Major commercial brands of shampoo may contain synthetic detergents and cleaners, many of which are petrochemicals that can actually damage your hair. Other hair treatment products such as colors, perms and straighteners contain chemicals that also cause damage. Natural ingredients in shampoos clean your hair gently, helping repair over-treated or problem hair. Natural ingredients include natural cleaning substances, emulsifiers and natural oils to heal and condition your scalp and hair.
Water
Water is a main ingredient of liquid shampoos. Filtered or deionized water is usually used to assure purity and product safety.
Saponins
Saponins are soapy substances that occur naturally in plants. According to AltNature.com, soapwort, Saponaria officinalis, is native to Europe but has been naturalized throughout the U.S. The sudsing components in soapwort are derived by gently boiling the entire plant in water. The root should be included, as it contains large amounts of saponin. Saponins are also derived from the fruits and seeds of various species of soapberry or soapnut trees by boiling them in water. Florida soapberry, Sapindus saponaria, is a species native to tropical areas of North America that produces a seed used to make natural cleaners and soaps.
Panthenol
Panthenol improves the sheen and luster of your hair. It is a light lubricant on your skin, and this property also helps moisturize your hair and scalp. Panthenol is the alcohol analogue of pantothenic acid, vitamin B5, which is necessary for proper cell metabolism for healthy skin and scalp.
Jojoba
Jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis, may be used in shampoo as hydrolyzed jojoba esters, which work as conditioners to repair hair that has been damaged by chemicals and treatments. Hydrolyzed jojoba esters dry to form a thin film on the hair that protects and conditions. Jojoba also conditions the scalp, helping healthy new hair to grow. According to CosmeticsInfo.org, jojoba seed oils consist of 97 percent natural wax esters that closely resemble natural sebum.
Preservatives
Tea tree essential oil and thyme essential oil have preservative properties. All natural substances will eventually decay, and these oils prolong the shelf life of natural shampoo.
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