What does buying a “Natural” Shampoo really mean.

I made a rookie mistake and I am not a rookie, I have been shopping 100% natural and organic for about 4 years now.  I was busy and rushed, I had to be home within 10 minutes to get my son off the school bus, I was in the Health Food Store and just grabbed what I thought would be a good choice of shampoo.  Boy was I ever wrong!!! The text on the bottle advertises “Herbal, Daily cleansing, herbal extracts to naturally purify and cleanse hair”, there is even Nature right in the product logo. So what exactly did I buy? 

The ingredients are as follows: Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sufonate, Cocamide DEA, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricara) Flower extract, Lavandula Augustifolia (lavender) extract, Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) leaf extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract, Prunus Serotina (wild cherry) bark extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polyquaternium-10, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance.

So what’s not to love? Well the water is obviously fine, and I could find nothing readily available on Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate,  however the Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a synthetic surfactant (an agent that reduces the surface tension of liquids so that the liquid spreads out, rather than collecting in droplets, e.g. a detergent or a drug) that it is known to be a skin and eye irritant; it may cause dermatitis; and may be contaminated with dangerous levels of toxins; it is used as a penetration enhancer.  The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) considers this safe if used as specified, good to know! I had best follow the rinse and repeat instructions carefully for this one. 

Cocamide DEA: Synthetic; skin irritant; may cause contact dermatitis, allergies; may cause formation of carncinogens in products containing nitrogen compounds; CIR panel says its safe as used in rinse-off products and up to 10% concentrations in leave-on products, but should not be used in products that contain nitrosating agents.

The nettle extract is quite benign however even though it is a herb that has some healing and anti-aging properties it may irritate the skin and may not be safe to use while pregnant.

Sage Oil is an essential oil, it is an astringent, antiseptic and disinfectant, and as with the nettle it should be avoided during pregnancy. Also good to avoid apparently if you are epileptic, have high blood pressure. This oil can be toxic if swallowed.

Phenoxyethanol: Synthetic solvent; rose fragrance; eye and skin irritant; non-irritating at 2.2% dilution or less (not sure what amount this product has); can cause contact dermatitis; harmful if absorbed thorough the skin (! its going on my scalp), inhaled or swallowed. CIR says safe as used. 

Disodium EDTA: Synthetic; may cause formation of carcinogens in products containing nitrogen compounds; mucous membrane, eye and skin irritant; may cause asthma, kidney damage: penetration enhancer; CIR says it is safe as used.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine:  synthetic from coconut oil; may cause contact dermatitis, eyelid dermatitis, eczema, cheilitis (redness, swelling, and sometimes pain in the lips); may contain carcinogenic contaminant, nitrosamines (an organic carcinogenic compound found in various foods. Formula: R2NNO); skin sensitizer. CIR Panel says safe as used in rinse-off products, but only in less than or equal to 3% in leave-on products. 

So that was enough for me, I didn’t need to look up the rest of the ingredients. I basically looked up the ones that seemed a little science based and a couple of the ones that “seemed” natural to get a general take on what was in this “natural” shampoo. Much of it seems to be an irritant to either the skin or eyes. This product just reiterates what we already know; that companies can package and label a product “natural” without really needing to apply it to a standard, simply because there isn’t one.  There are no guidelines on what can be sold as a natural product. Natural products are not subject to the same scrutiny as organic products which have to be certified organic and then display a label on the packaging.

And although this product advertises itself as Paraban free, colorant free, alcohol free and pH-balanced, it really doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain any ingredients that I myself would like to avoid rubbing into my scalp for three minutes once a day. 

There are many options out there to avoid all these chemicals; to shop for your best option search the web on toxin free products. To avoid running into these or other nasty chemicals added to your daily cleansing regime take a look at the book “Dying to Look Good” by Christine Hoza Farlow, DC and check the reviews, it’s one to keep in your handbag while shopping.   If I had this the other day on my mad dash to the store I might have avoided an $8.00 mistake.

Get adjusted, Stay healthy – Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at Fontana Chiropractic, Evergreen CO. 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com

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