Everyday, I see skin care brands claiming their products to be "chemical-free," and I wanted to address why I see this as an issue...
EVERYTHING is made up of chemicals, from the water we drink, to the air we breathe.
When companies market their products as "chemical-free," they are using the fear we have of the unknown or uncertainty against us. It's simply a marketing tactic that I have no interest in partaking.
If the concern is for "synthetic" ingredients, I ask why? Synthetic ingredients can be far safer than certain natural ingredients. I use synthetic ingredients, which derive from plants such as coconut and sustainable palm in my shampoo bars. I choose these synthetic ingredients, because they clean the hair more safely than fully natural ingredients.
In my previous blog post, I discussed the benefit of pH balanced hair care. Sure, a hair soap is all natural, but the pH is so high it can dry out your scalp, and raise the cuticle of your hair shaft leading to breakage and split ends. And not to say that hair soap may not be the best choice for you. If you prefer the all natural route, I say go for it! But don't close the door on products just because you don't understand the ingredients.
My goal in formulating and producing products is always to ensure the safety of my customers (and my friends and family) while providing the best quality. I am not a perfect person, and I'm surely not a perfect formulator, but I continue to improve by challenging myself while learning to be better and to have a better product everyday.
And guess what? When I began Lemongrass & Lavender, I used to make hair soap too! But I learned over time that it wasn't the best choice I wanted to represent my brand. So I learned and learned, and learned some more, then I formulated a pH balanced shampoo bar. And even the pH balanced shampoo bar that I began with has improved over the past couple of years! I'm proud of the products I make, but it doesn't mean that I won't be changing formulations to even scrapping them all together to create something better.
Lemongrass & Lavender may not be "chemical-free," but nothing is chemical-free, because the world is made up of chemicals. I refuse to sell my products by scaring the customer, but rather by educating why they may be a better choice. Maybe this is news to you that your skin and hair prefer a certain pH? Maybe you learn something by following my brand that you didn't know prior. (Side note, my gosh this would make me so happy!)
Should you have questions about any particular product or ingredient, I would be happy to help!
Thank you for coming to my Lemongrass & Lavender talk :)
Alanna