With the start of school often comes the threat of lice entering your home via the heads of your little ones. Last year I had a guest post about a homemade concoction to get rid of lice in case you ever have an encounter with them. When discussing it on our Facebook page, people wanted a simpler solution, something that they didn’t have to put together themselves. They also wanted something to use so that they didn’t have to deal with lice in the first place. Thus, this post: Natural Lice Prevention!
There are a couple of options available when it comes to lice prevention. You all know that I love my Poofy, so of course, I have to share their shampoo with you. This shampoo can replace what it is you are using as a daily shampoo. You can choose to start using this at the beginning of the school year, or wait until an ‘outbreak’ occurs in your child’s school. Here are the ingredients: Purified water, Decyl Polyglucose (plant source), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Essential Oils of Tea Tree, Rosemary, Citronella & Geranium, Xanthan Gum. If by chance you forget to use it and do contract lice, this can be used as a treatment as well, along with some other important components which include “combing through the hair thoroughly with a lice comb as well as using some kind of suffocating element (coconut oil works well), and the hot dryer or dishwasher for all items that might come in contact with the head/hair (pillow cases, pillows, sheets, brushes, hats, etc.). The shampoo alone won’t take care of the problem but it’s an important component”(Sarah Gomez-Kaveney).
The other option, that can be used instead of or in conjunction with Poofy’s shampoo, is Poofy Organics Lice Prevention Spray – a great option to quickly spray on your children’s heads as they are heading out the door to school. Fairy Tales also makes a spray, but I don’t love the ingredients as much as Poofy’s. Specifically, I don’t love the dicetyldimonium chloride, but it only rates a 2 on EWG. Fairy Tales does make a repelling shampoo as well, but if you look at the ingredients, you will see that some are toxic and not something you would want to use on your child’s head every day.
Fortunately, the prevention products have worked for my family and I haven’t had to ever treat lice. Feel free to share your tried and true lice treatment strategies in the comments if you have had to deal with the little pests.
I use just the tea tree shampoo to prevent the little bugs as well as tea tree oil mixed with water in a spray bottle.
So glad to find these. Do you use the fairy tales hair spray or the conditioning spray? The pic is of the hair spray but the link is to the other. Tx
They also have a lot higher rating on EWG now …. 7 and 4 respectively 🙁
oops – no not the hair spry – I will have to fix that! I just rely on the Poofy shampoo!
I don’t wash my bub’s hair every day. Would I need to if I wanted to use this shampoo as prevention?
I would say every other day. The scent from the oils seems to last that long. If there was an outbreak in the school, I would use it each day until it was gone.
Agreed. Lice cling to clean hair. That’s where many people begin to stereotype. Let the natural oils from the sebaceous glands do their job. Every other day, or if you can stretch it every two days. Dry shampoo is awesome, as well!
Good ideas! I just wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. The details are on my page. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! Thank you so much! I will check it out 🙂