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11. Formaldehyde
Also known as Quaternium 15, this is a time releasing preservative. There are more than 84 studies in the PubMed science library which include information about the toxicity of formaldehyde. In the Skin Deep database, on a scale of 0 to 10, this product is an astounding 8. Even the European Union lists this chemicals as “probably not safe” on their cosmetics and have discussed banning it altogether. You will find this in almost all shampoos sold today.
12. Cocamidopropyl Betaine
This is an overall hazard that is linked to allergic contact dermatitis and other types of skin irritation. PubMed states that the increasing rates of sensitization have led to this chemical being give the honor of being named Allergen of the Year back in 2004.
Want some better choices?
First, research the company you buy from. Check out their product lines and see if they are using synthetic ingredients or are they focused on organic products? Do they do 3rd party testing? Do they offer certification of their products?
You should also read labels. This can be difficult because most ingredients are listed by abbreviations and some terms are rather ambiguous. Take the word “natural” for example. Natural can mean just about anything. There are no laws regulating this word so a manufacturer can say their product contains “natural” ingredients as long as it contains water.
Also, natural and organic are not the same thing. Organic means that a plant was grown without chemicals or pesticides, natural simply means it came from a natural source. Simply because a product says that it is organic does not mean that it contains only organic ingredients.
Perhaps the easiest way to avoid being exposed to cancer causing and dangerous chemicals is to make your own personal care products. This way you know exactly what is in your shampoo and what you are exposing yourself to.
Simply Google “make your own shampoo” and you will find hundreds, if not thousands, of recipes for making your own shampoo. You can also find other recipes for making your own non-toxic personal care products such as deodorants, lotions, cosmetics, and hair conditioners.
If concocting your own personal care products is not your thing, then look for products with the genuine USDA organic seal. Read the labels. If you see words that you can’t pronounce, then you probably don’t want to put it on your body or on your scalp. One of the best ways to avoid toxins is to look for products that are fragrance free. This will literally save you from hundreds or thousands of chemicals.
Also, if you are not aware of it, manufacturers must list the ingredients in descending order by volume. This means that the first ingredient on the list is what the product has the most of and the last item is what the product contains the least of. So if your “all natural chamomile” shampoo lists chamomile as the last ingredient, it certainly doesn’t contain enough chamomile to really make a difference, now does it?
READ ALSO: Top 8 Dangerously Toxic Cleaning Chemicals to Avoid
Also, look for products that come in glass, rather than BPA plastics, if you can find them.
Support companies that are earth friendly, animal friendly, human friendly, and green. Let’s support human health and care for Mother Earth and Mother Nature at the same time.
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