All Natural Naturals---Get in here!

[gloomgeisha]

I didn't know if this kind of topic had already been posted and my search didn't send back the kind of results I was looking for so here goes.

I'm thinking I want to go "all natural" with my hair regimen. No more spending $$$ on expensive creams and conditioners that do nothing for my tresses. I'd like to know if there are any naturals who follow this kind of routine so I have a few questions;

What do you use to "shampoo?"

What do you use as "conditioner?"

I was thinking I could maybe go with coconut cream mixed with honey, vatika, and avocado for this but I'll gladly take other ideas.

How has this routine effected your hair? Is it more manageable? Healthier?

How do you say this kind of routine has effected you cost wise? Has it been cheaper for you than buying the brands?

What other "ingredients" do you use in your hair?(Herbs, spices, Indian powders, oils, etc) And what effect do they have for you?

 

[jamaraa]

I don't use all natural products on my head, but I know enough about herbs/oils to point you in some directions. I do make most of my "maintenance" products myself, but I tend to invest in good mild conventional Western products for washing and conditioning.

For a shampoo, you can use aritha (aka reetha/soapnut) powder. Simply put the powder in hot water and let it steep into a tea, then use on scalp and/or hair. You can do the same thing w/ shikakai.

For a "conditioner"...use a coconut milk base w/ some coconut or whatever other oil for "slip"...add whatever powders herbs you want. You can strain and rinse or not, depending on choice. Native American or Vedic herbs presents alot of good options to use alone or mixed however. Nettle, horsetail (aka shave grass), shakakai, brahmi (aka gotu kola), bhringraj, neem, etc. You have to research the various "hair herbs" to find out what they do and what you want them to do together or alone. Investigate EOs as well. You can use almost any oil/butter in combo, depending on your hair needs.

Of course, you can make any other personal care product too.

Personally, I think you'll find this all natural method too expensive, time consuming , and messy for practical ongoing hair care. Every so often, it's great, but natural products of good quality are expensive, if expense is apart of your concerns. On the super cheap, the aritha and coconut milk is a rock bottom regime.

It's hard to tell you precisely what to do as I don't know your hair needs, but here are some ideas to start w/ and investigate.

Based on my uses of herbs, EOs, oils, etc in my life...this WILL NOT be cheaper in $$$s or labor than using conventional products alone or in combo w/ natural products. It can be done tho, but much research is required.

 

[Ms Lala]

Check out her fotki, she is a member here and uses all natural products. Her hair is gorgeous. Maybe you can pm her or send her a message on fotki to ask her for some tips.

http://members.fotki.com/lioness8/about/

 

[felicia]

maybe check out Anita Grant or Karen's Body Beautiful. As far as herbs, I really like to mix Lavender and Blue Malva as a detangling rinse.

 

[imstush]

What do you use to "shampoo?" baking soda and water. I was using Shikakai but I think I got another (long story) allergic reaction so no more of that.

What do you use as "conditioner?"
I use Organix conditioners or Aubrey Organics mixed with coconut oil and or JBCO

How has this routine effected your hair? Is it more manageable? Healthier? It is more manageable, but I've also incorporated really leaving it alone. I keep my hair in one braid, and only rebraid every two or three days.

How do you say this kind of routine has effected you cost wise? Has it been cheaper for you than buying the brands? cheaper only in terms of not buying any and every product that I was always reading about. I get bored easily, I've only been doing this for a month. But I am going to try and stick with it. I did this years ago when I first "successfully" went natural, and I remember how much healthier my hair seemed to be.

What other "ingredients" do you use in your hair?(Herbs, spices, Indian powders, oils, etc) And what effect do they have for you?
Sadly no more herbs, but I do use vatika oil (coconut, henna, amla) on my scalp. Coconut oil mixed into my coniditioner or leave in. I also just purchased a leave in called EO and it obviously by the name is mixed with some yummy EO. Oh I also use Tea Tree oil on my scalp from time to time. I've also mixed up some Shealoe that I use from time to time as well.

I hope this helped.

 

[loolalooh]

I'm moving to a more natural regimen in 2009. Here's my plan:

What do you use to "shampoo?" Baking soda and water mix.

What do you use as "conditioner?" Caramel treatment. Got the idea from SJ and others. (Contains bananas, molasses, honey, olive oil, vinegar, corn starch, wheat germ oil).

How has this routine effected your hair? Is it more manageable? Healthier? Yes and yes so far. My hair also smells better. I find that certain chemical products leave a chemical or overly fragance-y smell.

How do you say this kind of routine has effected you cost wise? Has it been cheaper for you than buying the brands? In the long run, it's actually been cheaper for me.

