Over the years, the biggest struggle for me in organic and natural products has always been haircare products. My haircare routine is extremely simple (wash, condition, blowdry or airdry, and minimal styling). I have pin-straight, thick hair that is naturally oily, and in recent years, has been color-treated. Finding products that work well with my hair and its finicky and sensitive nature is still about trial and error. Thankfully, either I’ve gotten in the groove of knowing what will and won’t work, or as the years go on, my hair problems have subsided. Here are the natural and organic hair products on rotation in my shower right now:
Call my insane, but I like to rotate between shampoos when I can, just because my very oily-prone hair needs variety. I also try to wash my hair only every other day at the least. I’ve been told by many experts (including Rahua founder, Fabian Lliguin) to extend washing my hair only once a week, but honestly my hair needs to be washed way more than that and it has never worked for me. Do what’s right for yourself and for your hair!
Plaine Products Rosemary Mint Vanilla Shampoo: One of the best smelling natural shampoos out there, plus the refillable packaging and subscription program makes me feel so much better about my impact on the environment. You can read more about why I rave about it here, but the bottom line is this shampoo is gentle, nourishing, cleans deeply without causing my hair to be super oily. The formula is gentle enough that I can use this shampoo daily if desired, and it would not dry hair out or cause greasy buildup. I especially love the Rosemary Mint scent, because it’s soothing, fresh, and a little bit sweet smelling. $30, 16oz (10% off with a recurring subscription).
EVOLVh Ultrashine Moisture Shampoo: This is an investment shampoo, but it’s something I recommend to friends who do not believe in the power of natural shampoos but quickly become believers. This shampoo is perfect for anyone transitioning from mainstream shampoo to natural, because it feels, smells, and performs like your average luxury shampoo, but has a ton of natural/organic ingredient benefits.
This shampoo has a unique, sort of gel-like texture. I like that it is very nourishing yet lightweight, has a pleasing lather, and smells fresh. This is another product that allows my hair to look and feel soft and clean, without causing hair to be overly oily or dried out. I’m thinking about buying the larger size of this shampoo (comes with a pump-top) next time around, though it is even more of an investment. Read my full review here. (Shampoo branding/design has changed since I last bought this shampoo.) $26, 8.5 fl oz.
Giovanni 2Chic Blackberry & Coconut Milk Repairing Intensive Hair Mask: This is a hair mask (for damaged/over processed hair) that should be left on for about 5 to 10 minutes, but I use it sparingly as a conditioner. It works extremely well as a hair mask, but most often I’m too impatient, so I apply a bit to the ends of my hair and lightly near my roots, and rinse out. I’m always left with the silkiest, tangle-free hair. My color-treated hair always feels extremely smooth and nourished after using this, never brittle nor overly hydrated. The product has a cream-based texture, and a muted, pleasant fruity scent. It’s a great addition to my haircare routine, whether used as a mask or conditioner that keeps my color-treated hair silky smooth, nourished, and strong.
While Giovanni is known as an OG affordable natural hair care brand, this product’s ingredients are “mostly” organic. By that I mean there are some straight forward ingredients, and some ingredients that depend more on one’s personal preference and opinion (eg. fragrance, dimethicone).
I found this on a whim at my TJ Maxx and while I always see the Repairing line of shampoo/conditioner at Whole Foods, I’ve never seen the Hair Mask before. Seems like this product is sold online at Vitacost ($7.19, 5.1 fl oz) and on Giovanni’s website. I might be ordering another one of these very soon!
Mo Mi by Modern Minerals styling products: I don’t usually style my hair but when I do, I still enjoy using these organic, flower and gem essence-infused styling products whether it’s to keep my hair feeling fresh in between washes, or to add a bit of oomph to my naturally flat, straight hair (full review here). The products I use on a daily basis from the collection are the Texture Mist ($35, 100g) and Dry Shampoo ($35, 118g). Not only are they gentle and as effective as mainstream products, they don’t damage my hair (or have harmful ingredients) and smell absolutely delicious.
I’m still exploring the world of hair products, but feeling a lot more confident in knowing what my hair needs in natural, organic products. What are your favorite clean haircare products? Do you have a go-to haircare routine?
*This post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase through these links I will receive a small commission for referring you. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.
