My search for conscious & natural shampoo ended at “Instituut Haar en Gezondheid”

Consciousness

When I started this blog, the term “consciousness” wasn’t hip yet. Luckily, conscious living and consuming became a bit of a trend. For me this process of becoming more conscious of how much waste I produce, what kind of products I use and what I consume, this awareness that almost felt natural to me, happened when I felt I was finally growing up.

The search for natural shampoo

Due to my mixed roots, my thick, dark hair is naturally curly. I’ve mistreated my hair, dyed it in many colours chemically (until I met Dianne te Mebel of Instituut Haar & Gezondheid) and used random beauty products for my hair and body. A couple of years ago I started getting rashes after showering and searched and found natural alternatives for the industrially made shower gels I used until then. The years after this though, I struggled to find good alternatives for my hair shampoos. I tried many shampoos that were advertised to be organic and natural, from many different countries, bought in local “organic shops” (“Natuurwinkels”), as well as online. The problem I had with these shampoos was, that most of them would clean my hair, but they would flatten my curls, make my hair frizzy and take away its shine. From some of the shampoos I ordered online from companies that branded as being completely organic, biological and natural, I figured out they had some chemical ingredients anyway AFTER I got them delivered at home.

Do you know what you put in your hair?

I’ve considered making my own shampoo and did some research, but you know, it’s one of those things that’s still on my To Do List for one day when I will make the time for it. For years I’ve continued my search to the perfect, natural shampoo and I occasionally tried some of the regular shampoos again as well. These actually sometimes make my curls pretty for a while, but contained chemicals and/or stuff like: Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Parabens, Sodium Chloride, Polyethylene Glycols (PEG), Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), Dimethicone, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Triclosan, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Synthetic Fragrances, Formaldehyde and Alcohol. WHAT? You don’t know what these are, apart from one, or maybe two?? EXACTLY! That’s my point! Then why would you put them in your hair?

What if I would have remembered her sooner?

I’d never been in touch with Dianne te Mebel again since writing those blogs, when all of a sudden I remembered she KNOWS how to treat hair. She treats hair consciously and has been doing so before this became hip in Amsterdam. I decided to ask her advice about shampoos. I contacted her and she told me to pass by, so she could introduce me to her self-made natural shampoos and other natural hair products.

Instituut Haar en Gezondheid

Dianne’s salon is very centrally located next to the Amstel river that Amsterdam has been named after and it’s warm, welcoming and cozy. I don’t think she advertises much, because for sure people always come back after having visited her the first time. When I entered, I felt like all of the clients present were regulars that have been coming there for years. Dianne’s salon Instituut Haar en Gezondheid (Institute of Hair and Health) specialises in dying your hair naturally with henna (CLICK).

Instituut Haar en Gezondheid at Amstel 186, Amsterdam. Photo by DLCS Management

Natural hair products!

As soon as I entered, I was pleasantly surprised. I saw beautiful shampoo bars that looked like a piece of art, natural argan oils that Dianne brought from Morocco herself, natural apple cider vinegars that will give your hair a boost, henna brownies, hair masks that look super tasty but are for your hair, rosewater to condition your hairs and many more natural products without packaging that instantly made me happy; I knew I found what I’d been looking for.

 

Edible looking natural meringue hair masks at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid. Photo by DLCS Management

 

The shampoo bars smell like spices and weigh about 120 grams each. They’re being wrapped in some paper (with a cute ribbon) to safely take home (I’ve already reused these for a present), but other than that there is no packaging = no waste. They’re easy to take with you (Even in your hand luggage when flying!) and will last you about 50 washings. Oh and they’re vegan and only tested on humans!

 

A selection of the natural shampoo bars at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid. Photo by DLCS Management

 

Heavenly hair washing

To make my morning even better, Dianne announced that she’d be washing my hair for me, to demonstrate the shampoo bar. I love having my hair washed and she was explaining what the shampoo bar was made of and where she gets the ingredients, so this was heavenly.

