What ingredients to AVOID in your hair products - Part 1.

By now the average reader all knows that the European market is much stricter than the USA when it comes to the ingredients we allow in our products.

The FDA has banned 11 ingredients whilst the EU has banned over 1,000 so when it comes to any hair product I personally make sure I only buy from EU sources to safeguard my health as much as regulation so far allows. Over 80% of the chemical ingredients never even make it onto the ingredients list - scary, huh?

So which ingredients are we talking about that we should avoid? Some are legal, some are advised against, some just aren't allowed...

And is it just a fancy marketing gimmick to make you pay more money for 'healthier' products?

Here we go....

Diethanolamone (DEA) - used to thicken shampoos., conditioner and generally makes a good lather. Links to cancer (tested on rats)...

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, such as: 5-bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, methylene glycol, oxomethane, and quaternium-15 - links to eye problems, allergies, skin sensitisation, rashes, headaches, dizziness, vomiting and long term respiratory problems for users. These are commonly found in straightening or smoothing treatments such as Brazilian Blow dries, some Keratin treatments, Nanoplasty and sometimes the manufacturers dodge the law by knowingly calling their chemical something different or marketing it as 'formaldehyde free' when ingredients actually convert to formaldehyde when used. Be particularly careful where by a product needs heat to be activated, this is usually a good indication that something eyebrow-raising is underway...

Fragrances - strongly linked to allergies and worsening asthma

Mineral oil - leaving a film over hair but can actually be carcinogenic due to its link to petroleum derived from crude oil - dodge that one too if you can unless you can get your hand son cosmetic grade mineral oil which is generally of much less concern. Petrolatum is also of generally lower concern and used to form a protective coating and trap moisture. Be mindful of what can't get out also can't get in...

Parabens - The obvious one. So many products are touted as 'paraben-free'...and why? Different parabens such as methylparaben and propylparaben generally prolong the shelf-life of products but long term are linked to cancers - namely breast cancer. If you are at risk of breast cancer in your personal circumstances it is wise to give this ingredient a wide berth. There are other ingredients we can use to prevent mould and bacteria and we don't need to reach for parabens in this day and age. Be careful also if your product is in a plastic bottle as some parabens can leech from the plastic into your product and then be carried onto your hair, body and scalp.

BPA & BPS - avoid all microplastics and nanoplastics, even if your product says it is BPA free it can still harbour nasty miniscule plastic particles which can block estrogen receptors, mimic estrogen and clog up your liver and kidneys where they should better be naturally excreted out - for good!

Dimethicone - in a nutshell, it's in the silicone family and if you're using it to seal split ends or the wonders they tout this product ingredient for, I'm assuming you have dry ends or damaged hair. Dimethicone seals your hair so the moisture can't get out. Great? Well moisture also can't get in so if you have really dry or damaged hair it's just going to stay there and get further dried out, break further and be an unhappy bunny. And if you aren't using the proper shampoos to get the build-up off your strands, no amount of gorgeous deep conditioning treatments are going to be able to penetrate that unwelcome forceshield you've inadvertently put up. Not only harming your hair but hurting your purse through wasted products. I love natural oils instead - look them up for your hair type!

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphates - can be harsh on sensitive skin, yes. Can be too stripping to your scalp and its vital microbiome, yes. But the larger concern is it's known to be an endocrine disrupter. Your hormones. We have more hormonal hair loss than ever just now, more shampoos than ever with SLS in them....coincidence? Choose an SLS free shampoo.

Phtalates - another endocrine disrupter... definitely a common gripe in todays cosmetics ingredient list...

Maybe not a product as such but try to keep away from products not only in plastic bottles but in cans - the acidity of some products can leech the plastic lining the can into your products which you then put in your scalp. Endocrine disrupters, yep....you guessed right. Try to stick to glass or paper packaging where possible. There are some lovely certified organic shampoo bars out there bustling with expert ingredients we can help you understand.

Another one not strictly a product....your water. Avoid hard water. Avoid water with nasties, metals, toxins and all the stuff you don't want. They can ruin your hair colour, irritate your scalp, and are absorbed in through your epidermis into your blood stream. Invest in a good filter. Test your pH of your water regularly, clean your shower head, use a good purifying shampoo to rid metals and toxins from your sacred locks and keep an eye on waterworks or changes to composition through your water supplier regularly.

There are many many more products we are ALLOWED to use in our cosmetics but have limitations on their use - e.g. salicylic acid

These will be discussed in Part 2 and 3 of this ingredients guide.