Ingredients to avoid in shampoo and conditioner

Ingredients to Avoid in Shampoo and Conditioner

With so many options on the market and greenwashing everywhere, it can be hard to find a truly clean option when it comes to hair care. What I recommend is looking for products with simple, straightforward ingredients. Unless you live in a holistic health-conscious place, you’ll likely need to shop online for a cleaner option. I recently scanned every shampoo and conditioner at my local Walmart with the Think Dirty App and only ONE ranked below a 3.

So you can imagine how happy I was when I found Plaine Products shampoo and conditioner, they rank a 0 (the lower the number the better, meaning the ingredients are natural and safe) on the Think Dirty App AND the business carbon neutral - meaning they deeply care about the environment and are doing the necessary work and action steps to create a greener planet by creating eco conscious products. 

When shopping for a shampoo and conditioner, here’s what you should look to avoid. 

Marketing has made it clear that parabens and sulfates should be avoided, but let’s talk about why that is and what else you should look out for.

Sulfates

Thankfully, it’s becoming easier and easier to find sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners. Sulfates are cleansing agents and generally what gives your shampoo that sudsy lather.

Sulfates can be extremely harsh, stripping your hair of its natural oils and causing dryness! Not only do they cause negative effects on your hair and skin, but they’re also extremely harmful to the environment.

Remember, the products that wash down the drain end up in waterways and can damage ecosystems!

Parabens

Parabens are another ingredient that companies are slowly removing from their ingredient list. Parabens act as a preservative for beauty products and have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Studies have shown they can affect breast cell tissue growth, possibly increasing breast cancer risk, and affect estrogen in the body, potentially affecting menstruation and pregnancy. They also trigger allergic contact dermatitis and lead to skin issues like irritation, redness, flaking, and hives.

Fragrance

When it comes to hair care products, fragrance can be hard to avoid. However, it is one of the worst offenders. “Fragrance” is an umbrella term that companies use to hide 1000s of harmful ingredients. These ingredients include toxic chemicals that have been linked to allergens, carcinogens, and hormone disruptors.

For me, Plaine Products is the brand I love and trust and recommend when people ask about shampoo and conditioner. Save 20% on your Plaine Products order with the code ‘LivHolistic.’

You’re worth it. 

XO, 

Liv