Banned Ingredients

If you’re anything like me, the word “haircare” makes you think of Lush and its colorful products. The store’s bright labels and descriptions of ingredients like “fresh cut grass” are a breath of fresh air from the clinical look most other hair brands have adopted. But even if you’re not a fan of the brand, there’s no denying that many other companies have followed suit in terms of offering natural products with more appealing packaging and less disturbing ingredients.

But what exactly do all those fancy words mean? Do they actually do anything for your hair? This blog will help clear up some confusion about what ingredients are bad for your hair—and how to avoid them!

Dangerous Ingredients

Dangerous ingredients are a bit more complicated to avoid than the harmful ones. To keep yourself safe, it’s important to know what these ingredients look like, what they do and if they’re lurking in your shampoo.

• Parabens are preservatives found in personal care products like lotions and cosmetics, but also in some food items like yogurt. They have been shown to mimic estrogen and disrupt hormones—which could lead to cancer. There are many types of parabens that may cause different health problems; however, most people with sensitive skin can tolerate them without problems. Some experts believe that these chemicals lead to other health issues as well, such as asthma or immune system disorders (source).
• Sulfates come from sulfuric acid which is used during manufacturing processes of cleansers and shampoos. They act as foam boosters by cleaning impurities from hair while also stripping away natural oils that protect your scalp’s delicate environment (source). If you use sulfate-based shampoos regularly over time this causes dryness along with increased oil production because your body tries to compensate for the lack of moisture (source). This can lead to dandruff outbreaks or even seborrheic dermatitis if left untreated long enough (source).

Questionable “Natural” Ingredients

You’ve probably heard that “natural” ingredients are better than chemical-based ones. But the truth is, there’s no such thing as a “natural” ingredient — everything is made up of chemicals. So if you’re looking for products with natural ingredients, you need to be careful about how you define your terms.

What does it mean to say an ingredient is “natural”? Do we just mean that it comes from nature? Or do we want to know what part of the plant or animal was used? What parts aren’t allowed? Or maybe it’s enough if they aren’t synthesized by scientists in a lab (but then what about all those chemicals already present in plants as pesticides and toxins?). The confusion goes on…

To help clear things up, here are some clarifications on what makes something “questionable”:

Ingredients You Didn’t Know Are Animal Derived

Did you know that there are animal-derived ingredients in your favorite hair products?

It’s true! And it’s something that even I was surprised to learn.

A lot of the time, animal-derived substances are hidden in products because they’re not considered a “key ingredient,” but the truth is that these little sneaky guys can be present just about anywhere—even in moisturizers and conditioners. That’s right: Your beloved vegan lip balm could contain lanolin, which comes from sheep’s wool, and your luxury shampoo may contain cetyl alcohol (which comes from whale oil).

In fact, one study showed that nearly 80 percent of all personal care items tested contained at least one non-key animal derived ingredient [and] another study revealed how common these hidden ingredients really were in human care products. The researchers found that only 4 percent of companies disclosed their use or avoidance of animal byproducts on their packaging labels; five companies had no mention at all!

Ingredients Linked to Environmental Damage

• Harmful ingredients linked to environmental damage are a problem because they contribute to climate change, which is bad for the whole planet.
• These ingredients include butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (also known as ethoxycinnamate), octocrylene, and oxybenzone. They can be found in many sunscreens and personal care products such as moisturizers and lotions.
• These chemicals are also harmful to sea creatures like coral reefs, which we depend on for food and ocean health. Not only that, but they have been linked with hormone disruption in humans!

Your hair care products should be safe and natural.

Much like the food you eat, the hair care products you use should be free of harmful ingredients. The thing is, it isn’t always easy to tell what’s truly safe and what’s not. For example, many beauty products contain chemicals that can harm your health over time. Some of these chemicals include:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
• Propylene Glycol
• Triclosan