This article is about your hair and the dangers of shampoo.
Shampoo, you say?
Indeed.
It seems we do not give a lot of thought to taking care of our hair. Often we buy whatever smells nice, whatever is on sale or leave the care of our hair to a professional (who may know how to style your hair, but they are frequently – and often unwittingly – using products that are damaging to your hair).
This article is going to reveal what SHAMpoo is all about.
SHAMpoo.
A few years ago, I realized that shampoo is really just that, a SHAM with a little poo (or BS) mixed in. It is a huge money-maker that does nothing for your hair, but over the long run could actually have detrimental effects on not only your hair, but your body & over-all Health.
After a fair amount of research over the years, I have come to realize the dangers of SHAMpoo and have subsequently stopped using it.
What a huge, wonderful difference it makes!
Let’s get one thing very clear: Do not get not using shampoo confused with not washing your hair.
More on hair washing below.
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Dangers, you say? Come on! This is shampoo where are talking about here!
Now before you laugh and mock; read on.
After reading this document, I urge you to do some further research yourself.
There are references and a dictionary (to get us through the technical bits) at the end.
I have broken down my rant on SHAMpoo into eight parts:
1. SHAMpoo: A Brief History
2. How Does SHAMpoo work?
3. Why Do We Use SHAMpoo?
4. What Is In SHAMpoo & What Are The Dangers?
5. No SHAMpoo? How The Hell Do We Keep Our Noggins Clean & Healthy?
6. Conclusion
7. Dictionary of Terms
8. References
1. SHAMpoo: A Brief History
The word shampoo means to ‘massage’ it comes from the Hindi word champo which means to ‘smear, knead the muscles, massage.’ It was coined in England circa 1760. SHAMpoos as we know them (i.e. synthetic, harsh detergents) have only been used since the about the 1930s. Before that hair washing agents in the west were derived from boiling soap down. And before that, they were derived from plants and other natural ingredients such as herbs. It is my understanding that in the West, both the herbal and boiled down soap versions of shampoo were used.
To understand how SHAMpoo was born in the West, one must understand the history of soap. Soap got its name from ancient Rome. Animals were sacrificed on Mount Sapo. Rain washed a mixture of melted animal fat, or tallow, and wood ashes down into the clay soil along the Tiber River. Women found that this clay mixture made their wash cleaner with much less effort.
By the second century A.D., the Greek physician, Galen, recommended soap for both medicinal and cleansing purposes. Commercial soap-making in the American colonies began in early 1600s with the arrival of soap-makers from England, though soap-making stayed essentially a household chore for many years. Eventually, professional soap-makers began regularly collecting waste fats from households in exchange for soap.
Leave it to the French (and one Belgian) chemists as inventors of modern soap and by default modern SHAMpoo in the West.
These three forefathers of modern soap – and by default modern SHAMpoo – contributed to the chemical basis for cost effective soap.
Their names were:
- Nicholas Leblanc (French. Published 1791).
- Michel Eugene Chevreul (French. Published 1823) and
- Ernest Solvay (Belgian. Published1861).
These scientific discoveries, together with the development of power to operate factories, made soap-making one of America’s fastest-growing industries by the mid -1800s. Its broad availability changed soap from a luxury item to an everyday ‘necessity’. Eventually specialty soaps were made for washing laundry, floors, and just about anything that needed to be cleaned (including hair).
For shampoo this soap was boiled down and used by many to wash their hair, though there were also many of those who used herbal mixes. From ancient times down to the present, shampoo has gone through many changes. Our ancient ancestors made shampoo from herbs & natural ingredients.
As early as 2800 B.C in ancient Babylon, there is evidence from inscriptions on cylinders that soap was made by boiling fats with ash.
Soap and shampoo have come a looooong way.
Recently, the marketing strategy seems to be Let’s get back to Nature.
Visit any department store or shop and we are bombarded with a plethora of SHAMpoos.
We see organic SHAMpoos; herbal SHAMpoos; SHAMpoo made from fruit; etc.
Back to Nature!
The People have spoken and the Money Making Corporations have (ahem) listened!
Hallelujah!
Except that these organic SHAMpoos are still a SHAM for they often have dangerous chemicals in them. They still must use bonding agents, preservatives & foaming agents. A truly organic natural shampoo is one you make yourself. But since it is made out of natural ingredients you must make it all the time. The shelf life of your own home-made shampoo is 3 or 4 days.
More on making your own below.
The Western notion of cleanliness is a dynamic, complex, cultural creation. The Corporation, in order to keep the capital flowing, has devised all kinds of ways to keep the masses thinking they are not clean enough… and that they need to skip off to the shop to buy their products.
The Masses have been Brainwashed. What happened to good ol’ ingenuity?
