Going Natural. The Noughty Way.

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.

1. Be patient. Conventional ingredients leave residues that can coat the hair shaft resulting in build-up that can weigh the hair down and leave it dull. Just 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 which is why we recommend using Noughty for at least 8 washes. Patience always pays off.  
2. Size up the bubbles. Think champagne-sized bubbles rather than the ones you blew through a wand as a child .
3. 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 on both your hair and the planet.
4. Get Active. To get the most out of a sulphate-free shampoo, it’s best to activate it before use. Squeeze a small amount of shampoo into your palm and add a little water, then rub your palms together a few times before working the product through your wet hair.   Natural products go a long way so start with a small amount of product, activating it with plenty of water and only adding more as you need.
5. Lastly and best of all, expect to witness the benefits of high performing natural ingredients!

What to expect from hair detox?

Like you, every head of hair is unique. Your hair detox symptoms and the time it takes to notice the real benefits can therefore 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 before conditioning thoroughly. Try to avoid being haphazard with your approach by slapping a bit on and rinsing it straight out. Instead, take care to ensure every strand is coated. Using a wide toothed comb, gently work out any tangles while the conditioner is still in. Leave the conditioner in your hair for a few minutes then rinse thoroughly, working from root to tip.

Issue 2: Hair and scalp feel very oily

Oily scalps is a sign you have been using a shampoo that is 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. For example, if you’d normally pick Rise & Shine, 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.)