Avoid these 6 Toxic Hair Care Ingredients at All Costs

As consumers we rely heavily on brands to provide us with safe, quality products. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Some of the most common hair care ingredients are actually harmful to our hair and our entire bodies. At Fresh Heritage, we pride ourselves on providing an all-natural beard oil to our customers. We desperately urge you to start paying more attention to the products that you’re using. While we can’t name all of the harmful toxins products contain in this one blog post, we can recommend six that need to be avoided like the plague.

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Or SLS is an additive that makes products foam. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, this common ingredient is linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, and skin irritation.
2. Diethanolamine. You know the creamy feeling you feel when applying a moisturizing cream or lotion? That feeling comes from the chemical diethanolamine. This chemical alone can cause skin irritation, coupled with the other chemicals found in most hair care products it becomes carcinogenic.  
3. Diazolidinyl Urea. You would think that when companies know that products are harmful to humans they won't sell them. Unfortunately, they still do and we unknowingly buy them on a consistent basis. Diazolidinyl Urea is a popular human toxicant or allergen, and there is also evidence that this chemical causes immune system toxicity.
4. Parabens. This is the chemical that allows products to survive for months or years, however, the chemicals can enter your skin and mimic hormones disrupting normal body functions. The use of parabens has been linked to breast cancer, early puberty, and decreased sperm cells.
5. Synthetic Colors. Derived from petroleum or coal tar sources, synthetic colors have been proven to be extremely carcinogenic and have even been linked to ADHD in children. The European Classification and Labeling consider it a human carcinogen and the European Union has banned it. Meanwhile, some top brands in the United States continue to use synthetic colors in their products.
6. Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known cancer-causing substance. Excess exposure can cause breathing difficulties, rashes, bloody noses, and even blindness.

We’re not sharing this information to scare you. We simply want you to become more aware of what you are using on your body. Do your research and know the risks you take by using some common, big-name brands.