In chemical science, shampoos are simply "surfactants." A surfactant is a substance that can emulsify (i.e., loosen and retain) fats or oils. The emulsifying properties of shampoos allow them to wash the oil and dirt with water when you use them. Shampoos are in many ways similar to detergents. In fact, most commercial shampoos are nothing more than complex detergents. The main difference between the shampoos that we wash with our hair and the detergents that we wash are clothes with bleaching and softening agents.
Shampoos consist mainly of water from 65% to 75%. The rest of the shampoo consists of surfactants (detergents) that are products of caustic liquor, lauryl sulfates, sodium lauryl sulfates, ammonium lauryl sulfates and animal fatty acid extracts such as tall oil, lard or vegetable oils such as coconut oil , and other vegetable fatty oils. Theoretically, these surfactants when massaged into the scalp and hair with a constant flow of water should interact with oils and dirt and remove them from the hair.
Ever read the ingredient lists of many laTely commercial shampoos? The list is so long with words you can't even utter, let them know what they mean. The truth is to effectively clean your hair, all you need is a few surfactants that are not harmful and are easily washed off. Most people think that because the shampoo is not very thick and lasts that it does not do its job. Scientifically, a decrease in foaming is what you expect when you cleanse your scalp and hair with a shampoo that does not contain additives. Ever have a sink full of bubbles made from liquid detergent mixed in warm water and then put oil dishes in soapy water? Notice how the bubbles slowly begin to fade, the more you wash dirty dishes?
Bubbles are reduced, but the dishes are cleaned! However, companies know that when we wash dishes or clothes, we expect to see a lot of bubbles. This gives the impression that clothes and dishes are really clean. However, this is not always the case (just use a cheap product for cleaning $ 1.50 and you will see!). Similarly, we aesthetically expect the same thick rich bubbles when we wash our hair. Thus, companies add additives, such as foaming and thickening agents, such as alkanolamines and methylcellulose, to help stabilize the foam and make it thick and rich.
Most commercial shampoos use cheap and sometimes harmful raw materials that have a very short lifespan due to the absorption of oxygen and the possible growth of bacteria. To compensate for the lack of stability of the products, companies add a lot of preservatives, such as parabens, methylparaben, DMDM hydantoin and vitamin E.
Many hair and scalp problems caused by commercial shampoos can be attributed to additives used to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of products (although new research and development data show that lauryl sulfates can be immunosuppressants). Due to the chemical nature of these additives and the chemical and rheological composition of the human hair, some of these additives can be left on the head and hair after shampooing. Constant use of these shampoos of this type will absolutely lead to a significant accumulation of many of these chemicals.
Such a build-up never leads to a less effective shampoo cleaning, because the surface area of the hair has been chemically modified, which reduces the surface-active effect of the shampoo, resulting in oil and dirt. Even more many of these supplements are not resistant to natural bacteria found on the surface of human skin (scalp). Bacteria completely destroy these chemical additives in products that are known irritants and aggressive substances. Such long-term use of such shampoo products leads to hair breakage, scalp damage and potential hair loss.
A good shampoo should never contain alkali or sulphates and only the softest fatty acids, such as olive oil and palm oils. As for resistance to bacterial growth, it is known that shampoos containing significant concentrations of glycerol and citric acid will not support the growth of bacteria. These shampoos do not wash for a very long time when used, but they clean your hair and do not adversely affect the reliability of your hair or the health of your scalp. You can always wash your hair a second time if you think you need further cleaning.
