing to a healthy diet. Another common myth about dandruff is that it is caused by too much washing but in reality it is often caused by not washing enough which creates the oily scalp.
A diet high in fruit and vegetables can help reduce dandruff and snacking on raw vegetables will be beneficial. Although we don’t want oily skin, it is important to keep the skin hydrated. Try and add foods high in omega 3 to your diet like walnuts, salmon, tuna, sardines, soybeans and kidney beans. Dandruff can actually be an indicator of your overall health, improve your diet, reduce your dandruff and you might notice an improvement in your health and well being. Of course some chemical based shampoos can sometimes be the main culprit and you should consider switching to a shampoo made from natural ingredients. There are many natural ingredients like tea tree oil, sage, jojoba and lemon which can treat the underlying causes of dandruff such as the oily scalp and fungus. Another thing you can do is to improve the circulation in your scalp by regularly massaging your head with the tips of your fingers.
Natural Products was started with the view to provide a one stop place to search for the best natural cosmetic products where people can find only the best reviewed products, saving time and helping in choosing the right “Natural Products” from all the hundreds of different alternatives. You’ll find various Natural Hair Care products such as Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner by Art naturals. The combination of both maximizes the products’ restorative and nourishing properties by up to two times. The shampoo cleans your hair gently yet effectively so that the hair color remains intact whereas the conditioner provides hydration which gives you shiny and thicker hair. The botanical extracts and the oils benefit your hair with a spa like treatment and protect your hair and scalp against the suns rays.
This best selling Anti Hair Loss Shampoo is manufactured under the brand name of Majestic Pure. The shampoo doesn’t contain harsh chemicals like sulphate, paraben and gluten which are the major reasons behind the cause of innumerable chronic hair issues. It is suitable for daily use on every hair type and every gender and is safe to be applied on color treated hair. The potent natural ingredients of the Natural Hair Shampoo such as biotin strengthens the hair strands, and other botanical extracts encourage healthy hair growth and healing process.
Another popular product is Strengthen Grow and Restore shampoo and Natural Hair Conditioner by Shea Moisture. The mild hair care product is specially designed for people who have dry and brittle hair that have splits at the ends. This shampoo gently cleanses the hair and scalp thereby infusing hair with moisture, and the energizing conditioner nourishes and makes the damaged hair healthy, making curls and coils smooth and shiny.
HairGrowth formula is a dietary supplement in the form of capsules. It contains 25 essential vitamins and herbs which nourish your hair follicles from the inside out and provide you with the healthiest hair. The gluten-free and vegan-friendly capsules are made from powerful ingredients that work in a synergistic way, focused on hair loss prevention and to accelerate hair growth for both males and females in a minimum 90 days to give an all-natural hair growth.*
This Natural Hair Conditioner is a third-generation formula made from the well balanced refined blends of plant and botanical-based ingredients. This premium daily conditioner is for all hair types providing silky, shiny and friction-less hair and contains no toxic and harsh chemicals such as sulphate and paraben. Vegetable-based ingredients provide hydration and weightless moisture, making your hair free from tangles and static friction.*
What could be more important than all Natural Hair Shampoo for babies? This “Best Selling” natural baby shampoo is a plant based, pediatrician tested safe and gentle shampoo for children of all ages. A young baby’s skin is 20-30% thinner than adult skin. And since skin is the largest organ and absorbs what we put on it, we need to take extra-special care of it—for baby and for you. That’s why this Natural Baby Shampoo contains NO phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, SLS, or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives because we know those aren’t what’s best for your baby’s delicate skin.
*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person.