What's in your Shower?? Shampoo Ingredients to Avoid
What's in your shower?
Have you taken the time to read the ingredient list on the products you use everyday? Most of the time you will find you can't even pronounce them, let alone begin to know what they are.
I challenge you to begin anew. Go through your shower products, your soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, read the ingredients and choose to make the switch to a more natural product. Start with one if you can't afford to change everything at once, but choose to start. Here are some of the ingredients likely found in your shampoo.
Common Ingredients in Shampoo you should Avoid
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), is a harsh detergent, it is the ingredient in many shampoos that causes that foaming lather we all love. Exposing your hair to this chemical actually strips it of the natural oils your scalp needs to stay healthy.
Polyethelyne Glycol. Also called PEG/Polyethelyne or Polyoxyethelyne, this ingredient is included in shampoos as a thickening agent. It strips hair and skin of their natural moisture. Might be why I always needed to follow up my shampoo with a conditioner when I used bottle shampoo.
Parabens. Used to prolong shelf life of an average hair-care product, parabens like methylparaben and propylparaben are chemicals that are known for their toxic nature. Parabens not only irritate the skin, but they can also affect your hormonal balance.
Alcohol. Almost all hair-care products contain some form of alcohol, which can be drying for your hair.
Synthetic Fragrance or Parfum. This usually represents a complex mixture of dozens of chemicals, none of which are natural. Many people have sensitivities to fragrances and don't even realize it, they can be irritating to the scalp and show up in the form of itchy scalp, redness, etc..
Propylene Glycol. Also known as the antifreeze you put in your car, propylene glycol is a common ingredient in shampoos and other personal care products to keep the product from freezing during shipping and storage. Why would you want this in your shampoo, imagine what it could be doing to your hair and scalp!
Dimethicone. Dimethicone is a synthetic polymer and a form of silicone with two methyl groups attached (hence the name Di-methicone). It is usually used as a surface sealant in skin and hair products to coat surfaces in order to seal in moisture. It is also known to clog pores and seal in oils and bacteria, by not allowing our skin to breathe. As with all of the above chemicals, there are reports of people who react to this silicone derivative, resulting in skin rashes, burning and itching.
This is not a complete list, but should give you enough information to think about. Why would you want to put this kind of stuff in your hair or on your skin?
