What does natural hair care mean? Why should you use natural hair products?
We look at some of the potentially harmful ingredients found in many hair products and suggest some natural product alternatives for you.
When considering natural hair care, it's worth thinking about the potentially harmful ingredients used in many hair products. Foods such as fruit and vegetables can contain traces of pesticides. When you eat them, these chemicals can pass through your body as the toxins they contain are detoxified to varying degrees by your body. It is amazing!
However, toxins absorbed by your skin can bypass this detox process and enter your bloodstream directly. When you use a shampoo or conditioner (or any skincare products), blood vessels, sweat glands, and nerve endings can absorb toxins. Also:
- A hot shower will open the pores in your skin and can make it easier for toxins to be absorbed.
- If you think you can trust the labels on mainstream hair products think again! For example, about half of all the labels examined by the Environmental Working Group had mislabelled ingredients.
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41 online retailers of cosmetics identified by EWG failed to put any ingredients online.
The reality is your shampoo and conditioner may contain harmful ingredients. What can you do? Check your product labels carefully for these terms and avoid:
Propylparaben, Parahydroxybenzoic acid, Parahydroxybenzoate, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Benzyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Methyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Ethyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Propyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Butyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid.
When looking for natural hair care products we recommend you also avoid the following ingredients which are often used;
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Acts as a foaming agent in shampoo, but it is also used in car washes and as a commercial degreaser. It can have a number of potential toxic side effects for your body and also has a number of different names eg sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate. It is well researched.
Linked to carcinogens with the US Food and Drug Administration asking manufacturers to voluntarily limit levels in products. It is still often found at high levels in skincare and hair products.
A recent FDA study suggests around 40% of all cosmetics contain NDEA. Shampoo often has the highest levels. DEA can react with other compounds to produce carcinogens and also block absorption of choline. Choline is important in brain development.
Often found in food with well reported side effects including eg headaches, stomach discomfort, drowsiness. However, it can also be found in shampoo, hidden under other ingredient labels such as glutamic acid!
Used in antifreeze, paints, adhesives, enamels and as a solvent in many products. Although it is recommended skin contact is avoided, it is often found in shampoo! Potential toxic effects include kidney and liver damage.
Natural hair care alternatives
Now you have an understanding of some of the hidden and potentially harmful ingredients often found in hair products. Don't worry, there is another way!
Use our natural haircare range, awarded a 'Best Buy' by Ethical Consumer. Our ingredients are also independently EWG Verified for additional assurance.
We only use plant based, natural ingredients like coconut, water, aloe vera and essential oils. And our 100% pure, cold pressed hair oils such as Argan, Abyssinian and Jojoba are amazing alternatives for hair conditioning or as a pre-conditioning hair treatment.
As always, our Natural Hair Care range is also vegan, cruelty free, plastic free and orangutan friendly - no palm oil or any palm derivatives. Read more about what ingredients we leave out of our natural haircare.
