Detox: Why Switch to a Green Hair Care Regimen

I’ve been looking at detoxing from what can only be described as a diet that is so all over the board it is a wonder I’m only battling 8lbs to get back to a number on the scale I can look at without screaming.

I usually detox regularly but in the past couple of months I’ve decided to opt for the large section in my wardrobe and add muscle to my frame. So basically, I’m a big strong woman! HAHAHA! …which isn’t a bad thing but not super healthy. I could get way more out of my workouts, sleep and overall, wellbeing if my diet was a lot cleaner.

While thinking about my diet detox journey which will also support my hair health, I have been thinking about the products that I use topically (specifically hair products). What is in that amazing heat protectant that I swear by when giving myself a blow out? I’m sure is full of crap which is probably impairing my vision or causing cancer.

Why not detox my beauty regimen? Have you ever considered detoxing yours?

Did you know the average woman puts 168 different chemicals on her body, Every. Single. Day.! Check out the Environmental Working Group for great guides to protecting your health through the products you consume.

One hundred and how much did they say? Many chemicals in beauty products are allergens and skin and lung irritants. Even more disturbing is that some are estrogenic, actually disrupting our hormones (and may even be carcinogenic).

Now take note. I’m not going fully hippy. Smelling like patchouli and old, wet hemp (you know that smell) is not on my list of things to do. There is a better way! I’d like to share some quick suggestions for you to consider if you too want to detox your hair care regimen and maybe avoid all of the ailments that may arise from a toxin heavy beauty regimen.

When it comes to washing your skin and hair, the main questionable ingredients are:

Sulfates: Sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, a.k.a. SLS, are what makes your shampoo, body and face washes produce a foam or lather for that "squeaky-clean" feeling. I DO LOVE that feeling especially after a week of hard workouts. The problem is, sulfates can irritate your skin and eyes, and are linked to dermatitis (which I’ve had) and even cataracts (yep… I knew it! That crap will blind you!).

Okay so if that’s not scary enough, SLS can strip the skin barrier, making your complexion more sensitive (no madam), and cause hair color to fade a lot more quickly (NO MADAM!).

Fragrance: Caveat – I love a yummy smelling shampoo and I ONLY use Herbal Essences conditioner before a date (secret: before a date I double condition just to achieve a specific smell– gotta throw that man off). Even though shampoos rinse out and wash down the drain, the time of application to the hair may still be enough for the fragrances they contain to irritate your skin and scalp. Check that fragrance at the door… this will be a hard one for me to get rid of though.

Petroleum and polyunsaturated oils: Many shampoos and conditioners and other hair care products contain petroleum and polyunsaturated oils or their derivatives not to mention many other questionable chemicals. PUFAs are found not only in the foods we eat, but also in our hair products, they are prone to oxidation (and cause free-radical damage to our cells).

Plain language, PUFAs cause sagging, wrinkles, and prematurely aged skin. (NO, NO and NO! I ain’t got time for that and I spend a bomb on my sunscreen, hats and in general run from the sun like a vampire – now you’re telling me I’m sagging while shampooing?) Cosmetic oils like almond, argan, rosehip and grapeseed (my personal favorite) may be organic and cold-pressed, but they’re still high in PUFAs (crap), and are best avoided. I’m going to have to research this further because everyone and their dog is on the argan oil (aka MOROCCAN OIL) train!

Sulfates are fortunately pretty easy to avoid these days, with plenty of brands declaring "sulfate-free" or "SLS-free" right on the label. (Just make sure they're not pulling this trickery, where they call the shampoo "silicone-free" and the conditioner "sulfate-free." Like that is an accomplishment.)

Keep calm and think about detoxing slowly. Perhaps consider knocking back the 168 chemicals you probably put on your body daily by a few.

What do you think about detoxing your hair care regimen? Leave a comment below!