Hair styling products

Although there is not quite as much variety of natural hair styling products as there is natural shampoo and conditioners, there are quite a few options.

For gel, Giovanni L.A. Natural Styling Gel, $25.50 for 200ml, is pretty good, as is Miessense Shape Styling Gel, $29.95 for 250ml. I have used both of these, although I prefer waxes to gels.

I am currently using Giovanni Glam Traxx Stick Wax, $27.50, but I can't find this product in the new packaging, so it may have been discontinued. However, Giovanni makes Wicked Wax, although they call it a pomade.

I really like Ecokid Bubbalicious Shaping Paste, $25.95 for 100g. Yes, it's designed for kids to put in their hair to keep headlice away, but I find it works great on my hair, which is wavy/curly - it helps define the curls.

Folr anti-frizz serums, I like Giovanni Frizz Be Gone Super Smoothing Anti Frizz Serum, $25.50 for 78ml. To hold my hair in place, I use Giovanni L.A. Hold Hair Spritz $25.50.

Some other options:

Gels: Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel, $19 for 25ml, and $56 for 150ml; Aveda Confixor Liquid Gel 250ml, $49 Alba Botanica Strong Hold Style Gel, 198g.

Waxes: Aveda Custom Control™ Gel Wax 100ml $56

Mousses: Giovanni Styling Foam Natural Mousse Air Turbo Charged $25.50, Aveda Phomollient™ Styling Foam 200 $38

Clays: Ecokid Tuff Stuff Matte Hair Clay 100g $25.95, Aveda Men Pure-formance Grooming Clay 75ml $49

Hairsprays: Aveda Witch Hazel Light Hold Hairspray 250ml $38, Aveda Brilliant™ Hair Spray, $13 for 50ml, and $49 for 250ml

Kids' products

We've covered products for babies, but what about kids? There are plenty of natural, eco-friendly personal care products that are designed just for kids.

To keep kids' teeth clean, try Snappy Jaws toothpaste, $5 for 100g, from Health 2000 and Commonsense Organics. It's free from fluoride, sugar, and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, and it comes in three different flavours: Punchy Pineapple, Awesome Orange, and Strawberry. Another kids' toothpaste is Weleda Children Tooth Gel, 50ml for $6.80, available from Health 2000 and Commonsense Organics. It is designed especially for milk teeth.

To protect your kids from the sun, slather them in a kids' sunblock, like Dr Hauschka Sunscreen Cream for Children SPF 30, $40.20 for 100ml. This is quite an expensive option; a cheaper one is Alba Botanica Kids' Sunscreen, SPF 30+, $19.95 for 118ml. Both are available from Health 2000, and the Dr Hauschka one from Farmers, Hardy's, and Commonsense Organics as well.

Headlice is often a problem when children are young (it sure was for me!), and there are many natural products to treat and prevent lice. Ecokid is an Australian brand of hair care products for kids, designed to prevent and treat headlice. The range consists of:

Prevent (Shampoo) 250ml $25.95

Prevent Sensitive (Shampoo) 250ml $25.95

Nourish (Hydrating Conditioner) 250ml $25.95

Daily Leave in Tonic (Leave in Conditioner) 500ml $29.95

Tuff Stuff (Leave in Clay) 100g $25.95

Bubbalicious (Shaping Paste) 100g $25.95

Lice Bomb (Nasty to Lice, not kids) 50ml $32.50

I have used Bubbalicious, and while I'm not a kid, I really liked it. I think it smells great, but apparantely lice don't agree, and it helps keep them away. Stockists can be found on the Ecokid website. New Zealand brand Botanica also has some products to treat head lice: Mr Nits 50ml and 100ml ($27.90) sprays, and Mr Nits Once-a-Week 100ml bottle ($19.90). Nature's Nurse has Lice Lather Treatment Shampoo, $18.95 for 100ml, Lice Lather Preventative Spray, $15.95 for 100ml, and Head Lice & Nit Removal Comb, $11.95. Check out their website for stockists.

For kids who like to paint their nails, there are some safer options out there. SHE Australia Nail Varnishes come in fourteen colours, and are free from formaldehyde and toulene. $14.90 each from selected pharmacies. Sparitual nail polishes are free from formaldehyde, toulene, and dibutyl phthlate. They come in heaps and heaps of different shades, although I've only seen a small selection available. I've seen them at Nature Unplugged, and Bodyscape Beauty Therapy Day Spa (New Zealand's only Aveda concept spa), both in Wellington, although I'm sure they're available in other parts of the country. The nail polishes are $25 each.

For bubble baths, Unearthed has four kids' bubble baths: Planet Bubbles, Bubbles Me Hearty, Sea Bubbles, and Bubble Magic, each $7 for 375ml. They are free from parabens, SLES, artificial colours, and artificial fragrances. They do, however, contain Ammonium Laureth (or Lauryl, can't remember which) Sulphate, so if you want to avoid sulphates altogether, you could go for Bod for Bubs Bubble and Squeakie Clean, $24.90 for 300ml. I mentioned it previously here. It is intended for babies, but it would be fine for anyone to use. Unearthed bubble baths can be bought at Hardy's and selected pharmacies, and Bubble and Squeakie Clean from Nature Unplugged, and Hardy's.