What to Look for in an All-Natural Shampoo and Conditioner - Natural Ginesis

In the past several years, there has been a big focus on reducing harmful chemicals and unnecessary ingredients in our everyday products. Food, beauty supplies, and health products have all benefited from a greater focus on eliminating harsh components from the ingredient list. As a population, we have become more aware of the importance of seeking natural products. The problem is that while many products label themselves as “healthy” or “natural,” some companies use those terms deceptively. A product may describe itself as natural based on a loophole in an attempt to trick buyers. As a consumer, it’s important to understand what to really look for on a package to know you’re getting a truly natural product. Hair care is no different—we’ll discuss what to seek in your shampoos and conditioners to help you confirm you’re buying high-quality natural shampoo and conditioner.

What to Know About Natural Hair Products

What Should I Look for in a Natural Shampoo and Conditioner?

First, we should define natural—this means the shampoo or conditioner is made only with ingredients found in nature. A true natural shampoo will not contain synthetic materials that are human-made or altered. This means common shampoo ingredients like sulfates should not be present if it is a true natural formulation. A widely used example of non-natural ingredients is sodium-lauryl-sulfate, or SLS, which is often found in commercial hair products. It acts as a surfactant that helps trap oils in the hair so they can be washed away. This is what creates the characteristic foaming of common shampoos. Part of the issue is that this also traps certain oils that benefit the scalp, leaving it dry. SLS is a known skin irritant and has been suggested as a possible carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. Instead, compounds like sodium methyl 2-sulfolaurate and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate are natural alternatives that can perform the surfactant function. Natural Ginesis offers Oasis Natural Shampoo using these ingredients to cleanse your hair without the harsh chemicals that can cause long-term harm.

Another ingredient to look for—and hopefully not find—is artificial color. Several shampoos on the market contain useless compounds simply to make the shampoo look better when it comes out of the bottle. Those pigments are created from non-natural processes and do not serve a purpose when it comes to hair washing. It’s best to stick with natural shampoos like our Oasis to limit hair’s exposure to more unneeded chemicals. Other ingredients to avoid include parabens, which are added as preservatives to prevent bacterial growth and allow a product to have a longer lifespan. Parabens are found in a range of cosmetics and have been identified as potential endocrine system disruptors as well as skin irritants. Phthalates, widely used in hair products for years, are also shown to impact reproductive hormones and neurodevelopment. Petroleum byproducts and nanoparticles are also ingredients that make their way into shampoos that aren’t necessary.

The best natural shampoo should be paired with a great natural conditioner, like the Oasis Conditioner from Natural Ginesis. Once your hair is clean, you need to lock in moisture to the hair shaft to keep it resilient and flexible. Without a good conditioner, the hair becomes brittle and breaks easily, leaving split ends. Natural conditioners should be free from SLS, dyes, and other synthetic components just like shampoo.

What Else Makes Natural Hair Products Important?

Your hair and scalp aren’t the only things affected by your product choice. Anything that is in your shampoo and conditioner will end up in water runoff; chemicals in hair care products make their way into our environment and can cause detrimental effects on the land. As they wash down the drain, they can eventually make their way to bodies of water and plant life, even after going through a water treatment plant. Taking the time to find a truly natural product helps not just yourself, but the world around you.

Outside of what to look for on the label, you should be assessing how your shampoo is functioning! Just because you buy something with a label that says it's natural and appears to have minimal ingredients doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for your hair. All-natural shampoo should leave your hair feeling soft and healthy. With the lack of sulfates, it won’t foam the way you’re used to, so don’t be surprised when it acts differently the first time you use it.

Children use shampoo, and they deserve a natural approach just like you. With skin and a scalp that’s even more sensitive than an adult’s, it’s important to consider the ingredients in kids’ shampoos and conditioners. The Oasis Baby Shampoo from Natural Ginesis is a great example of an extra-gentle product that still does the job. Natural ingredients found in this formulation include German chamomile, which is soothing and conditioning and has been linked to improved hair growth. Our Baby Shampoo isn’t limited to young people—those with sensitive scalps such as transplant recipients and chemotherapy patients may also find that the gentle formula works better for them. Speaking of children, they are prone to a certain dilemma that shampoo can fix: lice. The dreaded infestation can happen to anyone, and you want something that will kill the bugs but not harm your child’s head! The Lice Trap Shampoo from Natural Ginesis is a pesticide-free and non-toxic shampoo that uses natural enzymes to break down the protein exoskeleton of the pests. Unlike the chemicals used in traditional nit shampoo, lice can’t become immune to the enzymes, meaning this natural solution is always effective.

There’s no need to stress over the common question, “what should I look for in a healthy shampoo?”—we make it easy! The natural shampoos and conditioners from Natural Ginesis focus on ingredients your hair will love. Without any parabens, SLS, phthalates, petroleum byproducts, or artificial colors, our Oasis products are natural and effective for the whole family. You deserve non-toxic hair care—and Natural Ginesis has you covered! Add the Oasis hair products to your cart and check out today so that you can get started on your healthy hair journey.