Can I wash my hair with pasta water?
Pasta water is often discarded, but it is actually a treasure trove of nutrients that can be beneficial for your hair. It is rich in starch, protein, vitamins, and minerals, all of which can help to improve the health and appearance of your hair. But is it safe?
Nutrients contained in pasta water
Pasta water contains a variety of nutrients that are beneficial for hair, including:
- Protein: Protein is essential for strong and healthy hair. It helps to repair damage to the hair shaft and prevent breakage.
- Starch: Starch can help to coat the hair shaft and protect it from damage. It can also help to hydrate the hair and reduce frizz.
- Vitamins: Pasta water contains a variety of vitamins that are beneficial for hair, such as vitamin B and vitamin C. Vitamin B helps to promote hair growth and reduce hair loss. Vitamin C helps to protect the hair from damage.
- Minerals: Pasta water also contains a variety of minerals that are beneficial for hair, such as iron and zinc. Iron helps to carry oxygen to the hair follicles, which is essential for hair growth. Zinc helps to produce sebum, which is a natural oil that helps to protect the scalp and hair.
How much water can you save by washing your hair with pasta water?
Washing your hair with pasta water can help you to save a significant amount of water. Traditional shampoos require a lot of water to rinse out. Pasta water, on the other hand, requires very little water to rinse out.
In fact, a study published in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology” found that washing your hair with pasta water can save up to 50% of the water that you would normally use when washing your hair with shampoo.
Also, you can save the water from your pasta, that you would have thrown away otherwise.
Can I wash my hair with salted water?
You can use either salted or unsalted pasta water to wash your hair. However, it is important to note that salt can be drying, so it is best to use unsalted pasta water if you have dry or damaged hair.
How often can your wash your hair with pasta water?
You can wash your hair with pasta water every day. However, it is important to note that pasta water does not contain any cleansing agents, so you will still need to use a shampoo occasionally to remove dirt and product buildup. It is important to listen to your hair and adjust the frequency of washes depending on your needs. If you have dry hair, you may want to wash your hair with pasta water every other day or every third day. If you have oily hair, you may want to wash your hair with pasta water more often.
Is it good for my hair to wash it with pasta water?
Here are some of the benefits of washing your hair with pasta water:
- Stronger hair: Pasta water is rich in protein, which is essential for strong and healthy hair. Protein helps to repair damage to the hair shaft and prevent breakage.
- Shinier hair: Pasta water can help to coat the hair shaft and reflect light, making the hair look shinier.
- Reduced frizz: Pasta water can help to hydrate the hair and reduce frizz.
- Promotes hair growth: Pasta water contains vitamins and minerals that are essential for hair growth, such as vitamin B and iron.
- Reduces scalp irritation and dandruff: Pasta water is slightly acidic, which can help to balance the pH of the scalp and reduce scalp irritation and dandruff.
How to wash my hair with pasta water?
Step by step:
- Just let the water cool down a bit not to burn yourself, and massage it on your hair.
- Leave for 10 minutes.
- Rinse it out, and wash your hair with your regular shampoo.
Other tips to save water in the bathroom
Here are some other tips to save water in the bathroom:
- Take shorter showers, instead of baths.
- Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth or shaving.
- Fix any leaky faucets or showerheads.
- Install a water-saving showerhead.
- Collect the water from your shower while it is warming up and use it to water your plants or clean the house.
There are many more ways to save water at home! Find all our water-saving tips here.
Where can I find eco-friendly shampoo brands?
If you are looking for a large choice of sustainable beauty and self-care brands, including shampoos, conditioners, face & body, solid beauty bars, visit The Ethical Choice, our eco-brand directory where we have compiled all the sustainable brands we trust, and that you can filter by keywords, price, rating, location, etc.
In the meantime, find our selection of the TOP 10 eco-friendly shampoo brands:
Ethique is a sustainable shampoo brand that is committed to reducing plastic waste. They offer solid shampoo bars, which are packaged in compostable cardboard boxes. Ethique also uses natural and organic ingredients in their products.
Their solid shampoo bars eliminate the need for plastic bottles, and their packaging is compostable. Ethique also uses natural and organic ingredients, which are better for the environment and for your hair.
They are a certified B Corporation, which means that they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Ethique is based in Auckland, New Zealand. They sell a variety of solid shampoo bars for different hair types, as well as solid conditioner bars, body wash bars, and face wash bars. They also sell accessories, such as soap dishes and travel cases.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Home compostable packaging
🟢 Plastic-free solid shampoo bars
🔴 Nothing
The Zero Waste Store (ZWS) is an online and brick-and-mortar store that sells a variety of sustainable products, including shampoo bars. ZWS is committed to reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable living.
ZWS offers a variety of zero-waste shampoos, including bars, powders, and liquids. Their shampoos are made with natural and organic ingredients, and they are packaged in recyclable or compostable materials.
ZWS’s shampoo bars are made with a variety of natural and organic ingredients, such as coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter. They are also free of sulfates, parabens, and silicones.
ZWS shampoo bars come in a variety of scents and formulas to suit different hair types. For example, they offer a shampoo bar for dry hair, a shampoo bar for oily hair, and a shampoo bar for color-treated hair.
ZWS shampoo bars are packaged in recyclable cardboard boxes.
