Please Read This… Then Learn To Love Your Curls
In a world driven by media, advertising, and sales, women are often lead to believe that we are not beautiful enough as we are. So we do many things to make ourselves look and feel more beautiful every day - from wearing makeup to changing the color and texture of our hair.
Many women with curly, wavy, and frizzy hair have been straightening their hair for years with various types of chemical straighteners including “keratin straighteners,” without knowing that these products contain formaldehyde releasing ingredients such as: aldehyde, bonded aldehyde, formalin, formic aldehyde, methanediol, methanal, methyl aldehyde, methylene glycol, methylene oxide, morbicid acid, or preservatives that release formaldehyde, like: benzylhemiformal, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15. These substances release airborne formaldehyde when heated with a blowdryer or flat iron during the chemical straightening process and thereafter. In 2010 OSHA became aware of the issue and both Federal and State OSHA departments found that most manufacturers, importers, and distributors of straightening treatments are in violation of labeling and consumer warning laws. To see a side-by-side list of hair straighteners with formaldehyde in their products click here, and then scroll down.
When I’m asked about keratin straighteners I tell my guests that I don’t offer these services because even the “organic straighteners” contain formaldehyde releasing ingredients which put my health at risk. (formaldehyde is known to cause cancer). Instead, I encourage my guests to embrace their curls with a Curly Haircut that works with their natural hair texture and lifestyle.
If this information is new to you, I encourage you to read the Environmental Working Group (EWG) blog, learn more about smoothing treatments, and download EWG’s SkinDeep app – to learn more about other beauty products that you are using. EWG has created an extensive data base of products and ingredients to help us understand the potential health concerns associated with commonly used products.