I have decided that this week will be hair week at ecobelleelle. This is timely since I will be having my regular salon appointment this week. Because I like my hair long there is only one eternal question….bangs or no bangs? I am thinking no, but we will see. So where should I start? I am thinking shampoo and conditioner would be a good place. So far I have tried a few “natural” ones. My very first was Yes to Carrots. Unfortunately from here on out I will be saying no to this product. It made my scalp feel like an entire fire ant colony was setting up camp on my head. Miserable! Later I read that it had perfume in it and a bunch of other nasties (I told you this was my earliest pick). Second, I tried John Masters Organics Evening Primrose Shampoo. It has better ingredients, although I do not like to use cocoamidopropyl betaine (wow! I just spelled that without googling it first and I did it right!), because of its instability and potential to create carcinogens. It was okay, but I thought it was kind of expensive for the amount of product, and it just isn’t sudsy enough. Plus, I do not like the smell of it and it lingers on your hair for hours.
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My Shampoo makes me happy....
Though maybe not this happy! |
My final product and favorite has been Organic Excellence Wild Mint Shampoo and the companion conditioner. The price is good, it smells divine like mojito mint, and it lathers up really well. The smell is not at all strong if you do not care for mint, but it is a very fresh scent it does not linger on your hair. If you have used tea tree or other mint shampoos in the past and found that burning, tingling feeling off putting,
no worries, this product does not do that. The conditioner is really moisturizing, without being greasy or thick. This is the most similar product that I have found to more mainstream (SLS containing) kinds of shampoos, in that it lathers well and makes your hair feel clean. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a cheap detergent that makes lots of bubble and has a bunch of nasty junk in it. It is drying to the hair and scalp and strips color on color-treated hair. Many non-natural shampoos have moved away from this ingredient for those reasons, however some of the alternatives just don’t lather or leave my hair feeling kind of filmy. I highly recommend Organic Excellence. I have found that if my hair is feeling kind of weighed down or dull, adding a little pinch of baking soda and rinsing with a vinegar and water combo perks it right up. This is a trick our grandmothers used to use before detergent shampoos were invented. My own grandma who was a hairdresser in the days where hairstyles were called coiffures, passed down this trick to her six sisters and four daughters so this is definitely a tried and true method in my family.
So lather up, buttercup!
❤ Eco Belle Elle
The once over……….........
I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Pantene, Dove and Goldwell Shampoos and conditioners
Eco Belle Elle product pick: Organic Excellence Wild Mint Shampoo and Conditioner
Buy it: amazon.com or organicexcellence.com
Gonna lighten your bank account: $12-16 each
Cheers to: Healthy organic ingredients, bubbles and a yummy smell
Jeers to: The ugly label, sorry, but it has to be said. Super retro colors and an ugly font. Sorry, but I am a font snob.
Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again, and I love their hairspray as well
EWG score: 1
Ingredients: Purified Water, Olive Oil (and) Coconut Oil (and) Potassium Lactate, Vegetable Glycerin, Peppermint Oil*, Fennel Extract*, Hops Extract, Balm Mint Extract, Olive Leaf Extract*, Ginger Extract*, Mistletoe Extract*, Allantonin (Comfrey Root), Citric Acid, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Lemon Grass Oil*, Burdock Root Extract*, Sage Extract*, Rosemary Extract*, Grape Seed Extract*. *Certified Organic Herb
Company low down: They have a lot of great information on their website as well as a huge product offering including organic supplements, etc…
BONUS POINTS: 30 day moneyback guarantee on their products purchased from their website, so try everything risk free.
