Warning: What your shampoo' s label won't tell you...
With the tremendous growth of the natural products industry in recent years, it is no wonder that a whole new generation of "all-natural" products, sold at four times the price of their conventional versions, is springing up in neighborhood drug and healthfood stores alike. It used to be that the words "all-natural" were associated with the image of underground, grassroots environmentalism and consumer diligence against mainstream corporate conglomerate product conspiracies. Now, the same phrase has become a mainstream, generic marketing tool for these same industry conglomerates, used as a selling point to imply the wholesomeness of a product and its consumer and environmental friendliness. All this in an effort to tap into the natural products market and its 20% yearly average growth rate. This fact has been made evident in the Clairol commercials for their new herbal "natural" shampoo and bodywash and in the incredible selection of "natural" shampoos, hair dyes, skincare products, e tc. available in any drugstore. These "natural" products are primarily composed of synthetic chemicals, showing the only benefit of containing at the bottom of its listing two or three natural ingredients.
Common-sense comparisons indicate that "natural" products might still contain the potentially harmful chemicals apparent in their conventional versions. According to the FDA, which classifies but does not regulate the cosmetic industry, "Approval by the FDA is not required to market a product in the United States. With the exception of color additives and some prohibited or restricted ingredients (such as hexachlorophene, mercury compounds, and chloroform), cosmetic manufacturers may, on their own responsibility, use essentially any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product without approval". The FDA will only investigate a product and possibly pull it off the shelf if extensive mass consumer complaints and lengthy accumulations of evidence point to its harmfulness, but in many cases, the FDA has failed to take adequate action. Thus, there are many commonly used ingredients in cosmetics today with potential carcinogenic effects which have been so-far overlooked by t he FDA and continue to be used in alarming proportions in daily cosmetic applications, even in "natural" products.
The fact is that there is, according to Aubrey Hampton a chemist and the founder of Aubrey Organics, "no legal definition for 'natural', and a chemist's definition of organic simply requires that the molecule contain carbon". This means in simple terms that there are no legal guidelines and boundaries for manufacturers, controlling the substance of their "all-natural" claims. Thus, "it is all in the wordplay" and so-called "natural" cosmetics can still contain potentially harmful or irritant chemical preservatives, cheap, chemically derived aesthetic and texture enhancing additives, chemically derived sudsing agents, artificial colorants and fragrances. The proof is in the labeling. Most people tend to think that a shampoo bottle whether sold in a healthfood store or not, which costs four times as much as a regular shampoo, with pictures of flowers and the labels "all-natural" and "herbal extracts" in an attractive, earth-tonish, environmentally friendly bottle, is a safe and healthy c hoice for washing hair. Well, one need only read the ingredients of the "natural" shampoo and to compare it to any conventional brand sold in every drugstore.
It is very likely that the ingredients list of the "natural" shampoo will contain one of the following three chemical additives, as do all other regular shampoos, as one of its top three ingredients: DEA or Diethanolamine, Propylene Glycol, SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, and SLES or Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
Diethanolamine or DEA is a common ingredient in shampoos and in bath products. DEA and any combinations of DEA, including the widely used Cocamide DEA has been found to pose a serious health risk to consumers. The dangers of DEA were reported last year on CBS This Morning, in which Dr. Samuel Epstein, M.D. of the University of Illinois and one of the world's foremost toxicologists, testified about the results of his study in which he found that DEA is " a potential carcinogen" and that in even small doses, repeated use of DEA increases the risk of cancer. Further comments by Dr. Epstein criticized regulatory agencies and the cosmetic industry in the US for knowing that DEA "reacts with nitrites in cosmetics to form another potent carcinogen, nitrosos/DEA" and not taking any action to phase out its use although European governments and industries had done so already since the 1980's. This, in addition to the fact that the National Toxicology Program (NTP) has issued a study proving (coa mide and lauramide) DEA cause cancer in laboratory tests.
Propylene glycol, also known as the main TOXIC ingredient in industrial antifreeze, is also a commonly used humectant ingredient that may be used in your shampoo to give it its "glide" and in order to prevent the drying of the product. It usually constitutes 10-20% of a typical cosmetic formulation. The American Academy of Dermatologists, Inc. published a clinical review in January 1991 which implicated propylene glycol as a cause of a significant number of reactions and as a primary irritant to the skin even in low levels of concentrations. Some of its adverse effects include dermatitis, kidney and liver abnormalities and it has been shown to inhibit skin cell growth and damage cell membranes causing rashes, dry skin and surface damage to the skin. This is the result of the effect of propylene glycol which is to repel important components necessary for healthy skin and scalp, including moisturizing water, and to act as a synthetic replacement for the moisture which the body cannot ass imilate. This is the cause of the skin irritations and dryness and other negative reactions associated with PG.
