Stop. Drop. Investigate.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 I logged onto my Facebook account which I do every morning and came across a post about cancer causing products in which VO-5 and Pantene Co-Wash were mentioned specifically. As you can imagine the post was filled with “throw the products out” advice. The picture was of a store shelf that showed two VO-5 hair products side by side. Neither product is the subject of the lawsuit against companies selling products containing (cocamide DEA).

Stop. Drop. Investigate. 

There was also a link to a Youtube video and the person in the video mentioned a link where she got her information and yes, VO-5 was mentioned. One product Essence of Henna conditioner has formaldehyde listed as an ingredient, not the entire line. The link was (http://smartklean.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/the-top-12-cancer-causingVproducts-in-the-average-home/

I don't know about you, but I like VO-5 products and would hate to have to throw them out unnecessarily.

Stop. Drop. Investigate.

The issue that got the ball rolling was Proposition 65 (In 1986, California voters approved an initiative to address their growing concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. http://oehha.ca.gov/prop65/background/p65plain.html) 

Earlier this year a lawsuit was filed by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) against four companies that sell products containing cocamide DEA. “The chemical, cocamide diethanolamine (cocamide DEA), a chemically-modified form of coconut oil used as a thickener or foaming agent in many products, was listed by California as a known carcinogen last year.” 

Neither Pantene nor VO-5 was included in this listing. For more information and product listings visit http://www.ceh.org/news-events/press-releases/content/lawsuit-launched-testing-finds-cancer-causing-chemical-in-100-shampoos-haircare-products/. 

Stop. Drop. Investigate. 

While many in the natural hair community are well-intentioned, it is always best to do your own research before tossing products or trying techniques. Information given out of context or incorrectly can cause more harm than good. 

You should make it a practice to check and triple check information before you accept it or apply it. That's just common sense. 

 

Yes, I know it's nice when someone does the work for us, but every experience will not be the same. Just because it happened to Youtube vlogger so-and-so doesn't mean it will happen to you or to me.

Stop. After reading a post or watching a video. What is actually being said? Is the person giving the information trying to sell you on an idea or product or speaking from personal experience? Or is the person simply misinformed?

Drop. Whatever "feelings" you have about the product or information. Is this true for you? Have you had this experience? Do you know enough to make a decision?

Investigate. Check it out for yourself. Do your own research. Check multiple sources. Read the ingredients listed on your products, if you don't know what they are or what they do, find out. Check and check again before you make a final decision.

So the lesson for today, if you haven't already guessed, is, Stop. Drop. Investigate, before you throw away products or stop doing something that you have been doing with success.

You are the single greatest authority on your hair.

IT'S YOUR HAIR, YOUR CHOICE. HAVE A GREAT HAIR DAY.

Jackie