What’s in Your Hair Care?
Mar 4th, 2011 | Category: Young Living Product Blog
When it comes to functional natural hair care products, not only is it about how they perform and what’s in them, it’s important to know what’s not in them. In formulating our new Signature Hair Care line we wanted to bring you a natural solution that’s the safest, most effective option available. So we’ve made it a point not to include some of the common ingredients found in most hair care products (listed below) or feature any questionable naming tactics others companies may use to disguise the truth.
Here’s what you won’t find in our new Signature Hair Care line and what we mean when we say full disclosure about our products:
- No Phthalates: Phthalates are a class of chemicals often used in consumer products like shampoos as softening agents. They are commonly listed as DBP or di-n-butyl phthalate and DEP or diethyl phthalate. Phthalates can cause a wide range of adverse health problems including liver, kidney, and lung damage as well as reproductive system and sexual developmental abnormalities. Phthalates are classified as “probable human carcinogens.”
- No Parabens: These chemicals act as preservatives, extending a product’s shelf life by inhibiting bacterial growth. You can find them listed in many cosmetic products as butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, or propylparaben. What causes parabens to be potentially harmful? Their chemical structure is strikingly similar to the hormone estrogen. When paraben-laced products are applied to your skin, they’re absorbed into your body and may be mistaken for estrogen, disrupting the hormonal system. Too much estrogen can cause big problems, including weight gain, fluid retention, and depression. Parabens have been linked to several hormone-related diseases, including breast cancer, abnormal fetal development in pregnant women, and abnormal development of male reproductive systems.
- No Sulfates: Many of the shampoos, hand soaps, shower gels, bath bubbles, and facial cleansers on the market today are made with surfactants. Surfactants are chemicals known as sulfates, along with the bad-for-you trio of related chemicals diethanolamine (DEA), monoethanolamine (MEA), and triethanolamine (TEA). Sulfates are commonly used in shampoos because they help create a thick foamy lather that can feel so good but is not necessarily good for you. The most common sulfates are sodium lauryl ethyl sulfate (SLES), which is a milder, chemically altered version of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Keep an eye out for this ingredient in shampoo and liquid soaps so you can avoid it. In addition, avoid other sulfates such as sodium myreth sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. These ingredients may cause soapy lather but they also cause dry skin, scalp irritation, and hair loss! Even worse, the process of converting SLS into SLES can contaminate the shampoo with dioxane, a human carcinogen.
I realize I’m sharing this with many label savvy consumers, and there are many more potentially harmful ingredients out there than what I’ve touched on here. But there’s more to come, and I’m excited to share how beautifully effective these products are without any of those harmful ingredients.
Our Signature Hair Care line is now available! You’ll want to try both new blends; for an especially soothing home spa experience, try the new Lavender Mint Shampoo in conjunction with the Lavender Bath Shower Gel and Lavender Hand Body Lotion. You’ll have a head to toe treat for your senses, and your hair and skin will love it!
I can’t wait to hear what you think—leave me a comment below!
—Rebecca Jarvis
Product Manager, Essential Care
Tags: essential oil, Essential Oils, Lavender Bath Shower Gel, Lavender Hand Body Lotion, Lavender Mint Shampoo, Natural Hair Care, Young Living, Young Living Essential Oils, Young Living Signature Hair Care
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Article source: http://blog.youngliving.com/product/?p=1105
