How natural are hair care product ingredients?

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Read labels before using

By Akilah S. Richards, My Salon Scoop writer

Photo credit: iStockphoto

The words "natural" and "organic" are all the rage right now. You see them in just about everything — food, beverages, cosmetics, skin products and hair care. But have you ever given much thought to what they mean?

The term natural is generally defined as meaning not produced or artificially changed. But when you see it on the labels of your favorite hair care products sometimes "natural" isn't natural at all.

According to earth friendly Burt's Bees products Web site, "the term ‘natural' may simply mean that the product contains a synthetic form of a previously natural ingredient after it's been processed."

And the synthetic form of an ingredient may be a company's preferred choice when looking at cost, said Shelley Chapman, hair care product creator of Naturi Beauty Concepts.

"In truth, the hair care industry is profitable, and to keep their bottom line, some companies will use the cheaper version of ‘organic' ingredients by manufacturing ‘in-house, derived ingredients' versus processing more environmentally and health friendly ingredients," she said.

Chapman, whose hair care line contains 95 percent all-natural ingredients, has been making these products since 2004. Among the natural ingredients she uses are hemp, jojoba and coconut oils; aloe, honey and shea butter. All act as natural conditioners and help hair retain moisture, body and shine.

Another ingredient Chapman likes to use is glycerin. This is a natural by-product of the soap-making process. It's a humectant, which means it attracts moisture to the hair. She said it works well in humid climates where moisture is ever-present. However in a dry climate, glycerin can act as a leech and suck moisture out of your hair.

"Its results depend on your hair and where you live," she said. "But one thing is for sure, it always does what it's supposed to — whether that is taking moisture out of the air and putting it into your hair or vice versa."

Photo credit: iStockphoto

One of the main reasons you must read the labels of your hair care products is because of the not-so-natural ingredients that companies also include. A commonly used one in soaps, shampoos, detergents and toothpastes is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or its close relative sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Both are used as a foaming agent although SLES has been found to be less irritating than SLS and safer.

However, there has been much debate about these ingredients and their safety.

According to HealthyChildHealthyWorld.org, "SLES can become contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers to be a probable carcinogen. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration encourages manufacturers to strip out this contaminant. A somewhat stronger cousin of sodium laureth sulfate is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association discourages use of sodium lauryl sulfate in products intended for prolonged use, unless in low concentrations." ¹

Other sites disagree. According Natural-Health-Information-Centre.com, these ingredients are harmful because they allow the entry of toxins into the skin. "In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin."

Tracey Wilder, who along with her husband, Arthur, owns Bee Mine Products, an all-natural line of hair products, encourages her clients to do Web searches on the ingredients of their hair care products.

"You'd be surprised how many words are thrown in (on ingredients lists) to confuse you about what the products contain," Wilder warns.

So, read labels. Get educated about ingredients. Don't assume that when the box screams "natural" the product really is natural and healthy for you. Instead, take an active role in understanding what's good for you, what's dangerous and what's just marketing hype.

Sources:http://healthychild.org/

Tips to help you keep harmful ingredients out of your hair

Wilder suggests removing mineral oils, petroleum and sulfates from your hair care routine, and watch the texture and manageability of your hair change in a few short months.
Chapman cautions to avoid certain ingredients on the label:
- Propylene Glycol — a widely used petroleum derivative that serves as a humectant and also anti-freeze.
- Cetearyl Alcohol — if manufactured, it can have carcinogenic and irritant properties
- Formaldehyde — used to inhibit carcinogenic properties from forming in shampoos, yet, is carcinogenic itself, and also can weaken the immune system
- FD&C Colors — carcinogenic (which means it's a substance or agent causing cancer)

Akilah S. Richards (Execumama) is a metro-Atlanta based author, entrepreneur, freelance writer/editor, and mom blogger. Share with her at www.execumama.com and www.vozvisual.com

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