Lather, Toxin & Gluten Free Hair Care
It’s been about a month now since my husband and I have been using Morrocco Method’s Apple Cider Vinegar and Earth Essence shampoos. Both of these shampoos have worked pretty dramatically to alleviate a problem with dry scalp for my husband, but to my surprise they’ve been doing only a passable job on my hair.
For one I’ve found that my hair gets drier than with the No-poo method if I don’t use conditioner with these shampoos. And two, my hair feels a bit weighed down by the end of the day, and certainly by the next day. This has been a surprise to me because the reviews for nearly all five shampoos are outstanding.
Given the super clean ingredients I really want these shampoos to get a fair chance – also because I’m loving their other products like the Diamond Crystal Mist Conditioner! So I’ll be pushing on with Morrocco Method’s shampoos to see if things improve with another month of use, while also giving the Sea Essence Shampoo a try and adding their boar bristle brush to my regimen. It is possible that I may be going through a detox period despite using fairly clean hair care leading up to now.
You might wonder why I’ve continued my search for shampoo if No-poo works so well. The short answer is that it’s my job and a mission I feel utterly committed to! But the truth is that I’m also a firm believer in the theory that you need to switch things up when it comes to what you put on, and in your body, in effort to maintain optimum health.
The issue of hair care is not just one of how your hair looks, but also of the actual health of your scalp and its natural sebaceous oil production. It’s a matter of having healthy tresses nourished by those precious natural oils, which have to find their way down the shaft of the hair. All the more why, Morrocco Method is so interesting to me. From shampoo and conditioner to the boar bristle brush, the method is designed to stimulate the body’s natural processes to keep hair naturally nourished.
5 Elements Shampoos
This is why, although I’m not yet getting stellar results with these shampoos, that I’m still excited about Morrocco Method. Their approach to hair care is holistic on another level. Not just with products made of pure and natural whole ingredients, but by addressing the needs of every aspect at play in maintaining healthy hair – follicle, to scalp, to hair ends.
The line includes a collection of five shampoos formulated to reflect Ayurveda’s 5 elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether. These chemical free shampoos are intended to be used in rotation, as a means to stimulate the scalp and keep oil production in balance.
What I like best about these natural shampoos is that they’re made of 100% chemical free and clean ingredients. One of the byproducts of a toxin free formula is that it doesn’t foam. This just means that you’ll want to follow the steps below for best results:
- Distribute the shampoo throughout your hair with a wide toothed comb or brush
- Leave shampoo in for 3-5 minutes before rinsing
- Follow with conditioner
- If it’s part of your routine, blow dry hair for more sheen
Leave-in and rinse conditioners
We’ve been having great results with the Diamond Crystal Mist and Floating Lotus conditioners. For my husband the Floating Lotus rinse conditioner has also been helpful in balancing his scalp, while I’ve been loving the deeply nourishing leave-in Diamond Crystal Mist.
Each conditioner is made with healing herbs and oils, and both provide light conditioning without weighing the hair down – I’ve tried them with No-poo to great effect. If I had to pick a favorite, the Diamond Crystal Mist would be my choice. With this leave-in conditioner my hair feels noticeably healthier. It also works as a light styling aid, adding just a bit of volume and texture to my hair!
The best part again, is that this mist is chemical free. In fact, you not only don’t have to worry about shielding your face from it, Morrocco Method encourages that you try it as a facial mist, body deodorizer or even antibacterial aftershave! We’ve not tried it expressly for these bonus uses, but it makes applying the mist that much more of a pleasant experience. I love letting it kiss my face, knowing that it’s not just safe, but a rejuvenating tonic for my skin.
Boar Bristle Brush
The boar bristle brush plays a large role in the Morrocco Method hair care regimen. The point of the brush is to help distribute your naturally fortifying scalp oils from the root down the length of the hair, while also stimulating blood flow to the scalp. The blood flow bringing with it precious nutrients and oxygen to nourish the follicles. Altogether helping to reduce oily scalp, while conditioning the hair and producing healthier roots to ends.
I was hesitant to get the boar bristle brush straight off because my first Morrocco Method purchase was pretty pricey. But Morrocco Method brushes are quite affordable for the quality, ranging form $25 – $49. Especially when compared to similar brushes from Mason Pearson, ranging roughly between $100 – $200. They are much more beautiful in person than they appear in the photos on the website.
With last week’s cyber sale, I had a chance to try both the pure boar bristle and nylon combination brushes, as well as large and small options. To decide which brush will suit you best, read my full review on Morrocco Method’s the bushes.
Your First Purchase
For your first purchase I’d recommend:
- Two to three different travel size shampoos (to determine the best on for your hair type)
- A large combination nylon-boar bristle brush
- The Diamond Crystal Mist Leave-In Conditioner
If you prefer to try a single full sized bottle of shampoo go with Sea Essence. Since I first wrote this review I’ve also had the chance to try this water element shampoo and I’m really liking it so far! A full review in this shampoo coming soon, but it’s by far the most effective of the three I’ve tried and the only one that infuses my hair with a lovely, though delicate scent of vetiver.
Clean Ingredients
Sea Essence Shampoo
Aqua (Water), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Seed Extract, Acetic Acid (Raw Apple Cider Vinegar), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Montmorillonite, Xanthan Gum, Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Prickly Pear) Extract, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Flax) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Salix Alba (White Willow) Bark Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera (Giant Kelp) Extract, Laminaria Hyperborea (Brown Kelp) Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus (Fucus) Extract, Brown & Red Algae Extract, Spirulina Platensis (Spirulina) Powder, Andropogon Zizanioides (Vetiver) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Oil, Gaultheria Procumbens (Wintergreen) Leaf Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Maris Sal (Celtic Sea Salt), Jatropha Dioica (Dragonsblood) Powder
Earth Essence Shampoo
Aqua (Water), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Seed Extract, Acetic Acid (Raw Apple Cider Vinegar), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Montmorillonite, Xanthan Gum, Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Prickly Pear) Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Flax) Seed Oil, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Coconut Oil, Salix Alba (White Willow) Bark Extract, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Oil, Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil, Mentha Spicata (Spearmint) Oil, Maris Sal (Celtic Sea Salt), Jatropha Dioica (Dragonsblood) Powder
Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
Diamond Crystal Mist Conditioner & Moisturizer
Floating Lotus Conditioner
Clean Living Guide is a proud affiliate of Morocco Method. Your support means a great deal to me. Thanks for following my links!