Haircare Ingredients Checker: Find out if your favourite products are doing more harm than good
Paste in any ingredient list and the ingredients analyser will identify ingredients that don’t belong in a modern, functional haircare routine.
Most haircare products contain damaging ingredients that will harm your hair and scalp over time.
It doesn’t matter how expensive they are, who promotes them, or how ‘clean’ they claim to be — the vast majority will cause long-term damage.
I know that’s tough to believe when there’s so much conflicting information out there about what’s healthy and what’s harmful in haircare. One source says silicones are safe, another says they’re damaging. A product is labelled sulfate-free, but still strips your hair.
It’s overwhelming, and it’s hard to know what information to trust.
Ingredient names are technical, marketing claims are vague, and even brands that position themselves as clean or gentle often use the same problematic ingredients as everyone else.
I spent years wondering why my hair reacted really well to products in the first instance, and then it was like the product stopped working. I thought I just hadn’t found the right products for my hair.
Through a lot of research, trial and error, I figured out the problem was the preservatives, alcohols, harsh sulfates, and synthetic fragrances in every product. I cut them out of my haircare routine, and my hair has never been healthier.
That’s where the ingredients checker comes in.
🔍 Ingredient Analyser
Enter the full ingredient list of your product below
Click here to try an example
Paste in any ingredient list — these are usually found on online store product listings — and the tool will identify ingredients that don’t belong in a modern, functional haircare routine.
It will flag:
Banned or restricted preservatives
Silicones that don’t rinse out
Drying alcohols
Film-forming quats and polymers
Anything that interferes with long-term hair health
You can also read a bit more below about the ingredients I’ve blacklisted, and why.
Most hair products are made to feel good, not to improve hair health
Haircare marketing is built around instant results — softness, shine, volume. But the ingredients that create those effects don’t always support the health of your hair.
Many formulas rely on:
Coating agents that block hydration
Harsh cleansers that strip the scalp
Preservatives with toxicity concerns
Fillers and film-formers that accumulate over time
You can’t spot that from the front of the bottle. You have to read the ingredients and understand what they actually do.
Has your hair ever felt great with a new product the first time you used it, but worse with the same product over time? This is probably why.
Ingredients to avoid in hair products
Here are just a few common ingredients found in everyday shampoos, conditioners, and stylers — including expensive and ‘clean’ brands — that cause more harm than good.
DMDM Hydantoin
A preservative that works by releasing formaldehyde. This ingredient has been restricted or banned in multiple regions. It’s unnecessary and inappropriate in any rinse-off or leave-in product.
Behenoxy Dimethicone
A heavy silicone that coats the hair in a film that resists rinsing. It blocks moisture, traps buildup, and leaves hair looking dull and feeling dry — even when it’s technically “clean.”
Phenoxyethanol
Commonly used in modern products as a preservative, but often overused. It’s drying, especially with repeat exposure, and not ideal in rinse-off formulations where safer alternatives exist.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa)
A strong foaming surfactant. Despite being plant-derived, it strips the hair and scalp of natural oils and increases porosity over time.
Polyquaternium-7
A synthetic film-former. It clings to the hair and builds up with repeated use. It doesn’t moisturise — it masks. Once it accumulates, your hair will stop responding to other products.
Cocamide DEA
A foam booster linked to the formation of nitrosamines — compounds with known carcinogenic potential. Banned or restricted in many countries.
SD Alcohol 40 / Isopropanol / Ethanol
These solvents evaporate quickly, but they also draw moisture out of the hair. Long-term use leads to brittleness and rough texture — especially in leave-ins and sprays.
These ingredients are everywhere
You’ll find them in:
Supermarket brands
Professional salon ranges
Natural and organic lines
Leave-ins, sprays, masks, serums, gels
And they’re not always easy to spot. Many show up under unfamiliar names or are buried in a long list of compounds that sound safe to use.
Let me know how you go!
Once you know what to look for, it’s much easier to spot harmful products and build a routine that actually works for you.
If you’re unsure, try it out for a month and let me know what happens!
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I ditched the curly girl method and my hair has never looked better: How to use sulfates and silicones properly
I tried to follow the curly girl method for years, even though it wasn’t working. When I changed my approach, my hair completely transformed. Here’s what actually helped my fine, curly hair.
I tried to follow the curly girl method for years, even though it wasn’t working. When I changed my approach, my hair completely transformed.
If you’ve been following the curly girl method but still feel like your hair never really gets clean, or if your products seem to stop working — you’re not alone. The same thing happened to me, and I had no idea why.
Like a lot of people with waves or curls, I found the curly girl method when my hair was damaged and I was desperate for a solution. I couldn’t believe there was a whole routine designed for hair like mine. I was SO excited — and at first, it worked.
I was growing out bleach at the time, so I started with sulfate-free shampoos and thicker conditioners that worked wonders on my ends. My hair had ringlets for the first time in a long time. Detangling didn’t take as long, and I was paying attention to the ingredients in my products for the first time.
But over time, it stopped working. My hair felt limp, sticky, overloaded, and never clean — no matter how much cleanser I used, or how closely I followed the rules. I thought I wasn’t doing it right.
Turns out, the method wasn’t right for my hair type.
I changed my approach, and my hair has never looked better.
I’m going to write a whole post about harmful ingredients, so watch this space. But for now, here’s what actually helped my fine, curl-sensitive, easily overloaded hair feel clean and balanced again.
Note: There are some product recommendations with affiliate links below. Clicking on them does not cost you anything, it just helps me keep the site going :)
When the curly girl method does work
There is nothing wrong with the curly girl method — it helps a lot of people, especially those with:
Thick hair.
High-porosity strands.
Dense curls or coils.
Hair that can absorb a lot of moisture and product.
For those hair types, moisture-rich routines, co-washing, and styling creams can work wonders. But it’s a different story if your hair is fine, low-density, or easily weighed down.
Why it didn’t work for me
My hair is fine with a mixed curl pattern, and is easily overloaded. I was following product recommendations from people with hair that looked like mine — but they could layer mousse, gel, leave-ins, and sulfate-free shampoos without any issue. I couldn’t.
Even when I used lightweight stylers, my hair felt coated. Limp at the roots, crunchy or sticky at the ends, and it never felt like it was actually clean.
The problem with sulfate-free shampoo
Sulfate-free cleansers seem like the obvious choice for fine or fragile hair. But in reality, they’re often packed with:
Conditioning agents (like polyquats or esters)
Humectants (like glycerin or sorbitol)
Plant mucilage (like aloe or flaxseed)
These ingredients can be great, in moderation. When you’re using them to clean your hair, they tend to layer, not lift. If your hair is fine or low porosity at the roots, like mine, they don’t rinse off easily.
Instead of removing buildup, they add to it.
That’s where sulfates came in.
Not all sulfates are created equal
I now use sulfates with every wash, but I’m very careful with what I use.