Eden natural shampoo bar by Instituut Haar en Gezondheid

The Eden henna shampoo bars come in a few different “flavors” and Dianne chose me the “Henna Color shampoo Eden Red/Auburn”. Besides henna, my shampoo bar contains jojoba, rosemary, juniper and grapefruit, also cocoa butter and shea butter. Since my hair hasn’t been dyed for some time and is about black, we don’t expect that the henna will actually color my hair (apart from maybe the grey ones), but last time Dianne dyed my hair, it was revitalised and conditioned and super healthy again thanks to the henna (Read about this HERE) and this lasted for months.

 DLCS Management

Already after a minute I loved the smell. My hair felt clean. After washing my hairs twice, she also conditioned it with her “Sweet Rose Conditioner bar” enriched with sweet orange oil, shea butter and avocado oil and then sprayed in some of her apple cider vinegar (includes plants, blue malva and lemon), which made my hair shine and made the skin on my head feel fresh. Of course I had to test her rosewater and argan oil as well and this stuff smells and feels so amazing!

(I don’t like posting pictures of myself on this blog, but I just had to show you how happy Dianne’s hands & products made me)  

Conclusion?

After this visit I really stretched the time I waited until washing my hair again, just to observe the effect of Dianne’s products on my hair. After a week, my hair still felt and smelt clean. I just really couldn’t wait to try the shampoo bar myself, so I decided it was time. I figured out that you only need to make the bar a little moist to get enough shampoo on your hands and then hair. It foams a lot very easily! There is no way I’ll squirt shampoo in the shower instead of in my hands again and it’s just a tiny little bit that I need for every washing. I’m sure this bar will last for quite some time! It’s been a couple of weeks now and I’m still happy.

Institute Hair and Health, Amsterdam. Photo by DLCS Management

 

So. My conclusion? Until one day I’ll get to my To Do List and will make my own shampoo, I will never use anything else again.

 

My Eden natural shampoo bar by Dianne te Mebel . Photo DLCS Management

 

Exciting!

Oh wait, I almost forgot. I’ve got some exciting news as well.
1.:  Soon Dianne will dye my hair with her natural henna products at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid again and I’m very much looking forward to this.
2. : There’s a webshop! See:  www.hennabrownies.com . For now most of the website is only in Dutch, but Google Translate is your friend and of course you can leave me a message if you have a question. The Henna brownies come in 25 colors and there’s a step-by-step manual on the site (If you’re not confident enough to color at home with the manual AND you’re located in The Netherlands, FYI, every once in a while there are workshops in the salon where you can learn to color your own hair, how to best treat your hair and receive more tips while enjoying a healthy lunch).

 

Natural shampoo bars Eden at Instituut Haar & Gezondheid. Photo DLCS Management

Natural shampoo bars Eden at Instituut Haar & Gezondheid. Photo DLCS Management

Natural shampoo bars Eden at Instituut Haar & Gezondheid. Photo DLCS Management

 

www.instituuthaarengezondheid.nl
www.hennabrownies.com
Instituut Haar & Gezondheid
Amstel 186
1017 AG Amsterdam
(The Netherlands)

 

 

Which natural products do YOU use for your hair?

Are you as conscious about what you put in your hair as about what you put in your belly?

 

DLCS Management logo

 

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Happy National Coming Out Day!

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) Logo created and donated by Keith Haring to the Human Rights Campaign. DLCS

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an annual LGBTQIA+ awareness day observed on October 11 and 12 in some parts of the world. Founded in the United States in 1988, the initial idea was grounded in the feminist and gay liberation spirit of the personal being political, and the emphasis on the most basic form of activism being coming out to family, friends and colleagues, and living life as an openly lesbian or gay person. They believe the foundational belief is that homophobia thrives in an atmosphere of silence and ignorance, and that once people know that they have loved ones who are lesbian or gay, they are far less likely to maintain homophobic or oppressive views.

In more recent years, the idea of the “lesbian and gay community” has been largely subsumed into the idea of the LGBT community, and the idea of “coming out” expanded to not only include the voluntary self-disclosure of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual sexual orientation, but also transgender, genderqueer, or other non-mainstream gender identity.

Coming-Out Day has (also) been held in The Netherlands since 2009. Even in a country like The Netherlands, that is incredibly safe and very tolerant and open compared to many other countries, it is necessary to pay attention to creating more awareness for this topic. 