Mother Nature knows best and has already provided us with ingredients that are more effective, less expensive, healthier and SAFE.
And She has being doing so since Time began.
Who are we to question Her?
The idea of being clean (in the West) has been a slow change indeed. Though the ancient Romans considered cleanliness a social virtue and Jews practiced ritual purity laws involving immersion in water, the early Christians viewed bathing as Hedonistic.
Let’s get nasty for Jesus!
Americans were as filthy as most Europeans before the (American) Civil War, but the Union’s success in controlling disease through hygiene convinced The People that cleanliness was progressive not to mention Patriotic.
2. How Does SHAMpoo work?
Both soap and SHAMpoo contain surfactants. Soap bonds to oils with such affinity that it removes too much if used on hair. SHAMpoo uses a different class of surfactants; balanced to avoid removing too much oil from the hair. But with all the chemicals found in SHAMpoo there are a lot more heinous things being done to our hair – and body – than removing a bit of oil (essential oils that your hair needs anyway!).
Shampoo cleans by stripping sebum from the hair. Sebum is a type of oil secreted by your hair follicles that is readily absorbed by the strands of hair, and forms a protective layer.
Sebum protects the protein structure of hair from damage.
But this ‘protection’ comes at a cost.
It tends to collect dirt, styling products & scalp flakes. Surfactants strip the sebum from the hair shafts and thereby remove the dirt attached to it. The chemical mechanisms that underlie hair cleansing are similar to that of traditional soap. Undamaged hair has a hydrophobic surface to which skin lipids such as sebum stick, but water is initially repelled. The lipids do not come off easily when the hair is rinsed with plain water.
The anionic surfactants substantially reduce the interfacial surface tension and allow for the removal of the sebum from the hair shaft. The non-polar oily materials on the hair shaft are solubilized into the surfactant micelle structures of the SHAMpoo and are removed during rinsing. There is also considerable removal through a surfactant and oil “roll up” effect.
Are you ready for this?
The foamy effect of shampoo is purely aesthetic.
It has NO cleansing properties!
More on this below.
3. Why Do We Use SHAMpoo?
The obvious answer of course is to keep the hair clean.
But does it really?
What are the real reasons we use shampoo? It’s all about big business & convenience, isn’t it? They have convinced us that we are too busy with mundane work such as making soap & shampoo. We have been brainwashed into thinking that we must go to The Shop to purchase all of our necessities.
It’s convenient, we say.
I don’t have time to do it myself, you think.
I don’t know how! we cry.
Meanwhile we are unwittingly washing our bodies & manes with Toxic Chemicals.
Corporations have convinced the Public that if they didn’t make it then it’s not good. Natural medicine, natural healing & natural care for the Body have been deemed ‘quackery’ by The Corporation.
Yet (Ironically? Paradoxically?), these very same companies put “natural” ingredients into their products filled with chemicals. The natural ingredients are shouting at you from the label while the toxic chemicals are written in small print on the back of the bottle, where not even a Chemist might not be able to decipher all the Ingredients.
Why not just use the same Natural ingredients found in commercial products minus the chemicals? I will tell you how to do that later in this article.
Natural ingredients are the bane of corporations because it is hard to tax and make money on them. It is difficult for a corporation to have a patent on anything Natural (so far). So they take derivatives and patent them. Often derivatives are suspect or not very good because they are separated from the Original Source.
That is why willow bark is better for headaches than taking its derivative; acetylsalicylic acid (or aspirin). If the Corporation can’t lobby to make Nature illegal (like they do for Hemp) then they either ignore the benefits of an herb or say it doesn’t work i.e. that the said Remedy is a snake oil, quackery or bullocks.
The sad thing is that your average Person believes the Corporation BS Yarn.
How can your average uninformed person NOT believe?
With billions of dollars spent on advertising a year and with social-psychologists like Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays, the Corporate Media/PR Guru (November 22, 1891 – March 9, 1995) using psychology to get People to buy his clients’ – major corporations –products; it is no wonder the Masses think the way they do.
If you stop buying products that you can make yourself, then you essentially stop supporting the Corporations that support corrupt politicians like the Bush Family, Dick Cheney and the rest of the Evil Them.
It is all connected.
Do it yourself and share your Knowledge with Everyone.
We the People can re-take Control of our bodies.
We can take back the Power from the Powers That Be.
4. What Is In SHAMpoo & What Are The Dangers?
Here is the Crux of this report right here.
Read carefully!
I looked at many SHAMpoo products and basically most have the same ingredients. Even the ‘healthy’ ones that claimed to be organic and have ‘no abrasives’ had chemicals in them that are not good for us.
