| Human beings have always been obsessed with | | | | sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate; pick up any hair |
| their appearance and over the centuries there | | | | product and it is there in spite of the fact that in |
| have also been some extreme steps taken for | | | | high concentrations they harm the skin and hair |
| the sake of beauty like the Greek women who | | | | and cause allergic reactions and is known to |
| used poisonous lead carbonate just to achieve a | | | | damage the protein in children's eyes. Other |
| pale complexion at the cost of their lives! So it is | | | | synthetic surfactants are not only harmful for us |
| no wonder that even in the 21st century we are | | | | but also our environment. The other worrying |
| easily misled by some company's advertisements | | | | ingredient in shampoos is parabens or |
| claiming to make us suave and sophisticated with | | | | preservatives used to extend a product's shelf life |
| just using their shampoos! | | | | by inhibiting growth of bacteria. Parabens are a |
| How can shampoos harm? | | | | cause of concern because it is similar to the |
| The purpose of Shampoo is to clean but not clean | | | | hormone estrogen which has now been |
| so much that hair is robbed of protective oils; | | | | established as the major cause of breast cancer. |
| unfortunately most products available in the | | | | How do we protect ourselves? |
| market today are doing just that. Shampoos clean | | | | Unfortunately for cosmetic products it is up to |
| by using surfactants which consists of two parts- | | | | the consumer to read and research ingredients |
| one is fat soluble or "lipophilic" and the other is | | | | but for a normal person understanding the various |
| water soluble or "hydrophilic"; the lipophilic part | | | | chemical names on the label is no easy task so |
| sticks to oil and dirt and is washed away by the | | | | the alternative is to use only and purely natural or |
| hydrophilic part. Now as long as these surfactants | | | | organic products which perhaps might not be as |
| are organic extracts it is OK but the problem is | | | | cheap as the synthetic products but if you |
| that almost all hair cleaning products have | | | | compare the cost of any treatment which you |
| synthetic surfactants, even some claiming to be | | | | might have to undergo if you unfortunately |
| natural products. | | | | become the victim of any side effects the choice |
| Take for SLS for example which is sodium lauryl | | | | becomes obvious. |