No Poo Thank you!

Happy Tuesday Good People! Part of my natural hair regimen is NO-POO(No shampooing)!

I know you may be thinking how can I not wash my hair. Well technically I'll still be cleaning my hair I just won't be using shampoo. I'll be clarifying with a ACV(apple cider vinegar) Rinse. I will discuss that on a later date. But I do want to share with you why I won't be using Shampoos.

Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and it's cousin Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in products that we expect to "foam up." Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.

SLS and SLES are esters of Sulphuric acid- SLS is know as "Sulphuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt," however there are more than 150 different names by which it is known. In fact SLES in commonly contaminated with dioxane, a commonly known carcinogen.

Although SLES is somewhat less irritating the SLS, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and it's effects are therefore much longer lasting.

*So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find it in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines. In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect.
Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

*The Journal of the American College of Toxicology notes that this ingredient has a "degenerative effect on the cell memebranes because of it's protein denaturing properties."

Interestingly, sodium lauryl sulfate "is used around the world in clinical studies as a skin irritant," notes the journal. The publication expressed additional concerns:
Carcinogenic nitrosamines can form in the manufacturing of sodium lauryl sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient.
Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. This poses the question whether it could be a serious potential health threat from its use in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes.
Still other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.
Although sodium lauryl sulfate is not carcinogenic in experimental studies, it has been shown that it causes severe epidermal changes in the area it is applied, indicating a need for tumor-enhancing assays.
Additional studies have found that sodium lauryl sulfate is heavily deposited on the skin surface and in the hair follicles. Damage to the hair follicle could result from such deposition.

I could go on and on about the harmful effects of Sulfate shampoos, but I think I'll stop here. Just know that the effects on long term shampoo use could be detrimental to our health, and if shampoo is a must try using a sulfate-free shampoo. I can recommend Elasta QP conditioning shampoo. Thanks for your support! Have a Blessed Day!