ZWS is based in Port St. Lucie, Florida. They ship their products all over the world. In addition to self-care products, they also sell reusable and eco-friendly products, such as water bottles, coffee mugs, and shopping bags.
ZWS is a member of the 1% for the Planet movement, which donates 1% of sales to environmental causes.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Solid shampoo bars
🟢 Natural ingredients, free of sulfates, parabens, and silicones.
🟢 Large choice of shampoo bars for all types of hair, colours and treatments
🔴 Nothing
Eco Roots also uses natural and organic ingredients, which are better for the environment and for your hair.
Their shampoo bars plastic-free shampoo bar will last around 50+ washes. They are silicone free, phthalate-free & paraben free, for all hair types & color-safe and vegan & cruelty-free.
Eco Roots is based in Colorado, USA. They sell a variety of zero-waste shampoo bars and conditioner bars for different hair types, as well as other personal care products, such as body wash bars, face wash bars, and toothpastes. They also sell accessories, such as soap dishes and travel cases.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Solid shampoo bars
🟢 Silicone free, phthalate-free & paraben free, for all hair types & color-safe and vegan & cruelty-free.
🔴 Nothing
Native is a sustainable personal care brand. Their shampoos are made with plant-based ingredients and are packaged in recyclable bottles.
Native also offers a variety of other personal care products, such as deodorants, body washes, and toothpastes.
They use plant-based ingredients in their products. They are a certified B Corporation, which means that they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Native is based in San Francisco, California. They sell a variety of personal care products for men and women, including shampoos, deodorants, body washes, and toothpastes. They also sell accessories, such as shower caddies and travel cases.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Transparent about ingredients
🟢 Vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, free of sulfated surfactants
🔴 Most of their shampoos come in a plastic bottle
Everist is a hair and body care brand.
From their ingredients (plant-based) to their packaging (recycled and recyclable) to their supply chain (local and certified Climate Neutral) Everist sets out to build a business that would have minimal negative impact to our planet.
At 1/3 the size of a traditional bottle of shampoo, Everist products require less packaging and less carbon to ship.
Their tubes are made from 100% recycled aluminum (95% post-consumer recycled aluminum, 5% post-industrial recycled aluminum). These tubes require 70% less carbon to produce than virgin aluminum tubes.
They have a capback program where they cover postage returns of the small plastic caps to reuse them.
Everist is based in Toronto, canada. Everist is a member of the 1% for the Planet movement, which donates 1% of sales to environmental causes.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Natural ingredients
🟢 They are very transparent about their sustainability efforts and commitments.
🟢 Their shampoos are concentrated, and come in a small containers which reduces water and transportation footprint.
🔴 Although they do make an effort on packaging with their recycled and recyclable solution, we still prefer zero-waste options like sold bars.
ByHumankind is a sustainable personal care brand that sells a variety of products, including shampoo bars, conditioner bars, body wash bars, and hand soap bars. The brand is committed to reducing plastic waste and using natural ingredients.
ByHumankind shampoo bars are made with a variety of natural and organic ingredients. They are all vegan, sulfate-free, and always ethically-made.
Their shampoo bars are cold-processed. This soap making process helps retain more glycerin, which helps moderates pH (good for sensitive skin).
Each bar is shipped in a recycled paper box with soy-based ink. This can be recycled with your other paper materials.
ByHumankind is based in New York. In addition to shampoos, ByHumankind also sells a variety of other sustainable personal care products, as well as reusable products such as aluminum bottles and soap dishes.
ByHumankind has a very transparent information section in the FAQ page on their website, where they detail their ingredients, their commitment to sustainability, and much more.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Their FAQ section is very transparent about the brand, sustainability, ingredients, sustainability efforts, etc.
🟢 Their ingredient glossary
🔴 They sell shampoo bars, but also shampoo in aluminum bottles. Although these are recyclable, we still prefer the solid bar option!
Plaine is a personal care brand that sells a variety of products, including shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and lotions. The brand is committed to using natural ingredients and refillable packaging.
Plaine shampoos are made with a variety of natural and organic ingredients, free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicone, and palm oil.
Plaine shampoos are packaged in refillabl aluminum bottles. Customers can return their empty bottles to Plaine for a discount on their next purchase.
Plaine is based in Vermont, USA. In addition to shampoos, Plaine also sells a variety of other sustainable personal care products, as well as reusable products such as aluminum bottles and soap dishes.
- Plaine is a certified B Corporation, which means that they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
- Plaine is a member of the 1% for the Planet movement, which donates 1% of sales to environmental causes.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Refillable and reusable packaging
🟢 Transparent about ingredients
🔴 Nothing
Meow Meow Tweet is a shampoo brand that uses natural, organic ingredients in their formulations, ensuring a gentle yet effective solution for hair care
What sets them apart is their emphasis on low-waste packaging, utilizing biodegradable materials for a reduced environmental footprint as well as refillable containers.
They sell zero-waste shampoo bars as well as shampoo powder (concentrate).
Meow Meow Tweet is certified B Corporation, certified Climate neutral and Leap Bunny.
Meow Meow Tweet is based in California, and they make their products in small batches, by hand, in their California microfactory.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Solid shampoo bars and shampoo powder concentrate.
🟢 Transparent about ingredients
🟢 Made in small batches in California
🔴 Nothing
