And welcome back to our series of #ReadTheLabelNow posts to uncover the good, the bad (and the the ugly) of personal care and home care products. If you haven't seen our first post yet, check it out here.

For today, we'll zoom in on rethinking what's really clean when it comes to our everyday showers – yes, we get refreshed skin and clean hair but do our soaps and shampoos also do good for our health?

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Surfactants like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (commonly known as SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are inexpensive chemicals that are commonly found in many personal hygiene products such as shampoos, body washes and soaps. They work as foaming agents to make your shampooing experience extra bubbly, but as it turns out, bubbly doesn't always mean lovely.

SLS, SLES and other similar synthetic surfactants damage natural protective barriers on your skin, letting in hormone-disrupting chemicals (and can sometimes be contaminated by carcinogens like 1,4 dioxane). SLS is also labeled as a skin, eye and respiratory tract irritant by the Environmental Working Group and tagged as inherently toxic to aquatic organisms by Environment Canada.

(Photo by Semevent on Pixabay)

Here's a list of the most common synthetic surfactants that you'd want to avoid when shopping for your bath essentials:

- sodium lauryl sulfate
- sodium laureth sulfate
- sodium myreth sulfate
- ammonium lauryl sulfate
- ammonium laureth sulfate
- alkylbenzene sulfonate
- ammonium xylenesulfonate
- sodium xylenesulfonate
- ethyl PEG-15 cocamine sulfate
- sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate

But don't worry, you don’t have to give up your soap suds and lather-y shampoo forever (we LOVE them, too)! There are natural alternatives that are safer both for your health and the environment such as biodegradable decyl glucoside, potassium cocoate, sodium cocoyl isethionate and other coconut-derived surfactants.

We're happy to share that Human Nature's Hair Care and Body Cleansing products use only genuinely natural and safe surfactants to give your baths their bubbly lather, and your skin and hair real clean.

And now we're all the wiser on what we can really consider as a clean shower! Share the lifesaving knowledge and get 10% off a single receipt purchase of Human Nature products at any of our branches or the online store!*

Simply share in a public post any of our #ReadTheLabel posts (look for the pink heart!) and message our page with the link or screenshot to receive a 10% discount code. Tag as many friends as you like - if they share our posts, they can also claim the discount!

Watch out for more #ReadTheLabel posts coming up this week!

*This code is valid up to October 31, 2017 and is for non-dealers and non-members only. Members and dealers will enjoy 5% off on top of their existing discount.

 

References:

  • http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706110/SODIUM_ LAURYL_SULFATE/
  • Herlofson BB, Barkvoll P. Sodium lauryl sulfate and recurrent aphthous ulcers. A preliminary study. Acta Odontol Scand. 1994 Oct; 52(5): 257-9
  • Shim Yj, Choi, J-H, Ahn H-J, Kwon S-J. Effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Oral Diseases 2012 Feb; 18(7):655-60