After watching Annie Leonard’s The Story of Cosmetics, it made me think about all the chemicals I was exposing myself to through the personal care products I use on a daily basis. So I decided to take a closer look at my shampoo bottle. The front label stated “Enriched with Vitamin E – Professional performance formula”, but what I read on the back made me wonder about the volume of potential poisons I’ve been washing into my hair and the environment. According to Annie’s video, some of the chemicals in my shampoo have been linked to cancer and respiratory illness and some haven’t even been assessed for safety by Cosmetics Ingredient Review board.
Shampoo is filled with chemicals marketed to make hair shiny, voluminous, and clean. However, the way shampoo works may be bad for hair and the environment. Everyday millions of people pour shampoo chemicals down their bathroom drains – chemicals that have a questionable effect on human health and the environment. Fortunately, there are ways to keep hair clean and healthy while also being eco-friendly.
Ingredients to avoid
The following are ingredients you should try to avoid when selecting shampoos and conditioners, this list contains ingredients that dry out your scalp, irritate oil glands, and/or corrode hair follicles:
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfates
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Derivatives of Lauryl Alcohol
- Mureth Sulfate
- Propylene Glycol (Antifreeze)
- Olefin Sulfonate (Deodorized Kerosene)
Choosing a healthy eco-friendly shampoo
The Skin Deep database can help consumers avoid certain products while also finding ones that are healthy to use. For example, Burt’s Bees Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo receives a low hazard score of one out of ten. As a general rule of thumb, stick to shampoos with fewer ingredients and look them up in the database.
Make your own shampoo
Perhaps the most environmentally friendly shampoo is the kind made at home. A homemade shampoo will contain only the ingredients the maker puts in it, and choosing safe effective ingredients is easy to do. An easy recipe consist of baking soda, apple cider vinegar, water. Massage the scalp and hair with a mixture of baking soda and water (1 teaspoon soda per 2 ounces of water). Follow with a conditioning rinse of apple cider vinegar and water (ratio 1:2).
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