For you, Dear Reader, I have compiled a list of what is commonly used in most brands of SHAMpoo (and other cosmetics, so check your conditioners, make-up, skin lotion, shaving cream, and yes even your toothpaste! Eeeew!).
Listed below are 59 of the most common ingredients in your shampoo. What is disturbing is that this is not a complete list!
Check the back of everything you buy. Make a copy of this list and bring it with you next time you go shopping to see if these ingredients are in what you want to purchase. Though I implore you to make your own like I do; it is safer, fresher and actually enhances your Well Being.
Go Natural, baby!
Details on how to do this are listed below.
Please note that next to many of the chemicals that are in your SHAMpoo, I have added the ‘international chemical hazard symbol’ [X] which indicates that there is a potential risk associated with this ingredient.
It could be a mild irritant; cause allergic reactions or adverse skin reactions.
Oh, and it could be potentially toxic or carcinogenic.
There may be a risk of contamination with harmful by-products which are formed during manufacture. It could also indicate that there are restrictions on the use of the ingredient.
The omission of this symbol does not imply that an ingredient is safe for all individuals. The chemicals that go into SHAMpoo are not good for the Environment. They pollute our water and add to the corrosion of our sensitive Ecosystems which Corporations and the Governments they control insist on destroying.
If the ingredients are the key part of the product they are usually listed first on your product.
Numbers in red are in most SHAMpoo products and are extremely toxic.
If you see a TOP next to the ingredient, this means it is generally found in the top five ingredients of the product.
Be sure to read Ingredient Number 59 at the end of this list!
THE LIST
1. Acrylates [X]
Used in Hand / Dish soap and SHAMpoo. Salts or esters of acrylic acid used as thickening agents and is in nail polishes. Strong irritant.
2. Acrylates copolymer [X]
Ingredient used in styling products to add body, provide hold and protect hair from humidity
3. Alcohol [X]
A group of compounds that includes ethanol, methanol, and others. Acts as carrying and antifoaming agent as well as a water and oil solvent. It dries quickly, and if synthetically produced is carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic and can cause adverse reactions. Prepared by the fermentation of carbohydrates or synthetically from petroleum. Solvent.
4. Ammonium Laureth Sulfate [X] TOP
Synthetic detergent. A surfactant used in SHAMpoo, bubble baths, hand wash, dishwashing liquid. Detergent.
*May be contaminated with carcinogenic nitrosamines.
5. Babassuamidopropalkonium Chloride
Semi-synthetic compound derived from babassu oil. Antistatic agent.
6. Benzyl Alcohol [X]
Synthetic alcohol derived from petroleum or coal tar. Preservative / Solvent / Fragrance.
7. Butylene Glycol
Synthetic compound. Humectant / Solvent
8. Calendula Officinalis [X]
Oils obtained from Calendula officinalis or Garden Marigold, a plant of the daisy (Compositae) family. Emollient / Moisturizer.
9. Caramel
Obtained by the controlled heat treatment of various sugars or by treating the sugars with food-grade acids, alkalis, or salts. Anti-foaming agents may be present as impurities of manufacture. Brown Colorant
10. Cetearyl Alcohol [X]
Semi-synthetic compound derived from fatty acids. Emollient / Moisturiser / Emulsifier / Emulsion/ stabiliser / Opacifier / Viscosity adjuster.
11. Chamomilla Recutita [X]
Oils obtained from Matricaria recutita or Scented Mayweed, a short, flowering plant of the Compositae family (also includes daisy; dandelion; goldenrod; marigold; lettuces; ragweed; sunflower; thistle; zinnia) This ingredient is often mistaken for Chamomile extract. Emollient / Moisturiser.
12. Citric Acid [X]
Natural extract of citrus fruits. pH control / Chelating agent / Exfoliating agent.
13. Cocamide MEA [X]
same functions as 10. Cetearyl Alcohol
14. Cocamide MIPA [X]
same functions as 10.Cetearyl Alcohol
15. Cocamidopropyl Betaine [X] TOP
Semisynthetic compound derived from coconut oils. Surfactant.
16. Coconut Acid [X] TOP
Fatty acids obtained from coconut oil. Emollient / Moisturiser / Emulsifier / Surfactant.
17. Dimethicone [X]
Synthetic silicone polymer. Antifoaming agent / Emollient / Moisturiser.
18. Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate TOP
Synthetic compound derived from fatty acids obtained from coconut oil. Surfactant.
19. Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate [X]
Synthetic compound derived from fatty acids and ethylene oxide. Surfactant.
20. EDTA [X]
An artificial chemical that is used as an antioxidant and as a complexing agent in SHAMpoos, which means that it binds metallic irons so that the surfactants can work more effectively.
*Potential for causing contact dermatitis.
