To ask about dry shampoo? Batiste?

[Booksandflowers]

I use a lot of dry shampoo as my hair gets greasy the following day after washing it but I tend to use batiste. I’ve recently read that there was proof that it contained benzene which is apparently a cancer causing chemical.

I want to change to something else but which ones are deemed safe? I’ve seen georgiamane advertised as safe but it’s about £17 a bottle 😬

Any other recommedations?

For example, there are lots of things in the media at the moment such as cancer rates increasing in younger women for which we do not yet have an explanation.

Sources?

To swap to natural alternatives that are cheaper, safer for the planet and make little difference in terms of their desired effects on hair etc, therefore seems like a no-brainer to me.

What do you mean by natural alternatives? Many of the ingredients in these 'chemical cocktails' are derived from 'natural' sources. Look at the supplementary information for tea tree oil:

H226 FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOUR. H302 HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. H304 MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED AND ENTERS AIRWAYS. H315 CAUSES SKIN IRRITATION. H317 MAY CAUSE AN ALLERGIC SKIN REACTION. H319 CAUSES SERIOUS EYE IRRITATION. H401 TOXIC TO AQUATIC LIFE. H411 TOXIC TO AQUATIC LIFE WITH LONG LASTING EFFECTS. PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS P273 AVOID RELEASE TO THE ENVIRONMENT. P280 WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES/ PROTECTIVE CLOTHING/ EYE PROTECTION/ FACE PROTECTION. P301+P310 IF SWALLOWED: IMMEDIATELY CALL A POISON CENTER/ DOCTOR. P305+P351+P338 IF IN EYES: RINSE CAUTIOUSLY WITH WATER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. REMOVE CONTACT LENSES, IF PRESENT AND EASY TO DO. CONTINUE RINSING. P331DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. P391 COLLECT SPILLAGE. P262 DO NOT GET IN EYES, ON SKIN

https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/20221202134851e_Tea_Tree_SDS.pdf

Also whether ingredients are "from plants" I think is a bit of a red herring. You can process ingredients and plants in ways that changes their essential chemical composition and makes them potentially dangerous (for example, Rapeseed oil

Your link says 'Industrial rapeseed oil is used in the automotive and chemical industries, it is not safe for human consumption due to its high content of something called 'erucic acid.' This is an acid occurs at high concentrations in oils derived from the cabbage family, such as rapeseed and mustard oil.'

But this proves my point! Industrial rapeseed oil isn't processed this way, it's naturally this way. We have genetically modified it to make it safe to consume, not the other way around.

Which is why they should be researched and considered carefully before incorporating into one's diet or products.

It is, very thoroughly. The EU rules for cosmetics (and food) are extremely strict. The FDA doesn't do half as much research into the safety of products in US markets.

@TwelveAngryWhiskers

A source:

• Since the early 1990s, breast cancer incidence rates have increased by around a sixth (18%) in the UK. Rates in females have increased by around a quarter (24%), and rates in males have remained stable (2016-2018).

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/breast-cancer#heading-Zero

My point regarding plants is, things that are marketed as normal "plant derived" ingredients are often industrially processed - an extract that is highly concentrated beyond its usual form, for example, which may be harmful. The example I gave (quickly as I haven't got a lot of time) was possibly not the best but there are plenty of others.

I'm not suggesting all plants are safe for consumption, either. I personally avoid essential oils as they trigger my endometriosis and are hormone disruptors.

Oh, and we're not in the EU any more. Sadly UK regulations are being watered down further and further.

What I am trying to say is many of the usual ingredients present in modern chemical shelf products could turn out in the long run to be harmful. As I gave the example upthread, the Lancet have recently stated that antiperspirants could contribute to breast cancer - this has only relatively recently been proven. Yet we have all been using them for decades. How many other ingredients could be doing longer term damage of which we are unaware?

Another source:

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/study-confirms-pancreatic-cancer-rates-rising-faster-in-women-than-men/

Plenty more if you look for them online. There were a lot of recent articles following Kate Middleton's recent diagnosis saying rates of various cancers increasing in women under 50 etc without causes yet known, I don't have the links now but I'm sure you can find them easily.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/14/uk-to-loosen-post-brexit-chemical-regulations-further

Living proof if I'm feeling spendy, otherwise Pantene Dry shampoo mousse- rub in and blow dry. Gives back volume and lovely scent, but only lasts until teatime

Who would have thought the suggestion of daily hair washing would be so controversial. I now feel compelled to elaborate: I use very diluted shampoo - a pump dispenser filled with water and a dribble of shampoo. Also, I wash my scalp, not my hair; clip dry hair up, pump diluted shampoo directly onto the scalp and massage scalp while rinsing. In lieu of conditioner I comb a few drops of apple cider vinegar through, rinse thoroughly and done. 10 minutes max. Then 30 minutes sitting under the hood (hairdryer) whilst drinking my morning coffee and reading the news. I've spent my whole life battling with dry, coarse, frizzy hair but this method makes it smooth, shiny and bouncy. I don't consider it time consuming because I would shower for 10 minutes and sit for at least half an hour in the morning anyway.

