REVIEW: Yes to Cumbers! Shampoo & Conditioner

The good folks over at YES TO CARROTS came out with a shampoo and conditioner for those of us who want to protect hair colour from fading. So they came out with YES TO CUCUMBERS Shampoo and Conditioner (along with facial cleansing cloths, eye cream, masks, etc).

Because I absolutely adored the YES TO CARROTS shampoo and conditioner, I was really excited to try this one as well! The ingredients differed a little bit, there seemed to be less of the Dead Sea Mineral Mud as it was lower down on the ingredient list, but maybe thats just the way it appeared... either way, there was also Green Tea and all its antioxidants, Cucumber with its Vitamins A & C, Aloe Vera to hydrate, and its star ingredient, Centaurea Extract; a powerful ingredient that protects color-treated hair yet brightens and prevents brassiness.

That sounds really awesome.

It is a lovely shampoo and conditioner, I gotta say. But does it compare to the YES TO CARROTS? Not even close.

Not to say that this shampoo and conditioner arent good...its just that theyre not as good as the original YES TO CARROTS line.

After using this shampoo, I felt the need to double-wash. After using the conditioner, my hair still felt a tiny bit tangled. Out of the shower my hair looks and feels GREAT... it just doesnt feel right in the shower, compared to the YES TO CARROTS. My hair felt tangled and a bit coarse. I never got that feeling with the original YES TO CARROTS duo...

If you are really concerned about brassiness in your hair, or if you really colour your hair religiously, then I say give this baby a try! I think people with really fine hair would probably benefit the most from this very light feeling shampoo and conditioner.

I just wonder if people with seriously processed hair would want something thats RICHER and more moisturizing than this one.

Regardless, it is still a great shampoo and conditioner and definitely worth a try! If you have tried the YES TO CARROTS ones first, you may be underwhelmed by the YES TO CUCUMBERS line...

If you have tried both and feel differently, let me know!

REVIEW: Yes to Carrots! Shampoo & Conditioner

I finally decided to give YES TO CARROTS Shampoo and Conditioner a try, after it had been staring me down for MONTHS as I walked down the hair care aisle.

What first got me was its lack of SLS, that it was loaded with plant extracts and Dead Sea Mud and that it was missing Dimethicone, a silicone that gives the illusion of shine and health. It also looked like a really good value...what with that huge bottle going for $10 or less.

From the very first shampoo I have been IN LOVE!

The instructions indicate to leave the shampoo on your scalp after lathering. I thought it was weird, but figured, what the heck. So I left the shampoo on for a minute before rinsing it off. For a second I was dumbstruck... had I just shampooed my hair? Or was that conditioner? I was pretty sure it was shampoo....

Yes. My hair was THAT soft. So I placed a tiny bit of conditioner in the ends of my hair and massaged it up. I didnt leave it on...just rinsed it.

My hair was amazingly soft and shiny, right from the very first use!

Those with very fine hair might even skip the conditioner, Im not even joking!!!

If you havent tried this brand of shampoo and conditioner yet, I beg you to give it a try! This stuff is AMAZING, an awesome value for the size, and has far far far fewer chemicals than many of its counterparts in the hair care aisle where you buy your shampoo!

Some of my favorite products

Asides from attempting to go as "au naturel" as possible, I do have some favorite products that are really natural. Sometimes, it's just not feasible for me to moisturize my body with Jojoba Oil (like when I'm in a rush...the oil needs a few minutes to absorb) and I NEED an actual moisturizing cream.

When you go natural, it's usually a bit more expensive. But its worth the extra tiny bit of money because the natural products last longer and you're minimizing your risk of disease and cancer, and you're protecting the environment by not using petro-chemical based products.