21. Ethoxylated surfactants [X]
Widely used in cosmetics as foaming agents, emulsifiers and humectants. As part of the manufacturing process the toxic chemical 1.4-dioxane, a potent carcinogen, is generated.
On the label, they are identified by the prefix “PEG”, “polyethylene”, “polyethylene glycol”, “polyoxyethylene”, “-eth-“, or “-oxynol-“. *
(See numbers 39, 40 and 41)
22. Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid [X]
Synthetic compound. Chelating agent. When handling this chemical in the warehouse one must observe the following guidelines: Sweep spilled substance into containers. Carefully collect remainder, and then remove to safe place. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment (extra personal protection: self-contained breathing apparatus) The substance is harmful to aquatic organisms. The substance irritates the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract.
*The substance may cause effects on the kidneys.
23. Fragrance [X]
A combination of mainly artificial chemicals, typically 50 to 100, used to impart a fragrance. Fragrance.
24. Glycerin (also spelt Glycerine or Glycerol) [X] TOP
A naturally occurring compound that can be processed from natural fats and oils of plant or animal origin. It is a by-product of the soap manufacturing industry. Denaturant / Humectant / Solvent.
25. Glycine
A naturally occurring amino acid obtained from various proteins or it can be easily and cheaply prepared artificially. Antistatic agent/ pH control.
26. Glycine Soja
Various extracts and derivative of soya beans, including soya bean flour, soya bean oil and proteins and amino acid obtained from Soja hispida, a member of the pea (Leguminosae) family. This may be genetically modidfied or contaminated with GM material. Botanical additive / Emollient / Moisturiser.
27. Glycol [X]
A synthetic compound made from petroleum and used as antifreeze in cars because it’s also resistance to freezing. Solvent.
*NOTE: This name and its cousins are running rife in the world of cleaning products and personal-care items. Glycol is in countless cleansers, liquid soaps, SHAMpoos, conditioners, hair coloring products, lotions and many baby-care products. Glycols are alcohols that serve many purposes in manufacturing, thanks to their emulsifying and moisturizing properties and their ability to impart a desirable “pearled” appearance to cosmetics.
Ethylene glycol, by any other name, is antifreeze.
Look at the glowing color of the stuff. Who would want to touch it to their skin?
28. Glycol Distearate TOP
Synthetic compound derived from glycol (from petroleum) and fatty acids. Emollient/Moisturiser/Emulsifier/Opacifier/Viscosity adjuster.
29. Hyaluronic Acid
Obtained from skin tissue and from the synovial fluid that surrounds the joins in animal skeletons where it acts as a lubricant.
Humectant / Lubricant / Antistatic agent / Humectant.
30. Hydrolyzed Conchiorin
Protein. Alternative spelling, Conchiolin, this is a fibrous protein found in the shells of oysters, which is broken down by enzymes or by treatment with acids or alkalis. Biological additive.
31. Hypericum Extract
Obtained from Hypericum perforatum or Perforate St. John’s Wort, a member of the St. John’s Wort (Hypericaceae) family. Botanical additive.
32. Lauramidopropyl betaine
A synthetic compound obtained by the extensive chemical modification of lauric acid, a natural fatty acid. Antistatic agent / Surfactant
*(See also Quaternary ammonium compounds).
33. Laureth-3 [X]
A synthetic compound obtained by the extensive chemical modification of lauric acid, a natural fatty acid, and oxirane (ethylene oxide). Emulsifier / Surfactant.
34. Laureth-4 [X]
same def as 33 Emulsifier / Surfactant.
35. Laureth-16 [X]
same def as 33 Emulsifier.
36. Parabens [X] a group of closely related chemicals which are ‘esters’ of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. They are used widely as preservatives by inhibiting the growth of organisms for cosmetics, foods and drugs. As different esters inhibit different organisms, they are often used as a combination of different esters. Paraben mix sensitivity produces classic allergic contact dermatitis reactions. Sometimes it may be seen as a flare or spread of an existing treated rash. Paraben allergic hypersensitivity is not uncommon although rare in relation to its widespread use. It appears that repeated applications of relatively low concentrations of Parabens in medications and cosmetics may lead to sensitivity.
The most commonly used Parabens are methylparaben, ethylparaben, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, propylparaben and butylparaben. Parabens sensitivity is usually caused by medicaments used to treat eczema. Parabens are found in many Pharmaceutical preparations as well.
37. Parfum
A mixture of fragrance compounds, usually of synthetic origin. This is the most concentrated form of synthetically prepared fragrance. Fragrance
38. PEG Compounds (4-200) [X]
(polyethylene glycol or polymers of ethylene oxide) a solvent, emulsifier, bases, carriers, and dispersants. A manufacturing by-product. Dangerous levels of the toxin dioxane has been found in this product. Many allergic reactions, as well as hives and eczema are known to occur from these synthetic plant glycols. Artificial. Solvent.
39. PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate [X]
Toxic to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity. Regulatory Links to world-wide registration status as well as regulatory information for the U.S. and California. Ecotoxicity Toxicity to aquatic organisms. (see number 40).
40. PEG Polyethylene glycol [X]
These compounds have not received a lot of attention from consumer watchdog groups. They should. This family of synthetic chemicals functions in cosmetic formulations as surfactants, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, skin conditioners, and humectants. Many cosmetic manufacturers rely on them extensively and are getting away with what is believed to be a conspiracy of negligence. PEG compounds often contain small amounts of ethylene oxide.
*According to experimental results reported on in the National Toxicology Program’s Eighth Annual Report on Carcinogens, ethylene oxide increases the incidences of uterine and breast cancers and of leukemia and brain cancer. OUCH!
41. Polysorbates Fatty Acid Esters.
Used in many cosmetics as emulsifiers. Polysorbates are assigned different numerical values according to their formulas and whether they’re intended to be used in foods or cosmetics.
42. Polysorbate 20 Synthetic
Compound derived from sorbitan, which can be manufactured by chemically modifying glucose. Emulsifier / Surfactant / Viscosity adjuster.
43. Polyquaternium
Found in particular application in conditioners, SHAMpoo, mousse, hair spray, and hair dye. Because they are positively charged, they neutralize the negative charges of most SHAMpoo and hair proteins and help hair lay flat. Their positive charges also ionically bond them to hair and skin. Followed by any number they are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic and cause adverse reactions.
*Induced contact dermatitis, causes fatal drug allergy (anaphylactic shock).
*May cause increased sensitivity to muscle relaxants.
44. Polyquaternium-7
A synthetic cationic (positively electrically charged) polymer derived from nitrogen-containing organic compounds. Antistatic agent / Film former.
45. Polyquaternium-10
A synthetic cationic (positively electrically charged) polymer derived from nitrogen-containing organic compounds. Antistatic agent / Film former.
46. Potassium Cocoate TOP
A mixture of soap-like substances derived from fatty acids obtained from coconut oil. Emulsifier / Surfactant.
47. Potassium Hydroxide Synthetic
compound that is strongly alkaline. An emulsifier buffer found SHAMpoo, liquid soap, hand lotion, cuticle removers, household cleaners, button batteries. pH control.
48. Potassium Sorbate
The potassium salt of sorbic acid, a natural acid found in the berries of the mountain ash. Preservative.
49. Propylene Glycol [X]
Synthetic compound derived from petroleum. Humectant / Solvent.
50. Quaternary ammonium compounds [X]
A synthetic compound obtained by the extensive chemical modification of lauric acid, a natural fatty acid. The substance is very toxic to aquatic organisms. Used as water repellents, fungicides, emulsifiers, paper and fabric softeners, antistatic agents, and corrosion inhibitors. Their use in cleaners & laundry fabric softeners, aerosol deodorants, aftershave lotions, anti-dandruff and regular SHAMpoos, hair colorings, mouthwashes, hand creams… just to name a few. Comes from the paper and fabric industries. Eye & skin irritants. Concentrations as low as 0.1 percent are irritating to the eye & mucous membranes. Antistatic agent/Surfactant.
*Ingestion can be fatal.
51. Sodium Benzoate [X] TOP
Synthetic compound derived from benzoic acid. Preservative.
52. Sodium Chloride TOP
Extracted from the sea or from underground salt deposits. Viscosity adjuster/Astringent/Isotonic control.
53. Sodium Coceth Sulfate [X]
A semisynthetic detergent-like compound derived from fatty acids obtained from coconut oil, modified using ethylene oxide (oxirane). Surfactant.
54. Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate TOP
A synthetic compound derived from petroleum or coconut oils. Surfactant
55. Sodium Hydroxide [X]
Synthetic compound that is strongly alkaline (caustic soda). pH control /Denaturant
56. Sodium Lactate
The sodium salt of lactic acid which is obtained from milk products. pH control / Humectant
57. Steareth-20 (or 21)
This is a Polyethoxylated Alcohol, which is a fatty alcohol derived from natural oils and fats and is known by its INCI name, Steareth-20. This is a simple and effective emulsifyer. It binds oils and water together to form an emulsion and is essential in the manufacture of lotions and creams. It is not a combination of products and does not contain any thickening agent.
Used on it’s own it will effectively make light lotions and creams, the texture of which will rely on the saturation of the oil/s used. It is one of several ingredients within Emulsifying Wax NF, which is widely quoted as being the most popular emulsifying wax for crafters.
The problem with this is that NF means National Formulary and it refers to American standard formula.
