Sulfates are the ingredient in most cosmetics that create soapy, foamy lather. For generations we have been conditioned to think soaps, shampoos, and shaving lotions should produce a foamy lather… in reality that foamy lather is actually very destructive to human hair and skin. Sulfates weaken your hair and age your skin, and should be avoided when purchasing personal care products.
Sulfates are a group of detergents or surfactants that are used in countless consumer goods today. The most commonly used sulfates are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). These corrosive cleaning agents started off as an industrial strength cleaning additive since they easily cut through heavily soiled surfaces.It was around the 1930's when shampoo, soap and other foaming personal care products containing these synthetic detergents were introduced. They have remained in most commercial formulations ever since the public grew used to high-lather products.
The fact that sulfates produce such a heavy, thick lather is not a good thing when it comes to your skin & hair. This corrosive lather actually strips away precious moisture and protective barriers.It also roughs up the cuticle of the hair, making it appear dull, dry and damaged. The stripping action contributes to increased porosity, which makes for a dull appearance and more problems with frizz and manageability. It has even been linked to follicular damage and can potentially contribute to hair loss.
Soaps and skin cleansers containing these detergents strip away the protective lipids (natural fats) that encasethe skin. They upset the moisture balance of the skin and unnecessarily dry it out. The false sense of "clean" that these detergents give is really due to the fact that they are stripping our protective layers from our skin and hair.
All natural products and brands, like Royal Standard, are made with ingredients that clean, dissolve oils, and help to seal in moisture, making them by far superior to the value brand surfactants ridden products.
Sulfates...
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Parabens...
Parabens are used to prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetics products and can be absorbed through skin, blood and the digestive system. Parabens have been found in biopsies from breast tumors at concentrations similar to those found in consumer products.
Parabens may be found in a wide variety of products including shampoos, lotions, deodorants, scrubs and eye makeup, and are found in nearly all urine samples from U.S. adults regardless of ethnic, socioeconomic or geographic backgrounds. Adolescents and adult females had higher levels of methylparaben and propylparaben in their urine than did males of similar ages.
What you need to know Found in: Shampoos, conditioners, lotions, facial and shower cleansers and scrubsWhat to look for on the label: Ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, other ingredients ending in –paraben...
Health concerns: Endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity
Vulnerable populations: Pregnant women and young children.
What are parabens? Parabens are actually several distinct chemicals with a similar molecular structure. Four of these are used frequently in cosmetics: ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben.
Parabens are most common in personal care products that contain significant amounts of water, such as shampoos, conditioners, lotions and facial cleansers and scrubs, in order to discourage the growth of microbes. While Cosmetic Ingredient Review recommends concentration limits for single and total paraben concentration in a single product, these recommendations do not account for exposure to parabens from several products by a single individual. A 2004 UK study detected traces of five parabens in the breast tumors of 19 out of 20 women studied.