Unlike the Gay Pride and Roze Zaterdag in The Netherlands and The Belgian Pride in Belgium, there is no big central celebration on Coming-Out Day, but in several places smaller activities are organized by local gay and youth organizations, whether or not in cooperation with heterosexual sympathizers. Some information about activities in  The Netherlands today: http://www.coc.nl/comingoutdag2018

I wish you a Happy and safe (inter-) national coming out day, because I believe it is very important that YOU can be yourself. I hope agression and ignorance will one day be minimised.

#ComingOutdag2018
#ComingOutDay2018

And.. ThX Wikipedia.

Mumbai Smiles: Kaleidoscope 2014 Rally – Hey, Womania!

Hey Womania!

This season, Mumbai Smiles took a step ahead and collaborated with Mumbai’s most ‘iconic’ college festival: Kaleidoscope, organized by one of the leading colleges of the city- Sophia’s College for Women, the annual cultural fest that ran from the September 9 to 14, 2014.

 

Mumbai Smiles Kaleidoscope 2014 Rally -DLCS

 

The theme of Kaleidoscope 2014, Be Iconic, is guaranteed to not just showcase the crème de la crème of all fields that ever were – be it music, fine arts or sports, but also to leave one inspired to take actions worthy of joining ranks with the ones in the hallowed halls of fame. In its 29^th year, the festival was larger than ever: with new events, more participants and the ever-enthusiastic workforce. One of the biggest and most awaited college festivals of Mumbai city, Kaleidoscope was a riot of colours and patterns, a synthesis of art and movement, and quite simply, a visual treat.

 

Mumbai Smiles Kaleidoscope 2014 -DLCS

 

With just so much happening around, Mumbai Smiles just had to be a part of this eventful college fest. It’s collaboration all started by going out to the streets on the 27^th of August, where a rally was conducted to spread awareness of the Project SEED of the organization and also gain visibility of the work carried out by the organization. More than 200 students of the college along with few beneficiaries of the SEED Project came forward to participate and join hands in this rally, a rally that highlighted the importance of guaranteeing the rights of the women in the society through slogans, chants, posters and eventually a flash mob that only added to the visibility of the Mumbai Smiles among by-standers.

 

Mumbai Smiles Kaleidoscope 2014 -DLCS

 

To those of you who are wondering what exactly is Project SEED? It is one of the projects of Mumbai Smiles that seeks to empower women from slum communities with skills that will make them employable and enable them to join the workforce in order to earn a livelihood. Under this program, groups of women receive basic training in a variety of skills such as beautician skills, crafts, retail management marketing, tailoring, and many more. The programs ultimately help in making these women independent, gain confidence and become an agent of social change in the society. Among the other activities of this eventful collaboration was an initiative taken by young students to come forward and organize a handicraft activity for the women beneficiaries of the SEED Project. In this activity they learnt to make souvenirs that could be sold during the college fest, the proceeds of which would benefit the women who made it.

 

Mumbai Smiles Kaleidoscope 2014 -DLCS

 

Moreover, at the festival itself, Mumbai Smiles had the opportunity to set up their own stall to spread awareness about their work and initiatives. Products made by SEED women such as candles, flowers, bags, bookmarks were among some items that were exhibited at the stall. Such a presence in this fest opened up a way to motivate the young students to come forward and engage with the NGO and lastly, create a market for the SEED products.

 

Mumbai Smiles Kaleidoscope 2014 -DLCS

 

Mumbai Smiles’ association with Sophia College has truly been unforgettable in many ways. It opened up a way to motivate young students of the college to come forward and engage with the NGO, created a market for the products of SEED and lastly opened doors to looking into other ways of collaboration between the college and the organization. Now that is what you call a huge success!

 

Mumbai Smiles Kaleidoscope 2014 -DLCS

 

“There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women” – Kofi Annan

 

There are many more pictures of the event! Check them out on Facebook (click) 

An alternative for tampons & sanitary napkins… the Mooncup!

Recommended to me by a friend, I decided to test an alternative to tampons and sanitary napkins. After experiencing the “monthly thing” for over half of my life as an extremely unpleasant experience…..

