Health vs. Hair: I Gave/Threw Away all My Hair Products Away
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Country gal
Well-Known Member
Bumping so I can read later.
Divine Inspiration
Well-Known Member
Re: Health vs. Hair: I Gave/Threw Away all My Hair Products
bumping for Crystal...
bumping for Crystal...
esoterica
New Member
let's be honest. everything isn't bad for you. products like parabens are man made chemicals which are used in personal care products because most people dont know they are unsafe, and more importantly, the effects are cumulative, so its not like it makes you drop dead as soon as you touch it. manufacturers dont really care if parabens etc are bad for us or not. as long it keeps the products from spoiling on the shelf, and therefore its keeps their profit margin where they want it. the reason they have gotten away with it for so long is that many people are ignorant to the truth and others have a defeatist attitude once informed of the truth.angelk316 said:
just be glad that you have the information here to help you make an informed decision. many people out there still don't know what the word paraben means.
esoterica
New Member
same here! i think 2006 should be a paraben free year! i doubt my hair will fall out with these horrid chemicals. if anything it will improve!Cinnabuns said:This post has inspired me also to to become parafen-free in 2006 and I just wanted to thank Mzjones for starting this post and for this plethera of information.
Divine Inspiration
Well-Known Member
Very well saidasphyxxia said:
HoneyDew
Well-Known Member
Hair products are not the only things we need to worry about;
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA333875/
Where can a person draw the line and avoid paranoia?
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA333875/
Where can a person draw the line and avoid paranoia?
Crystalicequeen123
Well-Known Member
HoneyDew said:
I'm wondering the same thing! There are a LOT of things that aren't good for us in this world. I bet the very seat we're sitting in now, or the air we're breathing isn't healthy at all.
There has to be a line drawn however. I have spent a lot of money on these hair products, and I dont' think I should just throw them away instantly at the same time.
I could sell them, but who would want a half-used bottle of shampoo?? I know I wouldn't buy it. I just don't know.....
I think this information is VERY informative and I'm glad it was posted for our benefit on this board. I just think that maybe I'll gradually start buying more "natural" products and see how that goes, and just use up all of my other products that contain harmful ingredients. I can't afford to throw all of them away...
PrissyMiss
New Member
No offense to anybody on here but 90% of the products you use are somewhat harmful. To fully understand what is going on it's best to check your resources and form an opinion from that. You really cant just trust everything that everyone tells or that you read whether it's a doctor or not. A big chunk of how harmful products are depends on how much do you inhale this stuff daily and how much does the product contain. I'm very cautious when it comes to research showin another cancer producing product especially when a couple of years ago research had shown that deodorant was a leading cause for breast cancer. Turns out that that research was invalid and deodorant has nothing to do with cancer at all. All I am saying is check your resources, even the ones that appear the most reliable arent. And if that's the case throw out all of your cleaning supplies because those can cause lung cancer and further complications with the lungs.
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Divine Inspiration
Well-Known Member
bumping for naturallady and trinidarkie
SparklingFlame
New Member
Divine Inspiration said:
Girl you are just too sweet! You know I read every single post on here and I am buggin out!!!!!!! Elasta QP Mango butter is like my holy grail!!! AAAAAHHHHHH
It has 3 parabens in it!!! I have decided, even before I read this post that I was going to use natural products, namely from nubianheritage.com. The less ingredients, the better. Especially if I can PRONOUNCE the ingredients!
Thanks DI for bumping this for me and thanks OP for starting this thread.
Divine Inspiration
Well-Known Member
naturallady said:Girl you are just too sweet! You know I read every single post on here and I am buggin out!!!!!!! Elasta QP Mango butter is like my holy grail!!! AAAAAHHHHHH
I have decided, even before I read this post that I was going to use natural products, namely from nubianheritage.com. The less ingredients, the better. Especially if I can PRONOUNCE the ingredients!
Thanks DI for bumping this for me and thanks OP for starting this thread.
You're welcome mama! Anything to help. And I feel you on the Mango Butter..that was among many others that I was heartbroken over.
