Common chemicals found in most other shampoos are:
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)
Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate (ALS)
and more
Most regular shampoos and most of the "natural" shampoos advertised will contain one of these chemical additives as one of its top ingredients.
Other ingredients found in most other shampoos (but not Wonder Mist Natural Shampoo) often include:
DEA or Diethanolamine
and Propylene Glycol
These compounds are used as detergents, surfactants and foaming agents, and can be found in almost any kind of industrial cleaning product. They are also widely used as major ingredients in cosmetics, hair conditioners, toothpaste and shampoos.
There has been a lot of industry publicity about the safety of SLS, SLES, and ALS. Here are the facts from several sources including the 'Alert Bulletin' by the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review), the expert panel used by the CTFA (Cosmetics, Toiletries, & Fragrance Association):
| Skin & Eye Irritant |
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"The Panel wishes to point out that these two ingredients (SLS & ALS) produce eye and/or skin irritation in experimental animals and in some human test subjects ...."
The panel then quotes from the 1983 JACT report ('Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate', Journal of the American College of Toxicology, Vol. 2 #7, 1983) "...the longer the ingredients stay in contact with the skin, the greater the likelihood of irritation, which may or may not be evident to the user ... (SLS).... causes severe epidermal changes to the area of the skin of mice to which it was applied. The two problems - possible hair loss -- along with proven irritancy should be considered in the formulation of cosmetic products."
SLS is rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart, and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects. SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults, and keep children’s eyes from developing properly. In fact, studies have shown that washing your hair one time with a shampoo containing Sodium Lauryl Sulphate could put as many nitrates into your bloodstream as eating a whole pound of bacon. And that is just ONE application.
SLES is "Contaminated with a very potent carcinogen Dioxane, and is very easily absorbed through the skin", states Dr. Epstein. SLES is the alcohol form (ethoxylated) of SLS. It is slightly less irritating than SLS, but may cause more drying. Both SLS and SLES may cause potentially carcinogenic formations of nitrates and dioxins to form in shampoos and cleansers by reacting with other product ingredients.
| Ulcers and More |
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Another research paper shows that SLS has protein-denaturing properties, causing skin to separate and become inflamed. ('Denaturation of Epidermal Keratin by Surface Active Agents', Journal Invest Dermatology, 32-81; 1959.) It is this property that may leave mucous membranes in the mouth open to microscopic damage. SLS has been shown to contribute to mouth and gastrointestinal ulcers ('Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and recurrent aphthous ulcers- a Preliminary Study' - ACTA Odontol Scan, 52, 1994: pp 257-259 and 'The Effect of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate on Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers.') |