The Magic of Natural Hair Care

It really is amazing that, while people are generally so careful about what ingredients their food contains, many do not look at the ingredients of hair care products, many of which are actually absorbed into the body through contact with the skin.  Perhaps if they did they might be shocked to find that their favourite shampoo contains substances which could cause skin irritation and other bad reactions.  The good thing is, if you use natural hair care products, you don’t need to worry because you can be sure that all the ingredients are naturally sourced and beneficial to both hair and body.

The synthetic chemicals commonly used in hair care products, which can be responsible for itchy, flaky scalps and other reactions, are not essential; the fact is that they are cheap for the manufacturers.  The benefits they bring such as foaming and cleaning the hair can be replicated, and in many cases done far better, using natural ingredients.

For hundreds of years we have known about the healing properties of plants and essential oils and they are still used today in medicine, skin and hair care.  No synthetic ingredients can come close.  Those who know that choose natural hair care products in order to benefit from this knowledge.  Products such as Kitoko Oil are packed with vitamins, oils and minerals which come from ingredients including argan and karité shea nut extracts, which have been used for their medicinal and soothing properties in Africa for thousands of years.  The history and knowledge of these outstanding natural oils is now easy to use in your own home, and creates a hair treatment unparalleled in adding shine, strengthening and maintaining healthy hair.

How do people that use natural hair care products always seem to have shiny, gorgeous, healthy looking hair?  There really is no magic behind it, just good quality, natural ingredients.

Lush Duck is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

There’s no question about it: shiny hair is always the most healthy looking hair, and it’s something all of us strive for.  But how can you get shiny hair for yourself, naturally?  Well, thankfully there’s a simple way to achieve it in the comfort of your own home and that’s by using Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Shampoo.

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Shampoo is the result of expert research into just what are the best ways to make hair healthy looking and glossy and because it’s from Burt’s Bees, it’s an ethically manufactured product made from natural ingredients so you can feel good about using it too!

One of the main ingredients in the shampoo is betaine, which is actually made from sugar beets.  This natural plant extract helps to repair even damaged hair and add shine.  Burt’s Bees have cleverly combined betaine with soy protein in this advanced formulation for maximum hydration.  Soy protein is a source of minerals and B vitamins which work in harmony with the betaine for a maximum gloss effect.  Because betaine and soy protein are natural moisturisers, Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Shampoo  locks in moisture and prevents hair from drying out, so not only does your hair look nourished and moisturised after using this shampoo, it actually is!  And if that wasn’t enough, this shampoo also contains honey, which of course Burt’s Bees are famous for.  Honey is not only delightfully sweet but it’s also an exceptional moisturiser.

Used daily along with the matching conditioner, Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Shampoo will give an unbeatable shine and strength to your hair, leaving it smooth, manageable and beautiful.

Remember that the natural moisturising ingredients in Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Shampoo are not only great for glistening locks, but they also help moisturise your skin, which is great news for your scalp as well.

Lush Duck is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

With the launch of Faith in Nature products on BigGreenSmile we are exclusively offering a 25% discount across selected Faith in Nature products until 11th October.

You will also find an excellent buy 1 get 1 free offer on Jason Shampoos & Conditioners this month, a 3 for 2 offer on EcoCert organic skincare from Evolve Beauty and there is still time to cash in and get 20% off all Natracare products.

Oh.. and through September you can also get 25% off the famous, must have, fair trade 1L liquid castille soaps from Dr. Bronner’s

And if you are too busy to spend time at your desk placing an order fear not, there is also the brand new and FREE BigGreenSmile iPhone app so now you can shop on the go.

Big Green Smile is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Hair do’s – natural style

Our locks have got a reputation for holding all our power. Just consider the Brothers Grimm tale of Rapunzel; or the secret to Samson’s mighty strength in the biblical story that was turned into an opera and more recently as a Simpson’s spoof.

Traditional secrets

Emerging over 5,000 years ago, traditional Chinese medicine believes that visible hair issues such as hair loss or greying can in fact be a sign of deficiency in key nutrients within the bloodstream, or indicate problems with the liver or kidneys.

So hair could be the oracle to our organs, one of the reasons why Chinese medicine focuses on looking after it. A number of herbals methods are employed, including acupuncture and acupressure, various tinctures of birch leaves (known for its detoxifying effects) Echinacea root, rosemary and lavender. Even eating roasted black sesame seeds is said to do the trick.

One particular potent herb, known as “Shou Wu Chih” – or Knotweed – is now a patented hair tonic that improves scalp condition, transforms grey hair back to its darker self and prevents hair loss.

The sheen effect

Over the years all sorts of remedies have been experimented with in order to achieve that shiny, glossy look we’re used to seeing in the adverts.

The majority of today’s hair product, despite their floral appearances and whimsical, pure names that suggest they get their power from nature do anything but. Various chemicals that have suspected tendencies to irritate and encourage scalp allergies are regularly splodged into conventional hair products.

Click here to continue reading Jen Marsden’s article on Natural Hair Care

Big Green Smile is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Review by Richard Barnett 

Compiled by Linda Moss and just published by Green Books
(both EJ members), the recently published third edition of Organic Places to
Stay in the UK is a fast becoming a staple resource for those seeking holidays
with a light carbon footprint.  Anyone
wanting a UK based holiday where there is an emphasis on organic produce and
environmental awareness need look no further.

