Shampoo = Toxic?

After watching "The Story of Cosmetics" I decided to do some research on my own shampoo: Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo. This shampoo is marketed as very earth friendly. The bottle is 94% biodegradable and contains 50% recycled plastic. It is also marketed as human friendly. The bottle states there is no silicone, no paraben, no dye and that it should leave hair feeling light/weightless because there is no heavy residue left behind. I wanted to check how accurate these claims really were.

Here is the list of ingredients found in my shampoo.
List of Ingredients: water, ammonium lauryl sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium chloride, pyrus malus extract/ apple fruit extract, parfum/fragrance, sodium benzoate, hydroxypropyl, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, hexylene glycol, citric acid, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, niacinamide, pyridoxine hci, caprylic/capric triglyceride, linalool, hexyl cinnamal, saccharum officinarum extract/sugar cane extract/ extrait de canne a sucre medica limonum peel extract/lemon peel extract, camellia sinemsis extract/camellia sinensis leaf extract, malpigha punicifolia/acerola fruit extract, sodium hydroxide. 

First I looked up my product on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. they gave it a overall score of 5 or moderately hazardous to my health. The biggest concern was the fragrance they use in my shampoo. The EWG gave it a high score of 8 (highly hazardous) due to "Ecotoxicology, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Miscellaneous, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)". All other ingredients got a moderate to low rating based on concerns about allergies, irritation to eyes, skin or lungs, skin absorption or organ toxicity.  Overall there is no caner or developmental/ reproductive toxicity concern with my shampoo.

Next I checked the toxicity list in Okala ecological design. Good news is none of my shampoo's ingredients were on the list!

I decided to look more closely at sodium hydroxide because it was one of the ingredients described as
"Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)". Sodium hydroxide is commonly know as lye. I found that Sodium hydroxide "Is used in many industries, mostly as a strong chemical base in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, soaps and detergents and as a drain cleaner." It is also used in the food industry in the "Washing or chemical peeling of fruits and vegetables, chocolate and cocoa processing, caramel coloring production, poultry scalding, soft drink processing, and thickening ice cream. Olives are often soaked in sodium hydroxide for softening; Pretzels and German lye rolls are glazed with a sodium hydroxide solution before baking to make them crisp"

When I looked at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention page it warned about coming into contact with sodium hydroxide on your skin or eyes and that it may cause hair loss, skin burns and irritation. It is also listed as incompatible with water or "when in contact with water may generate sufficient heat to ignite combustible materials".  It's interesting that a chemical that can cause hair loss and should not be mixed with water is in my shampoo that I mix with water and use on my hair!

I think I will keep using my shampoo even in light of what I have learned. The health risks I found steam from coming in contract with the pure substances used in the shampoo not the shampoo mixture itself and none of the ingredients stood out as being very serious. I feel like I can live with the risks listed and I have never had any problems with allergies or irritations to the product. I do know now though, that I should never get this stuff in my eyes or mouth! I do not think that there is enough of any one ingredient to hurt me so I'm not going to worry about it. If I do decide to stop using the product I'm sure I could find a substitute shampoo that is less harmful.

Citations:

           "Garnier Fructis Haircare Pure Clean Fortifying Shampoo." Envirnmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database (2013): n.pag. EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Datebase. Web. 6 Oct 2013. 

Okala Learning Ecological Design. 2nd ed. Phoenix AZ: 2009. 17-21. Print.   

"Sodium hydroxide." Wikipedia. 2013.

United States. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Sodium hydroxide. Atlanta GA: , 2010. Print.