The natural and organic hair care we recommend

Plant oils, extracts of flowers and plants, essential oils: they've been used for thousands of years to care for skin and hair. There's no need to look far, so trust them.

Here are our favourites in natural and organic hair care: quality products for healthy-looking hair from root to tip.

It promises shiny, cleansed hair: this Centifolia lotion with apple cider vinegar and essential oils. Spritz a few pumps onto towel-dried hair, work it in, comb through and leave to dry. No rinsing needed, and easy to use: vinegar is reputed to help limit the limescale deposits in water. It's a simple step to add to your routine when you're short on time.

Centifolia organic apple cider vinegar leave-in conditioner, available at Mondebio.com.

Coconut, olive and jojoba oils, plus plant extracts including aloe vera: the brand promises a very gentle conditioner that nourishes while respecting the hair fibre, with no harsh or heavy agents, and helps detangle for shiny hair. A real all-rounder for anyone looking for simplicity.

Urtekram Aloe Vera Conditioner.

The Dr. Hauschka conditioner is a natural treatment with jojoba and marshmallow, presented by the brand as a little luxury. With nettle, oak, marshmallow, jojoba and macadamia oils to nourish and smooth, it all comes together in a very lovely treatment. As for the promise, the brand says shiny, light, easy-to-style hair.

Dr. Hauschka Jojoba and Marshmallow Conditioner, available at Mondebio.com.

Excellent value for money from this Logona coconut balm for dry mid-lengths and ends. Use it as a mask on the mid-lengths and ends, left on before shampooing. You can even leave it overnight and shampoo the next day: the brand promises very soft hair, supple and nourished ends — brilliant!

Logona Coconut Balm.

Very rich in active ingredients, this fluid goes on before shampooing, onto the scalp; work it through while gently brushing. A genuine revitalising cocktail made up of, among other ingredients, jojoba, olive, argan, castor, rosemary, cumin, sage and cedar, it's presented by the brand as a treatment that revitalises, cleanses and adds shine. Yes, a hard-working treatment to reach for the moment your hair feels flat.

Douces Angevines Vital Berbère pre-shampoo fluid.

We absolutely adore this nourishing rosemary hair oil, which the brand presents as a treatment that nourishes deeply, protects and aids detangling. Apply it as an oil bath in the evening, leave it on overnight and use a mild shampoo the next morning.

Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil.

It has a charmingly rustic quality we love, and above all it's enriched with donkey milk — this shampoo from Asinerie des Alpes. A neutral foaming base with fresh donkey milk and a touch of fragrant honey added: the brand presents it as a family shampoo, gentle on hair and suitable for regular use. Note that this shampoo isn't certified organic, but the ingredient list is short and readable.

Asinerie des Alpes donkey milk shampoo, available at lait-d-anesse.com.

It can be a little disorienting to move from supermarket products to organic ones. Natural scents don't always have the appeal of synthetic fragrance; textures and colours are often less fun and polished; and as for results, the chemical side of strength can be misleading: silicones can give a sensation of softness and shine without actually hydrating the hair in the strict sense, though they may also help limit water loss. So you switch to natural and it feels like something's missing. Yet natural products can be effective — but a 'natural' claim guarantees neither safety nor environmental friendliness: better to check the certifications and the ingredients.

In winter, between central heating and hats, ends can quickly turn to sandpaper. Two simple steps help. On the one hand, an oil bath before shampooing: in practice, leave it on for about an hour, as per the instructions, under a warm towel, to help condition the fibre and make detangling easier, then use a mild shampoo — or leave it overnight and shampoo the next morning if your hair tolerates it. An honest caveat: if your scalp gets greasy quickly, keep the oil bath to the mid-lengths and ends.

On the other hand, try a final rinse with apple cider vinegar diluted in cold water, then leave it to dry. No rinsing, and morning detangling becomes almost a pleasure! The acidity of vinegar is reputed to help close the cuticles and limit the deposit left by limescale in water — a real issue when you live in a city. It's the kind of step you adopt once and never give up.

And don't forget the simplest thing: a mild shampoo, warm water rather than scalding, and a cold rinse for shine. No product will make up for water that's too hot.

And where to buy? An organic salon or health-food shop for advice, a pharmacy or supermarket for price, online for choice. The best habit is still to aim for a size you'll finish before it goes off.

Budget

As for budget, prices here are in euros: expect roughly €6 to €15 for a conditioner or mild shampoo from these brands, and more like €30 to €40 for a concentrated pre-shampoo fluid such as Vital Berbère, sold in a small size. Prices vary mainly by format (50 ml or 200 ml), plant oil concentration and sales channel: pharmacies and supermarkets are usually the cheapest, salons and organic beauty shops charge for the advice, and the brand's own site or an online store can widen the choice. A higher price doesn't guarantee a better formula: look first at the ingredient list and whether there's a certification, if that matters to you. Prices and availability differ between markets, so check current stockists and local prices before you set your heart on a particular bottle.