Tress transformation: clean beautiful hair doesn't require chemicals. Here's why you should switch to a natural shampoo

Shampoos seduce us with their scents and their promises of more volume or voluptuous curls. But what about the ingredients that help create these illusions? Check the label, and you'll probably see a slew of potentially unhealthy chemicals.

"[Many] mass-produced shampoos contain diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA) or monoethanolamine (MEA), chemicals that can react with other common shampoo ingredients to form potent cancer-causing agents known as nitrosamines," says Kim Erickson, author of Drop-Dead Gorgeous: Protecting Yourself from the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics. Shampoos also contain a number of ingredients that break down to form formaldehyde, she adds. And according to the Environmental Protection Agency, formaldehyde is a probable carcinogen.

But wait, you say, can something that's on my body for less than a minute be harmful? Yes, Erickson says. "Even though it may seem like a brief encounter, the scalp absorbs these compounds fairly rapidly." And since, for many of us, this exposure happens every day, these chemicals can potentially accumulate internally and may have long-term toxic effects.

But don't worry, you needn't stop washing your hair--just become ingredient-savvy. Most natural manufacturers eschew chemicals and use botanical-based ingredients instead. For example, rather than sodium lauryl sulfates, which can irritate your skin, they might use cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium lauroyl lactylate. Derived naturally from coconut oil, these safer, skin-friendly cleansers effectively remove surface oil and dirt without stripping or drying hair and scalp. Some natural formulas often rely on simple castile soap for lather and consistency, Erickson says.

Do these products perform as well as their conventional counterparts? You bet, but expect less lather (which can dry hair anyway). Bonus: These natural formulas contain many botanicals such as chamomile and jojoba that actually nourish hair, and they often have heavenly scents derived from pure essential oils. So expect to still elicit the response: "Gee, your hair smells terrific."

ingredient watch list

Just because a shampoo sports "natural" or herbal on its
label doesn't make it so. Use the following chart to
identify suspect shampoo additives.

INGREDIENT                PURPOSE                 CONCERN

sodium lauryl sulfate     * cleanser that         Common irritant; may
                            produces foam         enhance penetration
                                                  of other chemicals

diethanolamine (DEA)      * creates rich lather   Both may combine with
triethanolamine (TEA)     * balances pH levels    other chemicals to
                                                  form carcinogens

2-bromo-2-nitropropane-   * preservatives         Both break down into
1,3-diol DMDM hydantoin                           formaldehyde

imidazolidinyl urea       * preservatives         Can cause contact
diazolidinyl urea                                 dermatitis; break
                                                  down into
                                                  formaldehyde

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