How to switch to an all-natural haircare routine

All-natural hair care used to mean slapping a mixture of egg whites and coconut oil on your scalp and praying that the mess wouldn’t be too bad (it always was). But all-natural hair care has evolved from DIY kitchen hair masks to highly sophisticated and effective products. Not to mention that the packaging is surprisingly chic.

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So to get the lowdown on how to start a clean hair routine, we spoke to Managing Director of Organika Hair, Sarah Di Iorio, to find out how to make the switch and still maintain brilliant locks.

It used to be incredibly difficult to find effective all-natural hair care products, has this changed?

According to Sarah, all-natural hair care has become much more mainstream. “When Organika started in 2008, there were only a few select products and colours which were good enough to provide the customer with an outstanding result without all the nasties,” she said. Thankfully, over the last few years a wider range of natural products have entered the scene and the formulas continue to improve.

Why is ‘clean’ hair care so high in demand?

“I think people are becoming ever more aware of their health and this is translating to people looking at all aspects of what they put in and on their bodies,” explains Sarah. The wellness routines of 2018 go far beyond eating healthy and exercising, to include being aware of the chemicals that we expose ourselves to in our beauty routines.

Is it possible to have an all-natural hair care routine that actually works?

Sarah insists that you can have a hair and colour routine that avoids dangerous, nasty chemicals that can compromise your health. However, it’s important to understand what that really means. Depending on your hair needs, you may have to ditch the ‘all or nothing’ mentality. “That doesn’t mean that every single chemical used is completely natural, it means that it’s been designed to find natural alternatives to common nasty chemicals,” she says. “You can absolutely have a hair routine that is as good or even better than traditional high-end results but have the confidence that you’re not compromising your health.”

What’s the deal with silicon in hair products?

Silicon, a commonly used sealant agent for hair, is an unnatural ingredient that gives hair the illusion of shine. So while it might make your hair look healthy in the moment, it’s not a real representation of hair health. “We believe in using products that ensure the hair is healthy, not because it’s been artificially made to look shiny, but because it really IS shiny,” says Sarah.

Which products should we ditch from our routine?

If you’re worried that switching to an all-natural hair care routine means you’ll have to ditch all of your hair styling products, think again. According to Sarah, you don’t need to ditch any products, as long as you go to the right places. “There are real, effective alternatives for every need and every hair type.”

What natural ingredients should we be looking for in natural hair care products?

Look for good essential oil based alternatives and avoid SLS & SLES, parabens, petrolatum, PEG, synthetic fragrances and artificial colourants.

Can we still colour our hair?

Absolutely! “Avoid Ammonia based colours or colours with parabens, petrolatum or artificial colourants,” says Sarah. As long as you’re getting your hair coloured with the right products and at the right salon, you can get incredible results guilt-free.

Which natural hair care products do you recommend to your clients?

“We are big advocates of OWay. The company has a philosophy and way of life which looks at every single part of the process to ensure the highest quality and the lowest impact on nature and health,” says Sarah. Organika Hair is now one of Australia’s biggest OWay salons and the first in Australia to use it.

A few of our favourite natural hair care products: Sukin Naturals Hydrating Shampoo, Aveda Pure Abundance Style-Prep, muk Argan Oil Repair Conditioner

Do you use any all-natural hair care products? Would you consider switching to a natural hair care routine?