Once I introduced sulfate shampoos into my routine, everything changed. My hair finally felt clean again — soft, light, and responsive to stylers. I started using it every second wash, then every wash. I haven’t looked back.
But not all sulfates are the same.
What I avoid:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): too harsh, can strip the scalp and cuticle.
What I use:
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): milder but effective, helps remove natural oils and buildup.
Sodium Coco-Sulfate: stronger, but necessary when I’ve oiled my hair prior to washing.
Gentler surfactants, like Cocamidopropyl Betaine.
With the right shampoo, I can use curl creams, gels, oils, and wash them out properly when I need to.
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Ethique Solid Clarifying Shampoo Bar
Contains sodium coco-sulfate for true clarifying — removes oils, gloss bars, and buildup.
Only essential oils, no damaging fragrances.
No damaging silicones or preservatives — clean, biodegradable, and non-coating.
NOT!CE Hair Co “The Stimulator” Thickening Shampoo Bar
Uses sodium coco-sulfate for strong, rinse-clean cleansing — ideal for fine or oily hair.
Naturally scented with peppermint and rosemary oils — no synthetic fragrance.
Free from film-formers and damaging preservatives — minimal, scalp-supporting formula.
5. Neal’s Yard Remedies - Invigorating Seaweed Shampoo
Contains sodium coco-sulfate for strong cleansing — ideal for removing oils, butters, and buildup.
No synthetic parfum — scented only with essential oils like peppermint, rosemary, and lemon.
Free from damaging silicones and preservatives — lightweight formula that won’t coat fine hair.
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Zion Health Intense Repair Hair Mask
Lightweight formula with amodimethicone, a rinse-friendly silicone that smooths without buildup.
Naturally scented with essential oils like lavender, lemon, and ylang ylang — no synthetic fragrance.
Preserved with sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, making it gentle on sensitive scalps.
Contains a blend of safe, lightweight silicones (including cyclopentasiloxane) for softness and detangling.
Fragrance-free and dermatologist-developed — ideal for sensitive, reactive skin.
Free from harsh preservatives.
Mild By Nature, Thickening Conditioner
Formulated with amodimethicone, a smart silicone that targets damaged areas without coating healthy strands.
Lightly scented with natural essential oils, with no synthetic fragrance.
Balanced with soothing botanical extracts and free from harmful preservatives.
What about silicones?
Silicones get a bad rap for coating the hair, but not all silicones are equal. Some are stubborn and cause build-up and dryness. Others are lightweight, rinse-off, and protective — especially for fine hair that tangles easily or reacts to weather.
The important thing is to make sure you’re washing it out with Sodium Laureth Sulfate every three or four days. If you leave it longer than that, your hair will probably become dry.
If you’re using products with silicone, your hair will not absorb any other products until you wash the silicone out. If you’re using a silicone conditioner, any curl cream or leave-in you use afterwards will not be able to get into the cuticle.
I still use silicones, but I’m careful with the types of silicone I use.
What I avoid:
Behenoxy Dimethicone
Cetyl Dimethicone
Stearyl Dimethicone
Trimethylsilylamodimethicone
These are harsh silicones that don’t rinse out easily.
What I use:
Dimethicone (rinse-off products) — adds slip, reduces friction.
Amodimethicone — deposits only where hair is damaged.
PEG-modified silicones (e.g. PEG-12 Dimethicone) — water-dispersible and low buildup.
If a silicone adds slip, reduces breakage, and rinses clean — I’m not going to rule it out just because it’s synthetic. I care more about function and outcome than sticking to blanket bans.
Key takeaway: it's not about following rules
For a long time, I felt like I was breaking the curly girl rules by using sulfates.
The curly hair community can be pretty intense. I was in Facebook groups that would remove posts that mentioned a product that was not curly hair-approved. Even if it was an accident, the entire post would be deleted. It was wild. Even now, I feel like the curl police will come after me for writing this post.
But in truth, the method just didn’t work for me. And I’m sure I’m not alone.
I’ve stopped following haircare rules written for someone else’s hair. I use what works. I read ingredient labels. I avoid what harms my hair, and I keep what helps it thrive — even if the ingredients are on the curly hair blacklist.
Do what works for you
Sulphates and silicones aren’t the enemy. They’re tools. And when used selectively, they solve real problems — especially for fine, buildup-prone, curl-sensitive hair.
I still avoid:
Harsh sulphates like SLS
Film-forming silicones that don’t rinse clean
Irritating preservatives and drying alcohols
But I’m no longer avoiding ingredients just because a rulebook said so. I use what works, based on how my hair responds.
Do you use sulfates and silicones? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hair Porosity Test: When the ‘cup test’ doesn’t work
Tried the hair porosity cup test and got confusing results? You’re not alone. The ‘cup test’ often doesn’t work — here’s why, how you can find your hair’s true porosity, and the best products for low and high hair porosity to build a routine that works.
Hair porosity test didn’t work for you? Don’t worry, it didn’t work for me either. I tried the ‘cup test’ over and over, without success. Here’s why, and what you can do insted.
Hair porosity is important because it determines how your hair absorbs and retains moisture.
It determines:
Which products work best for you.
How well your hair responds to hydration.
How long your styles last.
How prone your hair is to frizz, breakage, or buildup.
Basically, it’s key if you want to develop a routine that actually works for your hair type — especially for curly, dry, damaged, or colour-treated hair.
If you Google ‘hair porosity’, you’ll probably come across several videos and links to the cup test — drop a clean strand of hair into a glass of water. If it sinks, you have high porosity hair. If it floats, you have low porosity hair.
But that’s not necessarily correct. In my case, it was dead wrong.
Note: There are some product recommendations for different hair types in this post. I have not tested them all out because they won’t all work for my hair type, but I have checked the ingredients of each one to make sure they’re quality products. There are also some affiliate links below — clicking on them does not cost you anything extra, it just helps me keep the site running :)
What is hair porosity?
Porosity refers to how open or closed your hair’s cuticle layer is — that’s the outermost layer made of overlapping cells (like roof shingles).
Low porosity hair has tightly packed cuticles. Moisture takes longer to get in, but it also stays in longer.
High porosity hair has raised or damaged cuticles. It absorbs moisture quickly, but loses it just as fast.
Medium porosity falls somewhere in the middle — a balance between absorption and retention.
Hair porosity can also change. Cuticles can open with age, which means you might need to start using heavier products.
Damage from bleach and dye can also cause your hair to become high porosity — this can usually be reversed by growing the dye out and going back to natural hair, or using low-damage colour. It’s always best to ensure your hair is healthy and in good condition before you use colour.
What happened when I tried the cup test
I have fine hair that is quite dry at the ends, but hydrated closer to the root. Every time I tried the cup test, the strand floated on top of the water. Every. Single. Time. According to the cup test, that means I have low porosity hair that does not absort moisture easily.