It is not recognized in Britain or Europe and so has to be imported, which can be expensive and is unnecessary.
58. Steareth-2,-4,-7,-10, 20,-30 59. Toluenesulfonic acid [X]
Used for acid-catalyst reaction such as estification, hydrolysis, dehydration, polymerization and alkylation as a catalyst.
- As hardener of many resin systems, such as resoles, epoxies, amino-Plastics and furniture lacquers.
- As intermediate of dye chemistry, adhesives and specialized plasticizers.
- 4. As a hardening agent of furan resin which is applied in foundry Industry (Sand Casting).
- As an anti-stress additive for electroplating baths.
WARNING:
Serious local effects by all routes of exposure. The substance is corrosive to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract. Corrosive on ingestion. Inhalation of aerosol may cause lung oedema. Medical observation is indicated.
59. Sodium Laureth Sulfate & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate [X] TOP
Read this one carefully!
I SAVED THIS ONE FOR LAST. Also known as SLES & SLS, both these chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants. It is probably the most dangerous ingredient used in skin and hair-care products. Cleans by corrosion. Dries skin by stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can’t effectively regulate moisture.
In the cleaning industry SLS is used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, car-wash soaps, etc. It is very corrosive and readily attacks greasy surfaces. In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, SLES also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin. SLS is used throughout the world for clinical testing as a primary skin irritant.
Laboratories use it to irritate skin on test animals and humans so that they may then test healing agents to see how effective they are on the irritated skin.
WARNING: Both SLS and its cousin SLES are very dangerous, highly irritating chemicals. A study at the University of Georgia Medical College indicated that SLS penetrated into the eyes as well as brain, heart, liver, etc., and showed long-term retention in the tissues. The study also indicated that SLS penetrated young children’s eyes and prevented them from developing properly and caused cataracts to develop in adults.
*May cause hair loss by attacking the follicle. It is classified as a drug in bubble baths because it eats away skin protection and causes rashes and infection to occur. How ironic that it is harmful to skin and hair!
Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than SLS, it cannot be metabolized by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting (this not only means it stays in the body tissues for longer, but much more precious energy is used getting rid of it).
Another report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations of SLS as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation.
National Institutes of Health “Household Products Directory” of chemical ingredients lists over 80 products that contain SLS and SLES. Some soaps have concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called “highly irritating and dangerous”. So if SLS can lead to direct damage to the hair follicle, skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity, then why is a dangerous chemical like these used in our soaps and SHAMpoos?
Simple.
Because it’s inexpensive and Korporations do not care about you. They care about their bottom line. They care about profit. You are the means to obtain that profit. And they will cut corners to cut down cost and the expense of your Health.
Not to mention that the Powers That Be do not want a healthy, informed, population, they are harder to control!
SLS and SLES are inexpensive detergents that are commonly used in other products besides SHAMpoo.
Here’s a list:
~soaps, bubble-baths, toothpaste, washing-up liquid/dish soap, laundry detergent, children soaps, stain remover, carpet cleaner, fabric glue, body wash, shave cream, mascara, mouthwash, skin cleanser, moisture lotion/moisturizer, sun-cream, cosmetic cleansers, bath and shower gels and other products that we expect to “foam up”.
Look on the back of your product. If it contains this chemical, get rid of it, you will be doing your hair and body a favor.
Remember, the foamy effect of shampoo is purely aesthetic.
It has NO cleansing properties.
There you have it.
Listed here are just a fraction of the chemicals found in your SHAMpoo. We have also learned that many of these chemicals are in other products that you are using. Check the back of your product and see if these chemicals are listed. If so, it is time to get rid of them. I have presented the problems here, and now for a few solutions…
5. No SHAMpoo? How The Hell Do We Keep Our Noggins Clean & Healthy?
Many people are fooled into buying shampoos that are ‘aloe enriched’ or have watermelon or lemon in them… the problem is that these ‘natural’ shampoos still need preservatives to keep them from going bad, and have other chemicals needed to make the product foam up.
We have been duped that if it does not foam up, it does not clean… total BS… re-read above how and why your shampoo and soap foam up (see chemical number 59).
I decided a few years ago to make my own shampoo. I did a little research on natural cleansing agents and I was on my way. I have been washing my hair & body the Natural Way.
I use aloe-vera as a base (Aloe-Vera is a succulent member of the lily&onion family). Aloe is a time-proven healer & cleanser. Even big companies know the positive effects of aloe on the hair and skin; that is why they put it in their products.
The problem of course is the positive attributes of aloe-vera are diminished with the other toxic ingredients that are also added.
Generally, every couple of weeks or as needed, I use a vinegar/aloe mix to wash my hair.
Every couple of weeks I use a Home-made Natural Conditioning Mix (recipe below).