Two other ingredients that commonly find themselves at the top of the list of ingredients of your "natural" shampoo are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its sister chemical Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). SLS is found in 90% of all shampoos and toothpastes and is of the greatest concern to many scientists. It is used so freely by manufacturers as it is a cheap detergent that produces a lot of foam and bubbles which we all equate with cleansing. Sodium Laurel Sulfate is an irritant, and a shampoo containing 15% SLS is mainly tolerable because it comes in contact with the scalp for only a few minutes and it is diluted with water while in use. It is deliberately used in clinical studies to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested. It is a caustic cleaner and corrodes hair follicles and impairs ability to grow hair. It is similar to detergent in dishwashing liquids as it cleans hair so thoroughly, it strips the protective lipids from the surface of the scalp, impeding its ability to regulate moisture, so that in order to manage it you have to pour on a chemical conditioner. A Material Safety Data Sheet which "contains written or printed material concerning a hazardous material as prescribed by law", including information "needed to insure the safety and health of the user at all stages of manufacture, storage, use, and disposal", for SLS reports that it is harmful if inhaled, ingested, left on skin too long, and it poses dangers to the eyes as it can accumulate in the tissues of the eye causing possible cataracts.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is the cause of the greatest concern from scientists and the subject of great controversy. While on one hand, it has been non-carcinogenic by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the Interntional Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there is unveiling evidence that SLS produces a potential carcinogenic effect in your shampoo when it interacts with other nitrogen bearing ingredients to form nitrosamines or nitrates. This is a cause of concern as SLS enters and maintains residual levels in the lungs, liver, and brain from skin contact, causing major problems in these areas.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a milder version of SLS and is commonly used in industrial engine degreasers and in concrete cleansers among others with similar effects as SLS.
A good example of the dangers of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Cocamide DEA is your children's bubble bath. Unlike shampoo, which contains the same foaming chemicals and is essentially the same thing (it produces foam), bubble bath is regulated by the FDA. Bubble bath is defined by the FDA as "any product intended to be added to the bath for the purpose of producing foam and containing a surface active agent serving as a detergent or foaming agent" and produces "risks" which "have been known for some time". Thus, it is required by law to bear the following warning on its label: Caution- Use only as directed. Excessive use or prolonged exposre may cause irritation to skin and urinary tract. Discontinue use if rash, redness, or itching occur. Consult your physician if irritation persists. Keep out of reach of children.
As has been shown and described, there are many harmful substances used in regular, conventional shampoos which have now found their way into "all-natural" shampoos. Every day, new evidence is accumulating about chemicals previously thought of as safe. New research is proclaiming that they may be combining in our body in ways that science and medecine research have still not identified and whose harmful results have still not been "officialized" due to the formalities of the product safety system and due to the lengthiness of testing periods. The result is that many cosmetic products, including "all-natural" shampoos sold today, are not good for the body, skin, and hair. Consumers' best chances today are to keep informed and especially to READ LABELS and ingredient lists. Play it safe: use as many truly natural products as you can.
Check out Uncle Harry's line of Aromatherapy Shampoos with No chemical foaming agents
Why try Uncle Harry's100% Natural Aromatherapy Shampoo?
The Proof is in the ingredients! Just see for yourself...
Ingredients: Castille soap, apple cider vinegar, hemp, lavender, rosemary, tea tree, & eucalyptus oils, burdock root, neem, nettles, and sage.
Uncle Harry's Aromatherapy Shampoo is simple, pure, and effective. Castille liquid soap is the purest, mildest natural soap combined with apple cider vinegar which tones and tightens scalp pores, hemp oil is an excellent moisturizer, lavender, rosemary, tea tree, and eucalyptus oils stimulate blood flow in the scalp which contributes to healthy hair and hair growth. Burdock root, neem, nettles, and sage are all effective conditioners.
Important Notice:
Our shampoo will only suds and work properly in soft water. The reason for this is that when mild alkaline soaps come in contact with hard water, which has a high content of calcium and magnesium, a chemical reaction takes place in which the calcium and magnesium are precipitated on the hair follicles. This is the famous soap scum that can't be rinsed off. It is known also as bathtub ring. The soap scum also remains on your skin even after rinsing, clogging the pores. It can even cause minor skin irritation and itching. It is very difficult to get this mineral deposit off the hair and skin with natural products. To circumvent this problem and to market a shampoo for the mass market, shampoo manufacturers have made hair products with very powerful synthetic alkaline bases and water softening chemicals. These detergent bases, although detrimental to the hair and scalp, do prevent the mineral salts in hard water from precipitating. When making natural products, there are always certain inconveniences. I have made a decision to provide an all-natural shampoo rather than one that has universal convenience and a mass market. There are areas where soft water occurs naturally, or is provided by municipal water sources, and other areas where the water is mildly hard. However, in many areas of the USA, the water is genuinely hard .
The chemical reaction of hard water with our natural shampoo can be easily avoided by wetting your hair with distilled water which can be purchased at any supermarket. Shake the shampoo vigorously. Apply it on hair wetted with distilled water and rinse with distilled water for optimal results or with normal tap water even if it is hard water. As long as you wet your hair with distilled water, no reaction will take place. This will guarantee an excellent result.
Sincerely,
Uncle Harry
References:
- Hampton, Aubrey. Dictionary of cosmetic ingredients. Organica Press.
- Clark, Hulda Regehr. Ph.D., N.D. The cure for all cancers. Promotion Publishing. 1993.
- Wright, Camille S. Shampoo report. Images Intl., Inc.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Asministration. FDA's Cosmetic Handbook.