My Zero Waste Hair Care Routine for Luscious Locks

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A while back I wrote about my favorite organic hair care products you can get on Amazon. And while I still love these products, I've since given them up in favor of zero-waste hair products.

This has been a frustrating journey. It's been difficult for me to find products that work for my crazy, thick, coarse, wavy hair. Switching to non-toxic beauty products and finding green beauty hair products that worked took time, but...then I went low-waste, too. So I had to start from scratch to find a new zero waste hair care product.

But I was determined to find products that worked because I'm fed up with plastic waste! In the end, The average person uses 10 shampoo bottles a year, and more than 550 million hair care bottles end up in landfills... each. Single. Year. This is crazy, especially when there is a better alternative!

But do you know what I discovered?

I don't need nearly as many products as I used to.

I used to need shampoo, conditioner, a deep conditioning mask, wave spray, curl cream, shine serum, heat protectant spray, etc. Now I need a third of that.

When I gave up all conventional products, I noticed that my hair was less greasy. It needed less conditioner, fewer washes per week and my waves were naturally wavy and tame.

I will get a a lot of comments about my hair, which I like to call (affectionately) my lion's mane...because it's huge and wild. And since sharing my zero-waste bathroom swaps on my Instagram, I've been asked quite a lot what I do for my hair. So, here are my favorite zero waste hair products actually work! And I've included a few DIY recipes that I've used with success.

1. Ethique Zero Waste Shampoo and Conditioner Bar

Let's start right at the beginning of my routine. Ethique makes incredible, long-lasting hair and body care bars. They're all sustainably made, packaged in compostable materials, and best of all... they work. For my crazy mane I use Frizz Wrangler Solid Shampoo and The Guardian Solid Conditioner. When you order through Amazon Prime, you can choose a day of the week for all your orders to be shipped that day (called Amazon Day Delivery) and also opt for as few packages as possible. This reduces waste and emissions for your order. You can get a free trial of Amazon Prime by clicking here.

You might be wondering... How do I use a shampoo or conditioner bar? It's easy!

A shampoo bar works like a bar of soap to wash your body. You wet it and rub it through your hair. It will start to foam and then you can rub it in with your hands like you would a normal shampoo.

For conditioner, dampen the bar and then run it through your curls a few times. I like to rub it in a little and comb through.

And that's it! super easy. These bars hold up too foreverto save you money in the long run. And you're doing the planet a favor by throwing away all those plastic shampoo bottles.

2. Natural DIY dry shampoo

I used to use Acure dry shampoo which works really well. But it comes in plastic! I don't use dry shampoo but maybe once a week so I decide to make my own instead. It's easy:

Ingredients:
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cocoa powder (for brunettes)
4 drops of peppermint essential oil

directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small mason jar. If you have lighter hair, you may need to adjust the cocoa powder or omit it altogether. For example, light blondes wouldn't need one. Darker blondes, lighter brunettes or redheads only need 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder. Dark brunettes (like me) would need the whole tablespoon. The peppermint oil helps to cleanse the hair, stimulate and detoxify the scalp and leave it smelling nice. 🙂

Use:
Lightly dip a feather-light blush makeup brush (I use an old, worn-out one of eleven) into the mixture. Pat it out so you don't get too much, then work it into your hair. Target the oiliest areas, then brush through.

Also see: 11 Super Easy Clean Living Tips for a Toxic-Free Home

3. DIY Mermaid Sea Salt Texturizing Hairspray

Honestly, I almost wanted to order an expensive clean beauty salt spray. And then I realized that the ingredients were literally just salt and water! So I made my own instead, with a few extra ingredients to keep the salt spray from drying my hair too much. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
3.5 ounces of boiled water
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp witch hazel
Optional essential oils for fragrance: I used 3 drops of lavender oil and 1 drop of sweet orange oil

directions:
Boil water to purify and heat it. Add sea salt and coconut oil and dissolve in hot water. When the water has cooled, add the witch hazel and essential oils. Using a funnel, pour into a 4 oz. Glass spray bottle.

Use:
Shake well before use. Spray onto the middle and ends of your hair, avoiding the roots. Massage into your hair for added texture and beachy waves.

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4. Zero Waste Hair Ties

Terra Ties are made from natural cotton and rubber and come in sustainable, plastic-free packaging. Everything from the packaging to the tie itself is compostable!

The bands are thick and durable even for my super thick hair. I still break them but they last MUCH longer than the average tie. I've had this pack for 6 months now and have most of the pack left over.

The best green beauty brands for a non-toxic routine

5. Hairbrush without waste

The Package Free Shop offers all kinds of zero-waste products, including hair care. It was started by Lauren Singer — you know, the girl with all her trash in a mason jar that runs Trash is for Tossers. Well, you can get a bamboo paddle brush (great for all types of hair types, but especially thick hair) included in the box...package free!

The advantage of a wooden brush compared to a plastic brush is that wood helps reduce static electricity. So if you're prone to getting static hair, you'll love this! I also find this brush to be incredibly gentle on my hair, similar to the Wet Brush I've used before.

It is made of beech wood, bamboo and rubber. Because rubber is a natural substance, the entire brush can be composted at the end of its life, just like the Terra Ties. And if you take proper care of your brush - like cleaning it regularly - it will last a long time years. And this one is very high quality!

Plus, You Can Get $10 Off Your Package Free Shop Order By Clicking Here!

6. All natural low waste smoothing serum

When my hair is crazier than usual, I sometimes use Shea Terra Organic Argan Oil as a smoothing serum. You only need those smallest some of this stuff and only apply it to the ends of your hair. It can make your scalp too greasy if you're not careful, but it works beautifully as a smoothing serum. And it comes in a glass jar, so only the pump is plastic.

You can even use this in the shower as a deep conditioner and scalp moisturizer and let the heat set in. When you're done, wash it off.

7. Do-it-yourself natural hairspray

I used this recipe from Life-n-Reflection. What I liked about it is that it's easy and you can hold it stronger or softer.

All you need is boiled water and sugar, with essential oils for fragrance. And it's alcohol-free, so it won't dry out your hair! It also adds shine. Just be careful not to spray it directly on your roots or it might get too oily. If you need to spray high flyers, spritz the mixture onto your hand and gently sweep or pat in.

Do without plastic and rely on waste-free hair care

These 7 items are all I need for my hair... And I really only use shampoo and conditioner most days! Switching to zero-waste, organic haircare has made a huge difference in the texture of my hair. I can crush it and go!

Do you have a favorite zero-waste or non-toxic hair care product or DIY recipe that you love? Share it with me in the comments below!

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By: My Zero Waste Hair Care Routine for Luscious Locks