Natural monastic shampoo with aloe vera, honey, calendula and jasmine, made by the brotherhood of the Monastery of Saint Gregory Palamas. This unique shampoo, rich in essential oils, herbs and plant extracts, is Paraben-free and SLS-free. It moisturizes, nourishes and softens all hair types without too much foaming, precisely because it is a natural product.
Use: Shake gently before use.
pH: 5.5
Content: 330 ml.
What are PARABENS and SLS? Most commercial shampoos contain two main ingredients, the PARABENS and SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate).
SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) Here are our top ten reasons why you should not use anything that contains SLS:
1. It is a known skin irritant. When cosmetic companies need to test the healing properties of a lotion, they need to irritate the skin first. What do they use to do this? SLS, of course. If you have dandruff, dermatitis, canker sores, or other irritated tissues or skin, it could be due to SLS.
2. It pollutes our groundwater. It is toxic for fish and other aquatic animals and has the potential for bioaccumulation (meaning it accumulates in the bodies of the fish). It is also undetected in many municipal water filters, getting into the tap water that you drink.
3. It is actually a pesticide and herbicide. It is commonly used to kill plants and insects. Makers of SLS recently petitioned to have SLS listed as an approved pesticide for organic farming. The application was denied because of its polluting properties and environmental damage.
4. It emits toxic fumes when heated. Toxic Sodium Oxides and Sulfur Oxides are released when SLS is heated. Taking a hot shower with an SLS shampoo seems not quite a good idea.
5. It has corrosive properties. According to the American College of Toxicity, this includes corrosion of the fats and proteins that make up skin and muscle. SLS can be found in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps.
6. Long - term permeation of the body’s tissues. A study from the University of Georgia Medicine showed that SLS had the power to permeate the eyes, brain, heart, and liver.
7. It is an eye irritant. It was shown to cause cataracts in adults and is proven to inhibit the proper formation of eyes in small children.
8. Nitrate and other solvent contamination. Toxic solvents, including carcinogenic nitrates are used in the manufacturing of SLS, traces of which can remain in the product.
9. The manufacturing process is highly polluting, emitting cancer-causing volatile organic compounds, sulfur compounds, and air particulates.
10. It helps other chemicals get into your body. SLS is a penetration enhancer, meaning that its molecules are so small that they are able to cross the membranes of your body’s cells. Once cells are compromised, they become more vulnerable to other toxic chemicals that may be with the SLS.
PARABENS (Methyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben)
Parabens are the most common preservatives used by the cosmetic companies in shampoo production. Medical researches have shown that parabens affect estrogen levels in humans and can create breast cancer in women. They have also been responsible for allergic reactions of the skin and eyes. Their long-term use may cause melanoma and other forms of cancer. Researches show that, in general, parabens enter rapidly into the body through the skin and are excreted by the urine 72 hours later. Studies that were conducted on the estrogenic nature of parabens in order to investigate whether and how these substances affect the endocrine and reproductive systems of living organisms, demonstrated that the exposure of mammals to parabens impair the testosterone secretion and function of the male reproductive system. Similar subsequent researches "incriminate" parabens for the increasing mass of cancerous breast cells.