Except I don’t have low porosity hair. It has never struggled to absorb moisture, but it does get overloaded with product easily.
I’ve tried the cup test a number of times over the years with long strands, short ones, dyed ones, even grey ones. I once washed a solo strand of hair and dried it to ensure the cuticles were not sealed when I dropped it ino the cup.
It didn’t matter what I did, the strand aways floated. The last time I tried it, I decided to break the surface tension of the water by poking the hair just under the surface. The strand became a bit waterlogged and didn’t reach the surface again. It stayed where I poked it, hovering just below the surface.
I knew the strand test was’t working for me, but I didn’t know why.
Low porosity hair - tighly packed cuticles, retains moisture.
Medium porosity hair - tends to stay hydrated with regular washing.
High porosity hair - dry appearance, needs heavy products.
The problem with the cup porosity test
It measures water density, not cuticle structure.
Whether the hair strand sinks or floats can be influenced by:
Whether the strand has product or oil residue.
The temperature and type of water.
Air bubbles clinging to the hair.
The thickness or length of the hair strand.
Clean, healthy hair can sometimes sink. Damaged hair can sometimes float. The results are too inconsistent to be useful.
In my case, my strands are too fine to do anything but float on the surface. Even if they were high porosity, my strands were never going to sink.
A better way to test hair porosity
You don’t need a glass of water to understand your hair. You just need to look at how it responds to moisture and product.
Wet feel test
After you wet your clean hair:
If water seems to sit on the surface, or beads, and takes a while to absorb, you may have low porosity hair.
If your hair drinks up water quickly but still feels dry soon after, it may be high porosity.
If it absorbs water easily but doesn’t feel overly dry or saturated, it’s probably medium porosity.
Drying time test
Pay attention to how long your hair takes to dry without any product:
Low porosity hair takes a long time to dry.
High porosity hair dries quickly, often unevenly.
Medium porosity dries relatively evenly, in a moderate amount of time.
Drying time is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to assess porosity at home.
Product absorption test
How your hair reacts to leave-ins, oils, or conditioners can also reveal clues:
Product sits on top or takes forever to absorb? Likely low porosity.
Product disappears quickly but doesn’t feel moisturised for long? Likely high porosity.
Holds styles well and reacts predictably to products? Likely medium porosity.
The stretch test
Take a wet strand and gently stretch it:
If it stretches and returns: balanced moisture and elasticity
If it stretches and breaks easily: often a sign of high porosity or damage
If it barely stretches and feels stiff: may be low porosity, protein overload, or dehydration
I worked out my hair is mostly medium porosity, but it turns into high porosity at the ends. I know that because the first 3/4 of the length reacts predictably to product and naturally remains pretty moisturised.
The ends can be wirey - they quickly absorb oils, unlike the rest of my hair, they dry much faster than the rest of my hair, and they lose moisture quickly.
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No, it’s not a reliable method. It doesn’t reflect how your hair behaves or how your cuticle layer is structured.
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Use real-world observations: how your hair dries, feels when wet, and absorbs product. These are much more accurate indicators of porosity.
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Yes. Many people have mixed porosity — especially if parts of their hair are coloured, damaged, or exposed to more sun or heat than others.
What to do once you know your porosity
Once you’ve identified your hair’s porosity, you can tailor your routine to support it.
For low porosity hair
Use lightweight, water-based products.
Apply heat (like a warm towel or steamer) to help open the cuticle during deep conditioning.
Avoid heavy butters and oils that may sit on the surface.
Clarify gently every few weeks to prevent buildup.
For high porosity hair
Focus on moisture retention: rich conditioners and sealing oils.
Use protein-based treatments (in moderation) to help strengthen and fill cuticle gaps.
Try layering techniques like LOC (liquid, oil, cream) to lock in hydration.
Be gentle when detangling and avoid harsh heat or chemical treatments.
For medium porosity hair
Use a gentle shampoo and lightweight conditioner regularly.
Moisturise as needed, but avoid heavy layering unless your hair feels particularly dry.
Incorporate deep conditioning occasionally (every two to four weeks).
Use protein treatments only as needed — for example, after colouring, heat styling, or seasonal changes.
Watch for signs of buildup or imbalance, especially if your routine changes.
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Lightweight hydration, low buildup, cuticle-friendly:
1. Flora & Curl – Organic Rose & Honey Leave-In Detangler
Lightweight, glycerin-balanced formula
Contains Aloe Vera Juice, Rose Flower Water, Camellia Oil
No heavy butters or waxes
2. Ethique – The Guardian Solid Conditioner Bar
Mild, eco-friendly conditioner bar
Behentrimonium Methosulfate + Cetearyl Alcohol base
Contains Coconut Oil and Cocoa Butter (use sparingly on fine textures)
3. Innersense – Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner
Lightweight mist for moisture and slip
Aloe-based with natural essential oils
Fragrance from natural sources only
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Balanced moisture, flexibility, and occasional strengthening:
1. Odele – Moisture Repair Conditioner
Salon-quality at drugstore price point
Contains amino acids, rice protein, jojoba oil
Free from silicones, sulfates, and synthetic fragrance
2. Innersense – Color Radiance Daily Conditioner
Perfect for medium porosity or colour-treated hair
Quinoa protein + shea + avocado oil (balanced, not heavy)
COSMOS-level clean, biodegradable
3. EVOLVh – UltraShine Moisture Conditioner
Balanced conditioner with sunflower seed oil and hydrolyzed quinoa
Helps retain hydration without weight
No harsh preservatives, no fragrance allergens
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Deep moisture, protein support, strong sealing oils:
1. Bouclème – Intensive Moisture Treatment
Shea butter, marula oil, wheat protein
Designed for dry, porous curls
Rinses clean but leaves softness and strength
2. Innersense – Hydrating Hair Masque
Tamanu oil, flaxseed, quinoa protein
Weekly treatment for dry, processed, or porous hair
High slip, rich texture — apply with steam or warm towel
3. Alodia – Deep Conditioning Masque
Ayurvedic-inspired formula with coconut oil, avocado oil, and silk amino acids
Rich but non-waxy
Final thoughts
The float test for hair porosity is popular online, but it’s not reliable. While it seems like a quick fix, it often leads to confusion — and the wrong product choices.
Instead, observe your hair:
How long it takes to dry.
How it feels when wet.
How it reacts to products.
Those everyday cues are much more useful than watching a hair strand in a glass of water. By tuning into your hair’s real behavior, you’ll build a routine that actually works.
Did the cup test work for you, or do you have a different method? Let me know in the comments below!
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How to use Ayurvedic hair tea: DIY hair growth serum recipe
Ayurvedic hair tea is a herbal rinse made with spices and herbs used in traditional Indian medicine. It reduces breakage, shedding, and scalp irritation—like a natural DIY hair growth serum for stronger, healthier hair. The best part? You’re going to make it yourself, and I’m gong to show you how.
