My True North Organic Hair Care Experiment

 

My hair is crazy thick and naturally wavy. Or naturally frizzy - depending on the day.  My typical haircare routine is to wash my hair every 2 or 3 days with a moisturizing shampoo. Then I use a very thick conditioner - one that also has detangling properties because my hair is impossible to comb without it. Finally, if I'm trying to control the frizz or define the curls, I may squirt in a couple of styling products and hope for the best.

Recently, I decided to toss that routine out the window and try something completely different. Ashley from True North Organic asked if I would be willing to try her 100% natural, castile shampoo with a vinegar rinse as an alternative to traditional shampoo and conditioner. I hesitated for a moment because I had tried the baking soda & vinegar "no-poo" method once before and never made it past the greasy stage before I quit. But I was intrigued enough to give it a go - and I'm very glad I did!

How It Works

True North Organic Shampoo is made with a blend of organic saponified oils (saponification is a simple, chemical process that turns oils into soap), vegetable glycerin and organic aloe vera to cleanse hair without drying it out. The product is low-suds compared to traditional shampoo but it does create a lather when you work it into your hair. Unlike most shampoos though, when you rinse it out, your hair feels pretty greasy. That's where the vinegar part comes in.

After shampooing, you rinse your hair with a blend of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. (I used apple cider vinegar but regular, white vinegar works too.) The vinegar helps rinse out some of the oils, softens the hair and acts like a natural detangler. If you have very dry hair, take a tiny bit of True North Organic Body Butter and rub it into the ends of your hair after you get out of the shower. (I started out doing this but found I didn't really need to.)

The Detox Period

Ashley warned me ahead of time that my hair would go through a natural detox period and that I really needed to follow the routine for a 2-3 week period to experience the best results. The first few days, my hair was looking pretty greasy and I wondered if I was going to have to bail on my little experiment. (I decided to spare you the photos!)

The Results

Fortunately, I stuck it out. Within about a week, I was loving the way my hair looked. My waves turned into curls - and without any styling products whatsoever! I also said goodbye to the hair dryer and the hair brush. It's a surprisingly simple routine for great looking hair!

Eco Strengths

• True North Organic Shampoo is made with 76% certified organic ingredients
• The Body Butter has the USDA Organic seal (meaning it is at least 95% certified organic)
• Products are made in U.S.A.
• Small, woman-owned business (a local, Minnesota company for me!)
• Proud signer of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics

Second Thoughts

Unfortunately, this haircare routine that I have come to love has one big drawback. The vinegar rinse seems to strip out my hair dye faster than usual and since I have some stubborn grey that I am not willing to live with yet, I prefer to keep it dyed at all times. Ashley suggested that I try using less vinegar but so far I have not been able to cut back much without my hair getting greasy again. I'm not ready to give up on this method yet so I plan to experiment with it some more and see if I can make it make it work. Any advice is welcome!

Sale!

Get 10% off your order using the code MindfulMomma10 at checkout! I highly recommend the Lemon Lime whipped Body Butter - it smells AMAZING and leaves your skin super soft! It can also be used as a deep conditioning treatment for hair. The company also makes lotion sticks, bar soap, shower gel, lip balm and products for babies and pets.

Have you ever tried a shampoo like this or the "no-poo" method? Please share your thoughts!

(Full disclosure: I was sent free samples of True North Organic products in exchange for my honest opinion)

 

Comments

[Erin]

So are you using the True North shampoo every day or every 2-3 days? And if not every day, then do you still rinse with water on the days you don't shampoo? I have very fine, thin straight hair and tried the no 'poo method about a year ago but it didn't work for me. The worst was about 1-2 wks after I started it and it got somewhat better after that but it always felt heavy and looked greasy. Maybe this would work better for me.

[Micaela]

Erin - I have been using the shampoo & vinegar rinse every 2-3 days - whenever I take a shower. On the days when I don't shower, I just leave my hair alone. I might fluff it up a bit with my fingers but mostly avoid brushing it because that just makes my hair flat. It's not as curly as the first day, but still wavy. Ashely from True North Organic said that the method works well for all hair types so it might be worth a try!

[Betsy (Eco-novice)]

Sounds like a great find!

I'm currently using a shampoo bar (Etsy store Dress Green) and occasional vinegar rinse and/or conditioner. I sometimes use a styling product too. I also have thick curly hair and wash my hair once a week. I also sometimes rinse my hair with water only mid-week to bring back more curls. I just bought a couple John Masters Organics products to try after reading Non-Toxic Avenger.

[Micaela]

Betsy - I've never tried a shampoo bar - maybe that will be my next experiment! I've haven't tried John Masters Organics products either - let me know how they work for you if you try them.

[Susan P]

I've tried the no-poo method on and off the past couple of weeks. My hair is super fine and I did find it got pretty lifeless within hours, however my regular shampoo worked even better after so I've been doing the no-poo method once a week or so. I'd love to try a healthier shampoo for everyday, True North sounds like a good option. I love castile soap for everything else!

[Micaela]

Susan - I like your plan to do the no-poo method once a week. Maybe the True North Organic shampoo once a week would work for you. It's so interesting to hear what works best for each person's hair and lifestyle - we're all do different!

[Michelle]

My daughters hair is just like yours, and she had struggled for years before finding the Generic shampoo for WEN. It is sold at Sallys and she can't stop raving about it, 2 months later. They sell one for colored hair too, and it is reasonable priced. Works the same way WEN works.:o)

[Micaela]

Hi Sally - I've never heard of WEN shampoo. What is it?

[Lori Popkewitz Alper]

I think I would be afraid of striping the color out too. I use henna and another non-toxic product for hair color. It doesn't stay in very long as is. I generally wash every other day unless I'm incredibly sweaty from a work out. My super curly hair has turned into a slight wave thanks to childbirth. I've given up on the curls! Sounds like an interesting product Micaela.

[Micaela]

Yeah, I'm bummed about the hair color situation Lori. Gotta see if I can find a way to make it work!

[hair extensions suppliers]

North Organic Hair Care. Wow,when I saw this title, I viewed all the post. It is so good to use the organic hair care ways. I will recommend it to my friends.