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Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Shampoos, hair rinses, soaps, detergents and cosmetics contain ingredients that may not be healthy for you. If you are itching and have rashes the following ingredients may cause contact dermatitis: aloe vera, coconut, jojoba oil, herbs, wheat, artificial fragrances, perfumes, scents, etc.
- Following are examples of ingredients in shampoos.
Brand 1
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Fragrance(s)/perfume(s), Propylene glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric acid, Butylene glycol, Glycol stearate, Diethylene glycol ethyl ether, Isopropyl palmitate, Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), Sodium benzoate, Cetyl palmitate, Potassium sorbate, Ammonium lauryl sulfate, Methylisothiazolinone. DMDM hydantoin,Water, Coconut oil,Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, Ammonium chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Ammonium xylenesulfonate,Ammonium laureth sulfate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, Cocamide MEA,...
- Brand 2
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Water, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Citric Acid, Cocamide MEA, Panthenol, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Trimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate, Ammonium Xylenesulfonate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone...
Read labels carefully before you apply the product to your body. Be aware that ingredients may be listed under different names - as coconut:
coconut diethanolamide, cocamide sulphate, cocamide MEA, cocamide diethanolamine CDEA, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, sodium cocoyl sarcosinate, potassium coco hydrolysed collagan, TEA-cocoate, triethanolamin laureth sulfate, vegetable glycerin, etc.
Take control over what you are applying to your body -- Use baking soda and apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar to clean your hair!
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Do you wonder why vinegar and baking soda will help remove dirt and gunk from your hair?
Quick visual example:
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In a cup
place 1 teaspoon of baking soda
then pour 1 teaspoon of vinegar over the baking soda.
Watch it fizz.
- How to get started washing your hair with baking soda
Basic proportions
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces, 250 milliliters) of baking soda to 1 cup (8 fluid ounces, 250 milliliters) of warm water.
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- Shake or stir the baking soda to dissolve in the water.
- If you have long/thick hair you may want to double the amount.
- Scrub the baking soda mixture through hair and scalp as though you are using regular shampoo.
- Rinse.
- Repeat until finished with the baking soda mixture.
- For thick and/or long hair
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- Take 1 ounce (or more) baking soda.
- Brush or scrub the baking soda through your hair.
- This will begin to remove the oil and dirt deposits.
- Rinse
- Go to the basic shampoo steps
- Dry shampoo wash
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- Distribute baking soda through your hair.
- Brush the baking soda out.
- This will remove the oil and dirt deposits.
- Vinegar rinse
The proportion is 1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons, 30 milliliters) of apple cider vinegar (organic, of course) to 1 cup (8 fluid ounces, 250 milliliters) warm water. Apple cider vinegar gives a reddish tint to hair so those with light colored hair blonde/gray may prefer to use distilled white vinegar.
Once again this amount may be increased depending on your hair thickness, length, etc.
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- Pour on your hair like a regular rinse.
- Work through the hair.
- Rinse.
(I make three separate rinse solutions)
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Additions
Instead of plain water you can add juices, coffee, herbal teas, whatever. Always do a patch test on your arm before using any product on your body.
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To make an herbal infusion
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- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of dried herbs to 1 cup(8 fluid ounces, 250 milliliters) of water
or 3 teaspoons (15 milliliters) of fresh herbs to 1 cup (8 fluid ounces, 250 milliliters) of water.
- Let herbs steep in water for 10 minutes
- Strain.
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Other possibilities from your kitchen to enhance and act as coloring agents are coffee, tea, juice, etc. Usually, it will require a few applications before you will see a difference.
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- The proportion recommended: (you can always change this, but remember less is more.)
- Mix 1 part to 5 parts water to dilute.
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A few herbs to try
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Dandruff
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- Basil: Adds luster, helps prevent hair loss.
- Burdock root: helps prevent hair loss
- Chamomile: moisturizing, soothing
- Horsetail: strengthens hair
- Lavender: soothing, balances moisture, antibacterial
- Lemon juice, water: adds shininess, removes buildup.
- Nettle: helps strengthen and revitalize hair.
- Rosemary: stimulating
- Sage: weak or brittle hair
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- Burdock
- Horsetail
- Lemon juice
- Nettle
- Rosemary
- Thyme
Note: Using vinegar as a rinse is a common dandruff remedy.
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Brown/Black highlights
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Red highlights
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- Allspice
- Black Tea
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Coffee
- Indigo
- Nutmeg
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- Calendula (Marigold)
- Cranberry juice (unsweetened)
- Ginger
- Henna
- Hibiscus
- Paprika
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Blonde highlights |
Gray hair |
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- Ceylon Tea
- Chamomile
- Lemon juice
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To color
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- Black Walnut
- Calendula (Marigold)
- Chamomile
- Rosemary
- Sage
To highlight
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- Blue Malva
- Chamomile
- Lavender
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Optional |
When your hair is dry
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- Take 1 teaspoon of the tea you have ready.
- Add it to 8 ounces of water.
- After the last vinegar hair rinse.
- Pour it over your hair.
- Leave on.
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- Place 2 drops of lavender, rosemary or basal essential oil on your hair brush/comb.
- Work through your hair.
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Optional |
When your hair is dry
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- Take 1 teaspoon of the tea you have ready.
- Add it to 8 ounces of water.
- After the last vinegar hair rinse.
- Pour it over your hair.
- Leave on.
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- Place 2 drops of lavender, rosemary or basal essential oil on your hair brush/comb.
- Work through your hair.
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Informative websites from the National Library of Medicine.
Household Products Database - Health and Safety Information on Household Products:
What's under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room? Learn more about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling.
http://householder/index.htm
TOXNET - Databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases.
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov
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