Ayurvedic hair tea is a herbal rinse made with spices and herbs used in traditional Indian medicine. It reduces breakage, shedding, and scalp irritation—like a natural DIY hair growth serum for stronger, healthier hair.
If you’ve been around a while, you’ll know I’ve experimented with Lush henna, Rainbow henna, and natural hair dyes—they’re mainstream Ayurvedic remedies that allow you to dye your hair with no damage. I started incorporating range of Ayurvedic herbs for hair growth into my regular routines.
The result? It makes a huge difference to the overall quality and density of my hair.
Unlike synthetic hair treatments made in a lab, Ayurvedic treatments are a gentler, long-term approach to scalp health and stronger, denser hair.
The best part? You know exactly what goes into every batch because you’re making it yourself. And I’m going to show you how.
Before we crack on with the recipe, it’s important to understand this isn’t a quick fix—your hair troubles won’t vanish overnight. You’ll need time, patience, and consistency. But it’s worth it.
If you stick with it, you will see results.
Real talk: I’ve really struggled to stick with long-term routines. The way I see it, time is going to pass anyway—you may as well spend it doing something your future self will thank you for. It’s better than getting to the end of the year wondering what your hair could’ve looked like if you’d started earlier.
There are loads of ways to use Ayurvedic hair tea—it’ll eventually form the base for masks, shampoos, conditioners, oils, tonics, and more. Sign up to my newsletter for more info.
🌿 Ayurvedic Herbs For Hair Growth
The recipe is a fusion of Ayurvedic and western ingredients that work together to promote scalp health and hair growth.
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A cornerstone of Ayurvedic hair care, amla is incredibly rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. It has traditionally been used to strengthen hair roots, support scalp health, and prevent premature greying. Amla enhances circulation to the scalp, stimulates growth, and adds a natural shine and softness to the hair.
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Fenugreek seeds are loaded with protein, iron, and nicotinic acid, all essential nutrients for healthy hair. The seeds swell in water, releasing mucilage, which makes them an excellent conditioner. In Ayurveda, fenugreek is used to reduce hair fall, improve texture, and treat dandruff. It is especially helpful for dry, frizzy hair.
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Though not a traditional Ayurvedic herb, lecithin can be found in modern Ayurvedic-inspired hair treatments. It's a natural emollient rich in fatty acids that nourishes and coats the hair, helping to retain moisture and improve softness. It's also used as an emulsifier in homemade oil and water blends.
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Licorice root is a cooling and anti-inflammatory herb used in Ayurveda to calm the scalp and reduce itchiness or inflammation. It creates a healthy scalp environment, which supports better hair growth. It can also help soothe conditions like eczema or psoriasis of the scalp.
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Known for both its flowers and leaves, hibiscus is used in Ayurvedic formulations to thicken hair, reduce shedding, and balance the scalp. Its naturally slippery texture adds hydration and makes detangling easier. It also helps maintain the hair's natural pigment, potentially delaying the onset of greys.
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Cloves are antimicrobial and warming. In Ayurveda, they are sometimes used in hair oils to boost blood circulation to the scalp, potentially stimulating dormant follicles. They can also help purify the scalp and reduce dandruff.
🌼 Western Herbs
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A powerful detoxifier, burdock root is traditionally used in Western herbalism to support liver and skin health. On the scalp, it's believed to reduce scalp buildup, treat itchiness, and support circulation. It also contains phytosterols and essential fatty acids that may nourish the hair follicle.
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Horsetail contains silica, a mineral essential for strong, healthy hair. It's believed to improve hair strength, reduce breakage, and support faster growth. Used in both internal supplements and external rinses, horsetail also contains antioxidants that protect the hair follicle from damage.
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Nettle is rich in iron, silica, and sulfur. It is thought to block DHT, a hormone associated with hair thinning. Nettle can be used in tea rinses or hair masks to stimulate growth, strengthen strands, and reduce excess oil production on the scalp.
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Gentle and soothing, chamomile is used to reduce inflammation of the scalp, calm irritation, and condition the hair. It is particularly good for those with lighter hair tones for its brightening properties. It also provides mild conditioning and enhances shine.
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These parts of the dandelion plant are nutrient-dense, containing vitamins A, C, and E, as well as iron and magnesium. Dandelion root helps detox the body and may support hormone balance, indirectly benefiting hair health. The leaves are often used in infusions to soothe and nourish the scalp.
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Rosemary has strong circulation-boosting properties. It's one of the most studied herbs for hair growth and is sometimes compared to minoxidil for its ability to stimulate follicles over time. It's also antifungal and antibacterial, making it great for a flaky or inflamed scalp.
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Incredibly mucilaginous, marshmallow root provides intense slip, making it ideal for detangling curly or textured hair. It softens the hair, soothes dry or itchy scalps, and hydrates parched strands. It's often used in herbal hair teas or infusions.
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A non-herbal supplement, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a sulfur compound found in some plants. It supports collagen and keratin production, potentially lengthening the hair's anagen (growth) phase. Often taken internally, it can also be added to topical treatments for strengthening purposes.
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Cooling and invigorating, peppermint improves blood flow to the scalp and creates a tingling sensation that many associate with follicle stimulation. It's used to relieve scalp itchiness, improve hair density, and refresh the scalp.
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Honey is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the air into the hair. Honey adds shine and softness while also having mild antimicrobial benefits. It forms the base of many DIY conditioners and hair masks.
Ayurvedic Hair Tea: Recipe
To make the hair tea, you’ll need:
Glass jar with a lid, 700ml to 1L capacity. If your jar is too large, your tea will be weaker;
Boiling water;
Dessert spoon or silicone spatula;
Large jug or bowl. I prefer a jug so I can tip the tea into another container without spillage;
Optional: Spray bottle (not fine mist).
All my Ayurveda herbs. Not a great picture, but you get the idea. I keep them in their original packets and store them in a cool, dark place to preserve potency.
Method
Boil some water using the kettle.
2. In a glass jar, add one tablespoon of all ingredients.
3. Fill the jar to the top with boiling water, stir to ensure all ingredients are saturated, and put the lid on tight. By this point it will look brown and unappetising, and it will smell quite strong. Trust the process.
4. Leave to infuse for at least eight hours, or overnight. Optionally, gently tip the jar every few hours to ensure the herbs are infusing.
5a. If using a sieve: Put a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or jug and tip the tea into the sieve, capturing the liquid in the bowl or jug. Using the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula, press the herbs down into the sieve to squeeze any excess tea into the bowl.
5b. If using cheesecloth: Cut a large square of cheesecloth and fold it in half to double the thickness. The square needs to be big enough so that it covers the inside of a bowl or jug. The aim is to strain as much of the herbs out of the tea as possible, so it’s important the tea can’t spill over the edges of the cloth and into the bowl.
