Several brands of personal care products make shampoos that feature herbal ingredients, from tea tree oil to rosemary and lavender. Each herb contains natural healing properties and is used in shampoos to provide a range of benefits for hair without harsh chemicals.
Aveda
Aveda, the company that produces a line of plant-based shampoos, has demonstrated a long history of incorporating herbal ingredients into their hair care products. Several of their main shampoo lines feature herbs. The rosemary mint shampoo features peppermint, which gives the shampoo a refreshing aroma. Rosemary, a natural antiseptic, helps prevent the growth of bacteria and invigorates the scalp. Aveda’s clove shampoo uses organic cloves, grown without the use of chemical fertilizers. Clove has inherent detoxifying qualities, and its natural brown color is purported to add a warm tone to brunette hair. Another shampoo uses madder root, a plant native to Europe, which helps dyed hair retain its color. Madder root also purifies the scalp naturally. Madder root shampoo also contains organically grown red clover, which has mild cleansing abilities.
Nature’s Gate
Nature’s Gate specializes in herbal shampoos designed for a range of hair types. Their herbal daily shampoo for all hair types includes chamomile, which has soothing properties; sage, believed to soften hair and have anti-inflammatory properites; and lavender and wild cherry bark, which are natural astringents. Their tea tree calming shampoo is aimed at treating irritated flaky scalps. Tea tree oil, an essential oil extracted by steam distillation of the leaves of the native Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia, naturally purifies the hair. This product also contains rosemary, a natural antiseptic and astringent, and comfrey, arnica and balm mint, all of which help treat a flaky scalp. Their Pomegranate sunflower hair defense shampoo for color-enhanced hair helps keep the color in dyed hair from fading. It contains pomegranate and red tea leaf, which have astringent and antioxidant properties, and sunflower grape seed for antibacterial action.
Avalon Organics
Avalon Organics manufactures pure shampoos that use organically grown herbs and contain no harsh chemicals. The lavender shampoo is designed to provide a calming, soothing effect from the aroma of lavender essential oil. It also contains organic aloe vera, a nutrient-rich plant that is a natural moisturizer and contains vitamins A and E, which are natural antioxidants. Their extra moisturizing olive and grape seed shampoo provides antioxidant effects from the olive oil and regenerative and restructuring benefits from the grape seed. Some additional herbs are featured in other Avalon hair products, including tea tree oil, peppermint and rosemary.
