As a conscious consumer, it can be a bit of a struggle to keep track of all the substances you want to avoid in your care products. They can hide under many different and advanced names in the ingredient lists. But at LULAB, we have made it easy for you to avoid some of the most controversial substances – namely sulfates, silicones, and parabens.
As mentioned, LULAB's products do not contain any of the above substances. But why have we decided to do so? Here's a brief rundown of some of the main reasons behind this decision.
Sulfates
What exactly are sulfates? You undoubtedly know them from your everyday life. These are sulfur compounds with the primary purpose of cleaning and degreasing - and they do so very effectively. Therefore, products with sulfates can have a drying effect on both the scalp and hair strands. They remove the natural oils that the scalp produces, which help keep the hair healthy. This is especially true for curly, dyed, or split hair that has a large need for moisture to stay healthy and shiny.
Sulfates are widely used in care products, as they, in addition to being cleansing, also have the foaming effect we know, from everything from dishwashing detergent to shampoo. But there is a difference between sulfates. The sulfates that are often added to your care products are the so-called SL sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate). These can be harsh on the skin and potentially cause an irritated and dry scalp.
There are many milder and natural alternatives to these SL sulfates, and at LULAB we have chosen that our products should be free of sulfates. Instead, we use sodium cocoyl isethionate, which is extracted from coconuts. This means that you get a mild and gentle cleansing shampoo that focuses on your well-being. And this is, of course, without compromising the washing experience itself, where the foaming effect remains intact.
Silicones
So, what are silicones? Silicone substances, or siloxanes as they are also called, are used in a wide variety of cosmetic products. They are usually found behind names ending in -cone or oxane. Here they are used, among other things, to make the hair appear shiny and healthy. And after all, these characteristics sound attractive at first glance. But silicones achieve this by putting an enveloping layer around the hair shaft, that can prevent the natural oils from penetrating. Therefore, in the worst case, your hair can be left dry and lifeless when hair care products contain both sulfates and silicones.
Over the past few decades, several silicones have been suspected of being endocrine disruptors, and some of these must therefore not be used in care products or cosmetics. For example, this applies to cyclic silicone cyclotetrasiloxane (D4). However, cyclopentasiloxane (D5) and cyclohexasiloxane (D6) are also considered problematic. And as if that were not enough, it has also become clear that they have a great impact on the environment. Since silicones are generally very stable substances, they do not break down in nature, which means they can accumulate in nature, and spread over great distances.
Based on these issues around silicones, we at LULAB have decided that our products should be 100% silicone free. We believe that you can easily achieve shiny and healthy hair by using only natural ingredients, that focus on both you and the environment.
Parabens
What are parabens? Parabens (eg. methyl- and ethylparaben) are preservatives often found in cosmetic products. They make sure to inhibit the growth of fungi and bacteria, which is a sought-after function. But the use of parabens has been debated for many years, due to suspicions of being endocrine disruptors for both men and women.
Whilst numerous parabens have been banned, others are still present in cosmetic products, although they are on the EU list of substances suspected of being endocrine disruptors (methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butylparaben). That is why we at LULAB have chosen to avoid parabens in our products. Instead, we recommend that you use your freshly made, and personally manufactured products within three months. That way, you get the best benefit from all the natural ingredients.
Uncompromising and customised products
At LULAB, all ingredients are carefully selected with your health, well-being, and the environment in mind. This, we believe, provides the best product focused on your hair's needs. We continuously keep up to date on the development of new ingredients, so that we only use the absolute best when we tailor your products to your personal needs. Start your customization today. We tailor 100% customized products for all hair types.