Pour the tea into the cheesecloth slowly to avoid overflow. If it starts to spill, stop and wait for it to drain. If it’s too full to drain, grab each corner of the cloth using both hands and lift it slightly out of the bowl to allow the tea to drain. Get another bowl and repeat the process with the remaining tea. Once strained, grab all four corners of the cloth and squeeze the herbs into a ball to release excess tea into the bowl.
6. Pour the strained tea back into your glass jar, close the lid and refrigerate.
7. After an hour or two, you’ll see layer of powder settled at the bottom of the jar. Very carefully take the jar out of the fridge and pour the top layer of tea into a jug or bowl, making sure you stop before the powder layer. We don’t want the excess powder in our final product.
Hair tea, before the powders settle at the bottom of the jar.
Hair tea, just before straining. The clear liquid in the middle is what you want to keep.
8. Optional: If you want to make sure you get every scrap of tea, you can get a coffee plunger and press the remaining powder down into the jar to release the remaining liquid.
9. Rinse the leftover powder from the jar and pour your strained tea into a spray bottle or return it to the jar and seal it.
10. Optional: Scoop the leftover herbs into a ziplock bag and freeze for later use. I recommend pushing the air out and flattening the herbs in the bag so you can pull smaller pieces out easily, once frozen.
Recipe Notes
You don’t have to strain the tea as vigorously as described above, but I find it makes for a much cleaner application experience. For example, you can’t put chunky or heavily powdered tea into a spray bottle because it’ll clog the nozzle and you’ll never be able to use the bottle again. Trust me, I’ve tried.
Well-strained tea also means you don’t have to deal with excess powder on your scalp and in your hair. If you have very thick, curly, or dense hair, you might struggle to get the powder out.
If using a spray bottle, make sure it’s not fine mist—even if you strain all the powder out of the tea, you still might destroy the bottle.
One batch will last about two weeks if refrigerated when not in use. Alternately, you can pour the excess into soap molds, freeze them and defrost before use.
The smell of the hot tea is quite strong, but it decreases in intensity once properly strained. If you want, you can try adding a few drops of essential oil. I’d go with something earthy like rosemary, peppermint, or sandalwood. Anything too floral might not mix well.
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How To Use Ayurvedic Hair Tea
There are so many ways you can incorporate hair tea into your routine. I use the raw tea on its own, without masks or oils, about once a week.
Overnight pre-poo treatment
I like to use hair tea as an overnight pre-poo treatment before wash day.
Before bed, use a root comb applicator bottle, a spray bottle, pipette (I use glass pipettes from empty skin serum bottles), or your hands, apply a thin layer of tea to your scalp. Make sure tea covers your entire scalp, without saturating it—you don’t want to go to sleep with a really wet head.
Dampen the rest of your hair, raking the tea through to ensure all strands are covered. Again, we don’t want your hair to be wet—just damp. From there, you can tie it up with a loose scrunchie, use a claw clip, silk bonnet, or microfibre towel.
I like to pin it in a top knot and plop with a microfibre towel. I then put another towel over my pillow to ensure the tea doesn’t soak through the towel on my head and into the bed—this is only for precaution, it has never soaked through the towel because I don’t saturate my hair.
In the morning, I rinse the tea out thoroughly, wash and condition as normal.
With other products
Another way to use the hair tea is by mixing it with your existing products to give them a nutrient boost. I would opt for leave-in treatments or hair masks to optimise the time the tea has to work its magic. You can absolutely mix it in with shampoo, but keep in mind shampoo is washed out almost immediately and reduces the amount of time the tea has to work.
A way to ensure the tea spends the maximum time on your head is to incorporate it in with your regular hair or scalp oil. You can also mix a bit in with a deep conditioner— leave it in for 10-20 mins before rinsing it out.
Refresh
Some people use hair tea when refreshing their hair, in place of water. The tea does not behave or feel like conditioner—there is no slip, and your hair won’t feel silky or smooth on application. It can actually make your hair feel a little crunchy.
My hair hates being refreshed in general—I have a lot of hair but it’s quite fine with medium porosity, so it doesn’t absorb products super well. But if you have thicker or higher porosity hair that likes to be refreshed, this might be a good option for you.
Ayurverdic Hair Tea Benefits
After the first few applications, I noticed:
My scalp felt noticeably calmer. My skin is prone to dryness and I have a few patches of mild psoriasis on my scalp. After use, my skin felt noticeably less irritated.
Less tanlges: My hair is sometimes notoriously difficult to detangle. Using Ayurvedic remedies has reduced the knots by about 90 per cent.
Less shedding. Not zero, but I noticed significantly less hair in my brush after the first two hair tea applications.
My roots felt a little fuller. I didn’t have loads of new hair overnight, but something about the overall texture felt denser.
No stickiness or buildup. It washed out well and didn’t interfere with styling.
Have you tried Ayurvedic hair tea? Let me know in the comments below!
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K18 hair mask review: Does it actually work?
K18 leave-in molecular repair mask has been touted as the holy grail of bond builders, repairing your hair from the inside out. But does it work? Here’s my honest review.
K18 leave-in molecular repair mask has been touted as the holy grail of bond builders, repairing your hair from the inside out. But does it work?
Unlike many other bond builders on the market that apparently repair the outside of each strand, the K18 leave-in mask is supposed to be best for internal hair care. Basically, it’s meant to reach right through to the keratin bonds and heal them, giving you healthier and more resilient hair.
I was after a bond repair product because I have curly hair tangles very easily and I wanted to know if the issue stemmed from inside the hair strand. I read a lot of positive reviews, mostly from people with bleached hair and visible damage. I was spending about half an hour detangling my hair with conditioner every wash day and I was pretty desperate to fix that problem (here’s how I actually fixed the problem).
According to the K18 hair product website, your hair will be ‘like new’. It’s also meant to be for all hair types and works its magic in just four minutes.
I was sceptical, but I love a popular product and a bold claim so I decided to give it a crack. Here’s what happened.
K18 hair mask review
The first thing I noticed about K18 bond repair mask was how expensive it was, particularly when I didn’t know if it would work or not. I bought a 5ml sample size tube which still costs about AU$16, but I figured it was better than buying a full-price 50ml bottle for $120. Since I only had a small amount, I didn’t have much to experiment with so I followed the instructions carefully.
According to the instructions, you’re supposed to wash your hair with shampoo but don’t condition it. Towel dry hair until it’s damp and rake one pump of the K18 treatment through your hair, adding more as needed, working from the roots to the ends. Let it sit for four minutes, style hair as normal.
For someone with curly hair that tangles easily and relies on conditioner alone to detangle, the prospect of not conditioning my hair after shampooing was frightening. Nevertheless, I gritted my teeth and got on with it.
What happened
As expected, my hair was nice and tangled after using shampoo. I briefly tried to detangle with my fingers but gave up quickly, hoping K18 would solve those problems. My anxiety levels increased again as I towel-dried unconditioned and matted hair.
