When it comes to hair care, many of us tend to think in terms of curing problems—a little dry shampoo here, some leave-in conditioner there—rather than preventing them. But celebrity colorist and co-owner of Manhattan’s FourteenJay salon David Adams warns that these “spot treatments” not only ignore the root of the problem, but might actually even contribute to bad hair days.
Most products in our showers contain sodium lauryl sulfates (basically, synthetic soaps), which produce that satisfying foamy lather that clears the hair of dirt and oil. But they often go too far, stripping the natural oils of the scalp (causing dryness, itching, flaking) and hair (frizz and faded artificial color). For Adams, truly healthy hair can’t thrive without equally healthy ingredients. “Using natural [products] involves more work and research, but results in healthier hair and a better environment for guests, hairdressers, and the planet,” he says.
With the green beauty movement influencing the hair care industry, new brands are filling the marketplace with not only sulfate-free shampoos but also completely natural, plant-derived, or organic products. “It’s almost like a farm-to-hair movement,” says Mordechai Alvow, an experienced editorial hairstylist and founder of natural brand Yarok. “[Living organically] is not only about the foods we eat anymore; it’s about everything around us.”
Here, we rounded up ten natural hair products that treat myriad concerns—including conserving color, increasing volume, defining curls, and restoring the scalp (which directly affects every strand it grows)—for a healthy, happy, green routine.