(Dear men, please don’t run away, don’t be scared, this is a normal subject! I promise I won’t make a habit out of it, but I do intent to sell this amazing alternative via the blog),

…..I decided it’s time to make a change. A change to caring about my own body, as well as caring about nature. 

To me it seems like the big brands (a.o. Procter& Gamble, Johnson & Johsnsons)  have got a huge lobby, to make us think tampons and sanitary napkins are good for us. Are you conscious of what you eat? Of how you take care of yourself? Ofcourse you are! Then why do you still put a bleached piece of cotton inside you or a chemically perfumed thing in your underwear? 

I tried the Mooncup, and hope to be offering you all a link here soon, where you coukd buy your own body- and environmentally- friendly menstruation cup. I decided I will help spread the word, create awareness of this alternative, because every woman should have the right to choose how she can take care of herself. Did you know, that where I live, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I only  found 1 shop where one can buy a menstruation cup? 

The Mooncup – known in the USA as MCUK – is the original silicone menstrual cup designed by women to be a convenient, safe and eco-friendly alternative to tampons and sanitary pads. Loved by women all around the world, and made in the UK by a multi-award winning ethical business, the Mooncup menstrual cup offers an end to the waste, discomfort and expense of disposable sanitary protection.

The Mooncup is a reusable menstrual cup, around two inches long and made from soft medical grade silicone. It is worn internally a lot lower than a tampon but, while tampons and pads absorb menstrual fluid, the Mooncup collects it. This means it doesn’t cause dryness or irritation, and also that it collects far more (three times as much as a tampon!). Because the Mooncup is reusable, you only need one so it saves you money and helps the environment, too.

The Mooncup is designed to be folded and inserted into the vagina, then removed, rinsed and reinserted up to every 8 hours. A light seal is formed with your vaginal walls, allowing menstrual fluid to pass into the Mooncup without leakage or odour. This seal is released for removal, allowing you to empty the contents, rinse or wipe and reinsert. Comfortable, convenient and safe: the Mooncup can be used overnight and when travelling, swimming or exercising.

Safer

Made from soft medical grade silicone, the Mooncup is latex-free and contains no dyes, BPA, toxins or bleaches. It’s also great for women with sensitive skinTampons can cause dryness and leave fibres behind. The Mooncup is designed to respect your natural balance.

Cheaper

One woman uses up to 22 items of sanitary protection every period. Regardless of your flow, you only need one Mooncup, and it lasts for years and years, making it the most economical sanitary product you can buy. One Mooncup lasts for years, and costs the same as the average woman will spend on disposable sanitary protection in three months.

Eco-friendly…

The reusable Mooncup offers a simple way to dramatically reduce the amount of waste you produce.

• One woman will use over 11,000 disposable sanitary products in a lifetime
• 22 tampons or towels are used, on average, each period
• In the UK alone, 4.3 billion disposable sanitary products are used every year

These items, their packaging, applicators and backing-strips will end up in landfill or in the sea.

Mooncup Ltd. is the first sanitary protection manufacturer in the world to be awarded Ethical Business status for its people and environmentally -friendly practices (for more information on Mooncup Ltd., visit the About page)

Healthier…

The Mooncup is made from soft medical grade silicone and is latex-free, hypoallergenic and contains no dyes, BPA, phthalates, plastic, bleaches or toxins. Because the Mooncup is non-absorbent, it will not cause dryness and does not disrupt your body’s natural pH levels (35% of the fluid tampons absorb is natural moisture!).

The Mooncup has measurement markings, enabling women to accurately report menstrual blood loss to a doctor or gynaecologist.

The Mooncup does not contain any absorbency gels, additives or perfumes. Unlike some conventional cotton sanitary products, it is also free from pesticides and GM materials.

Tampons can cause dryness and leave fibres behind. The Mooncup is designed to respect your natural balance.

The Mooncup is produced to ISO 13485:2003: a regulated quality management system specifically requiring that the service provided by an organisation “consistently meet[s] customer and regulatory requirements applicable to medical devices and related services”. From ISO online

Convenient…

The Mooncup holds at least three times as much fluid as a tampon, giving longer lasting protection on heavier days. And, because it is non-absorbent, it won’t cause dryness when your period is light.

