The list of ingredients to our new shampoo bar looks a little intense but I promise you, those big sounding words aren't actually the chemical nightmare it seems. Below is the list of all the ingredients I used to create my shampoo bar, what they are and why I used them.
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate- Also known as SCI, this is a coconut derived surfactant, meaning it helps break up and clean the dirt from whatever surface it is on. This is one of three surfactants I use that are gentle and plant based.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate aka SLSa- SLSa is another plant derived surfactant that helps create the thick lather created when using the shampoo bar. This is not to be confused with the less popular and more irritating SLS. SLS is a sulfate, SLSa is not.
Cocamidopropyl betaine aka CABP- This coconut-derived surfactant helps stabilize lather and make the other surfactants even more gentle.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetyl Alcohol (and) Butylene Glycol aka BTMS-50- Derived from rapeseed oil, BTMS-50 adds the feeling of slip and glide to your hair while still keeping your hair clean and not greasy.
Cetyl Alcohol- No, not that kind of alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol that looks wax-like. I use it to keep the bar hard and long lasting while also providing moisture and boost conditioning.
Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butte aka Cocoa Butter- Cocoa butter is filled with fatty acids that nourishes your hair and scalp.
Quinoa Seed Extract (and) Sodium Benzoate (and) Potassium Sorbate aka Hydrolyzed Quinoa- Yes, that Quinoa. The one that was all the rage in 2010s. But that doesn't mean there's little grains in the shampoo bar. Hydrolyzed Quinoa is the protein of the quinoa seeds that have gone through an enzymatic process. These proteins are great for the hair as they coat the shaft (stop giggling) which keeps hair from tangling and splitting.
Propylene Glycol (and) Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate - This combo of scary sounding words is a mild and paraben-free preservative. I know preservatives are often maligned and made to be scary. But you know what is more scary? Mold you don't see then wash into your hair. There's a big debate about the need for preservatives in solid shampoo bars but the most trusted voices in my industry- ones with chemistry degrees- say it's needed in a wet environment. Personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Fragrance/Various Essential Oils- These differ depending on the scent. And that's primarily what they are there for- to make your bar smell nice. If listed as simply fragrance, it's a safe and phalate and paraben-free fragrance oil. Otherwise, the individual essential oils are listed. Also note, shampoo is a wash-off product and these shampoo bars are lightly scented. You won't be smelling like your shampoo all day long.
If you have questions on any of the ingredients used, feel free to email me at Laura@TheOakleySoapCo.com