But once you start replacing them with others, you'll fall in love with the newbies and the absence of potentially harmful ingredients will be icing on the cake.
jwhitley6
Well-Known Member
Well...I'm gonna keep using the parabens. They work for me, and make my life easier. There are so many things that I consider wayyy more dangerous than anything that could be in my shampoo and conditioner.
I think monitoring your diet is more important.
Just my opinion....and I still got love 4 ya'll
I think monitoring your diet is more important.
Just my opinion....and I still got love 4 ya'll
Miss*Tress
Well-Known Member
This has been one of the most informative threads I've read on LHCF. Still I'm of two minds (and maybe even three or four) on the subject. Short of growing our own food and making everything for ourselves from scratch, just about all of the products we consume and the actions we take have some harmful effect on the body, the environment, and even our fellow citizens.
Thanks to naturallady for posting that link to Nubian Heritage. I had never heard of it. Is it a black-owned company? Does anyone know where to find the list of ingredients in their products?
ETA: List of ingredients in Nubian Heritage products
Like Crystalicequeen123, I'll reduce my use of harmful substances as much as possible, but it's unlikely that I'll be able to eliminate them completely.
Thanks to naturallady for posting that link to Nubian Heritage. I had never heard of it. Is it a black-owned company? Does anyone know where to find the list of ingredients in their products?
ETA: List of ingredients in Nubian Heritage products
Like Crystalicequeen123, I'll reduce my use of harmful substances as much as possible, but it's unlikely that I'll be able to eliminate them completely.
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Miss*Tress
Well-Known Member
The Truth About Parabens (and other Preservatives)
People often ask us why we use preservatives in our natural products. As a manufacturer and distributor of natural products, we strive to make our products as natural as possible. However, one reality of modern life is that we need preservatives. To get a product from the manufacturer to you, through a distribution channel, and to have that product have any kind of reasonable shelf life requires that certain products be preserved, in some fashion. Otherwise, you’d shortly end up with some pretty funky stuff instead of the product you paid for. Inconvenient? Yes. But, even worse, some of those nasties that can grow in your products are harmful. Preservatives of some kind will almost always be needed in products where water is present. Water is the basis of all life, including bacteria, fungi and molds. Products without preservatives may have a short shelf life, even if refrigerated. Products that are not properly preserved, even if made in a pristine environment, can become a health risk when exposed to the yeast, mold, fungi and bacteria present in all of our homes.
Parabens are a group of broad-spectrum preservatives (meaning they kill a variety of microbes) used to prevent the growth of harmful micro-organisms, especially molds and yeast. Parabens are derived from benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is a chemical commonly found in plants. So, to some extent, parabens are “natural”. They are as natural as some alternative preservatives being proposed, such as grapefruit seed extract. Parabens
have been used extensively for over 50 years and have been researched thoroughly. Parabens are used in very small concentrations causing absolutely no reason for concern for most people.
When we started out in this business, we heard the horror stories concerning parabens and decided to try to avoid them in the products we offer for sale. However, the reality is there are no great alternatives. Many of the manufacturers that offer paraben free products (or products free from other chemical preservatives) make disclaimers about the shelf lives of their products or even the safety of the products they sell without
chemical preservatives. They pass the risk of not using effective preservatives on to you, the consumer.
Parabens are well tolerated by just about everyone. Extremely sensitive people may develop a mild skin reaction, in products that are not rinsed off such as lotions. This reaction is rare. The reaction is even more rare in products that are rinsed off, such as shampoos. We have to weigh the very small risk of a mild skin rash against the serious health threat posed by spoiled products. You may have found websites that suggest that you should avoid parabens at all costs because of increased risk of cancer. However, you should be aware of the real “threat” of parabens and what costs you may be paying by avoiding them. The controversy over parabens, like the controversy over Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a difficult one to sift through. It’s not that there is any lack of opinion on the subject. It’s just that you have to consider the source when you do find information. More...
