Natural Beauty Inspired by Natural Ingredients: Make Your Own Shampoo

The majority of the time my friends value my opinion and cherish the naturalist that I am. However, there is one battle that I constantly lose and that is the one pertaining to our health and beauty.

For many years, I have been under the impression (along with many others I am sure) that chemicals in our food are bad, anything genetically modified is not natural and therefore we should stay far, far, away from it.

So, this brings me to another query, why oh why, are we still using shampoos that use synthetic ingredients that have been proven to be toxic? (This according to the Environmental Working Group and the Natural Ingredients Dictionary) 

Some of my friends just can’t comprehend why such things would be on the shelves in our stores if they were so harmful, well my friends, here is your answer.

According to The Working Environmental Group, ingredients in shampoos, cosmetics, and other skincare products are not truly regulated, unfortunately. The EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics is on the forefront of the campaign to get shampoo makers to include the risks of using shampoos and other beauty products containing these chemicals.

The ingredients you cannot pronounce are able to be used in the products that we put on our skin (which happens to be our biggest organ). Subsequently, anything that we put on our skin also flushes down the drain and inevitably ends up back in to the environment. Choosing more natural products will not only save you from genetically modifying, poisoning or harming yourself and future offspring but it will also help to protect the environment.

When choosing products, I always tend to purchase from the organic section at the health food stores. I always read the labels and if the first few ingredients are plant derived I know that they will be safe for me as well as for the environment. My next approach is to do some research. I was shown The Environmental Working Group's website (thank you, Donna) many years ago that rates the beauty products that you use on a scale of 0 to 10 in toxicity.

All of the following were taken from Natural Ingredients Dictionary by Aubrey Hampton of Aubrey Organics it is information on the synthetic chemicals to look for and avoid:

1. Methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl paraben: These chemical preservatives are inhibitors that can be toxic and can be absorbed through the skin.
2. Diethanolamine (DEA): Is an ammonia compound that can form cancer causing nitrosamines when they come in contact to nitrates and can be toxic with high concentrations via skin absorption. 
3. Triethanolamine (TEA): Can be toxic to a person's immune system and skin.
4. Diazolidinyl Urea and imidazolidinyl urea: These preservatives release formaldehyde and can be toxic. 
5. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate: Often made from petroleum and disguised at times as “comes from coconuts.” 
6. Petrolatum: It is made from petroleum and can interfere with the body’s own natural moisturizing mechanisms.
7. Propylene Glycol: Can cause allergic reactions, hives and eczema.
8. PVP/ VA Copolymer: Made from petroleum and can be toxic and possibly damage lungs when inhaled.
9. Stearalkonium Chloride: Can be toxic to our environment.
10. Synthetic colors: Avoid them at all costs, labeled as FD&C or D&C followed by a color and a number. Many are carcinogenic and harmful to us.
11. Synthetic fragrances: There is no way to tell what the chemicals are as it is mostly labeled “fragrance” can cause vomiting, headaches, skin irritation etc. 

Learn more about chemicals, health effects and routes of exposure on this page of The Environmental Working group's website.

The most important part about being aware is simply that, being aware of what we use on our bodies. We are chemically altering our bodies when we welcome the toxins and we are just simply not meant to be pumped full of chemicals as if we need to be preserved. So, my suggestion is to just make this simple shift in to trying a more natural shampoo by making your own or purchasing from the website listed below. Follow the recipe below for a healthier shampoo.

 Basic Shampoo:

 ½ cup of water            

½ cup of liquid soap (Dr. Bonner’s is my favorite but Rocky Mountain Soap Company and Dessert essence rate a zero as well in Toxicity and are easy to Find).

½ teaspoon of light vegetable oil (leave out if you have oily hair)

This will yield 8 ounces

Gently stir the ingredients, do not lather. Pour the shampoo in to a clean plastic container or squeeze bottle (re-use an old one if you can). Shampoo as usual and enjoy the natural beauty!

Be well my friends and take good care of yourself!