Can you recommend a really mild shampoo?

[Papillonnoir]

My scalp wasn't really happy when I tried CO, and my hair seemed a little flat, so I'm trying out shampoo again. I'm hoping to find a very mild, preferably sulfate free one. Ideally pretty afordable. I'm currently using Trader Joe's Refresh, which isn't bad, but seems a little drying. I believe it has one (milder?) sulfate. I wash my hair every other day, at the moment. I can easily get stuff at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and ordinary drugstores. How is the 365 brand at Whole Foods?

[amaiaisabella]

I never had a problem with the 365 brand, but you can always dilute a harsher shampoo. One (gentler) one I've been dying to try is LUSH's Gentle Lentil, but you can't get it in stores and I hate to order online.

[krissykins]

I agree with diluting shampoo, or you can try shampoo bars. Some people here on the boards have found that it helps

[Madame J]

I liked California Baby shampoos. The Calming has a nice scent to it, if you're not sensitive. I found it didn't really clean my oily scalp that well, but it left the rest of my hair really soft.

[Papillonnoir]

Thanks for the suggestions! I likely will play with dilution a bit. I think I really want to try no sulfates for a bit, though. I'll definitely look for the California Baby. And maybe I will get up the courage to try shampoo bars. I think I had a bad experience with castile soap in the past, and I don't really like solid soap, since I'm lazy. However, many people like shampoo bars so much, so I ought to consider them.

[pilateschick7]

I have curly hair and really like Alaffia shampoo. This has been the best gentle shampoo for me thus far. I could not find the official ingredient list. You can find it at Whole Foods Grocery store also.

http://www.alaffia.com/index.php/hair-care/shea-butter-shampoos/shea-and-virgin-coconut-enriching-shampoo

Hope that helps:)

[Flynn]

[Al'chemy] ([A'kin] in the US) have a "Very Gentle Unscented" shampoo that does the trick for me.

[Elenna]

Aubrey Organic shampoos are mild and non-sulfate. I'm currently using the Rosa Mosqueta shampoo & conditioner.

[rose_in_bloom]

Earth Science extra gentle unscented shampoo is VERY mild. It's a great product. It has Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which I believe is the gentlest of all the sulfates. The molecules are too big to penetrate the hair shaft, so it doesn't have the harsh drying effects of SLS or ALS.

I can use it every day and it won't dry out my hair.

[walkinglady]

I've never tried Trader Joe's Refresh Shampoo but I do like Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Shampoo. If my hair seems a little dry I like to dilute my shampoo with water or add a little honey to make it more moisturizing.

I found this information in the Reviews section. Thought you might like to know the ingredients.

From the bottle: WHEN YOUR HAIR IS DRY, IT NEEDS TO BE NOURISHED. THIS BALANCED SHAMPOO WILL CLEAN AND PROTECT. WHILE ADDING MOISTURE AND MANAGEABILITY, IT INFUSES SHINE EVERYDAY, ALL DAY. ENHANCED WITH ORGANIC BOTANICALS, IT DOES NOT CONTAIN LAUREL/LAURETH SULFATES.

INGREDIENTS: PURIFIED WATER, ORGANIC ROSEMARY OIL, ORGANIC VALENCIA ORANGE CITRUS, ORGANIC MANGO, ORGANIC LEMONGRASS, ORGANIC GINKO BILOBA, ORGANIC ECHINACEA, ORGANIC WILLOW BARK, ORGANIC SEA KELP, ORGANIC CHAMOMILE FLOWER, ORGANIC TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN, ORGANIC LAVENDER, ORGANIC GRAPEFRUIT, C14 - 16 OLEFIN SULFONATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, SEA SALT, BOTANICAL FRAGRANCE.

(Note: someone else had copied this to a website. I did not check thoroughly.)

[OR Cowgirl]

I love the Queen Helene Mint Julep shampoo, you can find it at Sally's Beauty Supply. Just dilute it according to the bottle and it's very mild and very inexpensive!

[Fractalsofhair]

Alaffia makes a good liquid based soap shampoo. It's great!

[marikamt]

when I first started experimenting w/ gentle shampoos, I tried the whole foods 365 citrus... I liked it a lot as my "first sls free" experience.
Then, I started reading about the 'poo bars... I was afraid to try them because they did sound like a lot of work. Last time I went to buy Henna, I saw a shampoo bar and thought "why not".... I LOVE it!!!! It is not difficult at all, lathers nicely for me... really no different than regular shampooing........ I have now ordered more shampoo bars from Chagrin Valley, although I don;t have them yet...
So far, I am really please w/ this method!

[Delila]

Queen Helene Mint Julep is very gentle, and very economical.

I do find that just about anything works well for me diluted, so you might want to shop your own stash for a while, just to experiment and see what might work for you.

[Fairlight63]

What ratio do you use to dulute your shampoo? do you just put a tablespoon in a cup to a tab. of water? or how much water?
I have gone back to trying the Nioxin shampoo & cond. last time & it seemed to dry out my hair so I was thinking of duluting it next time.

Thanks!

[Papillonnoir]

These suggestions all sound great. Luckily, I don't have a huge stash to burn through. I tried adding a bit of glycerin to my current shampoo, as a spin on the honey suggestion. That actually seems to be working really well for the moment. I should be running out, and thus buying more shampoo soon. :)

[bluewhiteblue]

Jason's aloe vera shampoo is very gentle, in my experience. It's also sulfate-free. A 16 oz bottle is about $7, but worth it - a little goes a long way.

[Redheaded Raven]

I liked California Baby shampoos. The Calming has a nice scent to it, if you're not sensitive. I found it didn't really clean my oily scalp that well, but it left the rest of my hair really soft.
YES I love California Baby, it is Gluten free :D

[hennaphile]

Morrocco Method :)

[Madame J]

YES I love California Baby, it is Gluten free :D

It will go bad, though. I found a bottle in my old gym back from a year ago and brought it with me to shower after a lunchtime run and found it had turned orange and the scent had changed. Ew. Needless to say, I did a WO wash that day! When I went to the gym regularly (now I work out at home), I loved California Baby shampoo because it was also a face wash and gentle body wash, so gentle that I didn't require a facial moisturizer, or a conditioner (when I had short hair).

[Redheaded Raven]

It will go bad, though. I found a bottle in my old gym back from a year ago and brought it with me to shower after a lunchtime run and found it had turned orange and the scent had changed. Ew. Needless to say, I did a WO wash that day! When I went to the gym regularly (now I work out at home), I loved California Baby shampoo because it was also a face wash and gentle body wash, so gentle that I didn't require a facial moisturizer, or a conditioner (when I had short hair).I am glad to know that.

I only am able to buy it locally in small amounts so it doesn't last too long. But I had been thinking about getting a larger one from them directly. But now, I will stick to the small bottles. That way no icky! :D
Thanks for the heads up!