Lather, rinse, repeat
Home » Magazine » Good, issue 6 » Lather, rinse, repeatWant the silkiest, softest locks? Stop washing your hair, say New York fashionistas … and, um, English politicians. But if the no ’poo strategy isn’t for you, at least avoid known allergens with these hair products
Photo by mollypop via Flickr
It all started with a British Conservative MP. In a 1996 Times newspaper column, Matthew Parris observed that having not washed his hair for weeks while in a remote location, it had become progressively greasier—then, surprisingly, less greasy again.
And that was the last he mentioned it—until 2006 when, having not washed his hair at all in the intervening decade, he gave an update.
“Readers, if only you could all run your fingers through my hair: as light and fluffy as a kitten’s coat. And (to answer your unspoken question) not at all smelly—snuffle your noses in it, do—because I rinse my hair daily under the shower … Think of the money, think of the pollution, our nation could save. One day I shall be hailed as a lonely prophet of the nonsense of shampoo.”
1. Ecostore hair care is made in New Zealand from plant-based ingredients, with no synthetic chemicals. $10.95 for 200ml
2. With 98 percent of ingredients from natural sources, Holistic Hair products are as natural as you can get. Plus they’re Kiwi made, hypoallergenic and biodegradable. $25 for 250ml
3. Sulphate and paraben-free shampoo and conditioners from Kevin Murphy use high-grade essential oils and amino acids—and they smell divine. $40 for 250ml
4. The huge range of hair products from Giovanni are all made from organic ingredients, with no elements derived from animals. $19.95 for 250ml
5. Made from traceable and sustainable ingredients, Trilogy’s low-lather hair products include no foaming agents, fillers or parabens. $24.90 for 250ml
6. There’s no conditioner, because you don’t need one. Eithne Curran shampoo is made in New Zealand from pure, simple, sustainable ingredients. $34.95 for 200ml
7. Made from food-derived
ingredients—elderberry, papaya, mango, orange and grapefruit—MOP C-System products smell good enough to eat. $40 for 300ml
8. The Herb Farm uses no synthetic ingredients to create its hair products, and the Kiwi company is committed to preventing pollution, water- and energy-efficiency, and reducing waste and carbon emissions. $21.40 for 250ml
And indeed he was. Matthew was invited to Sydney the very next year, where following an ABC radio interview more than 500 people joined the station’s ‘No Shampoo Challenge’; 86 percent of participants agreed their hair was “gorgeous and fluffy like a kitten’s” six weeks later.
Then, the firestorm. The New York Times picked up on the trend. City gals have stopped washing their hair daily, it gushed, “for convenience and for allure”. The beauty blogosphere was aflame with talk of the ‘no ’poo strategy’. “Fashionistas love their dirty, greasy follicles,” declared satirical site Jezebel.
The fashionistas were right: stripping your hair of oil with harsh chemicals, then immediately restoring moisture with a second product, is circular to say the least.
No ’poo advocates say it takes “just six weeks” of greasiness for your hair to balance itself. That’s a long run of bad hair days; even Pantene (“it won’t happen overnight, but it will happen”) doesn’t take that long.
If you’re not up for tossing out the shampoo for good, seek out shampoos and conditioners with lower levels of harsh chemicals, or wash with shampoo less frequently: better for you and your hair, better for the environment.
The main culprits for seriously stripping hair of oil are sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and its milder sister, sodium laureth sulphate (SLES). These foaming agents and surfactants allow oil and water to mix, dissolve grease and give the froth-factor to all sorts of beauty products, from shaving cream to toothpaste. They’re also used in cleaning products like floor cleaners, dishwashing liquid, even for degreasing car engines.
SLS and SLES dissolve oils on our skin and hair in much the same way they dissolve grease from plates and engines. “SLS is one of the most powerful detergents ever produced,” says research chemist Doug Cleverly. “But because it’s so powerful, some people have an allergic response to it.”
With about twice the ‘cleaning power’ of soap, SLS is a known skin irritant. As well as aggravating allergies, SLS sensitises and dries the skin and can cause eye irritation, dermatitis and an itchy or flaky scalp—probably not what you’re looking for in a shampoo. It’s also been claimed that SLS may damage hair follicles, causing your tresses to thin.
Then there’s the cancer debate. SLS and SLES are often contaminated in manufacturing with 1,4-dioxane and nitrosamines, potent human carcinogens that are easily absorbed by the skin. (Many common cosmetic products contain these impurities.) It’s extremely unlikely that any one product containing these trace impurities will increase your cancer risk. However, because it’s possible to be exposed to contaminants multiple times daily (from shampoo, body wash, household cleaners and makeup), it may be best to limit exposure during pregnancy, infancy and puberty.
A bigger concern is what happens to shampoo after it goes down your drain. ERMA classifies SLS as ‘slightly harmful’ to fish, crustaceans and algae, and ‘slightly harmful’ in the soil. It’s classified as ‘harmful’ to terrestrial vertebrates such as our endangered frogs and lizards.
Europe and Central America have already banned products containing SLS. A similar move doesn’t look likely here, but there are a huge variety of SLS-free shampoos and conditioners on offer. The products shown here will leave your skin smooth and your locks as soft as a kitten’s—even if you’re not ready to give up the ’poo completely.
