Many of us are now aware of the importance of shopping ethically when buying beauty products, whether it is moisturizer, foundation, or eye shadow. Unethically-made beauty products are harmful to animals, the environment, and sometimes to people involved in their production.
But what about shampoo? Just like our other beauty products, shampoo can contain chemicals that are harmful to our waterways and the general environment, or may be produced in a way that damages people, animals, or nature. It is therefore important to make sure you buy responsible shampoo products. Here’s how to shop ethically when buying shampoo.
Is Shampoo Bad for the Environment?
Inherently, no, shampoo is not bad for the environment. However, there are some products that can be damaging to the environment and one or more stages of their life cycle: that is, at any time from growing the ingredients to washing your hair.
Some shampoos contain ingredients that contribute to deforestation, most notably palm oil. You should also consider the carbon footprint generated by shipping the shampoo from where it was produced, to where you are using it: locally produced products have a much smaller carbon footprint. Finally, the packaging the shampoo comes in for example plastic bottles, can contribute to waste that pollutes the environment.
Of course, we all need to wash our hair, so avoiding shampoo isn’t really an option. Luckily there are a number of ethical and eco-friendly shampoos available. In the following sections, we’ll cover what to look for when buying shampoo to make sure you shop responsibly.
Avoid Palm Oil
When browsing shampoos, be sure to scan the ingredient list and make sure they do not include palm oil. A large number of beauty products, including shampoos, contain palm oil which is linked to clearing of rainforest. This deforestation destroys native habitats of orang-utans and other species, as well as harming local communities and contributing to climate change.
Some companies make an effort to source palm oil in a way that minimises these harmful impacts. However, the best policy is to avoid palm oil all together. There are a number of organic and eco-friendly shampoos around that are palm oil free, including Honesty, Friendly Soap and Conscious Skincare.
Check for Harmful Chemicals
While you are scanning the ingredients list, there are a number of harmful and toxic chemicals you should also avoid. Shampoos often have a long and complex list of ingredients, and some of these can be very bad for us, not to mention the environment.
Parabens, phthalates and triclosan are all toxic to humans so avoid any shampoo containing these. Most natural and organic shampoos will not contain these toxic chemicals, but be sure to check just in case! Major beauty and personal care brand Colgate-Palmolive has now eliminate all three of these toxins from their products, and many more brands are now marketing their products as sulphate-free or paraben-free.
There are also other chemicals found in shampoos that are not necessarily toxic, but may be harmful to our health. For example sodium laurel sulphate or its milder cousin sodium laureth sulphate, used as a foaming agent in many shampoos, is believed to trigger an allergic reaction in some people, causing skin and eye irritation.
Minimize Waste
One of the major impacts of shampoo on the environment is in the form of waste. Most shampoo comes in single-use plastic bottles that end up in landfill, or make their way to the ocean, where they will not breakdown for hundreds or thousands of years. Plastic waste is a huge problem globally, so you can reduce your contribution to this problem by buying products with minimal packaging. Shampoo bars are a great option, as they come with no plastic packaging at all.
Avoid Microbeads
Another component which is very damaging to the environment is so-called microbeads. Microbeads are a type of microplastic, that is, very small pieces of non-biodegradable plastic. These are then washed out of our hair and down the drain, where they enter our waterways, and accumulate in our rivers and oceans causing damage to fish and other species and giving off toxic chemicals and other pollutants. They may even accumulate up the food chain and eventually cause harm to human health.
Some shampoos contain microbeads and other microplastics, often added as a scrubbing agent. If you don’t want these toxic plastic particles to end up in the environment, double check that your shampoo is free from microplastics!
Look for Cruelty-Free
The final aspect to look for in your shampoo is to make sure it is cruelty-free. Unfortunately, animal testing remains relatively common in the beauty industry. Some brands claim to not use animal testing but still adhere to the
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind