There’s an on-going debate about certain ingredients that we should absolutely avoid in our hair care products. It’s taken me months to get to the bottom of it, and my research has been fueled by many emails from my community complaining that “natural” shampoos and conditioners that leave their hair feeling like straw, and don’t condition properly – so what’s a “natural” girl to do? Do we go back to using products filled with ingredients that are supposedly dangerous? Or, do we have to make do with the health store offerings?
So, the first topic to tackle is that of SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) or SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate). As you probably know, there have been Internet rumors circulating for years about how this surfactant/cleanser can cause everything from respiratory failure to cancer. As is often the case with Internet misinformation, both of these claims are untrue, and were started by studies/reports, which have since been revised. There have been no published/cited studies to date that have found SLS to directly cause cancer to humans – phew! So, what’s the big deal then? Why does every “Natural” company avoid it? There are 2 reasons: The first has to do with health, and the second has to do with performance. Let’s deal with health first.
Can SLS or SLES harm my health in anyway? SLS can be a skin irritant, but mainly if it’s left on your skin for too long. I personally find it to be pretty drying, especially to my scalp, so this is one of the reasons I avoid it. There have also been some concerns that SLS & SLES could be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, which is a probable carcinogen. 1.4 dioxane is a by-product of industrial processes, and it can be found in our air, food and water. As is the case with any kind of toxin, it’s the dose that makes the poison, which is why there’s conflicting opinions on whether or not the traces of 1,4 dioxane that could be in your personal care products are negligible. If you want to err on the side of caution, you may want to avoid SLS and SLES for this reason.
Can SLS/SLES make my hair dry? Because SLS is also a foaming agent, much like dish soap, it does a very good job of washing out residue and a build-up of impurities in your hair, but because it’s such a great cleanser, it also may strip your hair of that expensive color-job you’ve just forked out for, and it will certainly strip off that even more expensive smoothing treatment that you may be addicted too. (More on smoothing treatments in a minute).
Why do “natural/organic” shampoos make my hair really dry? I think that”natural” formulations have come a long way in the last 5 years. Many of the formulations that you find in health food stores haven’t got the technology quite right yet, especially when you compare their formulations to high-end salon lines, where they literally HAVE to ensure that clients leave with lustrous, shiny locks. Fortunately there are now a handful of aaaaamazing product lines, that can be found in a few well-stocked health food stores, online, and in some eco friendly hair salons.
The more “natural” lines that work beautifully for me include John Masters – adore his Zinc & Sage Shampoo for my dry scalp, and am obsessed with his Lavender and Avocado Intensive Conditioner. And I love Sircuit Skin’s Liquid Crystal Shampoo – a seriously awesome formulation. Also look out for Onesta.
Hair Dye
I’ve had so many emails from you about hair dye, and your concerns about it causing cancer, so let’s deal with it once and for all. I can find no reliable studies or reports in medical journals that prove that there is any link between the chemicals in hair dye and cancer (bladder or blood cancers included). There has been a lot of misinformation on the Internet about this because of a study that was done years ago, which has since been disproved.
That being said, there are chemicals in hair dye that are known skin senitisers. While this might not sound too awful, it actually can be pretty bad. When a skin sensitizer hits your scalp or your skin, if susceptible, you may experience burning, itching or watery eyes (let this be a big red flag). Because your body has trouble tolerating these chemicals, it launches an immune-response, as in any allergic reaction. This response means that the next time you use these same ingredients, the symptoms might become even worse, and somewhere down the line, you won’t be able to use the product at all. I don’t like to use these ingredients because anything that causes my body to think a foreign invader is at large, gives me a bad feeling – it just can’t be good for me.
These skin sensitising ingredients include:
PPD, PTD and Resercinol.
You might also want to avoid Ammonia because it is harsh on your scalp, your stylist, and the environment, however small amounts of ammonia are not harmful to your health. You should also avoid ethanolamines in hair dye as they could be contaminated with toxic chemcials. There are now a number of great hair dyes that don’t contain these ingredients. I like Eco Colors and Organic Color Curl Hair Systems.
Hair Spray
I don’t even need to research about the harmful chemicals in most regular hairsprays because I can smell them coming out of the can. For 3 days a week, I sit in a makeup trailer and have to deal with waves of toxic spray wafting over in my direction. Too much of it literally makes me feel light-headed, nauseous and dizzy. I always choose natural hair sprays, and love Andalou Naturals Medium Hold Spray, and Philip B Self-Adjusting hair spray.
Hair Straightening Treatments
OMG – they can be soooooo toxic! The one ingredient in personal care that is a KNOWN carcinogen is Formaldehyde, and whichever way you want to spin it, it’s fully present in any of the effective straightening and smoothing treatments. The companies who make these treatments will quibble amount the amount in their product and say that it’s been tested for safety, but I think it’s way too chancy. I’ve tried a number of “green”, formaldehyde-free treatments and they won’t make your hair stick straight for more than a couple of days. Once you’ve washed it out, the frizz creeps back within a couple of weeks. The problem is, you need the formaldehyde to iron it straight – it’s similar to ingredient they use on stay-press clothes – those awful fabrics that stay rigid even after you’ve done everything in your power to crumple them. So, if you want flat, straight hair, you are way safer with a good flat iron, and if you are absolutely wedded to using at least something, try Keragreen.
Styling Products
I love a styling product – ANY product that promises to my naturally frizzy hair into a smooth mane with minimal use of power tools. Most of the more effective serums and gels contain silicones, which deliver that silky feel. Under the umbrella term “Silicones” hides a family of synthetic oils, some of which are harmful to the environment. I prefer to go silicone-free where possible with my hair care products, especially with serums. There are now great alternatives such as Living Proof Satin Hair Serum.
Also, you can very easily DIY-it when it comes to serums. I often just use Argan Oil to tame the frizz – a few drops go a long way, but it is super nourishing for your hair.
In conclusion, if you suffer from any kind of chemical sensitivities, I recommend being very wary of regular hair dye. Now that we can, it’s probably a good idea to go SLS -free because it’s better for your scalp, and the environment. And finally, don’t forget that the other 2 ingredients to be wary of in any hair care product, are Parebens (probable hormone disrupting preservatives,) and synthetic fragrance (always look for a product that is scented with pure essential oils – it should make that very clear on the ingredient list.) If in doubt when you are shopping for a product, don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t get the answers you are looking for on their website.
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