There is a company called Sigrid Natural Skin Care, it's a local company based out of Ontario (in Toronto when it's cold out). Their creams and butters are so amazingly natural. I even use their body creams on my son! They are a bit pricey, but worth the extra money! http://www.sigridnaturals.com/

Another local company is Green Beaver. Their price-point is surprisingly close to what you'd pay in a drug store for those easily recognizable brands. I had first discovered their face cream as it's completely chemical free. Then I fell in love with their Grapefruit Face Wash. I even tried their acne treatment when my pregnancy hormones left me playing connect-the-dots on my face! I am now addicted to their toothpaste. It tastes really good and is free of Sodium Laureth Sulfate, artificial sweeteners, flavours or colours, and there is no fluoride. (try rinsing with Hydrogen Peroxide afterwards - it's naturally anti-bacterial and naturally brightens your teeth without filling your mouth with artificial colours, flavours, alcohols, etc) http://www.greenbeaver.com/

Avalon Organics is another company I like. You can find their products at drugstores! They have a Vitamin C line of skincare which I really like. The facewash is so great, it removes make-up AND cleanses in one step. The Toner is perfectly light and alcohol free. The moisturizer is so nice and light, but not suitable for drier skin types. Vitamin C naturally brightens your complexion AND encourages collagen production. http://www.avalonorganics.com/?id=86

I am currently head-over-heels in love with my body butter by Alba - the Kukui Nut one. It smells so good, is intensly rich, and isn't expensive at all! Check it out here http://www.albabotanica.com/?id=66&pid=148

LaVanilla is a company that makes natural fragrances and skin care products. I LOVE LOVE LOVE their natural deodorant. It's quite pricey, it's like $22 at Sephora but it's worth it's weight in gold... It is free of Aluminum Chlorohydrate, Propylene Glycol, Petrochemicals, parabens, etc. And it REALLY WORKS! You still sweat (only anti-perspirants with Aluminum Chlorohydrate stop you from sweating, but that's dangerous for your body - it's been linked to breast cancer AND Alzheimers), however the corn starch in it helps to dry you up, the natural fragrances help to cover up any smell, etc. http://www.lavanila.com/Healthy-Deodorant_c_16.html

If you don't want to spend that kind of money on deodorant, then you need The Crystal. A variety of companies manufacture them... it's a crystal clear rock that you use on your underarms (apparantely people with smelly feet problems use them on their feet too). It ONLY works wet, so you have to wet the rock, and then persistenly rub it into your underarms. I use it on my wet skin immediately after I come out of the shower and rub it in each underarm for like 15 seconds. You really want to get this stuff onto your skin. It's literally like a rock, it takes forever to dissolve away...each rock will last A YEAR!!! Don't believe the people who tell you they used it and it didn't work... They didn't use it correctly. Remember, you have to wet the rock, and rub it for like 15 seconds or more. It has anti-bacterial properties, so even though you sweat, you wont get smelly! http://www.thecrystal.com/

I'm sure I'll think of more products to add, so this list will likely be changing in the very near future, but in the meantime these products should get you thinking about how easy it is to switch to more natural products that suit your hectic life-style

Moisturizing your hair and scalp

There is no denying that some of the more natural shampoos and conditioners leave a little something to be desired. Some of them feel really harsh, leaving your hair a tangled, dry mess, while others leave you feeling like an oil slick.

There are some more natural shampoos and conditioners out there (available at your drug store, even) that feel, suds, and rinse out the way the standard chemically stuff does, but is better for YOU and the environment.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a chemical sudsing agent and is found in most cheap shampoos and conditioners (actually, most of the pricey salon brands have this ingredient too). We have been brainwashed to believe that unless there is lather, that it's not getting clean. Well Sodium Laureth Sulfate has been linked to cancer (The EPA in the US even listed it as "a probably carcinogen"), skin irritation, and canker sores (it's in cheap toothpaste). It's also been linked to Whale Infertility - circle of life, people!!!

Okay, I'm getting off topic here.

SLS is dangerous. You definitely want a shampoo that's SLS free. You also want one that's Paraben-free. Fragrance free is good (essential oils are not considered fragrance, and will be listed as essential oils). Giovanni makes some nice shampoos and conditioners (GiovanniCosmetics.com) and so does Live Clean (live-clean.com), but Live Clean has a larger range of shampoos (and hand washes, body lotions, etc).

They are not much more expensive than conventional drug store brands, but are SO much better for you and the environment.

So today's beauty tip is hair-based. Try mixing together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons castor oil, 1 tablespoon glycerin, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Give it a good mix and put it in a squeeze bottle. Apply it all over your dry hair the way you would hair colour... cover your shoulders with a towel, it may run! Let it sit for 20 minutes, then wash and condition like you normally would. Ideally, you'd add a little castor oil to your shampoo in the palm of your hand before washing. You'll have amazingly shiny, thick-looking, soft soft hair!