Avoid These Toxic Ingredients in Shampoo

When buying shampoo and conditioner for oneself, what elements do you think about? Do you rely on a brand's advertisement, internet reviews, or the ingredients list to make your decision? Yes, making it a habit to read hair care product labels is a good idea. At the very least, it is safer than relying just on advertisements or reviews.

Why are we saying this, though? Because most commercial shampoos and conditioners include a significant amount of potentially dangerous chemicals! No, their toxicity isn't confined to hair health. It implies that they are capable of posing a life-threatening threat!

Do Hair Products Contain Toxic Ingredients?

The majority of hair products include hazardous chemicals that provide rapid delight to your hair. They help us get clean, shining, bouncy, and silky hair, which is why we frequently settle for them. However, these short-term advantages are accompanied by long-term negative consequences, which include anything from cancer to hormone imbalance. Shampoos that are sulfate and paraben-free are also available on the market.

Here's a list of substances in your shampoos and conditioners that might cause long-term damage.

What Are Hair Products' Harmful Ingredients?

Sulfates

Surfactants (surface acting agents) such as sulphates are used to remove the debris and excess sebum from the scalp. They're utilised in shampoos to help them lather up. SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate), SLES (sodium Laureth sulphate), and ammonium lauryl sulphate are all harmful surfactants.

They might make your hair frizzy and trigger an allergic response to your scalp. Furthermore, when taken for lengthy periods of time, they might cause hormone disruption. Sulfates are also damaging to aquatic life and the environment.

Sodium Chloride

Salt is also known as sodium chloride. The purpose of sodium chloride in shampoo and conditioner is to thicken the consistency. Salt may aggravate and dry up a scalp that is already sensitive, causing hair loss.

Triclosan

Until recently, triclosan was a common antibacterial ingredient in soap bars. It is, nevertheless, still found in shampoos, kinds of toothpaste, and deodorants. It has been identified as a hormone disruptor. Triclosan is thought to build up in your fat cells, causing your body to become poisonous.

Retinyl palmitate

Retinyl palmitate is a retinol and palmitic acid combination. Itching, redness, scaling, and peeling are all side effects of this ingredient. It has also been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and organ damage.

Toluene

Most hair dyes include toluene, a petrochemical solvent. They may wreak havoc on your immune system and possibly result in birth abnormalities. If you're expecting a child, stay away from hair dyes. Toluene has a negative impact on the central nervous system. Benzene, phenylmethane, toluol, and methylbenzene are all common names for toluene.

Resorcinol

Skin irritation has been connected to resorcinol, a frequent chemical in hair colours and bleaching products. It may also impair the immune system's ability to operate. It interferes with thyroid function in animals.

Parabens

To lengthen the shelf life of hair care products, parabens are utilised as preservatives. They inhibit the growth of germs in your shampoos. Parabens (butyl, propyl, and ethyl parabens) are known to imitate the activity of oestrogen and have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.

Formaldehyde

Instead of sleek locks, how about a gorgeous Brazilian blowout or a keratin treatment? Please bear with me. These treatments might include a carcinogenic chemical called formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers.

Formaldehyde releasers include bronopol, imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15, and Diazolidinyl urea. These substances are known to be absorbed via the skin.

Alcohol

Haircare products containing alcohol might cause your hair to become excessively dry. Avoid alcohols such as propanol and isopropyl alcohol. In shampoos, alcohols are utilised as thickening agents. When generated from palm oil or coconut oil, they are sometimes utilised as emollients. Alcohol may make your hair fragile.

Colours

In our shampoo and conditioner bottles, we want to see bright hues. You'll be surprised at the substances used to make synthetic colours for hair care products! Coal tar or petroleum are used to make these hues. The words 'FD&C' or 'D&C' on the labels designate synthetic colours.

What Should You Look for in Shampoo and Conditioner Ingredients?

Select a formula that is sulphate-free and contains gentle surfactants. Look for moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil, quaternium salts to condition hair, and silicon oils for shine and gloss to combat any roughness.

In conditioners, look for oils that nourish your hair, such as coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and palm oil. You may use hydrolyzed keratin as an ingredient in your conditioner to restore damaged hair.

Mango butter and shea butter, for example, build a protective barrier around your hair's cuticle. Vitamin E, argan oil, and vitamin B5 are all excellent conditioners that not only nourish but also make your hair fall flat.

Make sure you purchase from companies that publish all of their ingredients on their labels or their website. Even compounds originating from plants might trigger allergies in certain individuals. When purchasing shampoos and conditioners, keep an eye out for possible allergens.

Take Away

Toxic substances in hair care products are collecting in your body and on our planet, posing a threat to your health and the environment. So, before you make a buying choice, check the labels on your shampoo and conditioner bottles.