What using a natural shampoo really feels like and how to stick with it

James and I founded Nereus London because, quite frankly, I was incredibly frustrated with my own hair. I’d tried just about everything and had a lot of issues with my scalp and hair that wouldn’t go away, and I knew that many other people suffered from similar problems. I just wanted to be able to restore my scalp and revive my hair in the long term using a healthy, natural hair care routine.

To be honest with you, before we did this, I was very sceptical of natural shampoos due to the results I’d experienced. I always thought they didn’t perform well, and my experience with them had always been disappointing to say the least. However, our detoxifying natural shampoo was developed to transformed my hair, made it and my scalp a lot healthier and I couldn’t be happier.

 

First of all, it’s important to understand that this transformation didn’t happen overnight, and there was a transition period when I switched to a more natural shampoo. The process of your hair acclimatising to a natural shampoo is unique to the individual and varies for everyone; it can take just 2 washes but it often takes around 14. For James, it was pretty quick, as his hair is shorter and has never been dyed, blow dried or had a lot of different products in it. But for me, it took a little time to appreciate how it had changed my hair game, as my hair had been through a lot more, having been damaged by various chemicals and colourings over the years. 

To explain in a bit more detail, I honestly didn’t seem to notice much of a result in the beginning.  My hair was used to traditional, chemical-based shampoos, so it felt dry, oily, unwashed, and tangled, and I had no control. I’d been let down by products promising results many times before and I also had slightly unrealistic expectations of the time it would take to solve my issues. 

Additionally, traditional shampoos can be quite deceptive because they contain harmful chemicals, such as SLS, Sulfates and Parabens. SLS is a great example of this deception, as it’s a chemical that completely strips your hair of everything; it gives the illusion of almost instant cleanliness, but the reality is that it also strips away natural hair oils that are vital to your scalp and hair’s health. It’s basically just a short term con to trick consumers into thinking that the product is effective, while it’s actually laying the foundations for long term hair damage. 

This is actually a major reason for people changing their shampoo quite often. When using regular high street shampoos, over time people start to notice that their scalp has become more sensitive and irritated, and their hair just doesn’t feel right anymore. The chief culprits behind this are the nasty synthetic substances eroding hair and scalp health and leaving behind an unhealthy build-up of residue.

However, there is something that we need to clarify here and that is that not all synthetic chemicals are inherently bad. We are advocates of clean science, which is all about blending the latest scientific techniques with ingredients that are proven to be safe and healthy for your hair and scalp. 

The best way to truly understand the difference between our detoxifying shampoo and your current shampoo is to use our shampoo for 14 washes straight without switching, then go back and try one of your go-to shampoos. You will almost certainly notice how your hair feels when you go back to the traditional shampoo, with common complaints being that it feels unclean and that there is a lot of residue left on your scalp. You might not get exactly what I mean by residue now, as you’re so used to it being there, but believe me, it is very real! 

Speaking from my own personal experience, I was shocked; the residue for me was as if I had sand in my scalp, even though I hadn’t been to the beach in months! Unsurprisingly, it left me with an irritated scalp which resulted in acne in that area. It was not pleasant!

This took me back to a time before I switched to Nereus. I used to get a rash on the back of my head that felt like eczema, but it was not something I’d ever had treated or diagnosed professionally. Anyway, after using Nereus London Shampoo for one month and switching back to a standard high-end shampoo, I discovered that the rash I’d experienced was back. It turns out that it was caused by the buildup of residue from the products I used to use. It’s easy to forget that our scalp is part of our skin and it needs to breathe too! 

Now I can’t live without our Detoxifying shampoo and hydrating conditioner because I know I can get the level of performance I want with the bio-actives and clean science technology in our formulations.  My hair has been transformed, and while everything new and unknown felt challenging and a bit scary, I’m glad I took the chance. 

 

Everyone has a different journey when switching to a more natural hair care routine, but remember that your scalp, hair and planet will always be grateful to you for making the conscious move. I’m very selective about my hair, so trust me, if I can do it, so can you and I promise you won’t regret it either! Who doesn’t want to have beautiful natural hair?!