The science of shampoo (part 3)

Finally it's time for the third, and last part of this post, where I try to make the unpronounceable, chemical-like names on a shampoo bottle more understandable. 

Linalool is used as a fragrance in shampoos, lotions, soaps and detergents. It is a naturally occurring terpene alcohol chemical found in any flowers and spice plants. It has a pleasant floral scent, with a touch of spiciness. The only concern with this ingredient is that some individuals are allergic to linalool.

Benzyl alcohol is organic compound produced naturally by many plants and is commonly found in fruits and treas. It can also be found in many essential oils such as jasmine or ylang-ylang. Due to its bacteriostatic and antipruritic properties is is often used as a preservative. It is not as bad as other short chain drying alcohols.

Amodimethicone is a silicon-based polymer commonly used in cosmetics. Silicon based products are especially important in shampoos for curly hair. Even though this product is considered rather safe for me it is comparable to mineral oil (read my article about mineral oil). Instead of sinking into your skin and nourishing it from the inside out, like healthy ingredients do, it forms a kind of plastic-like barrier on the outside of your skin.

Propylene glycol is a humectant and co-surfactant used in many products and surprisingly is known to be a skin irritant, yet it is used in personal care products. 

Geraniol is a naturally occurring scent ingredient found in various essential oils. 

Citronellol is a naturally occurring scent ingredient derived from plants such as rose, lemongrass, and geranium

Methyl cocoate is derived from coconut oil and used as a surfactant in shampoos. It is generally considered safe for use.

Citric acid is used in shampoos to adjust the pH to 5.5 because at slightly acidic pH the scales on the hair follicle lay flat making the hair feel smooth and look shiny. It is considered a safe ingredient.

Laureth-5 carboxylic acid is a synthetic compound obtained by the extensive modification of lauric acid - a natural fatty acid. There is little research on this chemical. It is known to have moisturizing properties, and is compatible with a wide variety of surfactants. It has been reported to be a skin irritant in high concentrations. 

Hexyl cinnamal is found naturally in the essential oil of chamomile. It is a common additive in perfume and cosmetic industry as aroma substance. In high concentrations it can cause irritations to the skin, but considered saf ewhen used in low concentrations.

Fragrance this could mean a lot of things, but the producer did not wish to inform us...

I hope this series of posts about ingredients in an every-day shampoo has in some way enriched your knowledge about the harmful and safe ingredients found in shampoo. I hope that know you will be abel to make wiser choices when choosing a shampoo to buy. 

Let me know if you have any thing to add or any comments. 

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