People often ask us why we use preservatives in our natural products. As a manufacturer and distributor of natural products, we strive to make our products as natural as possible. However, one reality of modern life is that we need preservatives. To get a product from the manufacturer to you, through a distribution channel, and to have that product have any kind of reasonable shelf life requires that certain products be preserved, in some fashion. Otherwise, you’d shortly end up with some pretty funky stuff instead of the product you paid for. Inconvenient? Yes. But, even worse, some of those nasties that can grow in your products are harmful. Preservatives of some kind will almost always be needed in products where water is present. Water is the basis of all life, including bacteria, fungi and molds. Products without preservatives may have a short shelf life, even if refrigerated. Products that are not properly preserved, even if made in a pristine environment, can become a health risk when exposed to the yeast, mold, fungi and bacteria present in all of our homes.
Parabens are a group of broad-spectrum preservatives (meaning they kill a variety of microbes) used to prevent the growth of harmful micro-organisms, especially molds and yeast. Parabens are derived from benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is a chemical commonly found in plants. So, to some extent, parabens are “natural”. They are as natural as some alternative preservatives being proposed, such as grapefruit seed extract. Parabens
have been used extensively for over 50 years and have been researched thoroughly. Parabens are used in very small concentrations causing absolutely no reason for concern for most people.
When we started out in this business, we heard the horror stories concerning parabens and decided to try to avoid them in the products we offer for sale. However, the reality is there are no great alternatives. Many of the manufacturers that offer paraben free products (or products free from other chemical preservatives) make disclaimers about the shelf lives of their products or even the safety of the products they sell without
chemical preservatives. They pass the risk of not using effective preservatives on to you, the consumer.
Parabens are well tolerated by just about everyone. Extremely sensitive people may develop a mild skin reaction, in products that are not rinsed off such as lotions. This reaction is rare. The reaction is even more rare in products that are rinsed off, such as shampoos. We have to weigh the very small risk of a mild skin rash against the serious health threat posed by spoiled products. You may have found websites that suggest that you should avoid parabens at all costs because of increased risk of cancer. However, you should be aware of the real “threat” of parabens and what costs you may be paying by avoiding them. The controversy over parabens, like the controversy over Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a difficult one to sift through. It’s not that there is any lack of opinion on the subject. It’s just that you have to consider the source when you do find information. More...
Chromia
Well-Known Member
This thread is very interesting. Like Jewell, I have Elasta QP Mango Butter and NTM Silk Touch Leave In. I also have Cantu Break Cure and Profectiv Healthy ends. I use Suave lotion on my skin. Those all have parabens.
Sometimes you hear about someone getting cancer even though they eat healthy and exercise regularly. I guess that things like parabens and phthalates are probably causing or at least contributing to their cancer, in some cases.
Sometimes you hear about someone getting cancer even though they eat healthy and exercise regularly. I guess that things like parabens and phthalates are probably causing or at least contributing to their cancer, in some cases.
SparklingFlame
New Member
Miss Biss the nubianheritage website doesnt have the full scope of the products they sell on the site (go figure) Thses 2 sites have more of the nubian heritage products and one of the links feature the shea moisture line. They have good products too. Here are the links:MissBiss said:
http://www.houseofnubian.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Shelf/ASP/Hierarchy/0D00.html
http://www.sheabutterhut.com/shea_butter_hair.html
Miss*Tress
Well-Known Member
Thanks, naturallady. :Rose:
UmSumayyah
Well-Known Member
This is a great thread.
Personally, I don't feel that making the move to more natural products is paranoid, but I also think it's easier to kind of phase it in. I have been doing so for about a decade now.
1. About 10 years ago I started cooking more of my own food. (still living home. Although mom made pretty healthy food, I started things like eating green salads and switching out the white rice/pasta for brown rice and whole-wheat pasta. I also stopped drinking tap water.
2. About 8 years ago I started buying organic produce whenever possible.
3. 7 years ago I added in organic canned and frozen foods.
4. 5 years ago I started with the natural cleaning products (I CAN'T go back to conventional automatic dishwashing liquid, after using organic I can really smell the bleach in that stuff and dioxin DOES cause cancer). I also started buying the "natural" disposable diapers for my baby.