Because there is no string, the Mooncup is completely discreet – and you only need one so there’s no need to carry bulky spares or worry about disposal of used products or packaging.

So I hear you think… won’t I get dirty fingers? In general NO! Maybe the first few days when you are testing what is comfortable, but after, I assure you, in general you will make less mess than you are used to! The only negative aspect I came across during my testing phase (Mooncup even has a helpline with qualified nurses to answer your questions!), is that Unfortunately Mooncup does not ship to Italy or Israel. Feel free to ask questions! I will forward them to the Mooncup advice centre and let you know. 

Mooncup Ltd. is the first sanitary protection manufacturer in the world to be awarded Ethical Business status for its people and environmentally -friendly practices (for more information on Mooncup Ltd., visit the About page) 

 

 

 Click HERE to be directed to the shop where you can order yourself one!

 

 

 

More info: http://www.mooncup.co.uk
FAQ’s: http://www.mooncup.co.uk/advice-centre.html

Dear women, have a happy period. And dear men, thank you for sticking with us.

Conscious colouring; natural and plant based hair colouring

I’ve always loved experimenting with different hair- styles and colours, but for a couple of years I’ve stuck to my own colour, ‘cause I had my doubts about the standard chemical ways of colouring. I recently met Dianne te Mebel, director and owner of the Instituut Haar & Gezondheid (Institute for Hair & Health) in Amsterdam. The Instituut Haar & Gezondheid is one of few salons in Amsterdam and even The Netherlands, which aims to use as much natural products as possible and integrate this in anything they do. Ever since Diane was young, she has a passion for nature, which she decided to incorporate into her profession. She developed herself as an expert in natural and plant based hair colouring.

I’ve always thought that to colour my dark hair,  the only way was de- colouring with ammoniac and then dying with chemical colours. Dianne dared me to test otherwise. She said that not only she could naturally add a hint of colour to my hair, but also promised to revitalise and regenerate my hair, to give it a “healing” treatment to prepare myself for winter. Perhaps, just like me, you don’t know too much about natural and plant based hair colouring? The ladies of the Instituut Haar & Gezondheid, definitely know their field of work and took their time to make me feel comfortable and inform me about anything I was interested in and more.

So.. well.. then what is natural and plant based hair colouring exactly?

The base is henna. Henna is a plant (a shrub actually, called Lawsonia Inermis, more info HERE ), with leaves that contain a tannin dye molecule. This molecule is called Lawson, and  is released when the leaves are pulverised, acidified and made into a paste. This paste can be applied to hair (or skin), to give it a deep, reddish brown stain, because it binds to keratin (that’s what the outer layer of our skin and hair is made of). The colours added to the henna, are extracted from parts of amongst others flowers, trees, and plants that are dried and pulvarised until powder. For example coffee, onion peel, blue wood, cinnamon, hazelnut, rhubarb, salvia, tea, marigold, grains, elderberries and birch bark  are commonly used. Before the colouring- process, the hair is first washed with a mild shampoo to open the hair scales (yes, just like the ones a fish has..), so the pigment can go in between. In my case the hair was washed with a shampoo of Pure Pact (Over HERE you can read my introduction to Pure Pact). When the hair is dried, the hair scales close and keep the pigment inside. The colour will stay in the hair for about 6 to 8 weeks. By washing the colouring, it will slowly get more vague, here for there  will not be any visible outgrow like with chemical hair colouring. Natural hair colouring does not change the colour of your hair, so being a brunette and becoming a blonde, is not possible (but if your hair is grey, you can become a blonde again with the help of marigold!). If you have some grey hairs, as effect of the colouring you’ll get highlights instead. Plant based hair colouring is transparent, it forms a layer around the hair instead of penetrating it. You will keep your own hair colour with a nuance in the colour. From solely natural resources, 40 nuances are possible. By repeating the process of colouring regularly, the colour will become deeper and more intense.

