6. Phthalates
In hair products, phthalates are used primarily as hair-gelling agents in products. You will notice this by the term “fragrance” in your ingredient list. These phthalates, often simply labeled as “fragrance,” are known and praised for making product scents last longer, but they may not be entirely safe.
While phthalates have been accused of hormone tampering, a study by the University of Michigan found decreased testosterone in young boys exposed to high levels ofphthalates. The United States is slowly learning of the harm phthalates can cause, but Canada has already placed strict regulations on the ingredient.
7. PEG-3 Cocamide
This is a foaming agent used in hair products to produce the common mousse-like consistency. The National Library of Medicine, HazMap, notes that this ingredient is a human immune system toxicant; moreover, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, says that this ingredient may be a cause of cancer to humans. Although research for the cause of cancer is lacking, it is probably best to steer clear of this ingredient, anyway, especially as it is not essential to the effectiveness of the product. Instead, choose a similar product in a cream base rather than in foam-form.
8. Amino Methyl Propanol
This active ingredient is used as a pH adjuster that is generally considered safe at levels of concentrations below 2%. Unfortunately, many hair products, especially those requiring a strong pH adjuster (think chemically altering hair straighteners or hair dyes”> require concentrations well above 12%, which could cause irritation, speficically affecting the eye area. Because of this possible irritation, some people may wish to to use natural products that temporarily alter the state of their hair rather than products that aim to permanently alter it, since the latter carries a greater risk.
9. Nitrosamines
Nitrosamines are formed when certain compounds (typically TEA and DEA”> are used with certain preservatives that can break down into nitrates. TEA and DEA are typically used as wetting agents or pH adjusters in cosmetic products. Specifically DEA is used as an emulsifier in shampoos, cleaners, and detergents providing rich later and highly desired consistencies, while TEA is used as fragrance, pH adjuster and emulsifying agent.
However, when mixed with particular substances these can break down into nitrosamines. The UK’s Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform describes nitrosamines as “more toxic to animal species than any other category of chemical carcinogen.” Canada has banned and found them unsafe for use in cosmetics. While common in American cosmetics, nitrosamines are not listed on product labels because they are impurities, so look to avoid ingredients like: triethanolamine, diethanolamine, DEA, TEA, cocamide DEA, cocamide MEA, DEA-cetyl phosphate, DEA oleth-3 phosphate, lauramide DEA, linoleamide MEA, myristamide DEA, oleamide DEA, stearamide MEA, TEA-lauryl sulfate.
10. Parabens (methyl, butyl, ethyl, propyl”>
This sneaky ingredient is used in products as a preservative, yet is rarely labeled correctly. The easiest way to avoid this ingredient is to use products labeled “paraben-free.” Although parabens are typically found in breast cancer tumors, more research is still needed to determine if parabens actually cause breast cancer. Still, many women are choosing to go the paraben-free route and opting for products containing natural preservatives. The downside to natural preservatives is that the they don’t preserve products for very long, so your beauty products will have a shorter shelf life than you’re used to.
Best Practices
It’s important to make informed decisions about what you put on your hair and body, but in order to do that, you’ve got to have at least a basic understanding of what ingredients you may want to avoid. Keeping an eye out for the substances listed above is a great start.
