Parabens and phthalates are nearly ubiquitous in commercial shampoos. They are added to many products, including shampoo and conditioner, to extend shelf life. And while they do keep products from spoiling as quickly, they've also been linked to cancer and disruption of the endocrine system.
We're guessing a bottle of carcinogens already sounds pretty unappealing, but the negative effects don't stop there. It turns out, parabens and phthalates are terrible for your hair, too. Here's what they do.
Eczema
While not strictly an effect on the hair itself, having irritation in your scalp matters. Phthalates and parabens often lead to eczema, which impacts your hair's health, not to mention your comfort level.
A dry, irritated scalp won't allow natural oils to coat your hair, which means your hair dries out, too. Plus, all that irritated skin has to go somewhere when it flakes off, which means--you guessed it--dandruff. Probably not the look you're hoping for.
Dull Color
If you color your hair, you're probably hoping it will stay vibrant, at least until your next salon appointment. But if you notice that your color seems to be dull, parabens may be to blame.
In fact, parabens are well-known for causing color to fade. A professional dye-job isn't cheap, so protecting your investment makes sense. We recommend putting that bottle of paraben-laced shampoo right back on the shelf.
Hair Loss
Most of us want a full, luxurious head of hair. So what if we told you that parabens lead to hair loss? That's right, they do.
So regardless of what claims appear on the packaging, it's wise to look at the ingredients. Sometimes, hair products can give you a temporary pleasant effect, but in the long-term, they're damaging. And in the case of parabens, they can even make your hair fall out.
Good Smells For Bad Reasons
Phthalates are used in shampoo and conditioner to help fragrances stick to the products. We concede that your hair may smell amazing after using products with phthalates in them. It's why you'll find phthalates in perfumes, too.
But all that scent comes at a cost. It turns out that phthalates stick a little too well. They are absorbed through the skin and pass through your body. Research has found phthalates in urine after study participants used products containing phthalates, including shampoo and conditioner—the stronger the fragrance, the greater the number of phthalates in the urine.
What's worse is that you may not even know your products contain phthalates because there's no requirement to list them on the label. Plus, products labeled as natural or fragrance-free may still have phthalates in them. In fact, some products use phthalates to cover up smells in their fragrance-free products!
Remember that while phthalates and parabens won't do your hair any favors, that many negative health impacts are even stronger reasons to avoid them whenever possible.
You can rest assured that Viori never uses phthalates or parabens in our bars. We don't need to. We firmly believe safe, effective cosmetics can be made with all-natural ingredients. And our bars smell amazing without the use of phthalates. But don't take our word for it. Check out our thousands of positive reviews!