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Mastey de Paris
Harsh Cleansers
Why you should never actually use any shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, skin care, color cosmetic or body wash containing even one of these type of ingredients.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- DEA (DEA Lauryl Sulfate)
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
- Alpha Olefin Sulfonate
What are these ingredients?These ingredients are known as surfactants. Surfactants like these make lots of bubbles and clean the hair. But you won’t just find them in shampoos. These same surfactants are also found in toothpaste, shaving cream, laundry detergent, dish soap and many industrial cleaning products as well.
Surfactants basically come in 2 types, ‘Linear Alkyl Surfactants” and “Ethoxylated Surfactants.” Ethoxylated surfactants are almost identical to linear alkyl surfactants, except that they have been chemically combined with the compound ‘ethylene oxide’. So for example, when ethylene oxide is added to the linear alkyl surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate, it’s name is changed to sodium laureth sulfate. When you see the word ‘laureth’, it means it is ‘ethoxylated.’
Surfactants and Skin Irritation
Ethoxylated surfactants are used in shampoos because they are considered slightly milder than their linear alkyl counterparts, simply because the molecules are larger. The more ethylene oxide you add (higher ethoxylation), the larger the molecule becomes. The idea is to make the molecule large enough so that it won’t irritate the skin, but as you see in the chart, it has negligible effect in many cases.
As you can see in the chart, these commonly used shampoo surfactants have a real potential to irritate skin, even when as little as 2% is used. Some companies will tell you that the surfactants they use are gentler than the one’s other companies use. But if you read their labels, you’ll find that most of the time the ingredients are the same! (some companies hide this fact by listing a bunch of herbal ingredients first, but keep reading and you’ll find it there eventually).
How many surfactants effect the skin
Because of the way they are designed to work, surfactant molecules stay on hair and skin long after you think you’ve rinsed them off. As they sit there, they literally strip-away fatty acids, moisture and amino acids from your hair and skin. They increase dryness, increase roughness, and disturb the healthy growth process of new hair and skin.
Harsh surfactants inhibit the activity of skin cell enzymes, breaking the Membrane Coating Granules (MCG) found in the lower horny layers of skin. These side-effects reduce the water-binding capacity of skin, and contribute to dysfunctional keratinization (growth) of skin cells. The result can be skin that doesn’t form properly, looks dull and dry, and even chaps and peels.
The greater the percentage of surfactant used, the higher potential for irritation. This is alarming knowing that some shampoos contain up to 50% or more.
Research shows that surfactants strip away vital amino acids like serine, histamine, glycine, alanine and lysine from keratin (hair & skin protein). And harsh surfactants have a skin roughening potential that increases along with the percentage used, leaving the skin and hair feeling dry and unmanageable, looking dull and lifeless the more you use them. They rob the skin and hair of what they need.
Given the permeability of ammonium and sodium laureth sulfate into the skin, everyone should consider the use of these ingredients on the skin and hair. But professional stylists and estheticians — who are exposed to these ingredients 100′s of times each week when working on clients — should be especially concerned.
Note: Many hair stylists suffer from dry, chapping hands as a result of shampooing 100′s of clients a week. Fortunately for some, Mastey shampoos came to the rescue. Stylists that suffer irritation, chapping and abrasions on the hands should immediately switch to Traité shampoo. Traité is credited for keeping stylists at work. Mastey’s gentle cleansing system won’t chap or otherwise harm your hands – it moisturizes and replenishes the nutrients in the skin and hands with every shampoo you perform! To find out more about the Unique & Gentle Mastey Cleansing System, please click here.
Ethoxylated Surfactants and Cancer
Even though Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Alpha Olefin Sulfonate and other ethoxylated surfactants are considered milder on the hair and skin, they may actually be worse for the body.
We explained above how ethylene oxide is bonded with a surfactant to make the molecules larger. Some companies try to tell you that because their surfactant has more ethoxylation, their shampoo will be gentler to your hair and skin. While this may be somewhat true, what they don’t tell you is that the higher the ethoxylation, the greater risk of exposure to harmful carcinogens, nitrosamines and/or 1,4 dioxane.
In the process of ethoxylation, a by-product called 1,4 dioxane can be released. 1,4 dioxane is a known carcinogen that reacts with other ingredients in shampoos to form dangerous nitrates. These nitrates are capable of permeating through intact skin each time you shampoo.
Dr. John Baily, Director of Colors and Cosmetics for the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported many shampoos, bubble baths, creams and lotions contain “excessively high” levels of 1,4 dioxane. Relying on The National Cancer Institute clinical tests showing that 1,4 dioxane causes liver damage in animals, Dr. Baily went on to say that the higher degree of ethoxylation, the more likely the occurrence of 1,4 dioxane.
Dr. Baily expressed concern that the levels of 1,4 dioxane has “not significantly dropped” in the 10 years since this information was first released. In other words, many of the companies that make these products have not bothered to change their formulas even though they have known for years about their deleterious effects.
Note: Products for children and babies usually use highly ethoxylated ingredients, because a child’s skin is so permeable. Unfortunately, parents permit their babies to sit for long periods of time in bubble-baths, or use “no tear” baby shampoos – possibly exposing their children to these dangerous elements. This is faulty logic! Since a baby’s skin more susceptible to absorption of these harmful elements they should use ingredients that are LOW in ethoxylation. We advise that you keep young children away from harsh and highly ethoxylated surfactants.