My hair was damp by the time I picked up the tube of K18. There was no drip at all. I squeezed a bit onto my hand and started trying to rake it through. The product is white, thick and feels a lot like a conditioning mask to touch.
Sadly, it did not behave like a conditioner.
I immediately started applying it to the ends of my hair, where the largest knots were, slowly trying to detangle with my fingers while trying to imagine the shiny, lush locks I’d have once this painful process was over. I ended up using a tangle teaser to get them out properly, before working the rest of the product up the strand.
I’m not going to lie, it was tough.
The product has very little slip, which essentially means it won’t properly detangle hair. This process took quite a long time. I did eventually manage to get a brush through it, making sure each strand was coated. My damp hair felt brittle with the product in it, but I hoped that would fade away as it dried.
By the time I was done, I’d used most of the 5ml tube. I didn’t use any other product and left it to air dry.
The result
I would actually call this a disaster.
My hair felt like hay. It was crisp, brittle and flat. There was no curl definition at all—there was barely a wave. My hair hated the lack of conditioner and it really hated being detangled with virtually no assistance from a product with high slippage.
Sometimes, when my hair becomes brittle after using a high-protein treatment, it softens throughout the day. I wondered if that would happen with K18. It did not. Nor did it soften the next day. By day three, it was matted and looked terrible and I had to wash it again. I used conditioner this time, without K18, and everything went back to normal.
Usually, my hair becomes brittle when I use a product with too much protein. I did some research and found K18 is not a protein treatment. It has no protein at all, so that can’t have been the problem.
I noticed no improvement in my hair after using K18.
The second attempt
After the disaster, I left the tube of K18 in the bathroom and didn’t look at it again for months. It wasn’t until I went to the hairdresser that I decided to give it another go.
The hairdresser used K18 on my hair, but he applied it after conditioner and on very wet hair. I asked why he did that because the packet explicitly says to use K18 on unconditioned hair. He confirmed you are technically only supposed to use it on unconditioned hair, but he also said it doesn’t really matter—the product works whether you condition it or not, but it might be a bit less effective if you’ve conditioned and rinsed your hair. When he was done cutting my hair, it did feel amazing. There was no dryness at all, like there was after my own attempt with K18.
I was floored and decided to give it another go.
I washed my hair, conditioned and detangled, as normal. This time, I didn’t towel dry my hair. I applied K18 pretty soon after getting out of the shower. It was easy to apply this time and I brushed it from root to end with ease. I let it drip dry. My hair felt great. I decided to give it a proper go with a full-size bottle.
Over the following months, I used K18 every five to six washes, as stated on the packet. At the start, it was hard to tell if my hair only felt good because of the conditioner, rather than because the K18 was repairing my hair. After a few months of use, I was convinced that was the case. The last few times I used it after rinsing out the conditioner, my hair started feeling brittle again.
It continued to feel brittle until I stopped using K18.
The verdict
I still use K18 about once every six months, largely to use up the rest of the bottle. If I use it more frequently than that, my hair feels brittle all over again.
According to the K18 website, brittle hair after use can mean there’s product buildup on the hair which stops the K18 from penetrating the strand. To fix that problem, they recommend using the K18 clarifying shampoo…because of course they do. I used a sulphate-heavy shampoo to remove buildup and it made no difference.
I know this product works for a lot of people, and I was pretty sad that it didn’t work for me. Of course, that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. As I mentioned, people with bleached and dye-damaged hair have reported huge success with K18. The product clearly works, but like a lot of things, it’s highly dependent on the individual.
Want me to review something else? Let me know in the comments below!
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How to get thicker hair and increase density with one lifestyle change
Is it possible to get thicker hair, naturally? Yes, and you don’t need any hair thickening products to make it work. This method is designed to give you thicker hair, permanently.
Is it possible to get thicker hair, naturally? Yes, and you don’t even need hair thickening products to make it work.
There are so many products promising to give you thick hair—shampoos, conditioners, ointments, laser treatments, red lights—you name it. Some of them probably work, some of them probably don’t, but these are like band-aids to the problem.
None of them will solve your hair problems forever because they don’t address the underlying issue. And that’s what we want, right? We want to thicken hair strands and increase hair density for glossier, hydrated, and fast-growing locks, and we want to maintain it forever.
I’m going to tell you what I did to solve this problem.
Please note, this can work for men and women but male pattern baldness is a separate issue with very different treatment options. I recommend seeing a specialist to address that particular concern.
Before
I used to spend 30 minutes in the shower detangling my hair with my fingers and a tangle teaser. For half an hour every wash day, and I’d pull clumps of hair out of my brush. I washed my hair every three or so days, and not because it was greasy, because it was so tangled that it looked awful. If I left it longer than that between washes, the detangling process could take 40 minutes.
It was exhausting and disheartening to see so much in my brush every time. I wanted long hair, but I couldn’t maintain it—the ends were like barbed wire, brittle and split, and I could only use really thick conditioners that were actually too heavy for my fine hair, but my hair wouldn’t detangle with anything lighter. The result was over-conditioned hair that was flat, but somehow very tangled after a few days.
How I fixed thin, brittle, tangled hair
I ate loads more protein.
When I say loads, I mean about 60g more protein in one day than I had been eating.
That’s literally it, that’s the big secret. Your hair is basically just protein, so it needs a source of protein to grow properly.
I upped my protein intake so much that my body initially had no idea what hit it. I went from about 30g of protein a day to more than 80g. It was a big change, my stomach felt weird, and I felt so full I didn’t know if I’d ever be hungry again.
That initial shock to the system lasted a week or two, but after that I felt great.
I started back at the gym after a break and, due to increased protein levels, I managed to avoid muscle pain. I slept better and I had more energy. It was about a month before I really noticed a difference in my hair.
For the first few weeks, I kept using thick protein-filled conditioners, because that’s what I assumed my hair would always need. But after a while, my hair started to reject them. I’d wash my hair and let it air dry, and it felt sticky and brittle. It was horrible, I didn’t understand what was going on.
Until one day. I was sick of trying all my different protein-infused masks, so I grabbed a small bottle of conditioner I once swiped from a hotel room and slathered it on.
My hair instantly detangled—the whole conditioning and detangling process took about five minutes. I let it air dry, like I normally would, and almost cried at the result. It was shiny, glossy, and it felt so thick and full. I realised I probably didn’t need the thick conditioning masks anymore. My hair suddenly had enough protein to grow properly and detangle itself, putting more on resulted in protein overload.
I went from losing piles of hair to hardly any at all, and my conditioning and detangling routine went from 30 minutes down to five. All it took was adding more protein to my diet.
After
I’m still figuring out the best ways to incorporate more protein into my diet—90g is a lot for someone who doesn’t eat meat. My hair isn’t as thick as it was when I was really going for the protein, but it hasn’t lost it either. I still spend less than ten minutes conditioning and detangling my hair. Sometimes I use protein masks, but rarely. Most of the time, I can get away with lighter and more generic products that don’t have strengthening or lengthening properties. If I’m really in a bind and I’m away from home, I can use hotel conditioner and my hair is easy to detangle and looks great.