What other "ingredients" do you use in your hair?(Herbs, spices, Indian powders, oils, etc) And what effect do they have for you? Throw in coconut oil into my DCs once in a while. Use shea butter and safflower oil as my moisturizer. Use brown sugar as a scalp scrub.

 

[adw425]

I am not an all natural natural, but I use as many natural things as possible. Currently, I use Grandpa's pine tar oil soap. Previously I was using the shikakai hair soap. For CO washing I love VO5 and White Rain conditioners, but not the ones currently on the shelves in Kroger and Rite-Aid, but the ones in Big Lots and Dollar Tree. I am an avid label reader and the discontinued ones (for example White Rain cucumber melon has 16 botanicals in it) have many more and better ingredients than the ones in the regular stores. My guess is that they got too expensive for the companies to continue making, maybe.

Last night, I CO washed with Trader Joes Nourish Spa which is chock full of natural ingredients as is their REFRESH conditioner. Last night I also cut up part of an aloe vera plant stalk and put it in my crock pot along with some filtered water and infused it overnight. Tonight, I will saturate my hair with the aloe vera tea as my CO wash. I will let it stay in my head a couple of hours before rinsing.

My favorite conditioners that are just awesome are Nature's Gate. I have used the jojoba, herbal, chamomile, aloe and am getting ready to try the tea tree and hemp seed. They have never disappointed me and will always correct anything wrong with my hair -- too dry, too mushy, too crunchy, too cottony, too anything...These condishes have never failed me and is the only line where I have used several products. I have used three conditioners out of the Mill Creek line -- Biotin, Keratin and Jojoba and they did not disappoint, but Natures Gate not only detangles like a dream, but provide alot of slip.

My leave-in are aloe vera juice, Modern Organic Products, ABBA and Surya. The last three have a long list of botanicals and a short list of chemicals. The MOP is certified organic. Mostly, though, I use things from the kitchen. I use food grade aloe vera daily on my scalp and hair. I use raw honey a good two times a week. I use yogurt, banana, avocado, mangos, eggs, olive oil, soy milk, coconut milk, molasses, natural apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, spices (parsley, thyme, sage, garlic, cayenne, cinnamon, etc.) and so forth and I have a host of herbs (in tea bags, powdered and cut & sifted form) that I infuse into water, oils and butters or I will just add a teaspoon of the powdered herbs into my conditioner.

The more natural things I use, the more my hair thrives...I started doing natural things for my dogs first (when one then the other developed serious health conditions); then I started doing more natural things for my hair and that trickled down, finally (and which should have been first) to my body.

 

[morehairplease]

I am working on begin an all natural natural. For shampoo, I am using baking soda + water. However, I really want to try the black cocoa shampoo that someone mentioned on the forum. I noticed that with the baking soda + water mixture my scalp became very tender to the touch after several uses. For conditioner, I ordered several products from camdengrey, lotioncrafters, and moutainroseherbs with plans on making a banana conditioner. In my leave in/moisturizer spritz I have the following: aloe vera, glycerin, and ag cosmteics fast food leave on conditioner. I am also using red palm butter. So far, it is a keeper.

How has this routine effected your hair? Is it more manageable? Healthier? It is too early to tell but my hair is really seeming to get along with me....lol. We are not fighting with each other and this is a good thing. It appears to be more manageable but with continued use I will be able to give a better assessment.

How do you say this kind of routine has effected you cost wise? Has it been cheaper for you than buying the brands? I really hate ordering things online b/c shipping is a beast but so far it has been okay. I have only placed one order from each etailers but the shipping is really a turn off.

What other "ingredients" do you use in your hair?(Herbs, spices, Indian powders, oils, etc) And what effect do they have for you? N/A

 

[Crown]

Not all natural, but...

What do you use to "shampoo?"
Homemade aloe vera gel (from the plant) + baking soda
What do you use as "conditioner?"
No need for a conditioner.
How has this routine effected your hair? Is it more manageable? Healthier?
Yes! Smooth and light hair.
How do you say this kind of routine has effected you cost wise? Has it been cheaper for you than buying the brands?
Cheaper and easy!
What other "ingredients" do you use in your hair?(Herbs, spices, Indian powders, oils, etc) And what effect do they have for you?
Sometimes for treatment : Coconut powder, Yogurt, Mayo, banana, avocado, green tea, coffee, walnut, witch-hazel, henna and indigo, poultry seasoning...

I also use a commercial leave-in.

 

[naturalgurl]

Check out her fotki, she is a member here and uses all natural products. Her hair is gorgeous. Maybe you can pm her or send her a message on fotki to ask her for some tips.

http://members.fotki.com/lioness8/about/

OMG, someone mentioned me??? I got tired when I read this thread because I was like, all of that typing! I will say this, using all natural has helped my pocket book. Plus my hair feels better.