Shampoo

Soap! A daily essential for anyone and everyone. I can't speak for others, but I’ve never taken a shower and thought; Where is this water going? What is inside my shampoo? Is this healthy? Could my shampoo be affecting my health? I mean who does? It's not a natural thought to have for something that is a part of our hygiene and health routines. But what is really in our soap and how is it affecting the world as the residue runs off our bodies, down the drain, and into the unknown? 

1 | INSIDE SHAMPOO

We have shampoos, conditioners, body washes, hand washes, and much more. All of which make a wonderful combination of smells and cleansing. But what’s really inside these products that make us smell and feel amazing?

Most shampoos and conditioners are actually full of precarious chemicals and ingredients no one would think about. The most common ingredient is Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which is commonly used in cleaning products and insecticides. Now, there is a lot of debate on whether or not this chemical is safe and whether it can be linked to cancer or asthma, but why include it in our everyday products??? Despite this, the chemical has been confirmed to cause skin irritations and eye damage and yet it is still in all the common beauty brands.

Next we have Triclosan, which if you’ve read my previous posts this should sound quite familiar. Triclosan is a harmful pesticide that is commonly found in hygiene products such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Triclosan can be very toxic when mixed with chlorine and is readily absorbed into your body. There is no data that suggest that soaps with triclosan are more efficient than soaps without triclosan. As a result, smaller companies are choosing to opt out of using this potentially harmful chemical. Nevertheless, the big brands we love to buy from have not cut Triclosan out of their list of ingredients.

The last chemical I’d like to point out is Quaternium-15 which is commonly used in mascara, foundation, cleansing pads, and shampoo. Quaternium-15 is an ammonium salt commonly used to preserve hygiene products. It is a formaldehyde releaser that acts as an antimicrobial ingredient in beauty products. Formaldehyde has been found to be concerning as it can irritate the skin, cause respiratory issues, and with enough exposure can be linked to cancer. Again, a potentially harmful chemical that we are using daily...

These are only 3 chemicals of many that hide beneath the price tags of our common shampoos and conditioners. In hindsight they may look like healthy cleansing products but in reality, these products are can be harmful to our bodies and our environment. 

2 | SHAMPOO AND THE PLANET

Now, let's look into how our shampoo affects the planet.

Shampoo mainly harms the environment due to the chemical run off that goes down our drains. As stated in another blog, when Triclosan is exposed to the sun it forms Dioxin which is a very harmful chemical to our environment. Dioxin is a carcinogen that readily disturbs ecosystems and local animals. Dioxin is also listed as a persistent organic pollutant (POP) which means that it takes a very long time to completely break down and remains in our environment for an extended period of time.

Next we have chemicals such as Sulfate. Sulfate is a mutagenic and carcinogenic that also persists in the environment. Sulfates in their raw form are moderately toxic to aquatic animals and ecosystems. Although there is research that suggests sulfates are so diluted in their product form that they are no longer potent when they reach ecosystems and habitats. However, because we have over 300 million people living in the United States with individuals showering 3-4 times a week, the concentration of sulfates in our natural water sources and ecosystems is extremely high.

Lastly, well talk about Methylchloroisothiazolinone… ya don’t worry about pronouncing that.  Methylchloroisothiazolinone is another antimicrobial preservative found in shampoo, sun screens, and cosmetics. In its raw form it has been tested to be moderately toxic to birds and moderately to highly toxic to aquatic animals and ecosystems. There is still research to be done, but it is apparent that this chemical is no friend to our natural world.

4 | ECO ALTERNATIVES

First lets go over what products NOT to buy. Please… please stay away from these top brands; Dove, Degree, Secret, and Suave. They have the worst chemicals, test on animals, and do not have the world’s best interest in mind. Alright, now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about what brands you should buy from!

1. LOVE BEAUTY and PLANET

Love Beauty and Planet, is one of my favorite brands. They have sulfate free hygiene products and use all natural and planet based ingredients. All of their bottles are made from recycled products and they offer shampoo bar options too. They smell absolutely amazing and they are at an amazing low price!!!

2.  ALBA BOTANICA

Alba Botanica is a really great vegetarian brand that encompasses all of my favorite things when it comes to hygiene and beauty products; eco friendly, natral ingredients, low prices, and animal cruelty free! Definitely check them out at your local stores.

3. ALAFFIA

I recently found this brand and I have been in love with it ever since. They offer amazing products that have naturally based ingredients. The hidden gem of this organization is that they are centered around a small town named Togo in West Africa. The organization aims to increase gender equality, education, sustainable living, and fair trade in African Communities. 

5 | CONCLUSION

Ultimately, popular shampoo brands are not as amazing as they seem and some of the hidden chemicals pose a threat to you and our planet. In order to choose a more sustainable way of living we can opt to take a second to think about the brands we are buying from and what ingredients are in the products we are using. I hope you learned something new and make a choice towards a more eco friendly style of living!

Photograph by Max Rivera Patton