Let me preface this by saying that I was absolutely in LOVE with the idea of LUSH Handmade Cosmetics. They advertise as all natural, vegan friendly options, with delicious scents and fresh-ingredient face masks, anything a person like me is bound to get an eco-boner for. Massage bars, too. MASSAGE BARS. Even edible ones. Can you even handle that jazz? Because I certainly couldn’t when I found out about them!
The first product that I was told about was the shampoo bars. And let me tell you about this fantastic idea. The bars last longer than shampoo in a bottle – and without a bottle, there’s no excess junk in landfills or floating in the ocean or choking whales. This is a great idea!
Something else that really turned me on about LUSH was that they listed all of their ingredients up front underneath the listings in their catalog, so of course, I was under a very naive impression that if they were displaying their ingredients, there wouldn’t be anything bad in there, of course.
Remember those shampoo bars I was talking about? FIRST ingredient listed: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Even the vegan ones. Their hair conditioners contain talc. And more often than not, almost every single one has D&C coloring.
Your first reaction might be something like, “um okay big deal,” or “okay crazy conspiracy theory grandma.” Which is fine, since if you’re not reacting the way that I reacted, you have no idea what’s in your body care products. Even with those ingredients listed right in front of you, cosmetic and body care products depend on your ignorance to keep using dangerous shit in your shampoo, concealer, toothpaste and more.
Let’s get this big guy out of the way first. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate was developed in the 1930’s as an industrial garage floor cleaner. Let that sink in for a second – the same stuff they used (and still use today) on garage floors to remove oil and grease is being put into things that we regularly put onto our skin and into our mouths. This seems like a pretty logical application, since shampoo is supposed to clean our hair, right?
The problem with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is that when it cleans your hair, it really cleans your hair. It strips away any trace of the natural oils (sebum) your scalp produces to keep your hair in “good order.” Ever try not conditioning post-shampoo? It’s dried out, flat, and impossible to get a comb through. This is why. Without natural oils, your hair will dry out quicker – and the big names in shampoo will tell you to buy their bullshit “moisturizing shampoo.” If it contains SLS, it will strip your hair. It will dry it out. Don’t let bullshit marketing convince you otherwise. As for the moisturizing element of these magical cure-all shampoos – including conditioners – coat your hair with more chemicals to give the illusion of soft, lustrous hair. If you want healthy hair, don’t wash it. I’ll explain how to achieve this goal in a little bit.
So let’s say you wash your hair, condition it, and go about your day. The next morning (or if you wait a day before showering again), you’ve probably noticed that your hair looks completely and totally disgusting. It’s visibly greasy and feels a little funky too. This is another thing that SLS will do. Obviously when you shampoo, you are coming into contact with your scalp. The SLS assists in lifting all the oil off your head, drying out the skin on your head (wonder where dandruff comes from?). Because it’s completely absent, your body knows it needs to compensate for what’s been lost in what it views as a major battle – and produces more sebum than it needs to. This throws off any homeostasis you may have achieved after puberty. Increased oil clogs your pores and instigates acne growth, makes your skin shiny and slimy, and you reach for that pretty bar of soap, which does the same thing to your body as it does to your head. Overstimulating production of sebum, and the cycle continues. Big Name body care products have trapped us in our own quest for cleanliness, bullying us into dumping tons of money into a product that is really no different than the store brand – it’s just as bad for you as the Big Name.
So, my challenge for you this time around is to not shampoo or condition your hair for one week. If you’re feeling adventurous, go for two. Don’t shower for a day or so to give your body time to dump out all that sebum. In the meantime, fill up a spray bottle with Apple Cider Vinegar. Go out and buy SheaMoisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Hold and Shine Spray (available at CVS for $9.99!, though this is optional). Enter the shower and just rinse your hair with warm water. Really work it in there! Treat yourself to a scalp massage. Afterwards, take your spray bottle and close your eyes, and drench your hair in the stuff. Yes, it will smell nasty, but I promise it doesn’t linger. Work the vinegar through your hair, root to tip. Afterwards, rinse your hair in cool water. Step out, dry off your hair, and spray a bit of the SheaMoisture spray to ease the process of combing if you’re having trouble.