I was also able to stop using leave in conditioners and curl creams altogether. My hair started curling great on its own.
How much protein should you eat?
I am not a doctor or a health care professional of any kind. Before you make health and lifestyle changes, you should always speak to a professional. This is what worked for me :)
The protein recommendation is 2g per 1kg of lean body mass.
To figure this out, weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before you eat anything. Determine your body weight percentage and reduce your weight by your body fat. There are a few ways to determine your body fat percentage—either use the charts below, or you can take your measurements and use a calculator like this one.
If you weigh 60kg and your body fat is 25 per cent, the equation would be: 60 x 0.25 = 15.
60 -15 = . Your lean body mass would be 45kg.
If you need 2g of protein per kg of lean body mass, the final equation would be: 45 x 2 = 90.
So, someone who weighs 60kg with 25 per cent body fat would need to eat about 90g of protein per day.
How to increase your protein intake
Protein intake is very individual and will depend on your specific circumstance. Vegans will probably find they have to eat a lot more food in general to meet the protein requirements, but it’s still very attainable no matter what your diet is.
Personally, I had no idea my protein levels were so low and I found it difficult to incorporate so much more into my diet. When I went to the supermarket, I found a lot of yogurts and cereals and fortified with protein. I also incorporated dehydrated vegetable proteins into meals and generally started paying more attention to the nutrition charts on food packaging.
It took about a month to see real results, but I was completely blown away once I realised it was working.
Have you tried this out, or do you swear by another method? Let me know in the comments below!
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Bondi Boost HG Shampoo Review: Does It Really Work?
I bought Bondi Boost HG Shampoo on a whim one day, on my lunch break. It was kind of expensive and promised to clean my hair and help it grow faster at the same time. But does it really work and it worth the price tag?
I have been using Bondi Boost HG Shampoo for years. It’s a bit on the expensive side but I find myself going back to it time and time again. This is why.
I bought Bondi Boost HG (hair growth) shampoo on a whim one day, on my lunch break, because I saw a pharmacy and couldn’t find a reason not to get it. I had been wanting to try it for a while but kept putting it off because the bottles are kind of pricey for the size. That day at the pharmacy, I caved. It was a moment of weakness, but I’m actually really glad I did.
I have fine hair that errs on the side of dry, but my hair usually also needs a product that foams. Without that, my scalp just doesn’t feel clean and my hair doesn’t sit right on my head. Honestly, day two hair starts looking like day four hair. It’s a real pain. So I’m cautious about what products I use.
The issue with that is, a lot of shampoo that lathers has sulphate in it. And we don’t like that because it strips your hair of natural oils. We’re after hydrated curls and waves and a fresh scalp. Bondi Boost shampoo is good because, not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, it’s sulphate-free but somehow it actually foams and cleans your hair without drying out your hair completely.
That’s a win, in my books.
Part of the selling point for this product is that it promotes hair growth. That’s not why I bought it, but it’s a bonus if it works.
Before
Before I started with Bondi Boost, I was mostly using Shea Moisture Castor Oil shampoo, which was great but my hair gets sick of products quite quickly, so I need a few on rotation. If I keep using the same one, my hair ends up looking knotty and generally terrible. So I like to try new ones.
My hair was getting really tired of Shea Moisture (which is nothing on the brand, I love their products) so Bondi Boost seemed to be a good alternative to test out.
Review
The instructions say to use a small amount on wet hair, lather and rinse, so that’s what’s I did. The first thing I noticed was that the product is almost transparent and smells like overwhelmingly peppermint — a unique choice for shampoo, but I rolled with it.
As per the directions on the bottle, I rubbed a small amount between my fingers and worked it into my scalp only. It lathered immediately. A little went a long way.
I used a bit more for the back of my scalp, made sure it was properly dispersed — it was really easy to work into my scalp — then rinsed it out. It came out easily and I didn’t notice any residue leftover. My hair felt clean, but not squeaky clean, and smelled mildly of peppermint.
I followed up with conditioner, but that’s for another review. Watch this space!
Result
My hair felt clean, my scalp felt cleansed, and my hair sat pretty well on my head. That is to say, it didn’t feel oily or part in weird places like it does on day four, for example. It didn’t tangle more easily than usual, and it didn’t create extra frizz. My hair looked hydrated and voluminous.
My hair also didn’t get sick of Bondi Boost for a while. I would actually say it took a few weeks before my hair decided it had enough, which is a pretty good run.
It’s now a permanent feature in my rotation of shampoos, and I find myself going back to it time and time again. I feel like it really cleans my scalp in a way a lot of natural shampoos don’t — they often leave residue, or an oily sheen because they don’t have sulphate, so Bondi Boost is a good reset and removes build-up.
One thing I will say is that it can make my hair feel quite dry if I use it for too long. It doesn’t have sulphate, but whatever else they put in it to make it lather the way it does is a little drying. Having said that, I do rotate shampoos so it’s not a huge problem for me.
Verdict
On the whole, Bondi Boost is pretty expensive. At $34 for 250ml, it’s a lot for the average person to drop on a single product. However, a little does go a long way and I had my bottle for months before it ran out. I have repurchased this one, and I’ll probably do it again once my current one runs out.
I did not notice more hair growth. That’s honestly not why I bought it so I wasn’t paying too much attention to that, but I would have noticed if my hair grew faster than usual and it didn’t.
Have you tried Bondi Boost? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hairstory New Wash Review: Is it worth the hype?
New Wash promises to replace all your normal products — it cleanses, conditions, and works as a styler. It’s also formulated without detergents or foams which can damage your hair. It’s eco-friendly and cruelty-free. But does it work? Read on for my in-depth review.
Wondering whether to splash out and try New Wash by Hairstory? I tried it out so you don’t have to. Here’s what happened.
I’ve become a bit of a sucker for Instagram ads. Some are ridiculous. With others…I feel seen. So when I saw a woman on Instagram with very long and curly hair talking about how New Wash was the best thing she’s ever tried, I watched it until the end.
She said her whole family had swapped out shampoos, conditioners, and styling products for this all-in-one miracle. Of course it’s an ad so I took it with a few grains of salt, but there were thousands of really good, genuine reviews. I had to check it out.
My concern with every new product is that my hair will hate it, or my hair will feel amazing after the first wash and then decide it hates it from the second wash onward. It’s a constant battle, but I’ll always try something new hoping it’ll be my new holy grail. Cue: New Wash.
I was hesitant to give it a crack because, at $70 for an 8oz package — which the smallest size available — it’s really expensive. I subscribed to get the cost down by 10%, and because it came with free shipping and a free silicone scalp massager which I had never used before.
It seemed like a good deal, all things considered. For that price, I wanted phenomenal results.
