(NaturalNews) All aspects of body care are important as the skin tends to soak up anything you apply to it. This can also be true for the scalp. Many people may be concerned with what they put into their bodies through the food and drinks they consume, but don't consider the skin as an absorbing medium. Aside from the health consequences, there's also appearance considerations as well. Let's face it, healthy skin and hair will show up as beautiful skin and hair. This is why it is important to choose a shampoo and conditioner that will not only be safe to use in the long run, but will also give you attractive results.
Most shampoos sold in conventional stores are filled with toxic synthetic chemicals and fragrances. These ingredients are cheap for the companies who manufacture the products, but are dangerous to the person who uses them. What many people don't realize is that most shampoos and conditioners sold in health food stores and natural hair salons also contain these same toxic ingredients, they may contain fewer of these ingredients, but these products are far from safe either.
One ingredient, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and its other common derivatives, is an industrial strength, toxic chemical and is known to cause hair to thin out. With long term use, it may actually lead to baldness. The funny thing is because of the pervasive advertising atmosphere in this country, and an effective marketing strategy that seeks to make people emotionally attached to a particular brand, people will continue to use the same shampoo long after they start balding. This makes absolutely no sense to the conscientious individual but it's what people are conditioned to do.
With advertising that's been fine tuned to affect the purchasing choice of the typical consumer, there is little incentive for many shampoo companies to include natural, healthier ingredients. But people are becoming much more conscious of the products they buy. And this has lead to a growing industry of healthy, natural plant- and mineral-based hair products.
So without further ado, let's look at a company that makes shampoos and conditioners that bring out the natural shine and "bounce" in a person's hair while containing 100 % natural, non-toxic ingredients. This company is called Aubrey Organics (
http://www.aubrey-organics.com/) . They sell shampoos and conditioners for all hair types: Dry, Oily, Normal, and Special Needs. And within each category is a choice of products that will address an individual's particular hair condition. For example, if your hair is on the Dry side and is Brittle, the Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Shampoo addresses just that and includes ingredients such as Organic Rosa Mosqueta Oil, which is a hair nutrient and moisturizer that improves hair texture; Organic Aloe, which replenishes moisture; and Honeysuckle Oil, which adds a soft, floral scent to your hair.
On the other hand, if your hair is Dry and Frizzy, their Island Naturals Replenishing Shampoo features Jojoba, Mango & Organic Shea Butters, and Organic Coconut Milk. These ingredients, as listed on the label, hydrates and conditions the hair while sealing in moisture and softening hair textures. This shampoo also contains organic aloe vera.
With each shampoo formulated for different hair types, there is a corresponding hair conditioner to enhance the beauty effect desired.
I walked into the health store and picked the Honeysuckle Moisturizing Shampoo for Dry/Brittle hair without knowing about the specific product categories. Now, I've used my fair share of toxic ingredient laden shampoos, before I became savvy about natural alternatives, and I can assure you that this left a certain moisture to my hair that I have never found with synthetic shampoos. Usually with synthetics, even the ones for "dry hair", after rinsing it out, my hair would feel extremely dry and "squeaky" -- not as in "squeaky clean" but "squeaky dry". Which would compel me to use a conditioner to balance out the dryness of my hair.
This was not so for the Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose shampoo. The natural oils in it replenished my hair with lots of natural moisture that I didn't even need to purchase the conditioner. This was only accomplished because of the company using natural, plant based oils and not synthetic or petroleum based "fake" oils. For my case, this worked a little too well since my hair is not Dry/Brittle and is more on the normal side (not too dry, not too oily) and is something I should take into consideration when I purchase my next Aubrey Organics shampoo and conditioner.
The look and feel of beautiful and healthy hair is only, in my opinion, achievable by using all natural hair products, no matter what claims are made by a product's company. This is because humans have evolved from nature and therefore, many of the solutions to health and beauty can be found from natural sources. The body has been built to use the nutrients found in nature as building blocks for healthy skin and hair. And just like what you eat, what you apply to your hair gets absorbed inward and is used to re-build and regenerate your cells.
Here's a short list of common toxic chemicals found in Hair Products to avoid:* Alkylphenol Ethoxylates - Found to reduce sperm count
* Benzene/Benzoic Acid/Benzyl Benzoate - Considered a carcinogen, is an endocrine disruptor, and is suspected to cause birth defects
* Formaldehyde - This is an extreme irritant to the mucous membranes with often destructive effects. It is also considered to be a neurotoxin and carcinogen.
* Fragrances - The label of "Fragrances" can mask a multitude of toxic, synthetic chemicals, many of which suppress the immune system, are endocrine disruptors, and cause cancer. When looking for scented products, make sure it's scented by essential oils -- which are expensive; therefore, companies usually list what essential oils are contained in the product without reverting to the generic term "Fragrances".
* Parabens (Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben) - Increases a person's risk of breast cancer. These class of chemicals are also endocrine disruptors and have been linked to fertility problems.
* Isopropanol/Isopropyl Alcohol - This is a skin irritant that causes flushing, pulse rate fluctuations, dizziness, headaches, and nausea.
* Methylisothiazoline, or MIT - This can cause skin and eye irritation and is known to cause neurological damage.
* Phthalates - This has been linked to damage of the organs -- kidneys, lungs, and liver -- as well as the reproductive system.
* Diethanolamine (DEA) - This chemical interferes with the body's ability to absorb choline which is needed for proper fetal brain development.
* Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) - This leads to organ and neural toxicity. This chemical is a skin, lung, and eye irritant and is suspected to cause cancer.
This is a small list of toxic ingredients allowed in hair products. A general rule of thumb is, if you can't pronounce the name of an ingredient and it doesn't look familiar to you, then it's probably a synthetic chemical. Aubrey Organics' shampoos and conditioners use all natural, vegan ingredients and they do not test on animals. This is a fairly available product found in many supplement shops and health food stores such as WholeFoods and The Vitamin Shoppe. Or you can order online at (
http://www.aubrey-organics.com) . It's up to you whether you want your hair to look healthy and beautiful through nutrients from macadamia nut oils, sweet almond oil, and extracts of Angelica and Horsetail; or look unhealthy and dull from absorbing chemicals such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Parabens, and DEA.
Look beautiful naturally!
References:(
http://www.isisnaturalskincare.com/2006/06/17/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-cause...)
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http://www.aubrey-organics.com/category.aspx?categoryID=120)
(
http://www.purezing.com/living/toxins/living_toxins_dangerousingredients.html)
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoic_acid)
(
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/17382.php)
(
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=706110)
About the author
Natural Beauty Expert and Fashionista, Aria Milan is a passionate researcher in all things that will bring out the natural beauty in people. She practices what she preaches and is always striving to look and feel her best and her goal is to help others do the same. Her philosophy is 'True Beauty comes from Health that radiates from within'.
Aria is currently the editor of an alternative news website called Apollo News Daily, which can be viewed at
www.apollonewsdaily.com .
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