Nitrosamines & Irritation
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a non-ethoxylated surfactant, has been shown to react with other chemicals that form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines, like 1,4 dioxine, are also carcinogens. Shampoos with high levels of nitrosamines may expose you to these potentially cancer causing agents. Each time you shampoo, more potentially cancer-causing nitrates can enter into the blood stream than would if you ate a pound of bacon!
Hair Loss, Dandruff and Skin Disorders
Would you believe that certain surfactants also contribute to hair loss! In published studies, sodium lauryl sulfate has been shown to deteriorate the hair follicle. It retards the growth cycle of hair, and increases the amount of time needed to regrow hair from a normal of 3 months to up to 24 months, prolonging the sleeping stage of hair growth and giving you the appearance of hair loss. Scalps that are dry and itching, or scalps that suffer from thinning hair, dandruff, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis or rash requires a high degree of mildness that these surfactants do not have. In these cases, the most gentle approach to cleansing is desired.
Ocular Damage
Sodium lauryl sulfate was also shown to cause damage to eyes. It interferes with the formation of protein within the eye, just like it does to hair and skin. The Wholistic News Magazine Lifestyle reports that [sodium lauryl sulfate] causes ocular tissue malformation, blindness, cataracts, as well as retarded healing of the eye…[direct] contact with the eyes is not necessary for a problem to occur, since [sodium lauryl sulfate] can be absorbed by the skin and travel through the body to the eyes.”
The Mastey Difference.
Instead of these harmful, highly ethoxylated surfactants, Mastey uses a revolutionary gentle cleansing system that was designed to naturally have a large size molecule. Because it uses a naturally a large molecule, it doesn’t need excessive ethoxylation and is naturally gentle on the hair and skin. Rich in emollients, Mastey shampoos are luxurious and gentle, even on babies. Try it once and you’ll see and feel the remarkable difference. Click here to find out more about how Mastey shampoos cleanse the hair and scalp.
The Mastey Shampoo Breakthrough
Amides and Esters
Henri Mastey has always been aware of the harmful effect surfactants can have on the hair and skin. So he dedicated his career to developing shampoos that do not contain any of the ammonium or sodium laureth sulfate type cleansers.
Instead, Mastey shampoos contain the very mild, European cleansers Sulfoalkyl Amides and Esters. Sulfoalkyl Amides and Esters are derived from the purified amides and esters of coconuts. Unlike regular surfactants, they are rich in EFA’s, leaving the hair and skin feeling softer, smoother and in better condition than any other.
They are much milder on the skin than other surfactants.
Since Mastey shampoos are based on fatty acid lipids, we do not need to add oils. They are naturally gentle. And fatty acids are one of the most important parts of the skin’s natural moisture, which enable Mastey shampoos to leave the hair and skin naturally vibrant, soft and conditioned.
Mastey shampoos are creams, not liquids or gels, that enable smooth and even penetration of all the essential vitamins, minerals, lipids and proteins hair needs. It is the ultimate cleansing system containing the vital nutrients hair and skin need to retain youthful strength, vibrancy and elasticity.
So gentle, they are probably the only shampoos in the world actually recommended as face and body cleansers!
Oils
Moisture and Oil Don’t mix
Myth:
Oils are excellent moisturizers.
Fact:
Oils are not really moisturizers. Oils make the skin feel soft to the touch – but that’s because they coat the skin. Since they coat the skin they can help prevent moisture from evaporating. But no, oil molecules are simply too large to penetrate into the hair or skin
Prove it:
Take an ordinary glass and fill it halfway with water. Then, pour in about 1 inch of ordinary cooking oil (olive oil is too expensive to waste). Stir it up. You see! Oils & water don’t mix! If you want moisture, try something else.
Stop Switching Shampoos!
Oils, like other polymers make the hair appear shinier, softer and smoother because they create a superficial film over the hair. Many people use shampoos and conditioners loaded with Oils, and mistakenly believe that this is improving their hair. But within weeks, these same people begin to complain that their hair looks dull and heavy and behaves unmanageably.
What Happened? Obviously, this is a case of excess build-up. Unfortunately, after a few weeks of using hair care products loaded with Oils, most people will then switch shampoos to remove this build-up. But often, they switch to another shampoo or conditioner containing other Oils and polymers, and this cycle continues. If you are the type of person who finds themselves switching shampoos or conditioners often, you should try Mastey. Completely oil free and 100% water soluble, Mastey products will never cause this build-up on the hair — and you’ll never have to switch again!
In the salon, using shampoos and conditioners that contain Oils is never recommended. Your hair stylist needs to be able to inspect your hair before coloring, perming and deep conditioning treatments. If the hair contains Oils, your stylist will not be able to properly determine the true condition of your hair – and this could possibly result in colors & perms that don’t fully penetrate. If you are a stylist, avoid hair care products that contains Oils of any kind.
Consider this:
Each morning, millions of people wake up, put oil in a frying pan, add a little heat and fry some eggs. After breakfast, they hit the shower, put Oils on their hair, and then use a hot blow-drier to style. This is like frying the hair! In the salon, where blow-dryers and heat are common tools of the trade, hair products that contain Oils are never recommended.
