Summer is such a blast. My absolute favorite time of year. Good for having lots of fun, hanging with the kids, eating yummy summery treats, chillin’ poolside, and mini golfing it up. And that’s just for starters. What it’s not so great for? Getting loads of writing done. Which is why it has taken me so long to get this much awaited and final installment of the InStyle Best Beauty Buys green makeover to you.
Natural hair care. I’m not gonna lie to ya, it’s the toughest part of going green in beauty. There’s plenty of high performance organic skincare. Body care too. Sunscreens have even come a long way, baby. But hair care? It seems to be the toughest row to hoe.
In the past, natural shampoos and conditioners have left hair limp, waxy, or straw like. And styling products? Even worse. This tress stress has left green gals in a lurch. No wonder so many are going the way of no ‘poo.
But there are hair care products out there, free from nasty ingredients, that perform like you want them to. Promise. You just have to know where to find them. Take a seat, put your feet up, and get ready to be pleasantly surprised by your nontoxic hair care options.
SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER
For Fine Hair Acure Organics Pure Mint + Echinacea Stem Cell contains quinoa protein extract and Echinacea stem cells to support keratin and cellular regeneration. More importantly, this stuff works! I have fine, dry hair and this is one of my favorite shampoo and conditioner combos. Smells great and is budget friendly too. Another line that I absolutely love is Rare El’ements. A luxurious shampoo and conditioner that acts like a high-end chemical brand without the harsh detergents or synthetics.
For Normal Hair Rahua is a natural hair care favorite amongst the green beauty crowd. These products are suitable for all hair types, even color treated.
For Curly Hair Curly hair also tends toward dry and frizzy. John Masters Organics Evening Primrose Shampoo for dry hair will wrangle frizz, flyaways, and stray curls. Follow up with JMO Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor.
Big Gun Conditioner Hair overly processed? Looking damaged or aged? Otherwise dried out to a whispy version of its former self. You need Rare El’Ements Hair and Scalp Serum. You know how oil serums are the absolute bomb for restoring glow and health to sallow skin? That’s what this baby does for down in the dumps locks. Also great for warding off damage in the first place.
STYLING + COLOR
Volumizer Fine and thin haired gals are on the constant hunt for more volume. If you are a mousse kinda gal you’ll love Yarok Feed Your Roots Volume Enhancing Mousse. Love the body and natural wave your hair has after a day at the beach? Try John Masters Organics Sea Mist Sea Salt Spray with Lavender.
Hairspray Rahua Voluminous Hairspray adds body while keeping coif in place. The light hold means you can brush through it too, if you want.
Pomade Not that I have ever used much pomade, but if I was going to start…have to go with John Masters Organics Hair Pomade. Cuz that company knows hair and I just love mango butter.
Color Oh gosh, the ultimate organic beauty question. What’s the safest way to color hair? There are a couple of ways to go about making your color job healthier. Yes, you can purchase less toxic hair colors which have received mixed reviews. Or you can use the toxic stuff as carefully as possible, which I’ve spelled out here. Unfortunately, there is no nontoxic way to achieve that traditional salon color. Sometimes a gal has to make beauty choices, ya know?
**Right here I have to stop you for a minute and interject my thoughts on InStyle’s “Eco-Friendly Line” choice. As you may have noticed I side stepped all the InStyle eco friendly picks throughout because, well, all of my picks are eco friendly. But I couldn’t go further without speaking up on this one. IS gives huge props to Aveda as an eco friendly line. I, of course, took a closer look. Aveda has lots of claims on the sustainability and safety of the ingredients they use. Hey, guess what they don’t have? Full ingredient listings for their products. And you know what I say about MIA ingredient listings, don’t cha? It’s your first red flag that a product or brand may not be quite as healthy as they say they are. Sadly, such is the case with this brand. Yes, it smells herbal-y and good. Yes, lots of people buy and use it. Yes, it has a green image. NO, it is not nontoxic, synthetic free, or what I would consider safe. And, moving right along.**
Volumizer for Dry Hair InStyle lists a spray here with polymers and proteins to lift and plump. But you know what dry hair really needs? That’s right, it needs moisture. My fave trick to add life to dry, lifeless locks is straight up avocado oil. Massage a palm full into scalp and work through to ends of hair. Wrap in a towel and leave for a good 15 minutes. Wash as usual. Seems unlikely that an oil would add oomph? Trust me on this weird one, it truly works!
Curl Definer To define curls and waves, add softness, and tone down frizz I love Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie. A little dab of this thick, tropical scented styling product will do ya.
Dry Shampoo The two most popular organic dry shampoos are Lulu Organics Hair Powder and One Love Organics Healthy Locks Dry Shampoo Powder. Go nuts.
Heat Protecting Spray Protect hair from heated styling tools while nourishing with Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave In.
Well, we made it to the end of the InStyle Best Beauty Buys green makeover. Yay! If you’d like anything else reconstructed in a green manner, please let me know. I’d be more than happy to help you out.
