Hair Products – 5 Synthetic Ingredients To Avoid

In this article I’m going to share with you 5 common synthetic ingredients:

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate - This is a cheap and harsh detergent used in most shampoos for its cleansing and foaming properties. This is usually made from petroleum and is commonly disguised in some products claiming to be natural as “comes from coconuts”. This chemical causes scalp scurf (similar to dandruff), eye irritation, skin rashes and allergic reactions.

PVP/VA Copolymer - This is another petroleum- derived chemical commonly used in hairsprays and styling products. Inhaled particles from this toxic chemical can damage your lungs.

Stearalkonium Chloride – This is an ammonium compound commonly used in hair conditioners. It was developed by the fabric industry as a fabric softener and is used because it is dirt cheap.This product is toxic and causes allergic reactions.

Synthetic Fragrances – You notice on the bottle where it says ‘fragrance’, this indicates a chemical concoction that could contain up to 200 artificial ingredients. The problems caused by these chemicals include: headaches, vomiting, dizziness, rashes and more. Avoid using any products with the word “fragrance” on the label.

Synthetic Colors – You notice on the bottle where it says: FD&C Red No. 7, these are synthetic colors. Synthetic colors are known to be carcinogens and should not be used. That includes synthetic hair dyes, they are very bad for you hair and scalp.

In today’s world of greedy corporations, the only thing that seems to matter is “making a buck”, or billions. Many will do anything to improve their profit margins including adding ingredients that are known toxins, cause cancer, etc. Many babies and young children develop terrible allergies because of these products. With long term use they are damaging and can cause numerous problems including causing cancer.

It is important to educate yourself. There are also many companies that are creating hair products that are wonderful for your hair. Once you make the switch from using chemical-based shampoos and conditioners, within a very short amount of time you will feel the difference. Watch out though, there are many hair products that I see which are labeled organic and still contain toxic ingredients. Some of these same corporations are seeing that there is a market for organic products and are cleverly disguising their cheap chemical products for healthy organic ones.

If you are unable to find chemical-free products in your local grocery store, visit your local health store or buy them online. (You can usually get better prices online as stores have more overhead - employees, rent, etc.)

There is a large selection of natural products to choose from. Remember to always read the labels.