Exclusive: Listen to Tabitha on UK Health Radio — Why Less is More for Healthy Hair and Hormones
We are excited to share that our founder, Tabitha James-Kraan, was recently a guest on UK Health Radio with host Janey Lee Grace! @ukhealthradio @janeyleegrace
Janey Lee Grace is a renowned figure in the wellness space, known to over 9 million listeners via BBC Radio 2 and as the author of five books on holistic living. She runs the popular natural products recommendation site Imperfectly Natural and founded The Sober Club, which offers inspiration and support for people focusing on optimum health and well-being underpinned by sobriety.
UK Health Radio: Why Less is More for Healthy Hair and Hormones
In a recent episode of The Natural Health and Sobriety Show (@ukhealthradio), Janey Lee Grace sat down with our founder - organic haircare pioneer, Tabitha James-Kraan, to discuss a topic that affects our health far more than we realize: the toxic load in our everyday shampoos and cosmetics.
Jamie Lee Grace on Tabitha JK Organic Hair Care
“I’ve been a long-time admirer and user of Tabitha's products and services. When I first met her, I was on my quest for finding, you know, a hairdresser who would do things properly naturally. I found her expertise amazing.
Since then, she has developed her own incredible product line. I consider her an incredible organic hairdresser. Her brand is truly exceptional.”
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"You have this incredible brand with with beautiful products".
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"Really it's the only one that I recommend because it's just completely pure and amazing".
The Midwife's Revelation: Your Scalp is a "Mouth"
For Tabitha, the realization came while she was pregnant. A casual conversation with her midwife was anything but:
“She said, ‘No, no, no, do you not realize this is a mouth? Think about it. Every single hair on your head has a blood supply to the follicle... that blood supply is a direct line straight into your bloodstream... into the placenta, and into your unborn child.’ I was like, ‘Whoa. Why has nobody taught me that before?’”
This concept—that the scalp is like a 'mouth'—is key. As Tabitha notes, it's not just the scalp; it’s the whole body:
“Our skin is our biggest organ. It is another mouth, anyway. You know, 60 to 80% of what we put on the skin is absorbed through into the body.”
The Shocking Truth About Shampoo
If you're using conventional shampoo daily, you might be surprised by what you're actually lathering into your system. Tabitha reveals that the base formulation of most shampoos is designed as a powerful degreaser:
“The base of a shampoo was designed to be a degreaseant. So we degrease our hair. When you degrease the hair, the body has a reaction to that... So it's pumping oil back from inside the body to create grease on the scalp, so the hair needs to be washed again. That process in itself is really disruptive for the body.”
And if you notice your hair is easy to comb after shampooing, that's another red flag:
“If you can comb your hair once you've just shampooed and your shampoo is making your hair combable, there is definitely plastic in it... Some of these fillers are liquid plastic emulsions, which are a ground down formula of ground down plastic granules that are put into a liquid.”
The Scariest Part: Drinking Your Shampoo
If the effect on your skin and body isn't enough, consider the environment. Those plastic nanoparticles and harsh chemicals are washed down the drain, but they don't disappear. Tabitha’s research uncovered a disturbing truth about our water cycle:
“I've spoken to many people who work at these water plants, and they say, ‘There is no way that those nanoparticles of plastics can be filtered out.’ So they're coming back in our drinking water.”
The Golden Rule: Look for What's Not In It
When looking for genuinely healthy products, you must ignore the greenwashing and marketing buzzwords. As I often stress:
“People need to look not for what's in something, but what's not in it.”
The term 'organic' on a bottle is often meaningless if the base is still full of synthetic chemicals. This is why certification matters. Tabitha shared that the true challenge is avoiding the harmful chemicals.
“What you need to look for is what is not in it... What's not in the product is so important.”
Hormones, Hair Loss, and Detox
If you are dealing with hair loss, Tabitha is firm on the cause:
“Hair loss is almost always hormone related... That bombardment of chemicals is having an effect on our hormones.”
This chemical overload is seen even in cases of flaky scalp often mistaken for dandruff:
“This is the skin has been stripped within an inch of its life. It's so dehydrated, it's flaking, and that flakiness is not dandruff. It's dry skin, and that's caused by the harshness of the chemicals in the first place.”
Simple Steps to a Healthier Hair Routine
For anyone looking to start their detox journey, Tabitha, follow these 3 simple, effective steps:
Wash Your Hair Less: Tabitha's top advice is to train your body to produce less oil, allowing it to find its natural equilibrium. Start washing your hair one day less a week.
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Try Dry Shampoo: On those in-between days, Tabitha's own dry shampoo is a lifesaver. As she demonstrated: "What this one does is just absorbs any traces of oil, but it also... lifted that side of my head slightly and volumized as well."
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Pre-Oil Your Hair: Use a small amount of a pure, natural oil on the mid-lengths and ends before washing. Tabitha reminds us: "Pre-oiling is my thing" and it's essential because, "You absolutely wouldn't chuck a cashmere jumper in the washing machine every day, so don't do that to your hair."
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Target the Roots: When you do wash your hair, "Never ever rub your shampoo through the length of your hair... focus on washing your roots and your scalp."
By making these small, deliberate changes, you can reduce your body's toxic load, rebalance your hormones, and achieve naturally healthier, more balanced hair.