Apple Cider vinegar is slightly acidic, but will help balance the pH levels in your hair as well as removing any buildup of dirt and grime without excessively eliminating the sebum, which keeps your hair healthy. You will have healthier, fuller hair and it won’t feel as dry, and if you keep up the routine, you could eliminate shampoo all together. Some people prefer to make a mix of ACV and water for a gentler effect (and to lessen the smell) by using 1 tablespoon of ACV per cup of water.
It will take some getting used to, not having your hair be dry and smooth. We associate it with being clean, and all the while it’s ruining the quality of your hair. I bet if you ask your grandparents what they did to keep their hair healthy and shimmering, they will probably tell you they used ACV. It gives red tones to brunettes, and makes highlights in blondes more noticeable.
Toothpastes are notorious for SLS, as well as fluoride, which is a poison, which you are dumping into your bloodstream every day by brushing your teeth. “It’s only a dimesized blob of toothpaste!” Yeah, but that dime size x every day of your life for 20 years = a lot of fluoride. Personally, “if you swallow this then call poison control” is enough for me to think about the long term afflictions I might encounter later. Lucky for us, there’s fluoride-free toothpaste (albeit, SLS runs rampant in a lot of these). Or you could go old school and get whiter teeth without the additives and brush with baking soda and water. This is my preferred method and my teeth are shiny and white. My breath is easily tamed by hanging out with an Altoid.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the ingredients in your body care products, check out There’s Lead in Your Lipstick by Gill Deacon. The title was a bit off putting before I picked up my copy via Amazon. When I got my copy it was only available in Canada, so I paid a little bit more, but it’s definitely worth the read – Gill is a woman who paid close attention to what she put in and on her body, and yet, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Yes, there are chemicals in cosmetics and body care products that have been proven to increase the chances of cancer. Surprised? Don’t be – the FDA does not regulate body care products (it’s totally cool to have formaldehyde in baby shampoo, trust me). The content is not radical, but instead informs readers with information about what common, dangerous chemicals are in your body care products, and how to approach with caution when buying. She even lists alternatives and human and vegan-friendly companies that have products that you can actually afford, and some you can even find in stores across the country. Lots of sources, recommended reading, and eye opening.
Don’t get me wrong – I love LUSH and their products (yes, even as I sit here and get angry about SLS in shampoo). Their salespeople are fantastic and their goodies are, I’ll admit, delicious and alluring. Their LUSH Life page includes “We believe in making effective products made from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics.” This is a wonderful idea, but the value of the fresh, organic goodies is diminished by coloring additives, chemicals that are known skin irritants, preservatives, among things that, for a company that takes pride in their fresh ingredients, should know a thing or two about what is actually GOOD for the customer. I folded and ended up buying one of those aforementioned shampoo bars, in the Godiva variety, a couple of months ago. It smells simply divine, but every time I use it, my hair dries out and it’s such a pain to comb. But it cost me $12 after shipping, so you bet your sweet ass I’m going to use it.
The one thing I definitely love and will encourage from LUSH is their solid perfumes. Straight up no nonsense, save for some coloring agents. Compared to a lot of conventional perfumes, they are definitely a safer alternative and smell a LOT better. I’ve been smearing on Vanillary for two months now and I can’t bring myself to even use the rest of Thierry Mugler’s Angel that I got as a Christmas present for myself last year. Vanillary definitely takes the cake for people-friendly perfume. I’d go in-store and smell them first before making any online purchases – some of them are definitely more intense than others!
BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE. Research the chemicals in your shampoo, toothpaste, concealer, perfume. Know what you’re putting in and on your body. You might be surprised.
Next time we’ll tackle hair-dye and how Henna is (in my opinion) the best option for permanent, beautiful hair color.
Interested in reading more? Check out these links!
Gill Deacon’s LIYL Website
Gill Deacon’s Wallet Tip Sheet (for when you shop)
Environemental Working Group Database – A website that lists lots of popular brands of body care products and what is found in their ingredients. Legitimate and world-renowned.
Best Hysteria 