Top Chemicals To Avoid in Hair Products

Reading the ingredients in hair products is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of these products for your health and the environment. It allows you to make informed decisions that align with your values, promote long-term hair health, and reduce the risk of adverse reactions or sensitivities.
  • Aminomethyl Propanol: While this is less toxic at low levels, Simple Organic Beauty claims that products like straighteners have high concentrates of this chemical. It can cause irritation or be contaminated with nitrosamines.
  • Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial): Toxic allergen that may bioaccumulate and possible endocrine disruptor.
  • Butylated Compounds: Compounds such as BHT are also very common in styling products. They are known endocrine disruptors and are also toxic to other systems in humans. They are also a likely human carcinogen.
  • Coumarin: This common chemical can cause allergies, and contact dermatitis. It’s a suspected carcinogen too but more research is needed.
  • Diethylhexyl Adipate: This chemical is toxic for organs,  and is also a possible endocrine disruptor and carcinogen.
  • Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Octinoxate): This is a probably endocrine disruptor and also carries other allergen and toxic effects.
  • Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate: This possible allergen that may be toxic to humans.
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone: These irritants can cause allergies, and are possible neurotoxins. They may also be toxic to organs.
  • Octinoxate: This is a likely endocrine disruptor, with numerous toxic effects for humans. It also bioaccumulates in the body.
  • PEGs/Polysorbates: These ingredients are extremely common in hair styling products, which often contain a number of different PEGs. The danger of PEGs is that they can be contaminated with carcinogens and may easily penetrate the skin.
  • Petrolatum & Paraffin: These petroleum-derived products are often carcinogenic.
  • Poloxamer 184: This may be toxic to organs and reproductive systems. It may also be contaminated with carcinogens.
  • Propylene Glycol: These compounds are often contaminated with carcinogens.
  • Quats: Another common ingredient in hair products. Linked to reproductive issue and possible endocrine disruptors.
  • Retinyl Palmitate: These may lead to an increased risk of skin cancer, and many of these “vitamin A” compounds may be linked to other cancers as well.
  • Triethanolamine (TEA): This hair styling ingredient is a possible carcinogen and toxic to organs.
  • Undisclosed Fragrance: Because fragrances can be composed of thousands of chemicals, the possibility of allergies or toxicity is unknown. Commonly found in “fragrance” are phthalates, which are a plasticizer that keeps the fragrance lasting longer. Phthalates are linked to infertility, obesity & hyperactivity in children.

SHOP NON-TOXIC STYLING PRODUCTS