Be careful! Choose your shampoo wisely!

What is Shampoo?    

Shampoo is a hair care product that is used for the removal of oils, dirt, skin particles, dandruff, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair. The goal of using shampoo is to remove the unwanted build-up without stripping out so much sebum as to make hair unmanageable.

Do you know what chemicals are

lurking in your shampoo?

Common used ingredients in shampoo

     

  Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

-          Triethanolamine (TEA)

-          Diethanolime (DEA)

-          Monoethanolamine (MEA)

-          Sodium Chloride

-          Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

-          Ammonium chloride

-          Ammonium lauryl sulfate

-          Propylene Glycol

-          Sodium lauryl sulfate

-          Sodium lauroamphoacetate

-          Polysorbate 20

-          Polysorbate 80

-          PEG-150

-          Citric acid

-          Quaternium-15.

-          Polyquaternium-10

-          Di-PPG-2 myreth

WATCH UP: Check it before buying a shampoo!
o Sulfates 
o Parabens 
o Silicons 
o Waxes
o Propylene Glycol
o Drying Alcohols
o Synthetic Fragrances
o Coal Tar
o Formaldehyde 
o DEA, TEA & MEA

Sulfates

You’ve probably heard the buzz about sulfates by now. They are detergents that contribute the great suds to your shampoo. They are also often found in your kitchen and bathroom cleaning products. Ingredients to avoid: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate.

    Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Chemical formula of SLES : C12+2nH25+4nNaO4+nS

Sodium laureth sulfate (sometimes referred to as SLES) is used in cosmetics as a detergent and also to make products bubble and foam. It is a skin, eye and respiratory tract irritant and toxic to aquatic organisms. Although SLS originates from coconuts, the chemical is anything but natural. Depending on manufacturing processes, sodium laureth sulfate may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. The International Agency for Research on Cancer ethylene oxide as a known human carcinogen and 1,4-dioxane as a possible human carcinogen.

Parabens 

These preservatives will improve the shelf life of your shampoo but they may shorten yours. They have the ability to mimic estrogen and some believe they are linked to the rise in breast and testicular cancers.Ingredients to avoid: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben.

Silicons 

Silicons have the great ability to smooth unruly hair but over time, these synthetic polymers can build up on hair and prevent oils and moisture from entering the hair shaft. Which actually causes frizz! Ingredients to avoid: dimethicone, amodimethicone, cyclomethicone.

Waxes 

Waxes are added to shampoos to make them pearlescent. They leave hair feeling well-conditioned, but like silicones, they build up on hair. 
Ingredients to avoid: glycol disterate, stearyl stearate, cetyl palmitate, lauryl palmitate, lanolin.

Propylene Glycol

This moisturizer deters products from melting or freezing. Unfortunately, it is also a known irritant to skin and eyes.
Ingredients to avoid: propylene glycol; 1,2-dihydroxypropane; 2-hydroxypropanol; methyl ethyl glycol.

  Propylene Glycol

Structural formula of Propylene Glycol, C₃H₈O₂

This active ingredient is found in engine coolants and antifreeze, airplane de-icers, tire sealants, rubber cleaners, polyurethane cushions, paints, adhesives, enamels and varnishes, and in many products as a solvent or surfactant.

And guess what? Despite the fact the material safety data sheet warns users to avoid skin contact with propylene glycol as it is a strong skin irritant and can also cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage, it's more than likely in your shampoo. It can also cause allergic reactions and alter skin structure.

 Drying Alcohols

This is confusing because there are moisturizing alcohols, but drying alcohols are often found in shampoos that offer a “deep” cleansing. Ingredients to avoid: isopropyl alcohol, SD alcohol 40, ethanol, denatured alcohol.

Synthetic Fragrances

In addition to just not being very pleasant smelling, synthetic fragrances or perfumes usually indicate the presence of phthalates, a harmful additive. Ingredients to avoid: fragrance.

Coal Tar

This additive is used to treat dandruff, psoriasis, and other scalp conditions. It can cause skin irritation, sun sensitivity, and prolonged use can damage hair follicles. I usually recommend a tea tree shampoo to my those with dry scalps and dandruff.

 
  Formaldehyde

This may come as a surprise, but this known carcinogen is sometimes found in shampoos (especially baby shampoos!) as a preservative and anti-bacterial agent. Ingredients to avoid: quaternium-15, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinly urea, DMDM hydantoin.

DEA, TEA & MEA

Diethanolamine, Triethanolamine, and MonoethanolamineThese ingredients are used to stabilize the pH of shampoos. Not only are they known irritants and common allergens, they also become carcinogenic when they react with nitrates that are also often found in shampoos.

Diethanolamine

Diethanolamine, often abbreviated as DEA or DEOA, is an organic compound with the formula HN(CH₂CH₂OH)₂. DEA is used as a surfactant and a corrosion inhibitor. It is used to remove hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from natural gas.

In a recent FDA report, approximately 42% of all cosmetics were contaminated with NDEA, with shampoos having the highest concentrations. DEA also readily reacts with nitrite preservatives and contaminants to create nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA), a known and potent carcinogen. This is a big problem because DEA seems to block absorption of the nutrient choline, which is vital to brain development. Pregnant women actually require extra choline so they can pass it on to their fetus.    

                                                                                                       Triethanolamine

Triethanolamine (TEA) is an organic compound with the formula C₆H₁₅NO₃. It is used as a PH balancer in personal care products and cosmetics. TEA may convert into nitrosamines which are well-known carcinogens. In addition to its carcinogen attributes, TEA is also an endocrine disruptor. TEA causes dermatitis, asthma, eye irritation, and skin blisters. TEA is a listed chemical on the armed weapons control agreement Chemical Weapons Convention. TEA can be used to make nitrogen mustards.

Sodium Chloride

Better known as table salt, sodium chloride is used as a thickener in shampoos and conditioners containing sodium lauryl sulfate. Sodium chloride may also cause dry and itchy scalp in addition to hair loss. Also, this should be avoided in people who have keratin treatments, as it undoes the benefit faster.

OMG! Side effects of Shampoos:

Oily or dry scalp 

Hair loss

Eye redness and swelling

Skin irritation

Know more about it through Video!

In conclusion, we have to choose the right ingredients that contain in our shampoo. Although the names of ingredients on bottles can be confusing, it's true the right ingredients make all the difference. Rather than paying attention to the names on the bottles, do pay more attention to the ingredients. We shall go for natural and healthy ingredients like glycerin, nuts and seeds oils, panthenol and so on. The best pH for shampoo is 5.5. Ditch all those shampoos that is under or over this pH range. That’s it!

           

Please Love Your Hair~~~~~~ <3

Reference:

Wikipedia(13 Nov 2014)- Shampoo
Wikipedia(3 Sept 2014)- Sodium laureth sulfate
Wikipedia(1 Nov 2014)- Diethanolamine
David Suzuki Foundation- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
June Fakkert, Epoch Times(16 April 2014)- Shampoo Ingredients You Want To Avoid
Moccorro Method Int'l- Your Shampoo May Be Hazardous To Your Healt
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/29/do-you-know-whats-in-your-shampoo.aspx
Mercola(29 July 2010)- Do You Know What's in Your Shampoo
Details(17 April 2013)- The dirt on Shampoo Ingredients: 8 Tips on What to Look For and What to Avoid