The book, like its predecessors, is beautifully presented
with hundreds of colour photographs showing a huge range of wonderful places to
stay.  I was very impressed with the great
diversity of listings which cover B&Bs, Guest Houses and Hotels as well as
self catering and camping locations. 

All
the venues offer guests at least 50% organic food and many manage 100%.  Browsing through the 300+ pages lets you
consider staying in some fantastic and beautiful parts of the country in
glorious properties.  And all tastes are
catered for.

The new edition is right up to date and each entry gives
full details of costs, whether children and /or dogs are accepted and if the
accommodation is within a mile of train stations or buses.  Where appropriate there are links to websites
and the maps help you locate the approximate location of all the featured
places to stay.

The environmentally conscious traveller will definitely find
many places of interest here and Linda Moss, who set up Organic Places to Stay
some ten years ago, is to be congratulated on once again collating such a rich
source of environmentally sensitive accommodation.

“To order your copy of Organic Places to Stay: UK & Ireland at the
special offer of £10.95 with free p&p, phone 0845 4589910 quoting the
Ethical Pulse reader offer.  All major credit cards accepted.” 

The bald truth from buyOrganics

When we hear about toxins in personal care products, we usually think of makeup and skincare products rather than hair care – after all, aren’t our crowning glories simply “dead” strands of protein?   And although we slather on the shampoos, conditioners and styling products, we don’t think of the connection between them entering our bloodstream or remaining on our skin in the same way as other lotions and potions.

However, of course, shampoos and conditioners get washed all over
our bodies in the bath or shower, and our scalp has just as many pores
as the rest of our skin – a close look (if you can get near enough!) to
any man’s bald head is evidence enough of that!  So, it’s just as easy
to absorb nasty chemicals through our hair products but surely, shampoo
and conditioner don’t need synthetic substances in just to clean and
smooth our hair?

In fact, many regular shampoos contain petro-chemicals, which have been
implicated in causing cancer and other illnesses.  The chemical
1.4-dioxane, for example, is often used in shampoo, and has even been
found in household named baby hair care products!  1.4-dioxane is a
by-product of a petrochemical process called ethyoxylation which uses
known breast carcinogen ethylene oxide to process other chemicals to
make them less harsh and more palatable for the consumer to use.

The answer is, of course, to pick products which do not contain any
synthetically manufactured chemicals at all and, preferably, do contain
organic ingredients for added safety and purity.

One thing to remember when switching from regular hair care products to
natural, organic ones is that for the first couple of washes, the hair
can feel dull and lifeless – this is actually a result of the hair
going through a natural detoxifying process, where it loses the gunk
caused by plasticizers and other synthetic ingredients contained in
many regular hair products, which actually work by coating the hair
with artificial substances to create gloss and shine.  Once this layer
of trash is stripped away, the hair returns to its natural soft shine,
which is then enhanced by the continued use of organic hair care
products.

www.buyorganics.co.uk have researched, tried and tested the best
natural and organic hair care products which are safe enough for the
whole family, and selected a variety of items suitable for different
types of hair for any occasion.

For daily use, we recommend Green People’s No Scent or Aloe Vera
Organic Shampoos – cost-effective for everyday washing, and so gentle
even newborn babies will be safe.  Not only this but your hair will
feel really soft and silky, plus we find that it rinses out perfectly,
without the nasty gunky build-up you often get with regular products
which seem to stick to the hair shafts rather than clean the dirt
away.  We recommend the Essential Care Tea Tree & Herb shampoo for
itchy, flaky scalps, again a budget buy but wonderfully effective, even
on cradle cap and dandruff.

For a weekly dip into luxury, look no further than the John Masters
range of hair care products – sheer indulgence but even better than a
trip to the salon, the whole range is pure heaven, leaving your hair
beautifully clean, conditioned and styled with absolutely no risk of
chemical nasties!    The John Masters Zinc & Sage shampoo not only
does wonders for your hair, but treats the scalp to a pamper as well. 
The scalp really is the key to healthy hair because although hair
itself is dead protein, from the hair follicle downwards into the scalp
is alive and well and in need of some regular nutrition!  This shampoo
will satisfy the thirstiest follicles to give extra body and shine.

We also love the Honey & Hibiscus shampoo, a good reconstructive
shampoo for a once-a-week hair Detox – and boy does it smell good too! 
The John Masters luxurious conditioners are also a treat for your
hair.  Have daily reminders of the beach with the Sea Salt Sea Mist
Spray, a leave-in deep conditioning protective formula for daily use. 
We also highly recommend the beautiful smelling Lavender and Avocado
Intensive Conditioner for deep penetration and lasting condition.

Even styling can be safe and healthy, for you and the environment. 
Many eco-friendly gels, waxes and serums really don’t come up to
scratch in terms of performance, but you can’t go wrong with the John
Masters organic Hair Pomade, great for smoothing frizzy hair, sculpting
a style and even doubles up as a wonderful hand cream and cuticle
softener!

So take the plunge today and give you and your hair the treat you both deserve!

All products are available at top organic lifestyle online store buyOrganics: www.buyorganics.co.uk