Natural products - they're all the rage these days. And for good reason! People aren't willing to compromise their health for beauty - because now there are products that don't compromise!
I wrote this about 4 years ago, but it still rings true today. If you're switching to a natural shampoo like Young Living's Lavender Mint shampoo found here, I recommend that you read this list of instructions, tips, and tricks!
I had recently spoke to my neighbor (who is a licensed beautician) when I had the greasy issue when switching to Young Living shampoo. She studied hair types and shampoos. Here are my notes from our conversation (yes, I took notes, because she is SMART!)
1 - HAIR TYPES Hair is basically a balance of protein and water. Thin hair is more water, thick hair is more protein. This will affect how fast your hair transitions to the new shampoo.
2 - SEBUM Your scalp is a gentle balance of sebum (natural skin oils). Using chemicals on your hair changes this balance.
3 - CHEMICAL SHAMPOOS When you use non-natural shampoos full of sulfates and other chemicals, they strip your hair. This is why it's so "clean." The problem with this is that is disrupts the sebum balance on your scalp and causes your body to make more oil. You don't notice because you're stripping that oil daily with harsh chemicals.
4 - BEWARE FRIZZY TREATING PRODUCTS when you use products that have "frizzy reducing" properties, it coats your hair. This will cause problems if you don't strip it off. She related it to this: think about if you wrap your arm in seran wrap to keep from getting dust on your arm. If you leave the seran wrap on, your arm won't get dusty, but it will get pretty gross under the wrap. The same thing happens to your hair when you use "frizz" products.
5 - NATURALLY REDUCE FRIZZ The only way to remove these "frizz" products is with the harsh shampoos. She recommended finding more natural ways to reduce frizz - like natural conditioner, coconut oil or a natural based lotion diluted with water.
6 - MAKING THE SWITCH When switching to a natural shampoo, you're going to be greasy for a while as your scalp figures out the new sebum balance. Remember, that chemical shampoo was stripping ALL the natural oils off your hair. Your natural shampoo won't (which is good - its shouldn't). Natural shampoo without sulfates is a "no-poo" approach to hair care, so if you google "no-poo", you will see some people share what the transition looks like.
7 - VINEGAR RINSE You can alleviate this greasiness with a vinegar rinse. Do it at the end and add a drop of your favorite Young Living essential oil to help with smell if it bothers you. The vinegar smell will dissipate. I promise you won't smell like pickles all day.
8 - WASH WITH YOUNG LIVING SHAMPOO To wash with natural shampoo, you have to relearn how to wash. I bet right now you just put the shampoo on top of your head and lightly scrub. This will NOT get to your scalp. Here's what my beautician friend says to do: run the water HOT - this will open up the cuticle on your hair and help release the dirt built up in your hair.
Then flip your head over. apply about a quarter sized dollop of shampoo to the underside of your hair and scrub HARD - you'll use less as your scalp balances out. You're not relying on chemical stripping, so you need to work that shampoo in. She said it should make your head feel awesome and your arms feel like they got a workout. Scrubbing will also stimulate the hair follicles. For a while you may feel like you're scrubbing hair out. This is okay and should taper off as you go along. Rinse hot and then rinse cold. The cold water will close the cuticles on your hair and help give it a shine.
9 - CONDITIONER If you use Young Living conditioner to help with frizz, apply it to the ends. You do NOT want to apply conditioner to your scalp (remember, we're trying to balance the sebum).
10 - SKIPPING WASHES When you transition, you may want to skip washes from time to time. Your hair will slow oil production a little faster. My friend said that it wasn't more than 150 years ago that soap companies were advertising to get people to wash more often. Unless you're working out, sweating a lot, or in a dirty environment, your hair isn't going to be super dirty.
11 - IT TAKES TIME She said it can take 6-8 WEEKS to make a full transition. Going back to a chemical shampoo at any point basically resets this timeline. Stick with it.
12 - BE PRESENTABLE BUT!! I have an event/meeting/work/etc today! I can't have greasy hair! The vinegar rinse is a HUGE helper. I've also used a tablespoon of cornstarch in a cup of warm water (after shampoo and before the vinegar rinse) to get rid of the excess oils on days when I NEED to have pretty flowing hair. You'll notice as you go along that you'll need less shampoo when you wash (because you're finally rid of all the excess junk and oil in your hair).
The bonus is that Young Living products go a LONG way. A little does a lot! So after a bottle, you should be closer to a dime-sized dollop - depending on hair length, of course, but remember that a majority of the shampoo/scrubbing is on your scalp.
13 - IT DOES WORK Speaking from the other side, THIS WORKS! Stick with it. Don't go back and forth, you'll just be backtracking.
Have you switched to a natural shampoo? What's your favorite aroma? Are you ready to start kicking chemicals out of your house?
Contact me to get started with your own Young Living account today to save 24% off retail!
I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you real information about health and holistic wellness.
Thank you for your support!