For convenience and because I have always wanted to name something after myself, let’s call this the Boston Paul Remedy or BPR. 😉
Here is how I make my conditioning shampoo:
- Get a blender throw in washed aloe. I keep the skins of the aloe on and blend them up too (though the jelly part of the aloe is healthy and good for your digestive system… do NOT eat the skins!).
- Then I take the skins from whatever homemade juice I made myself that morning such as lemon, orange, watermelon rind etc.
- Wash them and cut them up and with a little rosemary
- Throw it all into the blender.
*Rosemary is believed to stimulate hair follicles and hair growth.
* Rosemary is generally believed to slow down or even permanently hold off premature hair loss & gray hair.
*It is especially beneficial when mixed with basil, bergamot, juniper, lemon and cedar.
- Add small amounts of water slowly until you get a fine consistency.
I make this mix a few times a month.
I usually skip a day between washings. Of course it depends on what kind of busy day I have had. Youwill find that after you stop using SHAMpoo, your hair will not get greasy. When you shower, scrub your scalp with your fingernails. Towel dry hair and brush.
Every other week, I add a small amount of vinegar to the mix.
I keep my shampoo in the fridge until needed.
I blend all this with filtered or distilled water.
It is fun and feel free to experiment. I also wash the rest of my body with this mix as well…
NOTES: Before you shower, use a firm brush on your scalp and head for a few minutes. When you hop in the shower take your BPR and apply generously to your hair and scalp. Work it in. Let it sit in your hair while you perform the rest of your routine. I leave it in for about 5 minutes. Take a comb and comb it out slowly while you are in the shower. Rinse well and you can repeat.
Let your hair dry naturally the way humans have right up until 1920 when the hair dryer was invented (though it wouldn’t be until the 60s when they became widely available and common place).
Blow drying is terrible for your hair.
Be sure to brush your hair a few times a day. It feels good and it is good for a healthy scalp.
$AVING$:
If you do the math, you will be making out like a Bandit.
How much does the average bottle of SHAMpoopoo – and all the other hair care products you may use – cost? How much do you make an hour? How long does it take to make your own and what are the costs? You will see that 15 minutes once or twice a week is cost effective and over the long run will save you money and could save your health. The mixes that I make last a few days.
My hair is soft, clean, smells great and most importantly (listen up men) fall out has decreased dramatically.
No preservatives; no chemicals. The BPR for hair is not limited to the few simple ingredients I have listed, but it is good to keep aloe as your base. You can try new mixes using some of the other ingredients I have listed here.
Drop me a line and et me know how you fare!
I would love to hear about your experiment results.
Leave your comments below!
Traditionally, herbs such as neem, shikakai or soapnut, henna, bael, brahmi, fenugreek, buttermilk, amla, and almond have also been used in natural shampoos.
It feels good to be healthy, doesn’t it?
Hair conditioners have many of the chemicals that SHAMpoo has. Bonding agents, mulsifyers, fragrant chemicals that are not made from what they are supposed to smell like.
Try these natural remedies instead:
Olive Oil – Put the moisture back into it by warming up about a 1/2 cup olive oil (don’t boil it), and then applying it to your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic grocery bag, and then wrap it in a towel. Let it set for 45 minutes or so, then rinse thoroughly with the BPR Vinegar rinse.
Want to put the life back into your limp or damaged hair? Combine 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 egg whites. Rub the mixture into your hair, then keep it covered for 30 minutes using plastic wrap or a shower cap then wash with the BPR.
Coconut Oil – a natural moisturizer. Use once or twice a month for soft shiny hair! Take a table spoon scoop put into a glass jar pour a little bit of warm water and shake. Pour on head, work through hair and scalp then wash out. Towel dry hair then brush.
Baking Soda – A thorough cleansing with baking soda at least once a week will wash all of the gunk and pollution from a drive through the city out of your hair. Add 1 tablespoon of soda to your hair while shampooing. In addition to removing all the chemicals you put in your hair, it will wash away water impurities.
Beer – Before you get into the shower, mix 3 tablespoons beer in 1/2 cup warm water. After you shampoo your hair, rub in the solution, let it set for a couple of minutes, then rinse it off. Results are wonderful. You may want to keep a six-pack in your shower.
6. Conclusion
With all these chemicals that we put on our body and that we ingest everyday unwittingly… Think for a moment; when you are in your 50s, 60s, or 70s, and you have a disease or liver failure or some kind of cancer…
…is it entirely possible that these toxic chemicals – over a period of time – could have contributed to that?
Is it possible that when the doctor says, I don’t know what is wrong with you, I am sorry, you are going to die soon, this may have been prevented?
The Corporations want Power and money gives them that Power… they govern the governments and they DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU.
