birch bark extract

Three Reasons We Love This Birch Bark Extract Shampoo and Conditioner

Three words: healthy, shiny hair.

Let’s be honest: we put our hair through a lot — from heat styling to dye jobs and loading it with product. So, it’s about time our strands got a little bit of TLC to keep them as healthy and shiny as possible, no?

One big part of caring for your hair is choosing the right shampoo and conditioner. While there are plenty of different options on the market, we’re loving Herbal Essences bio:renew Sulfate-Free Birch Bark Extract Collection, as it’s filled with real botanicals that revitalize and refresh your strands. Think of it as a superfood for your hair that protects from the inside out by trapping, neutralizing and removing the build-up of free radicals that can wreak havoc on your hair. Here’s three reasons why we’re obsessed with the collection:

Birch bark contributes to the overall health of your hair

The birch tree hails from cold climates (hello, Canada!) and its bark is known for its distinct white colour that peels away naturally from the tree. Birch bark is an ingredient that’s been used in shampoo since the 19th century as it’s rich in natural antioxidants and vitamins that contribute to the overall health of the hair. Herbal Essences bio:renew Sulfate-Free Birch Bark Collection revitalizes dull strands, leaving your hair healthy and shiny. Though it gently cleanses away impurities, it keeps your dye job safe, so you don’t have to worry about your colour being stripped away. It’s also pH-balanced, which will protect the natural oil and sebum from the hair and scalp.

birch bark extract

It has safe ingredients you can feel good about

The collection is free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, mineral oils, colourants and dyes. It’s also gluten-free and cruelty-free. In fact, Herbal Essences’ sulfate-free shampoos are the first mass shampoos to earn the Environmental Working Group’s seal of approval. The EWG is a leading source of cosmetic ingredient information and the go-to database for those looking for more ingredient transparency. To be EWG verified means Herbal Essences meets the rigorous criteria and standards of the organization and therefore contains none of the EWG’s chemicals of concern, meaning you can lather, rinse and repeat with ease knowing your shampoo is free from harmful ingredients.

So how does Herbal Essences ensure product safety to meet the EWG’s vigorous standards? For starters, they assess every single ingredient for safety and toxicity before it goes into their shampoos and conditioners. Those that may have potential to cause harm are put on the “no no no” list and are not included in any products.

It’s endorsed by a world leader in plant science

Herbal Essences has partnered with one of the world’s most biodiverse places — the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — to verify the botanicals in its bio:renew shampoo and conditioners. Kew Gardens is a world-famous 260-year-old botanical garden and scientific institution dedicated to plant science, herbal medicine and conservation. It’s basically the leading authority on the potency and purity of plants, so an endorsement from Kew Gardens is a pretty big deal. Being vetted and authenticated by Kew Gardens means you can trust Herbal Essences uses real, high-quality botanicals that are traceable back to the original source.

Ready to incorporate birch bark into your hair care routine? The Herbal Essences bio:renew Sulfate-Free Birch Bark Extract shampoo ($8) and conditioner ($8) are available now at Walmart.

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