On how your shampoo is (maybe) ruining your skin.

We are getting a lot of DMs and emails right now with complaints of chronically inflamed skin around the hairline, nape of the neck, ears and even eyelids. Maybe you've been diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis.

We’re hearing all about how nothing, prescribed or over the counter, is working and you hope that maybe our Rescue Balm will be your panacea and finally end your itchy, flaking scalp problems (it can, with a little help).

While yes, if we do say so ourselves, our Balm is pretty incredible, we feel like a record on repeat as we point out that you are unlikely to find real relief unless you also address your shampoo.

1. SLS free does not = gentle. There are many surfactants that are far more irritating than sulfates. If your SLS free shampoo is cheap, it probably contains these.

Does the ingredient list of your "natural" shampoo (and conditioner!) contain Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone? I give you the winner of Contact Allergen of the Year 2013 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society and it has been clinically attributed as responsible for an "epidemic" of contact allergies.

You didn't really think that big pharma was going to find a replacement for parabens that would be good for you? Parabens' fall from grace as given rise to preservatives that are far worse for you and your skin. Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone probably being the most popular.

2. Natural does not = gentle. We see a lot of shampoos marketed as natural (primarily from big corporations) that are packed full of irritants. These can be the surfactants, preservatives, and fragrances (I will never understand why so many scalp treatments contain menthol. Scratch that, its because it feels cooling so you think its doing something but in the end its just a majorly drying irritant. Or hexyl cinnamon & hydroxycitronellal -these are fragrances that are so known to cause skin issues that they’re not allowed to be included under the blanket terms “parfum” and “fragrance” which are notoriously lenient but I digress), to name just a few.
Fact is, most of the ingredients in these shampoos are just feel and scent enhancers so it “feels” and smells how you expect shampoo to feel.

3. Baby does not = gentle. The most well known baby shampoo in the world is far from gentle.

Not sure what’s in your shampoo? Google is your friend.

I am in no way stating that the ingredients in your shampoo will cause cancer or the end of the world (they’ve all undergone safety testing before their use is allowed), but its a simple fact that not all things are created equal and what works for me can make Scout's skin fall off. And frankly, you tend to get what you pay for (except that overpriced bottle that smells nice that you got at the salon but isn’t really any different from the stuff at Tesco). So if you suffer from sensitive skin and have conditions that just won’t go away…

Maybe reconsider your shampoo x