Who it is made for

Formulated for normal to dry hair. Particularly suited to:

A dry or sensitised scalp — including eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. Hair that has become dry, brittle, or prone to shedding. Anyone going through perimenopause or menopause finding their scalp more reactive than it used to be. Anyone who wants to know exactly what they are putting on their head and where it came from.

Before commercial shampoo, there was the hedgerow.
Women washed their hair with what the kitchen garden and ther local area offered — not at random, but with knowledge. Specific plants chosen for specific, understood reasons. To cleanse without stripping. To soften the shaft, calm the scalp and keep the hair strong through the seasons.

This botanical hair wash is made from that same tradition. Seven plants, dried and blended. No chemicals, no synthetic surfactants, no lather engineered to make you feel like something is happening.

It does not lather

That is not a flaw. Lather is a chemical response produced by synthetic surfactants — not a measure of how well something cleans. The plants work differently. More slowly, more gently, and considerably more kindly to the scalp.

Most people find their hair needs one to two washes to adjust before it begins to respond well. This is normal.

The Seven Plants:

Soapwort — Saponaria officinalis In English gardens since 1050 AD. The monks at Soutra Monastery used it to wash their liturgical vestments. The Victoria and Albert Museum still uses it to clean historic tapestries. It contains saponins — plant compounds that produce a gentle lather and cleanse without damage. The same action that preserved Tudor lace works on hair.

Marshmallow root — Althaea officinalis Culpeper wrote about it in 1653. The genus name comes from the Greek for 'to heal'. In water it releases a slippery mucilage that coats the hair shaft, locks in moisture, and eases detangling. The original conditioner. No synthetic required.

Chicory root — Cichorium intybus Chicory root has been used in folk medicine across Britain and northern Europe for centuries — as a digestive tonic, a liver herb, and a conditioning agent for hair and scalp. Unroasted and steeped in water, it releases inulin — a prebiotic compound that coats and smooths the hair shaft, working alongside the marshmallow root to condition without any synthetic intervention. Its blue flowers are visible on British roadsides and field margins through summer. One of the oldest cultivated plants in the European tradition.

Oats — Avena sativa A still-room staple across Britain and northern Europe for centuries. Anti-inflammatory action soothes an irritated or sensitised scalp. Beta-glucan forms a light protective film on the hair shaft.

Chickweed — Stellaria media   Specifically chosen in folk medicine for its cooling, settling action on dry and reactive skin. Works alongside the oats to calm an itchy or sensitised scalp without any chemical intervention.

Rosemary — Rosmarinus officinalis Culpeper records it for the hair. Improves scalp circulation, strongly antimicrobial. A 2023 clinical study compared rosemary to 2% minoxidil for hair growth over six months and found comparable results — the most robust modern evidence for any botanical hair ingredient.

Lavender — Lavandula angustifolia Cultivated in Britain since the 16th century. Antimicrobial, calming to the scalp. The scent is the blend's signature — warm, herbal, recognisably botanical