Types of products and components to ban from the list of our hair routine

The 7 families of toxic ingredients to ban from your hair care

Our shampoos, conditioners and masks often contain controversial ingredients, singled out for their harmful effects on the health of the hair and scalp. Endocrine disruptors, irritating substances, allergens... The composition of certain popular hair care products would make more than one expert shudder!

In this article, we will reveal to you the list of 7 families of toxic ingredients to urgently ban from your bathroom:

• Aggressive sulfates

These foaming agents like the famous SLS or sodium lauryl sulfate are used in around 90% of classic shampoos for their detergent and degreasing properties. Problem: they attack the scalp, suffocate the lengths and make them dull by altering the keratins.

They are easily identifiable thanks to their foaming power which appears to effectively clean the hair but in fact strips the protective hydrolipidic film. Also avoid SLES, their milder version.

• Suffocating silicones

Behind their interesting cosmetic effects (shine, softness), silicones like the famous dimethicone ultimately form a suffocating layer on the hair, which blocks the action of the treatments. They accumulate over applications, requiring frequent washing with detergent shampoo and thus weakening the hair fiber.

• Disruptive parabens

Widely used as preservatives in cosmetic products, these parabenzoic acid derivatives (Propylparaben; Methylparaben, etc.) are endocrine disruptors suspected of promoting the appearance of cancers, particularly hormone-dependent ones such as breast cancer. Their toxicity is proven in case of prolonged use or in high doses.

• Drying alcohol

We know: a small dose of alcohol in a treatment provides speed and effectiveness in the penetration of active ingredients. But in high and repeated doses, alcohol has a major drying effect on hair keratin. However, many hair products contain excessive levels (up to 70%), be careful!

• PEG and derivatives

Behind this acronym hide molecules from the polyethylene glycol family, used for their solubilizing power but unfortunately also irritants and allergens. Ethylene glycol, PEG-40, oleth-5... Spot these code names on the labels!

• Carcinogenic formaldehydes

Banned in the EU due to their proven toxicity, these straightening agents and preservatives are unfortunately still used outside the European Union. Their chemical formula releases formaldehyde, classified as carcinogenic since 2004.

This list alone should already allow you to sort through your medicine cabinet and quickly identify hair products that are at risk for your health!