The Chemist Speaks — chemicals RSS

Sulfates Sulfates are commonly found in shampoos because of their highly foaming and detergent abilities. Most of us have been accustomed to thinking that for a shampoo to be good it must have a lot of foam.  Sulfates come in many forms but the most common and harmful is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). Sulfates are known to strip hair of its natural oils and break down the protein its made up of -that's the squeaky clean feel you get after washing your hair- making hair brittle and unhealthy. The Journal of the American College of Toxicology states that sulfates can potentially damage the immune system, causing rashes, dryness and irritation on your scalp.  Cocamide DEA According to the FDA, Cocamide DEA was noted...

At this point, most of us have heard of the few basic ingredients that we shouldn’t put or use on our hair and bodies and I’m sure once you’ve read the title, three immediately  rang off in your head. The reason for this “hyper-sensitivity” is due to the scalps ability to  absorbs nutrients (as well as harmful chemicals, ugh!) when products are placed on it. Have you ever used a product, it worked well, then all of a sudden, it didn't work the same or your hair became more brittle, dry... weak? When products don't contain quality, effective ingredients, they can in the long run, cause harm to your hair and even body. Just like the scalp, the body is also...