What’s in Your Shampoo?

http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/11369072/Head_And_Shoulders_Pantene_Pert_Plus_Dove_And_Sunsilk_Shampoo.html

I Just Gotta Tell Ya

Washing hair every day is not only unnecessary, it can be damaging. Taking every other day off from shampoo – or even 2 or more days off if your hair is dry or damaged – gives your hair a break from the detergents and the inevitable
If one in ten households purchased shampoo in a bottle made from recycled materials, the energy conserved could wind-power 160 homes for a year.
It takes less energy to make a recycled plastic than it does to make a Virgin Plastic (the majority of shampoo bottles are made with Virgin Plastic)

I have extremely dry skin- my dermatologist told me to start using Dandruff shampoos. Off to the store I went and picked up a variety of dry Scalp Shampoos. The flaking ended, and I stopped scratching constantly. But after blogging about safe cosmetics and checking with Safe Cosmetics– my dandruff shampoos are extremely toxic to the environment.

Just looking at My Head and Shoulders ingredients is a little scarey.( see below ingredients and ratings. 7-10 is high Hazard.) It could be worse- but every little bit helps.

INGREDIENTS

score concerns

FRAGRANCE 8 Neurotoxicity, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Miscellaneous

EXT D&C VIOLET 2 5 Cancer, Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity

BENZYL ALCOHOL 6 Violations, restrictions & warnings, Neurotoxicity, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards

METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE 6 Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE 6 Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity

ZINC PYRITHIONE
PYRITHIONE ZINC
(ACTIVE INGREDIENT) 5 Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

COCAMIDE MEA 2 Contamination concerns (NITROSAMINES)

CITRIC ACID 4 Violations, restrictions & warnings, Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

TOCOPHERYL ACETATE 4 Allergies/immunotoxicity, Contamination concerns (HYDROQUINONE)

AMMONIUM LAURETH SULFATE 3 Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1,4-DIOXANE)

DIMETHICONE 2 Violations, restrictions & warnings

FD&C BLUE 1 2 Cancer

NIACINAMIDE 2 Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

SODIUM BENZOATE 2 Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

GLYCOL DISTEARATE 1 Multiple, additive exposure sources

AMMONIUM LAURYL SULFATE 1 Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

CETYL ALCOHOL 1 Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

SODIUM CITRATE 1 Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

AMMONIUM XYLENE-SULFONATE 0 none identified

HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE 0 none identified

TRIMETHYLOLPROPANE TRICAPRYLATE/ TRICAPRATE 0 none identified

POLYQUATERNIUM-10 0 none identified

SODIUM CHLORIDE 0 innocuous

WATER 0 innocuous

What can you do?

1.) Consider a companies business practices before buying.

2.) Is the shampoo bottle recyclable?

3.) Try to buy concentrated shampoo- lasts longer and use less water in manufacturing.

4.) Buy local as much as possible- shipping products requires massive amounts of energy.

5.) Is the product tested on animals?

6.) Evaluate the ingredients before you buy. Check them out at Safe Cosmetics

7.) Use less shampoo- make it last longer.

8.) Dilute with Water- make it last longer

9.) Wash hair less.

Fortunately I also have Eufora-: 1.) Approved by Safe Cosmetics 2.) Local, actually about 5 miles away- support local economy 3.) Cruelty Free 4.) #4 Plastic Bottle

Even though I am shampooing in toxic waste, I’m still not going to throw it away. Based upon the principles above, I will dilute my 1/2 filled bottles, use less, and expand my savings and shampoo.