While the concept of clean beauty is not new, it has gained significantly more traction in hair care for Americans in recent years. Nationally, there is an urge to reduce exposure to harmful chemical and toxic ingredients in what we apply on our skin, to our bodies, and in our hair care.
With this new trend, few industries have faced more criticism than the beauty and cosmetics industry. Health-conscious consumers are looking for brands that provide non-toxic or clean solutions. In an effort to find these non-toxic products, we want to help you look out for ingredients that are harmful.
In fact, some of the biggest problems with the beauty industry derive from the use of surfactants, emulsifiers, and preservatives. Avoid these toxic ingredients the next time you grab a bottle of shampoo or conditioner.
Surfactants
You know that feeling of lathering and sudsing up your shampoo when you are washing your hair? For most of us growing up, it seemed like the more suds we got, the more clean our hair was.
Unfortunately, many of us living the green beauty lifestyle know that just is not the case. The lather comes from the use of surfactants. It is a chemical reaction that happens, and while most of these are not toxic to humans, they are often harmful to aquatic life. When you rinse out your shampoo, it goes down the drain in large quantities and creates an impact on the entire ecosystem.
Surfactants in many shampoos will appear on the ingredients list as
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sulfates
You’ve seen the stickers on bottles in the stores that state that something is paraben-free. Many companies are proudly displaying this verbiage to ensure consumers are getting a product that is sulfate-free.
Sulfates are chemical detergents. They are effective at removing dirt and oil, which is why they were in shampoos in the first place. However, they are a little too effective and wind up being harsh on both your hair and scalp, which can strip away natural moisture that is intended to keep your hair soft and shiny.
Furthermore, sulfates can carry hormone-disrupting agents, and many sulfates contain dioxane, which can disrupt proper kidney function.
Preservatives
Preservatives are added to your hair care products and other beauty products to maintain a stable shelf-life. While it may help the products last longer on the store shelves, it is not necessarily helpful for you. Preservatives have a range of toxicity issues for both people and the environment. While parabens are the most commonly known preservatives, the list of potential preservatives in your shampoo also includes:
- Quaternium-15
- DMDM hydantoin
- Imidazolidinyl urea
- Diazolidinyl urea
- Polyoxymethylene urea
- Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
- Bronopol
- Glyoxal
Parabens
Parabens are another well-known no-no in the beauty industry—both among drug store and salon-grade products. Parabens are xenoestrogens, which have a similar composition to hormones in the body and have been thought to disrupt hormones.
Because of the unknown and uncertainty of parabens and the risks they could pose to our health, many people opt to avoid them in their products altogether.
Fragrances
Have you ever noticed that lingering scent that you love so much in your cosmetic products? Unfortunately, phthalates are one of the ingredients that are typically at the root of fragrances, because the U.S. doesn’t really have any regulations for fragrances. These plasticizers are bad news for your health. Phthalates are potential carcinogens and have been linked to endocrine disruption, early puberty in girls, and even asthma among children.
That said, if you love that hint of fragrance in your products, you don’t have to give that up. Companies like VoCe make use of fragrances, but they do so in a safe way by following European regulations.
Additional Toxins
There’s a laundry list of toxins that can be found across the beauty and cosmetics industry that may make you question what you are using in your daily routine. At VoCe, we are helping people become aware that there are better choices on the market and ways you can feel good about the products you are using.
In that vein, we want to give you a truly comprehensive list of everything that you need to look out for. In addition to surfactants, preservatives, and synthetic fragrances, you should avoid these other toxins.
Triclosan
If you have never heard of triclosan, you are not the first. While not as widely talked about as parabens and sulfates, triclosan poses similar risks to your health as xenoestrogens. Triclosan, an antibacterial agent, is often added to personal care products as a preservative.
Triclosan has been linked to many human health issues, including unhealthy weight loss, endocrine abnormalities, and weak immune systems.
Polyethylene Glycol
Polyethylene, also known as PEG, has been classified as a developmental toxicant by the state of California. PEG has been known to interfere with human development and has even been known to be contaminated by dioxane.
What Should You Look For In Your Shampoo?
Time to do the research! You need to look out for yourself—your hair, body, and health depend on better products that will take care of you in the long run. Opt for plant-based, organic, or raw ingredients in the products you choose to use for your beauty regime.
There are amazing products on the market from companies that care about you. At VoCe Haircare, we designed our entire line of hair care products to give you the results you deserve. VoCe is the path to a healthier you, utilizing these main principles in all of our products:
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan friendly
We also believe that non-toxic shampoo is a must and that the ingredients carried in the beauty industry today need to be examined thoroughly before being used on your body.
VoCe Products With The Non-Toxic Ingredients You Deserve
VoCe provides a variety of non-toxic shampoo options for your hair care routine so you can feel good about the choices you make for your body.
The Hydrate Wash Moisture Shampoo utilizes advanced technology that targets moisture-lacking fibers with natural ingredients that help hydrate and lock in the moisture your hair thirsts for.
The Smoothing Wash Shampoo helps tame course, unruly locks by reducing volume and adding shine back into your hair. Natural ingredients deposit oils back in, allowing your hair to relax and rejuvenate.
The Lift It Wash Shampoo helps strip your hair of unwanted build-up while giving you that extra volume your hair deserves. This shampoo uses natural ingredients to stimulate growth and fullness.
In Summary
Being selective in choosing the products that you use every day is imperative to your health. While it may not seem to be affecting your body now, toxic chemicals used day in and day out can have adverse effects that you can’t reverse.
Take time to be vigilant in studying the ingredients on your favorite products or make the switch to a healthier, more conscious approach to beauty. You only have one life to live, and it does not have to include toxic shampoo!
Sources:
http://drbenkim.com/articles/triclosan-products.htm
https://ecologycenter.org/blog/shampoo-what-to-look-for-what-to-avoid/
