While many people appreciate the look and feel of clean and shiny hair, they may be less than thrilled with the potential side effects that may result from using certain shampoo ingredients. The additives that make your shampoo foamy, fragrant, and pleasing to the eye may irritate your skin and even result in serious physical illness. Ironically enough, certain ingredients may even end up damaging your hair, and this explains why chemical free shampoo and natural hair care products in general are becoming increasingly popular with consumers. Knowing what additives to avoid and how you may clean and condition your scalp and hair naturally may leave you looking your best without endangering your health.
The foaming action inherent in many shampoos is due to added ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and triethanolamine (TEA). While these ingredients may not pose much of a health threat on their own, they have been linked to a variety of cancers when mixed with other common shampoo products. Added fragrances, due to the numerous synthetic chemicals that are used in their creation, may best be avoided as well. What is important to remember is that low foaming action or the absence of added fragrance does not mean that your shampoo is less effective. Natural ingredients may simply clean your hair without the visual and otherwise sensory display of shampoos that contain a lot of chemical additives.
Another ingredient to avoid if you are looking for a chemical free shampoo is polyethylene glycol, which is often added to work as a thickening agent. While this may make for a luxurious shampooing experience, polyethylene glycol may strip your skin and hair of its natural moisture. Simply inhaling this chemical may irritate your nose and eyes and even worse, exposure to this additive may put you at a greater risk for kidney or liver damage.
As you are reviewing shampoo labels, another important additive to stay away from is propylene glycol, which is typically included to keep the other shampoo ingredients from freezing as products are shipped or stored. Coming into contact with this highly toxic product may cause side effects ranging from mildly irritated skin to dangerous allergic reactions. Propylene glycol may even alter your skin and cell structure and make it easier for other hazardous chemicals to reach your bloodstream.
Despite all the additives that may be present in shampoo products, the good news is that chemical free shampoo alternatives are more available than ever. While specialty stores have long carried products containing nothing but natural ingredients, many online sites and mass merchandising retailers carry many varieties of effective organic or natural shampoos. As you shop for a shampoo that is free of chemicals, you should still take your hair type into account and select products with ingredients targeted to address your particular hair issues. Salicylic acid will help control dandruff, and many combinations of essential oils, vitamin E, and jojoba oil will help add needed moisture. Selecting a shampoo with as few added chemicals as possible will ensure that getting clean and beautiful hair is not at the expense of your overall health.
