Natural alternatives from your garden for hair care: Revisiting the benefits of tropical herbs

Hair shampoos containing botanical ingredients without synthetic additives, such as parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates and silicones are more skin- and environmentally friendly. In recent years, there is a growing demand for shampoo products with botanical extracts. Shampoos with botanical extracts are well-known for their perceived health benefits. They are also generally milder, non-toxic, natural, and less likely to disrupt the hair and scalp's natural pH and oil balance. Many also believe that shampoos with botanical origins have higher standards of quality. Numerous botanical extracts had been used as natural active ingredients in cosmetic formulations to meet consumer demands. In this review, we have revisited six tropical plants commonly added as natural active ingredients in shampoo formulations: Acacia concinna, Camellia oleifera, Azadirachta indica, Emblica officinalis, Sapindus mukorossi, and Garcinia mangostana. These plants have been traditionally used for hair care, and scientific research has shown that they exhibit relevant physicochemical properties and biological activities that are beneficial for hair care and scalp maintenance.