Ingredients to avoid in your hair and beauty products.
SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES)
These sulphates are very strong detergents that use a chemical reaction where they bind with water and dirt (but also your own natural oils from your scalp)
It causes your scalp to potentially become irritated and sore, and triggers your body to produce more oils ASAP. Meaning your hair will appear greasy often and thus you get stuck in a cycle of washing too much. But while cleansing, these sulphates can also damage the hair, making it dry and brittle, and causing frizz.
SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS)
The stuff that foams, same as (SLES) its damaging to the scalp and the hair, compromising the hair follicles, stripping the hair of natural and healthy oils and anyone with coloured hair will be watching their hair colour wash down the shower drain.
PARABENS
I personally check any product i’m going to use on myself for any word containing the word (paraben) This can mimic the hormone oestrogen and had been linked to increased growth of breast cancer cells.
SODIUM CHLORIDE (with the exception of volume products)
It’s basically salt, it can be used in volume shampoos alongside sugar extracts to help with the thickening process. But it can also be used as an ingredient incorrectly to purely thicken up a cheap shampoo formula. This method can dry out your scalp and hair and in prolonged use can lea to hair loss.
(DEA and TEA)
These are also foaming agents, these has been research done in the 90s that linked cancer with using products on animals. the European commission has banned DEA in cosmetics.
FORMALDEHYDE
Its become well known that this ingredient is a human carcinogen (cancer causing) its most commonly used in Brazilian Blow-dries (not the one I use) Below I’ve listed the 4 most commonly used formaldehyde releasers to look out for:
Quaternium-15
DMDM Hydantoin
Ureas (imidazolidinyl, or diazolidinyl)
Benzylhemiformal
ALCOHOL (Isopropyl Alcohol or Propanol)
There is a variety of alcohol based ingredients used in shampoos, some actually are beneficial so I’m just going to focus on the 2 listed above as these are the types to avoid if you are concerned about your hair being dry.
DIMETHICONE (also found in conditioners)
This is a type of silicone that’s used in hair products to create a plastic like coating to make the hair appear soft and shiny (where really, it’s suffocating) It prevents moisture and nutrients from entering the hair and instead it collects dirt and residue and build up over continued use. It also clogs the hair follicles on the scalp and causes skin irritation.
COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE
Another foam booster derived from coconut oil, this is used alongside an ingredient called dimethylaminopropylamine which can cause skin irritation, allergies, rosacea and eczema.
TRICLOSAN
This was banned 2016, but is still allowed to be used in toothpaste, shampoos and deodorants (so get checking) Its a chemical anti-bac agent known to cause hormone disruptions which can lead to cancer and affect fetal development and fertility.
RED CLOVER
I just thought I would add this in, as it’s a natural ingredient used mainly to control symptoms of menopause. HOWEVER it should be avoided by pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with hormone issues, those on hormone replacement therapy and people with bleeding disorders or those on blood medication.
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