Sodium Chloride in Shampoo | Healthy or Unhealthy?

The trend of sodium chloride in shampoo is increasing day by day. This article explains is it a good thing or a bad thing.

Introduction:

They are high chance that your dining table has a small glass bottle filled with a white powdered substance, which is sodium chloride (NaCl), also known as table salt. NaCl is composed of sodium cation and chloride anions present in a 1:1 ratio and is one of the most commonly used minerals by humans and also has tons of significant industrial uses. NaCl is in oceans, in mountains existing as rock salts, in our packed food, and is now also making its way into many daily use cosmetics as well.

It is readily soluble in water and has a pH value of 7, making it very significant in industrial purposes especially in the food and cosmetic industry. In recent times, sodium chloride is also found in many hair products, especially shampoos. We all want to style in the best and healthier way. However, what if the products we are using are pushing toward health problems like skin conditions and hair loss? A lot of the substances used in many hair products are indeed really harmful. Before making your next purchase, it’s time to review if NaCl is safe or not.  Below, we will explain why sodium chloride has found its way to being used in hair shampoos and if it offers advantages or disadvantages.

Sodium Chloride in Shampoos:

First of all, a very reasonable question here is why table salt is added to shampoos anyway. Well, as mentioned before, NaCl has a very good solubility in water. This property takes it to shampoos where it is used as a thickening agent and also helps to increase the viscosity of the shampoo’s solution while giving a smooth texture. This is the ideal case for shampoo because people want their shampoo to be thick, smooth, and with a nice even texture.

Moreover, better viscosity also means that the shampoo is easier to apply on hair and gives an even application when applied with a hand. Moreover, thick shampoo also gives an impression of being rich in ingredients and attracting more buyers. Because of all these reasons, cosmetics companies love to add NaCl to their shampoo bottles.

Moreover, NaCl acts as a stabilizer for all the emulsions introduced in a shampoo. These emulsions are usually in the form of different oils, and hair-friendly chemicals and table salt binds them together by acting as a stabilizer in the solution while retaining the viscosity and integrity of the solution. And it is cheap and easily available everywhere. Making it an extremely attractive option for the production of hair cosmetics.

Sodium Chloride in Shampoos is Safe?

In General, Sodium Chloride is considered safe to use in shampoos which is why you will see a lot of brands using table salt in their shampoo’s recipe. It also has found its way into other cosmetics due to its feature to increase viscosity. It also finds its uses in soaps where it keeps the integrity of the entire soap from being too soft and breaking apart on first or second use. NaCl as brine is also used during the production of many soaps, making it one of the most commonly used chemicals in both hair and body cleansing products. But in recent years, the use of NaCl in soaps is much less as compared to shampoos.

Having said that, it should be noted that some people may find shampoos with NaCl making their hair too dry. This is especially true for those who already have a dry scalp. The reason again is the solubility of NaCl with water which makes it strip away natural moisture and oils from our scalps. This can promote hair loss, hair breakage, and dandruff in some people. An appointment with a dermatologist or hair care professional is recommended to know if shampoos with NaCl are suitable for your hair or not. 

Wrapping Up:

Sodium chloride in shampoo is not unhealthy for your hair but it can cause dryness, and even hair breakage if your scalp is not suitable for it. Consult a dermatologist before using such products containing NaCl.