chemicals in shampoos

Is your shampoo doing more harm than good? 😳

I often get asked - "I know I should be using a natural shampoo, but exactly what makes some traditional shampoos so bad for me?". 

And honestly it's a fair question. One that I had not researched myself prior to having a child. I knew on the surface my shampoo & conditioner weren't good for me, but how bad could they really be? 

On a basic level, chemical shampoos contain ingredients that are known irritants of skin and eyes as well as hormone disrupters and detergents. (1) We can agree that despite being seriously detrimental to your health, they are designed to make your hair look and feel incredible. You really can't deny it, they're great at their job. 

But look and feel, just wasn't enough anymore. I have a daughter. Priorities have changed. I needed a better option. 

If you type the words 'shampoo ingredients to avoid' into Google, thousands of articles will pop up, and ingredients that you've never heard of before will appear right before your eyes. Honestly it's alarming. 

Here are the top ones to avoid: 

❌ Sulfates are detergents that give you that soapy lather but are known skin irritants & strip your hair of natural oils. 

❌ Isopropyl Alcohol is another baddie that is highly effective in stripping your hair of moisture, leaving it prone to frizz and vulnerable to damage. 

❌ Parabens are suspected hormone disruptors (EDCs) & as a result can have negative effects to your health. 

❌ Formaldehyde which is highly irritating to your skin & eyes, however shampoo concentration is generally low in shampoos - it still should be avoided. 

❌ Propylene Glycol helps with consistency & absorption of the shampoo, but is also a great irritant of the skin and eyes. 

On the whole, they're really not a good news story. 😳

Further research found me falling down the rabbit hole of such studies like 'Association of phthalates, parabens and phenols found in personal care products with pubertal timing in girls and boys' (2), which highlights the impacts of these chemicals on early puberty in teens. As parents, we can't protect our kids from it all... But whilst I still had a toddler, shampoo was something I could influence. 

Going back to the basics was a key factor in creating Solibar. I wanted to use natural ingredients that have been used for centuries by ancient civilisations, paying homage to my years as a Secondary School History Teacher. (3)

It's this reason why I have selected such ingredients like Olive Oil as a basis for all of my Solibars. It's a super ingredient that has wonderful benefits for the hair and skin, and it has almost been forgotten. Olive Oil has incredible moisturising properties help to make our Solibars nourishing and decrease your need to follow with a conditioner.

Finally, I am always here to chat if you want to know know more about Solibar. Hit the Messenger button in the top right hand corner and let me know what you think.

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💚 always,

Em xo
Solibar Founder 🌿 

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References: 

If you're looking for some further information on the ingredients listed in shampoos, I've compiled these links for you:

**Full list of our ingredients are located here.**

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