Hair care is one of our daily needs, and beautiful hair plays a major role in our appearance and personal well-being. Conventional shampoos, conditioners, and hair dyes contain a variety of chemicals that can be harmful to our health and the environment. We present natural alternatives for healthy hair care.

Harmful substances in shampoos and hair dyes

Shampoos consist primarily of a mixture of water and chemical surfactants, washing-active substances that dissolve dirt and grease deposits in the hair. Other chemical ingredients help to give the shampoo a pleasant scent, an appealing color, a good consistency, and a long shelf life. They make the hair easy to style and give it a natural shine.

However, chemical ingredients, preservatives, and synthetic fragrances can irritate the scalp, dry out the hair, and pose significant health risks. It is mainly humectants and softeners with skin-irritating effects that make the scalp permeable, allowing chemical substances to quickly enter the body and damage the liver and kidneys. Degreasing foaming agents attack the mucous membranes and eyes. Many of these substances are considered allergens, carcinogens, and mutagens. Preservatives are used to increase shelf life and alter hormone balance. Silicones form a film around each individual hair, making it smooth, shiny, and easy to comb. However, they are not water-soluble and therefore cannot be washed out. The hair dries out under the silicone coating and is also difficult to dye.

The substances of concern in hair dyes include aromatic amines, resorcinol, ammonia, PEG/PEG derivatives, and halogenated organic compounds. These are carcinogenic, can trigger allergic reactions, dry out the hair, and irritate the skin and eyes. Unlike tints, where color pigments only coat the surface of the hair, chemical hair dyes provide permanent color. This is achieved by two components: color pigments and fixing agents. Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia cause the hair to swell, and the natural pigments are removed. Artificial color pigments with the desired color are then introduced in their place.

Switching to and tips for healthy hair care

When switching to silicone-free shampoo, the hair still contains a layer of silicone that prevents the absorption of important nutrients and care substances. It takes about 3 weeks for the silicone residues to be washed out of the hair. Until they are completely removed, the hair may feel rougher. Then its natural shine will return.

Lava clay, ground clay from the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, prevents excessive oiliness and makes the hair fuller. Mix a few tablespoons of lava clay with twice the amount of warm water, leave to stand for a short time, and then use as you would a normal shampoo. The mixture does not lather. If your hair is rather dry, you can add a little olive oil. Washing your hair with rye flour works in a similar way.

You can also make natural shampoo from pure organic olive soap and water. This soap suds gently remove grease and dirt and can even help stimulate hair growth. You can now add various herbal extracts or essential oils (opens in a new tab) to the soap suds. Choose herbs that are suitable for your hair problem. Cedar essential oil, for example, helps against oily hair. For dandruff problems, essential oils from eucalyptus, lavender, laurel, lemon balm, rose geranium, or tea tree are recommended.

If you don't feel like mixing your own shampoo, you can use natural soaps from health food stores. They contain oils that condition the hair and provide moisture. They work best with soft water. If you have hard water, an apple cider vinegar rinse (see below) will help remove limescale from your hair.

True purists simply wash their hair with water. This option is particularly suitable for sensitive scalps. If you don't like going completely "bare," you can heat a liter of water and add two to three tablespoons of herbs (e.g., nettle or chamomile) to make an herbal infusion.

Many people use conditioner to make their hair smooth and easy to comb. But there is also a very simple, natural alternative: an apple cider vinegar rinse. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) with half a liter of water and rinse your washed, damp hair with it. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to this mixture. The result is shiny and healthy hair.

It is best to prepare the shampoo fresh before each hair wash. Herbal extracts in particular have a particularly strong effect when freshly made. However, if you wash your hair daily, prepare shampoo for a maximum of one to two weeks at a time and store it in the refrigerator.

Plant-based hair dyes (plant powder and water) also provide a lasting color. The dyes from herbs, bark, twigs, leaves, fruits, and henna coat each individual hair like a film, creating shine and volume and making the hair thicker. However, this sometimes requires several dyeing sessions. The coloring result with plant-based dyes varies from person to person and cannot be predicted exactly. The color effect always depends on the natural shade, the structure of the hair, and any previous treatments such as perms or tints.

Hair tint for gray hair: A mixture of black tea and sage in water can make your hair darker again.