New Wash: A Review
According to the New Wash website, it’s not a co-wash because it has cleansing properties, but it has the consistency of a conditioner and you use it like you would co-wash. It’s supposed to replace all your normal products — it cleanses, conditions, and works as a styler. It’s also formulated without detergents or foams which can damage your hair. It’s eco-friendly and cruelty-free.
There are three versions — ‘original’ for all hair types, ‘rich’ for dry hair, and ‘deep’ for oily hair. I have a lot of hair but it’s very fine, wavy on top with coils at the bottom, and about forearm-length. It’s prone to dryness at the ends and tangles easily. I use a hair mask as my regular conditioner, but I can’t use products that are too conditioning because my hair gets over-conditioned and falls flat there’s no volume at all. That’s one of the reasons I don’t use co-washes, another is that I find they don’t cleanse my hair properly at the root and my hair feels oily and doesn’t fall right beyond day one.
For all those reasons, I was a bit skeptical about New Wash and really wanted to make sure I tried to right version. I had thought I might go with ‘original’ because any deeper conditioner at the roots could mean my hair was over-moisturised and flat. On the flip side, my hair could end up a dry mess if ‘original’ wasn’t conditioning enough. The struggle was real. Luckily, there was a very helpful quiz on the Hairstory website which helped me work out that I should probably get ‘rich’.
(Ingredients: Rich, deep, original)
Wash
New Wash comes in a bag, rather than a bottle, and smells like lavender. The product is thick and white and the instructions say to use as much of it as you would normally use of shampoo and conditioner combined. So that’s what I did.
As someone who doesn’t use co-wash, it felt pretty strange putting this thick product all over my scalp and raking it down my hair — it felt counterintuitive, really, but I stuck with it. I focused on my scalp to begin with and used the silicone scalp massager to make sure my head was cleansed. I then used a bit more product and applied it to the length, as I would with conditioner.
I was able to detangle my hair with relative ease with my fingers, before I finished it off with a brush. I then scrunched the product into my hair, like I normally would, but that step didn’t feel necessary. My hair was completely saturated with product — to the point where I probably used too much product. It felt quite heavy in my hair — a bit stiff, even, and I hoped that would go away once it was all washed out.
Some of the reviews I read suggested the product was quite difficult to wash out, and even the instructions on the packaging said to wash it out really, really well. So that’s what I did. I used the scalp massager to make sure it was all off my head, before I used my hards to really squeeze it out of my hair. Personally, I didn’t find it difficult to wash out.
Styling
I would normally apply a styling cream immediately after washing my hair, but I wanted to see if — like the woman in the ad — I could get away without additional products. She insisted that New Wash meant her hair was in perfect coils every morning. I was very skeptical, but gave it a shot.
I flipped my soaking-wet hair upside-down, as normal, and gently ran a comb through it to detangle. It was a bit harder without additional product in it for more slip, but I managed. I scrunched it and plopped with a microfibre towel. My hair still had the heavy and stiff texture that it had before I washed the product out.
I took the towel off about ten minutes later, shook my hair a bit and parted it like I normally would (I realise not everyone parts their hair after washing it, but mine doesn’t sit right if I don’t). The ease with which I can part my hair after washing is usually a pretty good indicator of how cleansed my hair is. If it’s not cleansed properly, it’s pretty difficult to part and clumps together. If it’s properly clean, this doesn’t happen and it separates at the part very easily. I didn’t find parting my hair difficult after New Wash. I scrunched my hair again, it still felt a bit heavy but I ignored it and got on with my day.
drying
My hair usually takes a few hours to air dry completely. I found plopping as usual after New Wash didn’t completely get the drip out of my hair, it really held on to the water, so my shoulders were a bit damp by the time I got to work. I find that can happen with thicker products. The smell of lavender was also quite strong when my hair was wet, but it disappeared once dry.
It probably took an extra hour to dry completely, which I didn’t really mind.
Result
The first time round, I was pretty happy with the result. That stiff and heavy feeling did disappear once my hair dried, which was a relief. My hair felt soft and mousturised, my scalp felt clean, and my hair still had volume. I wasn’t sure what to expect in the volume department so I was pretty impressed with that.
What I didn’t like was that my hair looked a bit frizzy at the ends, which I put down to not using a styling product. As a whole, I would say my hair did look a bit curlier than usual, and I think it held its curl for a bit longer than usual — into the next day. It looked okay on day two and three, but nothing amazing. It looked as I would normally expect day two and three hair to look, with a bit more curl on day two. For a product that replaced shampoo and conditioner, I was relatively pleased.
Second and third wash
This is where things went downhill. Sometimes, my hair likes a product one day and hates it the next. This is basically what happened with New Wash.
For the second go, I used less product than I did the first time and my hair detangled as easily as it had before. It still had that stiff feeling, but I knew it would go away so I wasn’t concerned. I did add a curl cream this time, and that really helped stop the frizz at the ends. My hair looked fine on day one, but it wouldn’t sit right on my scalp the following day, or the day after that. It felt a bit heavy, it lost some of its curls and waves and looked quite flat by the time I had to wash it again.
Nevertheless, I persisted and used New Wash again for a third time. Attempt three was a bit of a disaster. I repeated the process, using styling cream, and my hair did not like it. My hair wouldn’t sit on my scalp properly — it wouldn’t sit right along the crown in the way oily hair doesn’t sit right, but my hair wasn’t oily at all in this instance. The curls fell flat by day two and no amount of zhooshing would fix the way it sat on my scalp. The ends were tangled like steel wool and the knots started quite high up. Basically, I had to wash it again on day two because it looked and felt terrible. I washed it with shampoo and my usual Shea Moisture conditioner and the problem went away.
Verdict
I didn’t try it again after attempt three because I don’t want that to happen again. I probably will use it here and there, but only because I don’t want to waste it, and not on consecutive washes. Just because this did not work for me in the end, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you — it does have thousands of great reviews. My hair is very temperamental and I think that is partly to blame.
However, what I really struggle to understand is the cost.
Without the 10% subscription discount, the 8oz package costs AU$69, the 20oz package costs $155, and the 32oz package costs $236. I imagine it’s priced that way because it’s supposed to replace two other products — maybe that’s the amount you’d spend on shampoo, conditioner and stylers combined. But if the cost works out to be the same, what’s the point in replacing three products with one? Unless, of course, New Wash really worked for you and the results were significantly better than the products you would normally use.
I just feel, for that price, you’d want it to work miracles on your hair, walk the dog and do the dishes. If you had long and thick hair that required a lot of product, you’d spend a fortune.
I should say, there is is a $20 trial kit that I couldn’t access because I’m in Australia. I tested out a few countries on the website, including New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and various places in Europe and it appears this very affordable trial kit is only available for US customers…even though Hairstory ships to 34 other countries. If the trial was available to me, I definitely would have chosen it rather than a full-size package.
Have you tried New Wash? Let me know in the comments below!
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