5. 4 years ago I started using cloth diapers. I alternate between those and the "natural" disposables. I also started using natural toothpaste.
6. 3 years ago I started using natural baby care products for the kids and using coconut oil to moisturize me and them.
5. Last year I started using natural black soap to wash my face and making my own moisturizer with shea butter and a mix of oils. I also grew a few organic herbs in the backyard as well as a zucchini plant.
6. This year I plan to expand backyard gardening and start using more natural hair products. (I already make my own hot oil treatments, and my body moisturizer doubles nicely as a braid cream.)
All these changes have been painless and I feel great knowing that it's all for our health. So no one should feel overwhelmed. This can be done gradually. And I agree with the poster who said to worry about changing your diet first. That's most important imo.
Personally, I don't feel that making the move to more natural products is paranoid, but I also think it's easier to kind of phase it in. I have been doing so for about a decade now.
1. About 10 years ago I started cooking more of my own food. (still living home. Although mom made pretty healthy food, I started things like eating green salads and switching out the white rice/pasta for brown rice and whole-wheat pasta. I also stopped drinking tap water.
2. About 8 years ago I started buying organic produce whenever possible.
3. 7 years ago I added in organic canned and frozen foods.
4. 5 years ago I started with the natural cleaning products (I CAN'T go back to conventional automatic dishwashing liquid, after using organic I can really smell the bleach in that stuff and dioxin DOES cause cancer). I also started buying the "natural" disposable diapers for my baby.
5. 4 years ago I started using cloth diapers. I alternate between those and the "natural" disposables. I also started using natural toothpaste.
6. 3 years ago I started using natural baby care products for the kids and using coconut oil to moisturize me and them.
5. Last year I started using natural black soap to wash my face and making my own moisturizer with shea butter and a mix of oils. I also grew a few organic herbs in the backyard as well as a zucchini plant.
6. This year I plan to expand backyard gardening and start using more natural hair products. (I already make my own hot oil treatments, and my body moisturizer doubles nicely as a braid cream.)
All these changes have been painless and I feel great knowing that it's all for our health. So no one should feel overwhelmed. This can be done gradually. And I agree with the poster who said to worry about changing your diet first. That's most important imo.
SparklingFlame
New Member
ITA with everything you said. I plan on phasing out the old and incorperating the new natural stuff. When I move out of the godforsaken apt i plan on starting up my garden again ( I had one in the backyard of my house before I moved here after a house fire). I loved my lil garden!! It was so fulfilling to cook what you grow. But yeah....it will take some time to go as natural as possible.UmSumayyah said:This is a great thread.
Personally, I don't feel that making the move to more natural products is paranoid, but I also think it's easier to kind of phase it in. I have been doing so for about a decade now.
1. About 10 years ago I started cooking more of my own food. (still living home. Although mom made pretty healthy food, I started things like eating green salads and switching out the white rice/pasta for brown rice and whole-wheat pasta. I also stopped drinking tap water.
2. About 8 years ago I started buying organic produce whenever possible.
3. 7 years ago I added in organic canned and frozen foods.
4. 5 years ago I started with the natural cleaning products (I CAN'T go back to conventional automatic dishwashing liquid, after using organic I can really smell the bleach in that stuff and dioxin DOES cause cancer). I also started buying the "natural" disposable diapers for my baby.
5. 4 years ago I started using cloth diapers. I alternate between those and the "natural" disposables. I also started using natural toothpaste.
6. 3 years ago I started using natural baby care products for the kids and using coconut oil to moisturize me and them.
5. Last year I started using natural black soap to wash my face and making my own moisturizer with shea butter and a mix of oils. I also grew a few organic herbs in the backyard as well as a zucchini plant.
6. This year I plan to expand backyard gardening and start using more natural hair products. (I already make my own hot oil treatments, and my body moisturizer doubles nicely as a braid cream.)
All these changes have been painless and I feel great knowing that it's all for our health. So no one should feel overwhelmed. This can be done gradually. And I agree with the poster who said to worry about changing your diet first. That's most important imo.
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