We are happy to share this review of Plaine Products’ Shampoo and thoughts on natural hair care by Curated Cassi. Her mission is to educate other women about the environmental harm of the fashion industry, while demonstrating that it’s possible to be environmentally conscious and fashionable at the same time. On Curated Cassi you’ll find tips for building an eco-friendly wardrobe, styling eco fashion items, and living a more sustainable lifestyle.
I’ve had a long love-hate relationship with my hair. It’s super fine and wispy, so it tends to frizz unless I load it down with product. But I hate using product in my hair because (1) I’m lazy and (2) I don’t like slathering chemicals on my head every day. And if I’m being completely honest, it’s mostly (1). But chemicals are a big reason. I’ve always been interested in finding a more natural and eco-friendly hair care system that doesn’t involve using harsh shampoos full of synthetic chemicals.
Natural Hair Care
About three years ago, I got on board with the “no-poo” method of hair care where you just stop using shampoo and rinse with a mix of apple cider vinegar and baking soda about once a week. Hey, I had just moved to a beach town in southern California and I was feeling particularly bohemian. I also liked the idea of limiting the amount of chemicals that I was working through my hair – good for my health, good for the environment.
The idea behind “no-poo” is that soaps in shampoo strip your hair of natural oils, which makes your scalp produce more oil, which makes you have to shampoo your hair every day. The chemicals in the shampoo can also weaken your hair follicle and lead to breakage and split ends. The “no-poo” promise is that if you just quit using shampoo, you’ll have thicker, more lustrous hair…if you have the willpower to soldier through a three-month grease-fest while your scalp readjusts to life without shampoo.
I didn’t actually make it too long using a strictly “no-poo” technique. Wearing a baseball hat or scarf on my head every day wasn’t ideal. I had just started a new job and I didn’t want my new coworkers to think I was a complete loon.
The Morocco Method
After doing some research, I came across Morocco Method – a line of sulfate-free, natural shampoos that use Aloe vera and other botanicals as cleansers. I suffered through a month or two where my hair was pretty greasy and my family thought I was suffering from a serious depression and not washing myself. And maybe my coworkers did think I was a bit loony. But after my hair got through its detox, it did become much thicker and silkier, and I never needed to use any product to style it. And I only needed to wash my hair about once or twice a week before it started looking visibly greasy.
The one major drawback to using Morocco Method shampoos is that they are very thick and do not foam. They’re difficult to work into your hair and they’re difficult to wash out of your hair. I started to dread days I had to shampoo my hair because it would take me an extra five to ten minutes in the shower. And if I didn’t rinse well enough, my hair would look greasy and matted.
Eco-friendly Hair Care with Plaine Products
I chanced across Plaine Products, a line of natural, zero-waste shampoo and body wash products and decided to give them a try. The company is based on a strong commitment to the environment, which is important to me, and I was ready to ditch my non-foaming shampoo. I ordered a bottle of their Rosemary Mint Vanilla shampoo and I’ve been using it for about two months. I’ve been very pleased with it and wanted to share my experience with you.
Zero-waste Concept
One of the things that attracted me to Plaine Products is that they’re dedicated to zero-waste packaging and eliminating single-use plastics. Their soaps and shampoos come in reusable aluminum bottles. When you’re finished with your bottle, you can return it to be cleaned and refilled for another customer. All of their shipping materials are made of 100% recycled materials and can be reused for returning your empty bottles.
Natural Ingredients
All Plaine products are vegan, non-GMO, and use completely natural ingredients. Like Morocco Method, Plaine shampoos also use Aloe vera as their main cleansing ingredient, so there are no harsh soaps or chemicals in their products. Their natural ingredients also biodegrade more easily than conventional chemical-based shampoos, so they’re better for the environment and reduce the amount of water contamination arising from personal care products.
Plaine also says that because of their natural ingredients, you can use their products on children. I haven’t tried their shampoo on my kids yet, but will probably do so in the future.
A complete list of Plaine shampoo ingredients:
Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vegetable Glycerin, Saponified Oils of Coconut and Safflower Seed, Guar Gum and Irish Moss (Red Algae Extract – Carrageen). Organic Camellia, Sunflower and Ricebran Oils. Extracts of Chamomile and Quillaja Saponaria. Papaya and Pineapple Pulp Extracts. Rosemary Oleoresin, Vitamin E Complex, Organic Green Tea, Geogard Ultra and Potassium Sorbate. Mint Arvenis Essential Oil. Essence of Rosemary, Mint and Vanilla.
My Review of Plaine Shampoo
I’ve been washing with Plaine shampoo for about two months now and overall I feel very positive about the experience. When I ordered the Rosemary-Mint-Vanilla scent, I was a little worried that the rosemary would overpower me in the shower. As it turns out, the scent is very delicate and enjoyable – it feels like a mini-aromatherapy session in the shower. It’s also not particularly feminine, so I think men would be happy to use it.
The shampoo itself has the same texture and foaming quality of traditional shampoos. This was a bit of a welcome change after my exclusive use of non-foaming shampoo for about three years. Shampooing doesn’t feel like a chore anymore. However, because it is a foaming cleanser, I can’t really get away with washing once a week like I used to do. I generally have to shampoo every day or two to keep my hair from getting too greasy because it does seem to strip my hair of oils more than non-foaming shampoo. However, others have been able to go longer between shampoos, so it might be dependent on hair type. I’m guessing the thicker your hair, the longer you can wait to shampoo.
After shampooing, my hair feels very silky and soft, but it’s not frizzy. This is a plus for me because I haven’t had to go back to using product in my hair.
The Verdict
I have really enjoyed my experience using Plaine shampoo. I am a current member of their shampoo subscription program, and plan to continue using it in the foreseeable future. Their zero-waste commitment really resonates with me and I appreciate the opportunity to get rid of single-use plastics in my shower. My only complaint is that I wish I could go a little longer between shampooing.
Plaine also offers a conditioner, but I don’t think I’ll give it a try because I feel like my hair is soft enough without it. However, I am interested in trying their body wash and hand soap in the future.
