That’s the balance we’re all about.
Sulphate-free shampoos like Noughty’s use natural surfactants or detergents to clean hair rather than being laden with silicones and sulphates. So if you’re making the transition to natural hair products from conventional hair care, we here at Noughty want to share our experience of what to expect and why, as well as giving you some well-earned advice to help you manage the transition. After all, we love to help and natural, healthy hair is what makes us very, very happy.
- Be patient. Conventional ingredients leave residues that can coat the hair shaft; build-up that can weigh the hair down and leave it dull. So rather like your body after a night out with the girls, your hair may need a little time to detox. It can take several washes to remove the build-up of conventional shampoo. That’s why we recommend using Noughty for at least 8 washes. Patience always pays off.
- Size up the bubbles. Think, champagne-sized bubbles rather than those ones you blew from a wand as a little one.
- Being kind makes us all feel good, in just the same way being kinder to your hair will make it look and feel, better. The ingredients in natural haircare are gentler both on your hair and the planet.
- Get Active. To get the most out of a sulphate-free shampoo, it’s best to activate it before you use it. All you have to do is put a small amount of shampoo in your palm, add a little water, and then rub your palms together before working the mixture through your wet hair.
- Less is more. Except for water. It’s true to say with naturals, you get better results on your hair and in your pocket by starting with less shampoo, activating and adding more as you find you need it. Water is the key here: add plenty.
- Lastly and best of all, don’t expect to sacrifice performance.
What to expect from hair detox?
Like you, every head of hair is unique: your hair detox symptoms and how long it takes to see the real benefits can vary. You might have only one of the issues we describe below, or you might have all three, but rest assured we have some advice about how to handle the challenges while your hair re-adjusts to natural.
Issue 1: Hair feels tangled, matted, sticky or heavy
Detoxing asks the hair to let go of all the residual product it’s been hanging onto. Since your hair’s not Teflon, it doesn’t just slide off: it may take a few washes to shift the build-up from root to tip and down the drain.
Tips to help: Rinse your hair thoroughly, making sure to work out all of the shampoo. Then condition thoroughly. Don’t be haphazard, slapping a bit on and rinsing it straight out. Make sure every strand is coated. Using a wide toothed comb, gently work any tangles or matts out of your hair while the conditioner is in it. Once the conditioner’s been on your hair for a couple of minutes, rinse it out thoroughly, working from root to tip.
Issue 2: Hair and scalp feel very oily
This is a sign that you’ve been using a shampoo that’s too aggressive for your hair, stripping away the natural oils and making your scalp think it needs to produce more. So you’re stuck in a spiral – the more oil you see, the more often you shampoo and the more vigorously you scrub. Patience and persistence of use will give your scalp the chance to rebalance itself all on its own.
Tips to help: If you have an oily scalp or oily hair, NEVER shampoo or rinse with hot water. Always use cool or lukewarm, and don’t massage your scalp vigorously. When you do this, you stimulate the oil glands in the scalp to produce more oil, leading to oily hair.
Issue 3: Hair feels dry, brittle or rough
Silicones do an amazing job at covering up the damage we do to our manes. When they’re washed away in the detox process, the true state of your hair can be revealed, and the home truths can be rough.
Tips to help: Step up your level of conditioning. Think about using To The Rescue until your hair rebalances. Or alternatively, add Noughty Intensive Care Leave In Conditioner to your routine (especially at the ends of longer hair).
If you have a naturally dry scalp and longer hair, the oils your scalp produces are almost guaranteed not to be enough to protect all of your hair. To stimulate your scalp, massage your scalp vigorously with your fingertips and rinse your hair in hot water. (If it hurts, you’re being too vigorous.)