Plastic Free Hair Care
I've had my hair cut this week which made me think I MUST get sharing my plastic free hair care! Whilst finding the right products for my hair, I've had some not-so-good experiences with bad hair days in-between (trust me). I know it can be a hard journey, especially when it comes to our hair, but it's all the more rewarding when you find the products that work for you.
Shampoo:
Shampoo alternatives is probably the *big* one that everyone tries to combat, and I know many people who have tried and given up with shampoo bars. I've tried a few and here's what worked for me.
Lush, Montalbano Shampoo Bar:
This one was the very first shampoo bar I tried. It smells really fresh and citrusy! At first when trying this bar, I would alternate hair washing with my regular liquid shampoo at the time with this bar each day. This was to help slowly transition and then use the bar more days than the liquid shampoo. Eventually I was able to remove the liquid shampoo completely from my routine. I changed from this bar when it felt like my hair wasn't in great condition, possibly a combination of the change and having my hair coloured frequently, or not conditioning it enough - I'm still not sure what happened. However, if I went back to a shampoo bar this would be a strong contender. If you have any issues with feeling as though your hair is rubbery/greasy when you've rinsed off the lather, then you can always do an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse, or a bicarb rinse. I did the ACV rinse when I was struggling at the start of the transition to a shampoo bar, it really helped. Add a few drops of a lovely smelling essential oil to help make it smell better (if you’re like me and can’t stand the smell) and rinse well. I’ve never tried the bicarb rinse, but I’ve seen so many people saying they’re beneficial.
Refills, Faith In Nature:
The Guernsey Weigh* sells liquid refillable choices of Faith In Nature. Whilst I felt like the coconut shampoo made my hair really dry, the aloe vera shampoo is now my go-to, creating a good lather and smells nice too. It’s really rewarding knowing I’m refilling the same bottle again and again. *Have a look if there's a zero waste shop near you that sells refillable products. Many people are unaware there's one not far from them. BeesWax Wraps Zero Waste Map is a good resource.
For travelling:
Beauty Kubes:
I've just bought the small pack of 3 Beauty Kubes from Plastic Freedom, which you crumble in your hand with some water to form a paste, rub into your hair and voila! Makes an INCREDIBLE lather, I was so surprised that I really don’t think I need a whole cube with my short hair!
Conditioner:
I have used a conditioner bar in the past (Lush, purple solid conditioner bar) but didn't get the same soft texture when I dried my hair. I since used the Faith In Nature refill coconut conditioner and this smells great and is a good everyday one... but this next one I'm going to talk about is my absolute FAVE.
Wild Sage + Co - Organic Broccoli + Rose Geranium Conditioner:
Everyone, get yourself a bottle of it. This stuff is magic. When I say you only need a pea sized amount, I really mean it. I only put this on the ends of my hair and where my hair is thicker (hello uneven parting). It leaves my hair feeling silky soft. It's a little bit more pricey than some other options, but it lasts much longer because you only use such a tiny amount with every wash.
General:
I don't use a hair dryer anymore. Which is great in the Summer months and I’ll see how this goes as the days get cooler. This saves electricity, heat damage to my hair and time to get ready - win win win. I've also decided to stop getting my hair coloured, for now anyway, as I'm letting my natural colour come through. This has been interesting realising how dark my natural blonde is. Not washing hair everyday is a good saver in terms of products, cost and water. I've been training for a half marathon which has now been completed, but as you can imagine running that much in the middle of Summer made it hard to attempt washing it less (when if anything it needed washing more), but I'm sure I'll get back into the habit of washing it every other day again.
If you have any other products to reccommend let me know, I'd love to find other plastic free brands and tips!