Try doing it struggling to stand with only the partial use of 1 arm.

I cannot imagine having 30 minutes straight to sit down under a hairdryer every morning! You must have a peaceful life @Konfetka, you should accept that this is a rarity though.

Thankfully mine only needs washing twice a week but it is
Wash and protein treatment - 15 mins
Apply styling products - 5-10 mins
Diffuser - 45-60 mins until I get bored or it's 80% dry
Air dry the rest until bed time - I never time it

There's no way I could do it in the morning unless I got up 2hrs earlier

Is it an issue with breathing it or being absorbed by skin?

I agree they could turn out to be harmful in the long-run. I just don't think that so-called natural products are any different in that sense unfortunately. I'm very sceptical of products that claim things like 'all natural' and 'no nasties', there's a whole industry trying to instil paranoia so they can get away with charging consumers extortionate prices for perceived peace of mind.

The increase in breast cancer incidence is interesting because it seems that oestrogen dependent tumours are increasing while non oestrogen dependent tumour types are actually decreasing (can't remember where I read that, sorry, but it was a research paper). I think one of the things that concerns me the most is microplastics, because they often contain endocrine disrupting chemicals which act like oestrogen in the body.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/

https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/microplastics-and-breast-cancer-could-there-be-a-link/

They're everywhere. So much of what we put on our skin comes from a plastic bottle or tube. Even our food gets contaminated with them https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215153221001835 and they're even in our tap water (albeit in very small amounts supposedly).

They've also been linked to gynaecological diseases like endometriosis and metabolic/gynae PCOS.

The other thing that has increased in recent decades is hormonal contraception, and we already know that is linked to breast cancer. Women are long overdue freedom from the burden of contraception and all the health issues it brings.

If I were rich the two major changes I would make to try to improve my longevity would be to cut out as much plastic as humanly possible, and move to a place where I wouldn't be surrounded by vehicular pollution.

I find the powder ones work best for me. I put a bit on before bed and it stops your hair getting greasy in the night. Lush or Bumble and bumble pret-a-powder are both good.

Living proof did nothing for me, I thought it was useless. I use Batiste, quite sparingly, I don’t think you need loads, about once a week the day before hair wash day. I find it gives me an extra day. If I had to use it every day I’d probably try to find an alternative.

I use the brown one from Superdrug, not because my hair is greasy but because it's very fine and the dry shampoo disguises my scalp and makes it look thicker.
The sun is carcinogenic.
Alcohol is carcinogenic
Arsenic that occurs naturally all around us is carcinogenic

Simply coming into contact with something that contain a carcinogen does not mean you'll get cancer.

I wouldn't worry too much tbh.

Lush's No Drought is really good and lasts aged, if I put it on when my hair still looks fine, so before I go to bed on a day when I have washed my hair, and then sleep in it, it works so well and the effect can last a few days. It is mostly talc but has a nice clean citrus smell which I much prefer.

I second this.

I have thin shit hair but I wash it every day with lots of conditioner left in for a few mins. I also put argon oil in at night. My ends are a little dry but that's the bleach. I also put my hairdryer on cold. It's a ball ache so I get your avoidance from both aspects.

When I don't have roots, I can get away with talcum powder. I know there were instances of cancer caused by this also. I don't know what cancer but it was genital based on putting it on babies bums. I also use it as a finishing powder for my face so I hope it only affects bums.

Also with talc you have to be careful. If I pay my head, there's a cloud. Gets embarrassing.

Pat*

I was reading it can lead to mesothelioma due to high concentrations of asbestos - whether that is historical or still occasionally present in some brands I am not sure. I avoid it.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/johnsonandjohnson-cancer/

Bingooooooo!

Training your hair is a myth. It can do nothing to alter your hormones. Which is what affects the rate at which your hair gets greasy.

There isn't really an issue, it's just people overreacting. Batiste have reformulated their product - and the amounts of benzine were absolutely tiny.

I've heard this but it 100% worked for me! I used to have to wash every day but due to sheer persistence on my part going through some horrible days of greasy hair I got it down to weekly or less. Believe what you want but lots of people it works for. If you have hormonal imbalance then I guess it is harder to correct.

Check out the nopoo subreddit for lots of testimonials. Ok they are more extreme than my case (I use shampoo every couple of weeks).

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoPoo/

Worked for me. I only wash mine now once a week. Sometimes twice if its really hot. Could never go more than 2 days before