Dianne loves nature and the environment. While working in her hair salon, she realised that even if she was using natural products, in the process of colouring the hair was being packed with tin foil, which was trashed after use. It’s necessary to keep the hair warm after one applies the colouring, so it attaches better to the hair. This caused Dianne to think about a more sustainable way for this process, after which she invented and developed the sustainable heat cap for colouring. With this cap she got nominated for Duurzame Dinsdag 2011, where the countries’ best sustainable ideas are put in a suitcase and offered to the cabinet in order to create more awareness.

All over the world there are millions of women that colour their hair. Many of them do this themselves, at home. Natural and plant based hair colouring is completely safe and simple when you have the right ingredients and tools, so Dianne did a lot of research, imported products and developed a starting package to make it possible for you to create your own natural hair colouring and dye your hair in the comfort of your own home. The package comes in 15 different nuances, but you can also get in touch with her to create a colour combination of your choice, or pass by the Instituut Haar & Gezondheid to get advised, ask questions and pick up a personalised package. Over HERE you can order the package.  A starting package costs € 47.50,– (exclusive €2.30,– for delivery in The Netherlands) and consists of; a bag of colouring, a sustainable heat cap, and enamel bowl, a wide paintbrush, a twine of cotton wool and a manual. The package fits through your mailbox.

Check out a small introduction & explanation clip over here; 

When I visited the salon, the ladies made me a personalised mix of auburn, mahogany and henna colore. The nuances in my hair are mostly visible outside in daylight. Indoors, besides the exception of a very attentive individual, it’s only myself who notices the colour difference. BUT, even after having seriously neglected my split ends, a summer of sea and sun, living in a city with plenty of exhausts, as well as having often coloured my hair chemically in the past, my hair is obviously revitalised. It’s voluminous, it’s shiny, it feels soft and it looks healthy. I LOVE IT!  I’m already looking forward to my next treatment and curious to how my hair will be when the colouring gets more intense and deeper!

Have you ever coloured your hair? Are you conscious about what hair and beauty products you use? Are you aware that natural products are better for you than chemical based products?

Starting package natural hair colouring

Thx 2 Wiki.
For more info, personalised advise or to order the starting package; CLICK HERE
Questions on natural and plant based hair colouring? Ask them to experts on a specialised forum; HERE 
VERY SOON the brand new webshop of Instituut Haar en Gezondheid will be online, I’ll keep you updated of course. ‘Till then; http://www.instituuthaarengezondheid.nl

Election of lesbICOONingin 2011

Stichting OndersteBoven, Foundation UpsideDown in English, was founded in 2006, because most gay societies were not aiming their initiatives at women. OndersteBoven wanted to change this. Thefoundation aims to encourage the social acceptance women and in particular of lesbian and bisexual women. To achieve this, OndersteBoven tries to make these
women “visible”.

OndersteBoven initiates and stimulates scientific research and organises projects and activities connected to themes connected to the above. Such as e.g.  De Trotse Lesboot (The Proud
Les boat) during the Gay Pride, initiating a LesBian Pride, the introduction of the LesbIcoon (Lesbian Icon) and the election of the LesbICOONingin (Lesbian Icon Queen).

Lesbian Icones are women who are an example for other women with LesBian feelings. You don’t have to be famous to be or become a LesbIcoon. The LesbICOONingin from The Netherlands distinguishes herself from other LesbIconen by the way she expresses her sex and raises awareness for women with lesbian feelings. Previous crownholders were Riek Stienstra (2007) and Anya Wiersma (2010).

Until November 15 you can vote for the LesbICOONingin of 2011. If your (Dutch) Lesbian Icon is not on the list, you can add her too. Click HERE to vote (In Dutch)

The fresh LesbICOONingin of 2011 will receive her crown on December 14 in Amsterdam, at the opening of ProGay’s Pink Christmas  and the relaunch of Zij aan Zij (Zij aan Zij is the first Dutch magazine specificly for lesbian and bisexual women and ofcourse bi-curious women as they’re called in “the” scene).

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Amsterdam is such an international city. Why are all these societies, magazines, foundations and companies trying to create awareness in Dutch only? What about all the interested expats, exchange students and other foreigners? Don’t we want them to be aware?

More info (Unfortunately you’ll have to be able to read Dutch) and relevant links;

http://www.stichtingondersteboven.nl

http://www.pinkchristmas.nl

http://www.zijaanzij.nl