In Between Washes? No time? No problem.
Sweating, swimming, summer heat ~ hair can get dry, grimy and weighed down. Are you an every day hair-washer? An every-other day hair-washer? A hair-washer only when you have time? We hardly ever have too much time!
We have a great short-cut (hair pun intended, but nothing to do with scissors!) for those in-between times, an oily hairline, or that not-fresh-enough feeling.
"Why doesn't Qēt make a shampoo or conditioner?"
We like to focus on what we carry around on our bodies every day (hair finishing products, facial serums, deodorants, body moisturizers), rather than what we wash down the drain. Additionally, traditional shampoos contain a large amount of water. Water breeds bacteria, and the use of the typical amount of water in a shampoo bottle needs a pretty strong preservative. We avoid synthetic and potentially harmful preservatives so often used in these products, hence, we currently don't formulate them.
Have you ever seen an expiration date on your shampoo or conditioner? Neither have we. Because we make fresh-batch-from-scratch treatments, we include a 'freshest before' date on every product that we make. Are you ever instructed to shake your shampoo well? Usually not. Synthetic emulsifiers are added to avoid products from separating. We avoid emulsifiers and rely on good ol' fashioned elbow grease. Emulsifiers keep oils and waters from separating. Emulsifiers such as siloxanes do the trick, but they never break down after being rinsed away. Not a good thing to let run down the drain ~ it causes stress on the environment and can be harmful to aquatic life.
They soap 'em up and strip 'em out - we're talking about the bubbles and foaming agents in shampoos (SLS=sulfates=toxic). Unless the bubbles occur naturally from a coconut source, the synthetics that are causing the bubbles are stripping our hair of its natural oils. Then what? We need to add another step - a conditioner - to smooth out the cuticle. There is a no conditioner option. See this blog about how Sami (founder of Mindful Hellos) ditched the conditioner for her beautiful locks, and introduced Qēt instead of a rinse out conditioner.
Experience Sami's "No Conditioner Journey." Photo Credit: Mindful Hellos ~ mindfulhellos.co
How to Choose your Shampoo and ConditionerOnce again, it's EWG to the rescue!
EWG ~ the Environmental Working Group. You may have clicked on their Skin Deep database to find your clean face and body solutions (yes, Qēt Botanicals is included and is proudly in the safest category). EWG also shares a list of shampoo and conditioners that omit ingredients that can make you sick, cause an allergic reaction, or alter your hormones.
In the list of the 3,943 shampoos on their site as of today, the first 30 are the cleanest and are a part of their stringent EWG Verified program. Love this! Our Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo is Verified and is listed in that top 30, surrounded by other traditional shampoos. It IS a good hair day!
Shortly after we shared the launch of our dry shampoo, Volt Magazine | Volt Café, based out of London, selected our Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo as a favorite in their natural and organic brand highlights. Men and women have been drawn to not only the natural aromas and effectiveness that come from the organic ingredients, but also to the small amount needed which leaves no residual harmful chemicals on you or your hair. Who wants to walk around with residual alcohols and plastics on our hair when it's supposed to be clean? Blech.
90% Green Tea. 10% Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo.
Sometimes this is how we feel we're operating. A little nudge from some green tea, a freshened start with our dry shampoo, and we're ready to throw on the cape and fly out the door.
So what's a gal or guy to do when we're short on time, the hair is getting dry from over washing or from the summer heat, and we want to freshen the 'do before heading out the door?
We reach for our Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo. (Cue the Super Hero music!) It's handmade to suit every scalp condition and hair color; only a little is needed. Organic ingredients, ground lavender flowers, and scalp and lock-loving oils soak up excess oil, freshen where the scalp and follicle meet, and leave nothing artificial or residual on your hair... just a freshened feeling.
In August, SAVE 10% on our raved-about fresh Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo. Just ask and we'll include a free sample of one of our other hair finishing products... our Nutri-Pomade & Mask, our Natural Shine Serum, or our Natural Sea Spray. Include your wish in the message box of which one you'd like to try, and we'll sneak it in with your order. Use the code QETMYHAIR at checkout. These products fit into the EWG Verified® program and have been whole-heartedly Verified. Safe for you. Safe for our environment. Lovely to indulge in.
10 Hair FactsSome of these may surprise you 
- Warm weather makes hair grow faster; heat stimulates circulation and gives the hair a boost to grow. It's summertime! Woo!
- Under the surface of the scalp, hair is living and it dies once it reaches the surface. It's a big reason to be smart about what we put inside our bodies ~ it can directly affect the hair that we see.
