From daily consumer products to feel-good essentials, we've become a lot more conscious of what we put into our bodies. However, when was the last time you gave a second thought to what was inside your shampoo?
Whether you're putting it into your body or onto, nasty ingredients have harmful side effects either way.
Here's a list of 11 harmful shampoo ingredients you need to look for next time you find yourself out of shampoo.
Sulfates
Sulfates are the worst kind of ingredients, and unfortunately, they're also the most common. Other than stripping your scalp from its natural sebum and oils, they're also the main culprits that make your hair brittle and more prone to frizz, ultimately leading to hair loss problems down the road.
The two most common ones to avoid are ammonium Laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which create that foamy lathering we all love. In addition, SLES and SLS are incredibly aggressive on colored and keratin-treated hair. All the more reason to steer clear of them!
Sodium Chloride
Sodium chloride, also commonly known as table salt, is a cheap and easy way manufacturing companies thicken shampoos. While they're not necessarily toxic to your hair, they're known for being extremely aggressive, especially on color-treated hair.
Premium, sodium chloride-free shampoos are your best bet if you’re aiming for healthier hair!
Parabens
While not harmful for your hair directly, parabens are known to mimic the hormone estrogen found in your body and speed up the growth rate of cancer cells, especially in the breast. They're mainly used to extend shampoo's shelf life, making it all the more difficult to steer clear of. But don't worry, Pro Hairmony’s got plenty of paraben-free options.
Phthalates
Love that coconut smell your hair have after you wash them? That's all thanks to phthalates that help the scent linger on your hair for longer. However, there is a downside to them. Phthalates cause early puberty in girls by disrupting the endocrine system and causing male infertility. And if that's not a convincing enough reason to boycott them, they also happen to be highly toxic to the environment.
Triclosan
The chemical antibacterial agent Triclosan has been banned from manufacturing soaps but unfortunately can still be found mainly in shampoos. Triclosan causes hormonal imbalances and leads to cancer and developmental problems in fetuses.
Retinyl Palmitate
Retinyl palmitate is a retinoid that comprises beneficial vitamins, so why is it harmful, you may ask? It's because they're the primary culprit behind red, scaling, peeling, and itchy scalps and have been found to cause several different cancers and reproductive issues. The black sheep of the family, perhaps?
Alcohol
Alcohol's great for evening laughs, but unfortunately, not so much for your scalp. It can cause irritation, flaky, dry skin, and even strip your natural oils. So let's stick to alcoholic beverages, shall we?
Synthetic Fragrances
Sorry to burst your bubble; your coconut-smelling shampoo doesn't have real coconuts infused in it. What a bummer, right?
Stay on the lookout for synthetic fragrances; they can trigger your asthma and even be the reason you're shedding so much hair.
Synthetic Colors
Speaking of synthetic, stay wary of FD&C or D&C codes followed by a number. These are synthetic colors, mainly derived from coal or petroleum, and do more harm than good.
Toluene
Toluene, another petroleum derivative, can cause severe congenital disabilities and even interfere with your immune system. Toluene may even mask itself behind common names such as benzene and methylbenzene.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
This may be a natural foam-boosting ingredient, but together with dimethylamino propylamine, it can cause several issues such as irritations and allergies.
The Final Verdict
We could go on and on about the various harmful ingredients you need to steer clear of when buying shampoo, but we've had to cut it short. And contrary to popular belief, putting harmful substances on yourself doesn't mean they can't penetrate your body.
So please do yourself a favor, and make sure to read the back of shampoo before incorporating it into your daily routine.
Till then, why not browse through all of Pro Hairmony’s organic products?