Conditioners are a really tough one to formulate truly clean due to the consumer expectations that the chemical industry has created over the last 50 years. Chemical companies have given us the idea of “moisturized” hair, but this is a fallacy. Adding water to hair compromises its structure. Adding oil to hair weighs it down. So how then, do conditioners “condition” hair and make it feel “moisturized?” Through the use of a class of chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds or “quats” for short.
Quats are really good at sticking to biological material like hair. But also to bacterial cell walls. Some quats are used as conditioners, to create “slip” on hair that we associate with being “moisturized.” Other quats are used as antibacterial agents because they’re so good at sticking to cell walls that they basically pop the bacteria.
The problem with quats is that they’re toxic to our mitochondria and can be an endocrine disruptor. And they’re toxic to waterways – the larger molecule quats that are used for conditioning will break down and turn into antibacterial quats in the environment which kill aquatic life systems. More on quaternary ammonium compounds here.
There are quat-free replacements out there but the industry has yet to adopt them fully. In addition many of the quat-free conditioners still contain concerning ingredients like potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and even phenoxyethanol.
The most natural way to condition your hair is through acidity. It will give a degree of slip to the hair as it lays down the cuticle, making it strong, manageable, soft, and shiny. Mild acidity is your hair’s friend. However, with acidity, you’re not coating the hair so if you have damage, it will be revealed as your hair detoxes from these chemical coatings. It is not the vinegar or shampoo damaging your hair, but the true state of your hair without these chemical coatings. And you’ll become acquainted with the true texture of your hair, which is a bit different if you’ve used quats all your life. As you continue to use the vinegar and a toxin-free shampoo, avoid heat-styling and harsh color treatments, damage will grow out and the condition of your hair will usually improve.
Herbal Choice Mari/Nature’s Brands $16.99 for 16 oz (other sizes available as well)
DIY Conditioner/Vinegar Rinse
Add 1/2 cup vinegar (preferably organic apple cider vinegar with the mother, but white distilled vinegar will also work) to 2 cups water. After shampooing and rinsing with water, pour solution over hair and massage scalp. Let it sit for 30-60 seconds and rinse. For increased conditioning effects, increase your vinegar concentration to up to half vinegar, half water in a wide-mouth cup. If your hair is long, put your hair directly in the cup, as much hair as you can fit, and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Then pour the cup over your hair, and then rinse out gently. You may also leave the vinegar in your hair for added softness. It may take some experimenting to figure out what’s best for your hair. You can also add your vinegar solution to a spray bottle for easier application. This can also be used as a leave-in detangling spray. The goal is to re-acidify the hair shaft to tighten the cuticle so hair is manageable and soft and natural moisture is locked in the hair shaft. You can follow with a small amount of an herbal hair oil for shine and manageability. We suggest:
Goodrich & Wild Herbal Hair Oil $15 for 2 oz
MLM Conditioners
Typically we exclude multi-level marketing companies from our selections, as the business structures are often predatory, the products greenwashed and offerings overpriced. However we have lifted this requirement ONLY for this particular category so we can offer more selections for conditioners. We do NOT recommend the entire lines from these companies but they do have some safe conditioners. These links are NOT affiliate links or associated with any reps, they are directly through the company. We will not be opening up our entire guide to MLM suggestions. We are only allowing these items on the guide because there is such a lack of clean conditioners on the market.
Miessence Herbal Shine Conditioner $25.98 for 8.5 oz
Pure Haven Conditioner $29.95 for 8 oz