If you have dreadlocks or are considering getting them sometime soon, one concern may be finding the right shampoo. Finding the right shampoo for your dreadlocks can be difficult- it must not contain any perfumes, any conditioners, or any other chemicals that will work against the growth of your dreads. You need an all-natural soap that, most importantly, will not leave any residue behind as this will slow the locking process. Two products that I have used are Dread Head Dread Shampoo and Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap.
Even if you do not have dreadlocks, you may be looking for an all-natural, great-smelling shampoo for your hair. Dr. Bronner’s castile soaps are not only fairly cheap (a 16 oz. bottle will be about 6-7 dollars), they also come in handy for a wide array of chores. Dr. Bronner’s soap can be used to do dishes, to wash vegetables, as a body wash, as well as shampoo.
There are many different scents that Dr. Bronner’s castile soaps come in, including peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and almond, among others. I have used Dr. Bronner’s soaps mainly as shampoo for dreadlocks and as a body wash, so peppermint has bee my personal favorite. It is very soothing, and leaves a very fresh, clean feeling all over. I especially preferred it for washing dreads. It is easy for dreads to start smelling funky -either because of a certain shampoo, not drying them completely, sweat, dirt, or just not washing them. Dr .Bronner’s peppermint castile soap left a minty, very clean scent that lasted. It also feels great while shampooing, soothing your scalp. I would strongly recommend this soap to anyone simply looking for a natural shampoo or for someone with dreads looking to keep them nice and clean.
There is also a shampoo made specifically for people with dreadlocks by the company Dread Head. While I love most of their other products, the shampoo was the only one to not live up to the name. Dread Head Dread Shampoo is, first of all, much more expensive than Dr. Bronner’s castile soaps. Depending on where you buy it, the Dread Head shampoo will run between 10 and 20 dollars. Unlike Dr .Bronner’s soaps, Dread Head is meant to be used solely as a shampoo, and for dreads at that. Despite the Dread Head claims to being the best shampoo for dreads, I noticed no difference in the health, locking progress, or cleanliness of my dreadlocks with either of the shampoos.
The one main difference in them was their immediate results. While Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castile soap tingled to soothe your scalp, Dread Head Dread shampoo has a much more intense quality to it. The peppermint is so strong that it often burns your scalp, along with other sensitive parts of your body and any cuts or irritations that you may have. This can make the soap tricky, and even painful, to use sometimes, but Dr. Bronner’s castile soap is much more gentle, and even recommended for use with babies and delicate fabrics.
Don’t get me wrong, Dread Head Dread shampoo will do the job if you have it, but it’s definitely not worth going through the hassle of finding it or paying the extra 10 dollars. There are very few stores that I have found that sell the Dread Head shampoo, and even fewer that sell it for a reasonable price. The other option is to order it from the Dread Head website at dreadheadhq.com. Dr. Bronner’s castile soaps, on the other hand, can be bought at most organic grocery stores (Wild Oats, Whole Foods), hair care stores, and stores that sell other dreadlock products. The grocery chain Trader Joe’s also has their own brand of peppermint castile soap, which I have found to be almost identical to Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castile soap.
