Whatever it is you’re washing out of your hair, you should be careful what you’re using for that washing. Natural hair care products will keep you beautiful naturally!
Many of us often think about and consider the “cleanliness” of our food, increasingly aiming to get organic, non-GMO, and fresh foods. But less often do we consider what we’re using on our bodies, especially when it comes to hair care products. Though hair care products are designed to be on the hair, the ingredients in these products can still seep into our bodies through the skin.
Most, if not all, commercial hair care products contain several chemicals that are harmful to the body and can disrupt hormone function. Let’s look at some of the common ingredients found in popular commercial hair care products and the effects they can have on our bodies.
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate: Can lead to cancer, liver damage, skin rashes, & depression
- Tetra Sodium EDTA: Cancer-causing agent
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- DMDM Hydantoin
- DEA, MEA, or TEA: Strong hormone disruptors
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- PPG-9
- Coloring Agents (Blue, Red): Cancer-causing agent & endocrine disruptor
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- Potassium Sorbate: Causes skin and organ system toxicity
- Phenoxyethanol: Irritates skin, eyes & lungs
- Chemical Fragrances: Clogs the lymphatic system and causes organ system toxicity
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: Eye and skin irritant
- Retinyl Palmitate: Can lead to cancer, infertility & organ system toxicity
- Triclosan: Endocrine and organ disruptor & skin, eye and lung irritant
- Dimethicone: Irritates eyes, skin and lungs
- Polysorbates: Irritates eyes, skin, and lungs and is an endocrine disruptor
- Behentrimonium Chloride: Is an irritant, pro-inflammatory agent & damages the eyes
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) or Propylene Glycol: STRONG carcinogen
- Quaternium 15: Another strong carcinogen and organ system toxin
- Petroleum
There are common ingredients in other commercial hair care products such as hair protectors, hair dyes, and hairspray.
- Cyclopentasiloxane & Cyclomethicone
- Styrene
- Trichloroethylene
- 1,4 Dioxane
- P-phenylenediamine
- Glyceryl Thioglycolate
- Ammonium Persulfate
- Acetone
These ingredients are not always safe, clean, or natural. Though you’re not directly putting these ingredients in your mouth, they’re still entering the body through the skin and even by inhaling their fumes (such as the chemical fragrances). These ingredients then are found in the body where they do just as much harm as if they were found in food.
All of these ingredients will, directly and indirectly, cause harm and damage to the body, from hormone disruption, inflammation, microbiome imbalance, organ system toxicity, tissue irritation, and more.
The important thing to note as well is that it doesn’t take very much of these ingredients to cause some serious problems. Just because you think you’re not eating these ingredients or just because an ingredient might be listed near the end of the ingredient label doesn’t mean that it can’t cause a lot of harm. Consider how often you wash and condition your hair or use hair products. You can see how fast these ingredients can accumulate in your system.
The best option is to choose truly natural, organic, clean products that have a short ingredient list with items that you recognize and can pronounce. Like with food ingredients, if you don’t know what it is or can’t pronounce it, the chances are that it’s not good for you. Fortunately, there are a number of brands that provide truly clean, pure, organic, and natural hair care products that are free from toxic ingredients. You can find natural hair care products at local stores and farmer’s markets. Some people even make their own!
Bottom line: Do yourself a favor and avoid putting toxic ingredients on your skin that will end up in your body. Instead use traditional soaps, essential oils, and other natural ingredients to protect and take care of your hair.
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