In school we learn basic skills and how to obey. This makes us into nice, little, behaved slaves that will ‘keep the economy going’ in the future… but we don’t learn about our bodies and how we should take care of them.
Through Public Education (i.e. Indoctrination) we are taught a whitewashed history (the winners rewrite history and the losers never have a Voice).
We are taught to obey. We are conditioned to eat when we’re told to; pee & poo when we’re told to; play when told to, share ideas when told to (often squelched when not conforming to the status quo).
In Public Schools we are conditioned. Our Learning Environment is within the confines of four walls & bright lights. We are seated in rows.
It makes perfect sense actually.
How else could they get anyone in their right mind to work in an office from 9 – 5?
This is where we get the concept WENT POSTAL from.
Think about it.
Keep your mind strong for Knowledge is Power.
Keep your body strong, it is the only one you got and you might need it to Fight for your Liberty in the future…
Be Healthy & Wise…
Peace & 1LUV
7. Dictionary of Terms
Here are a few words you might need to know from the reading:
• Anioic – a negatively charged ion, especially one that is attracted to an anode, either during electrolysis or within a vacuum tube
• Antistatic agent – A compound used for treatment of materials or their surfaces in order to reduce or eliminate buildup of static electricity generally caused by the triboelectric effect. Its role is to make the surface or the material itself slightly conductive, either by being conductive itself, or by absorbing moisture from the air, so some humectants can be used. The molecules of an antistatic agent often have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas, similar to those of a surfactant; the hydrophobic side interacts with the surface of the material, while the hydrophilic side interacts with the air moisture and binds the water molecules.
• Chelating agents – Certain organic compounds capable of forming coordinate bonds with metals through two or more atoms of the organic compound. In other words; a bonding agent
• Denaturation – The destruction of the usual nature of a substance, as by the addition of methanol or acetone to alcohol to render it unfit for drinking, or the change in the physical properties of a substance, as a protein or nucleic acid, caused by heat or certain chemicals that alter tertiary structure.
• Dispersants – A liquid or gas added to a mixture to promote dispersion or to maintain dispersed particles in suspension
• Emollient – Emollients are substances that soften and soothe the skin. They are used to correct dryness and scaling of the skin.
• Emulsifier – an ingredient which binds the water and oil in a cream or lotion together permanently. We all know what happens in a salad dressing, when it’s left to settle. The ingredients separate into oil and water-based and need shaking to mix before using. With cosmetic creams and lotions, this problem is solved using an emulsifiera, crylates / Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer Synthetic compound.
• Film Former – Any substance of which will change from liquid to solid in such a manner as to form a film over a surface.
• Humectants – A humectant is a substance used primarily in foods and cosmetic products to help retain moisture. These substances are called hygroscopic, which means that they are able to absorb ambient water. Some humectant additives are beneficial when consumed or used. Others, particularly in some foods, are less helpful, may cause abdominal distress, and should probably be avoided.
• Hydrophobic – chemistry not dissolving in, absorbing, or mixing easily with water • Lipids – constituent of fat a biological compound that is not soluble in water, e.g. a fat. The group also includes waxes, oils, sterols, triglycerides, phosphatides, and phospholipids.
• Micelle – an electrically charged particle formed by an aggregate of ions or molecules in soaps, detergents, and other suspensions
• Opacifier – A chemical agent added to a material, such as rocket propellant, to make it opaque
• 10. pH (control) – per hydron or per hydrogen, also power of the hydrogen. Inadequate control of the pH can result in the growth of undesirable bacteria in the product that could be a potential health hazard to an unsuspecting consumer.
• Sebum – an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands that lubricates the hair and skin and gives some protection against bacteria
• Solvent – A liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution
• Surfactants – The term surfactant is a blend of “surface acting agent”. Surfactants, also known as tensides, are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids.
• Viscosity adjuster – Used to make a product thinner or thicker.
8. References:
1. Cosmetic Ingredients:
Reference Guide & Dictionary Understanding Labels, Descriptions, Warnings, and Safety
2. Toxity of Chemical Information (most of the [X] symbols) are derived from Cosmetics Unmasked by Stephen and Gina Antczak
3. International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre Website
4. The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History By Katherine Ashenburg Website References used: 1. http://www.mbm.net.au/health/cosmetics/a.html 2. www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk/CU/IA.HTM
3. www.deshawnmarie.com/deshawnmariehandmadesoaphistory.html
4.www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/icsc/dtasht/a_index.htm 5. http://www.kitchendoctor.com/articles/soap.html
6. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0773.html
7. http://www.rd.com/content/natural-hair-care-tips/
http://en.wikipedia.org http://www.answers.com
http://www.wisegeek.com http://www.cfsan.fda.gov
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