Best Gentle Hair Care

Many skin and hair care companies have been changing up their ingredients due to safety concerns. It’s pretty common these days to see products listed as sulfate-free. Sulfates are commonly found in shampoos and other cleansers, because they help the product foam up. There are concerns about sulfates because they may be contaminated with carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide. They can also fade hair color and make hair brittle.

Years ago, I switched to sulfate-free shampoos and was surprised to find a lot of them irritating. I’ve since learned that some companies use other detergents that can be harsh on the hair and scalp so today I shared some gentle options on Fox 2 News in St. Louis. Below are the video and more details on what I recommended.

• Weleda offers low-foaming shampoos made with a biodegradable, coconut- and sugar-based surfactant to gently cleanse without damaging the hair or scalp.
  • Oat Replenishing Shampoo replenishes, smooths and strengthens dry, damaged hair and is made with 72% organic ingredients, including organic oat extract to strengthen and organic jojoba seed oil to smoothe ($11, available at Whole Foods and at weleda.com).
  • Wheat Balancing Shampoo nourishes with organic shea butter, protects with organic sea buckthorn oil and promotes shine with organic coconut oil while invigorating with tea tree and rosemary oils ($11).
  • Millet Nourishing Shampoo gently cleanses, nourishes and strengthens hair with organic millet seed extract, enhances hair’s natural shine and resilience with organic macadamia nut oil while stimulating and refreshing with grapefruit and peppermint.
  • Oat Replenishing Treatment, made with organic oat extract, is ideal for hair damaged by heat styling or chemical processing. This mix of vitamin-rich organic sea buckthorn oil and organic shea butter protects from damage, nourishes scalp and adds an extra dose of moisture. Organic coconut oil promotes shiny, soft hair with a delicate, flowery scent of mimosa and tonka beans.
  • Rosemary Conditioning Treatment Oil provides intensive repair and deep conditioning to restore moisture, soften split ends and add radiant shine as it penetrates. Organic rosemary leaf extract helps strengthen dry, damaged hair, while organic burdock root extract revitalizes and nourishes hair and scalp. Can be used as an overnight replenishment treatment ($17).
• Arbonne Pure Vibrance is a gentle line specifically for chemically and color-treated hair. It includes shampoo and conditioner as well as styling products. The line is hydrating, promotes shine and softness and prevents breakage. The products contain a botanical blend to prevent fading and lock in color with ingredients like strengthening rice extract, conditioning and strengthening Hawaiian white ginger, conditioning and protecting horsetail leaf extract, shine-promoting sage leaf extract and protective white tea leaf extract. The line includes:
  • Lustre Fortifying Shampoo and Créme Conditioner adds softness and shine, prevents breakage and damage, protects from color loss with argan oil, rice extract, linseed extract and artichoke seed extract ($37 each, available from Arbonne consultants and at arbonne.com)
  • Hair Revitalizing Masque softens hair and restores shine and strength with argan oil, rice extract and artichoke seed extract ($54)
  • Texturizing Mousse protects from sun damage and makes hair more manageable and shiny with rice and white tea leaf extracts ($29)
  • ColorLast Hair Spray protects hair from the sun and humidity with white tea leaf and linseed extracts ($30)
  • ColorLast Hair Serum adds shine, prevents color loss and controls frizz with argan oil, linseed and abyssinian oil ($30)

• PURA D’OR Premium Organic Solutions – I love that this line is natural, organic and cruelty-free, safe for color-treated hair and addresses scalp issues and hair loss. They smell great and are made with essential oils like ylang ylang and lavender($25-$33, available at Target and at www.purador.com).
  • Scalp Therapy Shampoo soothes a dry scalp and reduces itching and dandruff with ingredients like aloe vera and vitamins B and E
  • Hair Loss Prevention Therapy Shampoo is clinically proven to reduce hair loss due to breakage and prevents thinning and encourages growth.
  • Healing Conditioner is a lightweight detangler that enhances shine without building up on hair and is made with 99% plant-based ingredients, including argan oil

• Weleda offers low-foaming shampoos made with a biodegradable, coconut- and sugar-based surfactant to gently cleanse without damaging the hair or scalp.
  • Oat Replenishing Shampoo replenishes, smooths and strengthens dry, damaged hair and is made with 72% organic ingredients, including organic oat extract to strengthen and organic jojoba seed oil to smoothe ($11, available at Whole Foods and at weleda.com).
  • Wheat Balancing Shampoo nourishes with organic shea butter, protects with organic sea buckthorn oil and promotes shine with organic coconut oil while invigorating with tea tree and rosemary oils ($11).
  • Millet Nourishing Shampoo gently cleanses, nourishes and strengthens hair with organic millet seed extract, enhances hair’s natural shine and resilience with organic macadamia nut oil while stimulating and refreshing with grapefruit and peppermint.
  • Oat Replenishing Treatment, made with organic oat extract, is ideal for hair damaged by heat styling or chemical processing. This mix of vitamin-rich organic sea buckthorn oil and organic shea butter protects from damage, nourishes scalp and adds an extra dose of moisture. Organic coconut oil promotes shiny, soft hair with a delicate, flowery scent of mimosa and tonka beans ($11).
  • Rosemary Conditioning Treatment Oil provides intensive repair and deep conditioning to restore moisture, soften split ends and add radiant shine as it penetrates. Organic rosemary leaf extract helps strengthen dry, damaged hair, while organic burdock root extract revitalizes and nourishes hair and scalp. Can be used as an overnight replenishment treatment ($17).

How Often Should You Wash? Daily shampooing with even the most gentle shampoo can be drying for fine and dry hair, writes Julie Gabriel in the Green Beauty Guide. “Daily shampooing is not essential,” says hair guru John Masters, “You have to learn to be gentle to your hair.” Gabriel says shampooing daily is recommended if you spend a lot of time in the sun or if you wear a lot of styling products.