Surely, you are aware of the growing trend to use natural beauty and hygiene products free of sulfates and parabens, respectful with the environment and with our body. The health of your hair is no exception.
Silicones, sulfates and synthetic parabens are chemical products that usually are added to hair creams or products in order to extend the life of the product, increase the cleaning capacity and generate more foam, among others.
Various studies suggest that the use of common shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products such as hairspray and styling foams, can damage our scalp causing problems such as dryness, itching, excess oil and even eczema.
These reactions are mostly caused by silicones, sulfates and synthetic parabens, which are hidden on the labels after names that we will detail shortly.
What do sulfates, parabens and silicones do to the health of your hair?
The use of silicones, sulfates and synthetic parabens in hair hygiene products is very widespread since they are chemical substances, usually very cheap, on the other hand they do not need to include a large amount to achieve the desired effects and finally They are admitted by the European Legislation that regulates the manufacture of Cosmetics
Sulfates are cleansing agents that produce a lot of foam, but are harmful to our scalp as they irritate it and can even destroy its natural hydration. They are easily distinguished as they carry the word sulfate or sulfate. There are more skin-friendly sulfates with the suffix -eth (eg Sodium Laureth Sulfate).
Parabens are the cosmetic equivalent of insecticides. Chemicals that, added to beauty products, have a preservative effect. Your job is to make the shampoo free of fungi, bacteria or microorganisms. Parabens end in -parabens, -paraben or -paraben (eg Methylparaben or methylparaben).
Silicones have a “smoothing” effect and give hair an apparently healthy appearance. But only apparently, because in reality what they do is adhere to the hair fiber so that moisture, oxygen and the sun cannot pass through its barrier. This means that the hair does not receive what it needs to be healthy and hydrated. Silicones are easily identifiable as they end in –cone, -cona and –conol (eg dimethicone, dimethicone or methiconol).
How do you know if a shampoo has parabens?
Once we know what they are, what are the effects and how they affect the health of your hair, now we will give you some simple tips so that you can detect sulfates, silicones and parabens from the label that you will find in any of these products.
Sulfates are easily distinguished as they carry the word sulfate or sulfate. There are more skin-friendly sulfates with the suffix -eth (eg Sodium Laureth Sulfate).
Parabens end in -parabens, -paraben or -paraben (eg Methylparaben or methylparaben).
Silicones are easily identifiable as they end in –cone, -cona and –conol (eg dimethicone, dimethicone or methiconol).
What natural alternatives are there to traditional shampoo?
The hair cosmetics industry is betting on the creation of more natural and careful products with our hair and with which you will enjoy cleaner hair for longer, without silicones, parabens or harmful sulfates.
Products of vegetable origin, butters and oils (coconut, shea, olive) are being developed that are a perfect substitute for silicones. An alternative to the more harmful sulfates, especially for sensitive skin, is the use of products with sulfates derived from coconut or glycosides (eg Cocoglucoside or Sodium Cocoyl, among others).
There are also softer components of plant origin such as Saponaria or some clays. The alternative to parabens are organic acids and their salts (eg benzoic acid).
What will I notice when switching to a natural shampoo?
You will notice that your shampoo produces less lather, which does not translate into less cleaning. It will take a few washes for your hair to get used to this new type of cleaning, but our clients assure that, after a while, they notice healthier, shinier and definitely cleaner hair for longer.
At Zenia Natural you will find a large selection of cosmetic and hygiene brands, among them, try our range of Biopha products, free of all these harmful substances, natural and respectful of your body and the environment.
If you are interested in this topic and want to know more details about hygiene products free of harmful substances, you can contact us and we will gladly help you.
Improve the health of your hair and you will improve your health.
If you liked the content and you think it might be interesting