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When your shampoo isn’t working for you anymore, do you dread making your next selection? You’re not alone.
With bottles of every shape, size and color vying to grab your attention, it can be nerve-wracking to narrow it down. In addition to claims on moisturizing, shine and bounce, there is also the concern about health-conscious choices. How do we know which factors are important and which are gimmicks?
Striving to use skin and hair products that are better for our health and environment has gotten easier over time, but it can still be hard to know what labels mean when manufacturers use selective language designed to seduce. Terms like organic, sulfate-free and vegan implore us to select wisely or risk exposing ourselves to, at best, color fade and, at worst, toxic chemicals as we navigate labels that sometimes read like gibberish.
Truly organic products contain no synthetic ingredients. Given that challenge, to create functional products manufacturers may label products as containing organic ingredients if a minimum of 70% of the ingredients are natural and organic. Understanding what is in the other 30% can make a big difference in understanding what we are applying. Here is a reference list of buzzwords to help make shopping easier.
Sulfate-free: Sulfates and surfactants are detergents. Shampoos or cleansing conditioners labeled sulfate-free may contain a derivative of a sulfate and still lather or foam. Products that suggest they’re safe for color-treated hair are less abrasive.
Vegan: Contains no animal product. This is a personal choice as ingredients like honey, lanolin and gelatin are considered helpful natural ingredients that are not vegan.
Cruelty-free: No animals were harmed or used for the purpose of developing any ingredient in the product, either natural or synthetic.
Gluten-free: A great option for those who suffer from celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It’s not a concern for the rest of us. In moderation, hydrolyzed wheat protein is good for strengthening and filling keratin voids.
Paraben-free: Paraben is a preservative used to curb bacterial growth and increase shelf life. Studies link it to hormone disruption in people and environmental concerns. Many companies have committed to removing parabens. Products with natural preservatives like citric acid, grapefruit seed extract and various essential oils may separate or go bad sooner. Discard products that have separated, expired or smell bad.
Alcohol-free: Avoiding alcohol in hair products is tough. Alcohols are associated with drying, but certain forms like cetyl, cetearyl and stearyl alcohols are fatty and are used as surfactants, foam boosters and thickeners. This is one of those hidden detergents on your label.
More potentially toxic or harmful ingredients to avoid are phthalates, triclosan, MEA, DEA, TEA, EDTA, formaldehyde or alternate aldehydes, heavy metals and ammonia.
Organic isn’t really a myth, but it’s certainly complicated. The key is understanding what is on your label, what your product really contains and how those ingredients can impact your hair, skin and health.
A list of Crystal’s favorite natural brands:
Aluram
Surface
Neuma
DesignMe
Davines
Richmond native Crystal Alvis is a licensed cosmetologist, cosmetology instructor and salon owner living in Midlothian. She has contributed to beauty industry trade publications, provided content editing for cosmetology textbooks and written about beauty topics for Richmond magazine for 14 years.