- Hair is the second fastest growing tissue in the body. The first? Bone marrow.
- Hair keeps no secrets! Each strand contains information about everything that has ever entered your body. Everything. This is why hair is most often used as forensic evidence.
- Hair is a natural sponge and absorbs oil out of water. Eco-friendly groups use hair to clean up oil spills.
- A single healthy hair strand can support up to about 3.5 ounces. So... the average number of strands on our scalp is 100,000 to 150,000. This means that an entire head of hair can hold the equivalent weight of two elephants!
- The Wet Stretch Test ~ When wet, healthy hair is stretched, it can reach 30% longer than its original length. If it doesn't stretch back, it needs protein. If it snaps, it may be getting too much protein, or need hydration, which is very different than moisture (just like for our skin).
- The more hair is washed, the more it will likely need to be washed. Hair is like a delicate scarf ~ more washing shows more wear and tear.
- The hair fibers in straight hair are round ~ they lay flat and stay in line. Oval and irregular shaped fibers are found on wavy or curly hair strands. It's hair with a healthy attitude ~ don't squash it!
- And they're off. Q. What hair grows the fastest? A. Human facial hair. And I thought my leg hair grew faster than my husband's facial hair.
They do it in Europe! Kim Kardashian apparently does it! So here's a quick peek at what a five day routine might look like if you decided to go for the "I'm-not-going-to-shampoo-for-five-days" look:
- Day one ~ a stimulating scalp massage and a shampoo. Shampoo well and only at the roots. Add conditioner mid hair to ends, or do the Qēt Botanicals 'No-Conditioner Journey' and use your Nutri-Pomade with Shea & Coconut hair pomade after shampooing. Style your hair as you wish.
- Day two ~ a messier version of day one. If you need to add a pinch of Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo for a little touch up, it's ok.
- Day three ~ add a drop or two of Natural Shine Serum to any unruly or dry ends, or go for a sleeker look.
- Day four ~ add your Lavender Powder Dry Shampoo just to any heavy areas at the scalp and roots. Just a touch with the tip of a brush, rub it in, and go. Time saver! Or just love it and leave it. It IS a hair affair, after all!
- Day five ~ rinse hair with water and only add conditioner if necessary, or follow with your Nutri-Pomade or Natural Shine Serum. Congratulate yourself for making it. High five!
Hair washing habits do depend on thickness, type of hair, and activity levels. The more we wash, the more we need to wash ~ start slowly and see if you can improve your hair's thickness and strength with cutting back on the shampoo. What have you got to loose? We already loose about 50-100 strands a day!
The moral of this story? The more we strip the oil from our already dead hair and sensitive scalp, the more the scalp puts forth the effort to maintain its proper oil balance to protect itself. Sounds just like what happens on our smiling faces, doesn't it...
Acne. Rosacea. Sensitive Skin.
You've heard us say it before... these skin upsets are just some of the reasons that Qēt was formulated and shared in the first place.
Rather than hear only our words, tap into this 4 minute video review from Ashley, a Wellness Consultant at Apple Wellness, a health-minded supplement and lifestyle store. Ashley was on two different prescriptions for her skin and was finally able to break the chain of being dependent on those prescriptions that aren't the most healthy. She finally discovered Qēt and is not looking back. "Not only was the transition miraculously seamless, skin is the brightest, softest, and most acne free it has been in 15 years."
This is why we do what we do, and this is why we hand make everything using quality, proven, fresh ingredients. Real ingredients=real results.
Hair Journey to Life JourneyThe 'From 5 to 50' Journey
You're in our loop, and we thank you. You also know that we're in the midst of construction on our second location in Southern California. Picking up belongings, shuffling things around, and having a good look at what we really need, what we want to keep that brings joy, and what we can let go of that no longer serves us is a wonderful lesson to live by. Nudged by The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up brought this all into perspective for us. Fabulous, fast read and life lesson.
Creating a shift and starting on a new journey also brings to the surface things that you haven't seen in a while. I just happened to come across a photo of me, at age 5, in my first 'business venture.' Santa delivered a cardboard storefront with a rotary phone and a cash register. "I'm in business now!" Then came the lemonade stands, a real 'grown-up' business later, and the diving into natural and organic home remedies for years while our kids were growing up.
First, a Polaroid of that proud moment at age 5 in my first store. Then, an i-Phone snap 45 years later of that proud moment in our Cross Plains, Wisconsin store.
Upon Rising ~Smile. Be confident. Be kind. No matter what, know that your true beauty comes from the inside... and not from the inside of a hair salon.
xx
~ Lisa